Validation of an Extended TAM Model for Blockchain Adoption in Human Capital Recruitment in Regional Innovation Systems
Keywords:
Blockchain, TAM model, Recruitment, Technology adoption, Technology clusters.Abstract
This study validates an extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) applied to the context of blockchain technology adoption in recruitment and selection processes within Mexican technology clusters. Based on Davis' Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) theory, expanded with external constructs identified in the exploratory study (sustainability, labour inclusion, supervisor technological competence, risk assessment, and trained human capital), the general hypothesis that these factors, together with perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use, significantly influence the attitude, intention and effective use of blockchain technology in recruitment and selection processes was tested. These external variables were previously identified through a qualitative case study conducted in a technology cluster, allowing for their subsequent quantitative operationalization. The empirical validation of the model was carried out in four technology clusters in the sector in Mexico, comprising a total of 31 companies. The methodological design was quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional, and correlational, using a non-probabilistic sample of 256 professionals. IBM SPSS Statistics software (version 29) was used to perform reliability analyses (α > .86), Pearson correlations (r ranging from .709 to .883), Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) with Varimax rotation, and Multiple Linear Regression. Finally, the complete model was validated through Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) using IBM SPSS Amos (version 29), yielding satisfactory fit indicators (CFI = .951, RMSEA = .045, SRMR = .048). The findings indicate that perceived usefulness and attitude towards use are key mediating variables between the external constructs and the intention to use. Perceived risk showed a significant negative influence, whereas the supervisor technological competence, sustainability, and trained human capital had a positive impact on perceived usefulness and intention to use. It is concluded that the use of blockchain in recruitment and selection enhances the transparency, security, and efficiency of processes, and that its adoption—beyond perceived usefulness and ease of use—is driven by sustainability, labor inclusion, technological competence, risk management, and human capital training. The results not only deepen the theoretical understanding of the phenomenon but also provide practical guidelines for implementing this technology in organizational settings. This study represents an original and pioneering contribution in the Latin American context, as it is the first to validate an extended TAM model with empirical evidence on the use of blockchain in recruitment and selection processes.
References
[1] D. Tapscott and A. Tapscott, "Blockchain revolution: how the technology behind bitcoin is changing money, business, and the world", Penguin, 2018.
[2] N. Kshetri, "1 The Emerging Role of Big Data in Key Development Issues: Opportunities, Challenges, and Concerns", Big Data for Development, 2017.
[3] F. D. Davis, "Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and user acceptance of information technology", MIS Quarterly, vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 319–340, 1989.
[4] V. Venkatesh and F. D. Davis, "A theoretical extension of the technology acceptance model: four longitudinal field studies", Management Science, vol. 46, no. 2, pp. 186–204, 2000.
[5] N. M. P. Bocken, S. W. Short, P. Rana and S. Evans, "A literature and practice review to develop sustainable business model archetypes", Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 65, pp. 42–56, 2014.
[6] E. Brynjolfsson and A. McAfee, "The second machine age: Work, progress, and prosperity in a time of brilliant technologies", WW Norton & Company, 2014.
[7] B. J. Avolio, F. O. Walumbwa and T. J. Weber, "Leadership: Current theories, research, and future directions", Annual Review of Psychology, vol. 60, pp. 421–449, 2009.
[8] M. S. Featherman and P. A. Pavlou, "Predicting e-services adoption: a perceived risk facets perspective", International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, vol. 59, no. 4, pp. 451–474, 2003.
[9] J. Pfeffer, "Competitive advantage through people: Unleashing the power of the work force", Harvard Business Press, 1994.
[10] V. Venkatesh, M. G. Morris, G. B. Davis and F. D. Davis, "User acceptance of information technology: Toward a unified view", MIS Quarterly, vol. 27, no. 3, pp. 425–478, 2003.
[11] Nakamoto, S. (2008). Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System. Disponible en: https://bitcoin.org/bitcoin.pdf
[12] Yli-Huumo, J., Ko, D., Choi, S., Park, S., & Smolander, K. (2016). Where is current research on Blockchain technology?—A systematic review. PloS One, 11(10), e0163477.
[13] Swan, M. (2015). Blockchain: Blueprint for a new economy. O'Reilly Media, Inc.
[14] Tapscott, D., & Tapscott, A. (2016). Blockchain revolution: how the technology behind bitcoin is changing money, business, and the world. Penguin.
15] Deloitte. (2019). Blockchain in Human Resources: Transforming the Talent Lifecycle. Deloitte Insights.
[16] World Economic Forum. (2018). Building Block(chain)s for a Better Planet. Geneva, Switzerland.
[17] Iansiti, M., & Lakhani, K. R. (2017). The Truth About Blockchain. Harvard Business Review, 95(1), 118–127.
[18] F. D. Davis, “Perceived Usefulness, Perceived Ease of Use, and User Acceptance of Information Technology”, MIS Quarterly, vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 319–340, Sep. 1989.
[19] V. Venkatesh and F. D. Davis, “A theoretical extension of the technology acceptance model: four longitudinal field studies”, Management Science, vol. 46, no. 2, pp. 186–204, Feb. 2000.
[20] V. Venkatesh and F. D. Davis, “Toward a unified view of user acceptance of information technology”, MIS Quarterly, vol. 27, no. 3, pp. 425–478, 2003.
[21] Y. Lee, K. A. Kozar and K. R. T. Larsen, “The Technology Acceptance Model: Past, Present, and Future”, Communications of the Association for Information Systems, vol. 12, no. 50, pp. 752–780, 2003.
[22] V. Venkatesh and F. D. Davis, “TAM2: An Expanded Model for the Acceptance of IT”, Decision Sciences, vol. 39, no. 2, pp. 273–315, Apr. 2000.
[23] V. Venkatesh and H. Bala, “Technology Acceptance Model 3 and a Research Agenda on Interventions”, Decision Sciences, vol. 39, no. 2, pp. 273–315, Apr. 2008.
[24] S. Kamble, A. Gunasekaran, H. Sharma, and R. G. Pereira, “A blockchain technology adoption model for supply chain management: an empirical test”, International Journal of Production Research, vol. 59, no. 7, pp. 2100–2121, 2021.
[25] D. Asante, J. Kissi, and E. Adams, “Blockchain adoption in SMEs: insights from emerging economies”, Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, vol. 31, no. 2, pp. 350–369, 2024.
[26] C. Wong, F. Leung, and T. Ng, “Technology adoption models revisited: TOE, TAM and UTAUT in blockchain-enabled organizations”, Technology in Society, vol. 78, pp. 102–115, 2024.
[27] P. Saha, R. Roy, and N. Das, “Adoption of blockchain technology in Indian agri-food supply chains: a TAM-SEM approach”, Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 410, pp. 137–148, 2024.
[28] J. Palos-Sánchez, “Drivers of digital transformation and technology acceptance in organizations: an empirical study”, Sustainability, vol. 11, no. 22, pp. 6340–6355, 2019, citado en estudios recientes de 2024.
[29] N. Al-Fraihat, M. Joy, R. Sinclair, and M. Davies, “Evaluating e-learning systems success: an extended information systems success model”, Computers in Human Behavior, vol. 102, pp. 67–86, 2020, aplicado en investigaciones de TAM hasta 2021.
[30] S. Kamble, H. Sharma, and A. Gunasekaran, “Blockchain adoption in supply chains: integrating TAM and TOE perspectives”, Journal of Business Research, vol. 135, pp. 480–495, 2021.
[31] A. Gupta and H. Kim, “Developing the TAM framework for predictive analytics adoption”, Decision Support Systems, vol. 124, pp. 113–121, 2021, retomado por Kamble et al. en 2021.
[32] M. Crosby, P. Pattanayak, S. Verma and V. Kalyanaraman, “Blockchain technology: Beyond bitcoin”, Applied Innovation, vol. 2, no. 6, pp. 71–77, 2016.
[33] L. Yli-Huumo, D. Ko, S. Choi, S. Park and K. Smolander, “Where Is Current Research on Blockchain Technology? —A Systematic Review”, PLOS ONE, vol. 11, no. 10, e0163477, 2016.
