TECHNOLOGY ACCEPTANCE IN COMMUNITY CONTEXTS: INTEGRATING THEORY, SOCIAL FACTORS, SOCIAL CAPITAL AND PARTICIPATION

Abstract

This academic article aims to 1) Synthesize the factors influencing technology acceptance in community contexts from contemporary theories and research. 2) Analyze the relationship between technological factors, social factors, social capital, and community participation. and 3) Develop an integrated conceptual framework to describe technology acceptance in a community context. By integrating key theoretical perspectives, including: Technology Acceptance Model, Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology, Diffusion of Innovations, Social Capital Theory, Social Factors, Participatory Approach. Using a Systematic Literature Review, based on seminal theoretical works and peer-reviewed research articles published between 2021 and 2026, from the Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect and Google Scholar. The synthesis results found that, the acceptance of technology in a community context is not based solely on perceived benefits and ease of use. It arises from the interaction between five main dimensions: technological factors, perceptual factors, social factors, social capital, and community participation. It was found that social capital and participation are important mechanisms that link individual perceptions to shared acceptance at the community level. In other words, trust, social relationships, and support from leaders or community members can foster information exchange and collaborative learning, leading members to a greater awareness of the benefits and value of technology. While participatory processes help build ownership and trust in the adoption of technology, ultimately leading to community-level technology acceptance and supporting the long-term sustainability of technology use.