Radio frequency identification (RFID) adoption: A cross-sectional comparison of voluntary and mandatory contexts

Understanding the adoption factors of a technological innovation is crucial. However, it is a wild assumption that these factors are of similar importance for mandatory and voluntary adoption. Hence, understanding the distinction is critical because, more than often an innovation is adopted with different organizational objectives—though operate in a same industry for a same application. The purpose of this study is to compare the organizational adoption factors of a technological innovation in mandatory and voluntary setting, taking Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology as the case innovation. The results indicate that perceptions of the adopters differ significantly on technological, organizational, and environmental characteristics and expectation when the contexts are different. Multi-group analysis confirms that, among the technological factors, compatibility is the major concern in a mandatory setting whereas cost and expected-benefits are the main for voluntary adoption; organization’s attitude is more important than organizational resources—in both contexts; and, external pressure is important both in mandatory as well as voluntary environment.