Factors related to the adoption of online career services by college graduates in Eastern Europe, Latin America, North America, and Scandinavia

The problem. The purpose of this study was to identify characteristics of the adoption process that promoted or hampered the adoption of online career services in a variety of circumstances.; Method. Participants in the study were college graduate users of online career services in Eastern Europe, Latin America, North America, and Scandinavia. Primary data were collected by e-mailed survey requests to 1,705 online job seekers who subscribed to a specific online job board. The sample size was 126 consumers with a 7.5% rate of return. Correlations and analyses of variance were employed to analyze the data. Discriminant analyses assessed the categorical relationships of certain variables that served as predictors of adoption and classified search communications, usage behaviors, and search motivations.; Results. Certain factors in the 7-stage decision process model, including (a) awareness, (b) search communication, (c) perception, (d) assessment, (e) trial usage, (f) customization, and (g) adoption, were perceived differently among Eastern Europe, Latin America, North America, and Scandinavia college graduate users of online career services. However, users across college majors and diverse social systems had similar decision time periods from first knowledge to trial.; Each of the stages in the decision process was found to be a precedent of adoption; therefore, users attributed importance to each stage in their job search processes. The awareness and adoption stages were found to be most significant. Technological orientation and psychographics were important characteristics in the decision process related to the adoption of online career services. Compatibility was considered the most influential perceived trial attribute when evaluating online recruitment sites.; Specific factors identified differences in classification of consumers based on usage behavior and search motivations. Yet, these classifications were not identifiable across college majors or diverse social systems. The findings showed there were significant interactions between interpersonal communication channels and the computer-mediated environment and opinion leadership and usage behavior such that differences existed in the decision process to adopt online career services.