| The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) has been an important model for the understanding of end user acceptance regarding technology and a framework used in thousands of researched scenarios since publication in 1986. Similarly, the Kubler-Ross model of death and dying ha also been used as a model for the study of acceptance within the medical community. The focus of this dissertation was to use the Kubler-Ross model of death and dying as a framework to further investigate the TAM. The proposal for research was an investigative case study of technology acceptance using the five core themes of the Kubler-Ross model of death and dying: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. A qualitative purposeful case study was completed during which the researcher engaged 16 participants in semi-structured interviews. This process allowed for the collection and analysis of the themes related to the technology acceptance experience. This study investigated the five themes associated with acceptance, then enhanced those themes through a qualitative investigation of the technology acceptance experience. The data collected revealed additional elements: force, emotions triggered by interaction, how the introduction of the technology occurred, organic acceptance, relationship, cost, small wins, societal perspective, avoidability, social adoption, supported infrastructure, loss of freedom, finality and rejection, dependency, euphoria, and anxiety. This investigation allowed participants to discuss their technology acceptance experience through a detailed interview. The researcher was able to provide evidence with the validation of the Kubler-Ross model and discovered additional themes to add to the body of knowledge. |
