  This study aims to develop and test an amalgamated conceptual framework based
on Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and other models from social psychology,
such as theory of reasoned action and TAM2 that captures the salient factors
influencing the user adoption and acceptance of web-based learning systems.
This framework has been applied to the study of higher educational institutions
in the context of developing as well as developed countries (e.g. Lebanon and
UK). Additionally, the framework investigates the moderating effect of
Hofstedes four cultural dimensions at the individual level and a set of
individual differences (age, gender, experience and educational level) on the
key determinants that affect the behavioral intention to use e-learning. A
total of 1197 questionnaires were received from students who were using
web-based learning systems at higher educational institutions in Lebanon and
the UK with opposite scores on cultural dimensions. Confirmatory Factor
Analysis (CFA) was used to perform reliability and validity checks, and
Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) in conjunction with multi-group analysis
method was used to test the hypothesized conceptual model. Our findings suggest
that individual, social, cultural and organizational factors are important to
consider in explaining students behavioral intention and usage of e-learning
environments. The findings of this research contribute to the literature by
validating and supporting the applicability of our extended TAM in the Lebanese
and British contexts and provide several prominent implications to both theory
and practice on the individual, organizational and societal levels.
