Suchergebnis

Titel des Experiments
Understanding the adoption of smartphone apps in crop protection - Replication

Autoren
Michels, Marius

Kurzbeschreibung des Experiments
Study Aim and Objectives
This research aims to replicate and extend the findings of Michels et al. (2020) by investigating German farmers' adoption decisions regarding digital plant protection smartphone applications. The study seeks to understand the factors that influence farmers' willingness to adopt and use digital technologies in crop protection, with particular focus on smartphone-based decision support applications. By employing an enhanced theoretical framework that combines the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology with Task-Technology Fit theory and economic valuation methods, the research will provide insights into technology adoption patterns in German agriculture.

Survey Structure and Elements
The survey is designed as a comprehensive online questionnaire that collects data across multiple domains relevant to digital technology adoption in agriculture. The questionnaire begins with an introduction explaining the study's purpose, emphasizing voluntary participation, and ensuring participants understand their rights regarding data protection and privacy. Participants must provide informed consent before proceeding with the survey, which is estimated to take approximately 15-20 minutes to complete.
The demographic and farm characteristics section captures essential information about participants' agricultural operations and personal backgrounds. This includes, for instance, regional location within Germany categorized into four main areas (North, West, East, and South), farm management approaches (conventional, organic, or mixed systems), and operational scale (full-time or part-time farming).
Technology usage assessment forms a crucial component of the survey, examining participants' current engagement with digital technologies in their agricultural operations. This section explores the use of various information technology devices including smartphones, tablets, laptops, personal computers, and mobile phones, with specific focus on their application for agricultural purposes. The survey captures participants' experience with smartphone technology, measuring how long they have been using smartphones for agricultural activities and the total number of agricultural applications they currently employ. Particular attention is given to awareness and usage of plant protection applications.
A comprehensive evaluation of specific application functions provides detailed insights into farmers' preferences and usage patterns. Participants assess both the perceived usefulness and their actual usage of various app functionalities .
The core behavioral constructs section employs the established Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology framework, measuring participants' attitudes using five-point Likert scales.
The survey extends beyond the original theoretical framework by incorporating additional constructs from the Task-Technology-Fit framework that provide deeper understanding of technology adoption processes.
Study is pre-registered: DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/6BCZ3

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