Understanding the Factors Influencing the Attitude Toward and the Use of Mobile Technology in Developing Countries: A Model of Cellular Phone Use in Guinea

Macro factors are often mentioned to explain the adoption and use of mobile phones in developing countries. Little attention has been paid to micro factors which directly influence the real motivations of the end user. This article examines the influence of microeconomic factors on both individuals´ attitude towards and use of cellular telephones. Data were collected through a questionnaire survey from a final sample of 463 cellular phones´ users in Guinea. The results obtained tend to corroborate the hypotheses according to which mobility, group characteristics (familiarity), social influence (social pressure and image), and the possession of resources affect the attitude toward and the use of cellular telephones. In contrast, the traditional hypotheses that consider subscription conditions as the main influence to technology use are not verified.