Factors affecting usage of e-resources: scale development and validation

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop and validate a scale involving the factors affecting usage of e-resources. Design/methodology/approach The present study identifies five factors affecting the usage of e-resources: training modes, awareness, influencers, utilitarian benefits, and experiential and hedonic benefits. To generate measurement items, two focus group discussions were carried out which resulted in 20 items. To empirically ensure reliability and validity of scale, data were collected from 347 postgraduate students actively using e-resources. To test reliability of scale, internal consistency reliability and construct reliability were examined. The construct validity of scale (which includes convergent validity and discriminant validity) was verified through confirmatory factor analysis using structure equation modeling. Findings Findings of the study present a statistically reliable and valid scale consisting of five factors and 18 items. Originality/value The present study is one of the distinctive studies on introducing a scale employing factors affecting usage of e-resources.