The Impact of Volunteer Services on ICT Devices Adoption

This study explores the influence of volunteer services on ICT device adoption in smart cities, emphasizing the mediating roles of perceived public value and ICT self-efficacy. Utilizing survey data from 474 residents in Tianjin, China, structural equation modeling reveals that volunteer engagement significantly enhances both public value perception and self-efficacy, which in turn facilitate ICT adoption. Notably, perceived public value exerts a stronger effect on adoption than self-efficacy, suggesting that societal benefits serve as a more substantial motivator than individual confidence. Furthermore, service quality and accessibility positively contribute to public value, whereas information security demonstrates a comparatively limited impact. These findings offer novel insights into the social mechanisms underlying ICT adoption in smart city contexts, underscoring the pivotal role of volunteer services in fostering public engagement and enhancing the perceived societal value of digital technologies.

本研究探讨了志愿服务对智慧城市（Smart Cities）中信息通信技术（Information and Communications Technology, ICT）设备采纳行为的影响，并着重阐明了感知公共价值与ICT自我效能感的中介作用。本研究基于中国天津市474名居民的调研数据，通过结构方程模型（Structural Equation Modeling）分析发现，志愿服务参与可显著提升居民的公共价值感知与ICT自我效能感，进而推动ICT设备的采纳行为。值得注意的是，感知公共价值对ICT设备采纳的影响强度高于ICT自我效能感，这表明社会福祉相较于个体信心，是更为有力的行为激励因素。此外，服务质量与可及性对公共价值感知具有正向促进作用，而信息安全的影响则相对有限。本研究的相关发现为智慧城市场景下ICT设备采纳行为背后的社会机制提供了新颖的学术洞见，凸显了志愿服务在促进公众参与、提升公众对数字技术感知社会价值方面的关键作用。