Rethinking Technology Acceptance in Automation Contexts: Evidence from Robotic Process Automation Adoption in Vietnamese Higher Education Institutions
Robotic Process Automation (RPA) has emerged as a key enabler of digital transformation, particularly in environments characterized by repetitive and rule-based administrative processes. Despite its increasing adoption, limited research has examined the behavioral mechanisms underlying RPA adoption in higher education institutions (HEIs), where organizational dynamics and user perceptions differ from corporate contexts. Addressing this gap, this study examines technology acceptance in automation contexts by extending the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) with the inclusion of automation anxiety as an inhibiting factor. Drawing on survey data from 200 academic and administrative staff in Vietnamese public HEIs, the study employs Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to test the proposed model. The results indicate that performance expectancy is the most influential determinant of behavioral intention (β = 0.683, p < 0.001), followed by facilitating conditions (β = 0.240, p < 0.001), while automation anxiety has a significant negative effect (β = -0.388, p < 0.001). In contrast, effort expectancy and social influence do not exhibit statistically significant effects. The model demonstrates strong explanatory power (R² = 0.772) and high predictive relevance (Q² = 0.762). These findings suggest that technology acceptance in automation contexts is primarily driven by performance-related considerations, while perceived risks related to automation act as a substantial barrier. The study contributes to the literature by reconceptualizing UTAUT in the context of automation technologies and by integrating both enabling and inhibiting mechanisms into a unified framework. From a practical perspective, the results highlight the importance of emphasizing performance benefits while addressing user concerns to facilitate effective RPA adoption in HEIs..