Computer adoption is tested by the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) that theorises how users come to accept and use a technology. The sample for the study consisted of 172 trainees (102 females, 70 males; mean age 21.34 years), enrolled in a one-year diploma course in computer applica-tions and multilingual desktop publishing from three computer training centres in Mumbai. Data was collected after six weeks of computer training using standard psychological scales. Results of multiple regression analyses indicate that compared to the West, TAM offers limited explanation for adoption of computer technology by Indian youth. The article highlights the reasons for this in the light of constraints in resource availability and cultural differences. It is suggested that TAM has to be sensitive to the nature of the sample, nature of the technology and the cultural context of adoption to improve its predictive power. Perceived usefulness and subjective norm are the key factors in predicting future computer use. Hence, a model accounting for technology adoption in India should include a strong normative component to supplement the effect of usability. The gender comparisons indicate that TAM is a better predictor of computer adoption for females than males. Women make a balanced analysis of the technology that includes both productivity aspects and influence of significant others. However, what attitudes and cognitive dimensions work in the Indian men to adopt computer technology remains to be further researched.
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