1. ¹Richard Ivey School of Business, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
2. ²School of Information Technology Management, Faculty of Business, Ryerson University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Correspondence: Derrick J. Neufeld, Richard Ivey School of Business, The University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St., London, Ontario, Canada N6K 4E1. Tel.: 519 661 3258; Fax: 519 661 3485; E-mail: dneufeld@ivey.uwo.ca

Received 12 June 2006; Revised 10 May 2007; Accepted 22 July 2007.

Abstract

Although there is widespread agreement that leadership has important effects on information technology (IT) acceptance and use, relatively little empirical research to date has explored this phenomenon in detail. This paper integrates the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) with charismatic leadership theory, and examines the role of project champions influencing user adoption. PLS analysis of survey data collected from 209 employees in seven organizations that had engaged in a large-scale IT implementation revealed that project champion charisma was positively associated with increased performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence and facilitating condition perceptions of users. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed, and suggestions for future research in this area are provided.