Predicting Internet/e-commerce use

Use of the Internet continues to grow at an explosive rate. While entertainment, education and communication serve as important applications of the Internet, e-commerce continues to emerge as an increasingly significant business phenomenon. However, little empirical research exists to identify factors that influence the extent to which individuals use the Internet and e-commerce. With the aid of survey research and a neural network, this study analyzes a wide range of variables in an attempt to identify accurate predictors of this usage. The results of the analysis identify gender, overall computer usage, job-related use, and home access as important characteristics that should influence use of the Internet and e-commerce.