Understanding Policy Acceptance Through UTAUT-2: The Case of the Northbound Travel Policy for Macau Vehicles

Understanding how people embrace and adopt new regulations is crucial in
today’s rapidly changing world. This study presents a fresh perspective by
applying the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2
(UTAUT-2) to investigate policy acceptance, and to validate a fundamental
model for future research. More precisely, we employ the UTAUT-2 framework
to examine how Macau residents perceive the “Northbound Travel for Macau
Vehicles” policy, which permits vehicles with Macau registration plates to enter
mainland China through the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge. Utilizing
structural equation modeling software (SmartPLS), we analyze data collected
from respondents who have experience with the new regulation. Our findings
demonstrate that Performance Expectancy (PE) and Habit (HB) significantly
influence individuals’ intention to utilize the policy. Essentially, individuals are
more inclined to embrace policies they perceive as advantageous and in line
with their existing habits. Effort Expectancy (EE) and Facilitating Conditions
(FC) did not significantly affect acceptance, possibly because participants were
already familiar with the regulation and had sufficient resources available.
Notably, while not directly linked to usage, Social Influence (SI) exhibited a
high mean value, suggesting its potential role in policy acceptance when
significant others adopt the policy. This pioneering research bridges the gap
between technology acceptance models and policy studies, providing a
comprehensive framework for evaluating acceptance factors in an evolving
regulatory environment.