Understanding the Formation of E-book Usage Intention: Evidence from University Students in Yunnan, China

Purpose: This study investigates the key factors influencing postgraduate students’ intention to use e-books and their actual usage behavior. Research design, data and methodology: A quantitative research design was employed. Data were collected from 500 postgraduate students in the Schools of Foreign Languages at three universities in Yunnan Province, China. A mixed non-probability sampling approach, including purposive, stratified, and convenience sampling, was used. The data were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling to examine the relationships among performance expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, perceived usefulness, attitude, behavioral intention, and actual use. Results: The results show that all proposed hypotheses are supported. Attitude (β = 0.428) and Facilitating Conditions (β = 0.324) have strong positive effects on Behavioral Intention. Behavioral Intention (β = 0.459) significantly predicts Actual Use. Performance Expectancy, Social Influence, and Perceived Usefulness also show significant positive relationships with Behavioral Intention. Conclusions: The findings indicate that positive attitudes and adequate support conditions play an important role in encouraging students to adopt e-books. Universities should strengthen digital infrastructure, provide training to improve students’ familiarity with e-book functions, and integrate digital reading resources into teaching practices. These measures can help increase students’ engagement with e-books and support more effective digital learning environments in higher education.