Within-study measurement invariance of the UTAUT instrument: An assessment with user technology engagement variables

•Establish within-study measurement invariance with variables within a single study.•Analyzed invariance of UTAUT scales with six users' technology engagement variables.•Conducted the full suite of seven different measurement invariance tests.•Identified invariant UTAUT scale items that can be safely used in future studies.•Also provide guidelines for conducting within-study measurement invariance analyses.

We assess within-study invariance of key UTAUT scales considering a total of six respondent group characteristics: five variables pertaining to users’ two technology engagement facets (prior technology knowledge and technology usage pattern) and one variable pertaining to their gender. Data collected from 250 respondents about their perceptions and usage of online blogs were analyzed to test six invariance hypotheses. The results indicate that the UTAUT instrument showed full or partial invariance for respondents’ technology usage pattern and gender. With respect to prior IT knowledge, the UTAUT scales were found to be invariant for general IT knowledge but non-invariant for specific IT knowledge.