The role of an omnipresent pocket device : smartphone attendance and the role of user habits

Smartphones are convergent, always-on pocket devices that have taken up an important role in the life of their users. This warrants a closer look into how this medium is used in every-day situations. Are goal-oriented incentives the main drive for smartphone usage, or do habits play a critical role? This study with 481 Belgian smartphone users attempts to describe the precedents of smartphone attendance by validating the model of media attendance (MMA), a social-cognitive theory of uses and gratifications (LaRose & Eastin, 2004). We surprisingly did not find evidence for a significant effect of habits on smartphone usage. We suggest two explanations. First, we suggest some uncertainties concerning the MMA methodology. Second, we suggest a more complex reality in which several habitual use patterns are shaped, dependent on user, context and device. This warrants a more in-depth study, using more advanced measures for smartphone usage and habit strength

Are black friday deals worth it? Mining twitter users' sentiment and behavior response

The Black Friday event has become a global opportunity for marketing and companies’ strategies aimed at increasing sales. The present study aims to understand consumer behavior through the analysis of user-generated content (UGC) on social media with respect to the Black Friday 2018 offers published by the 23 largest technology companies in Spain. To this end, we analyzed Twitter-based UGC about companies’ offers using a three-step data text mining process. First, a Latent Dirichlet Allocation Model (LDA) was used to divide the sample into topics related to Black Friday. In the next step, sentiment analysis (SA) using Python was carried out to determine the feelings towards the identified topics and offers published by the companies on Twitter. Thirdly and finally, a data-text mining process called textual analysis (TA) was performed to identify insights that could help companies to improve their promotion and marketing strategies as well as to better understand the customer behavior on social media. The results show that consumers had positive perceptions of such topics as exclusive promotions (EP) and smartphones (SM); by contrast, topics such as fraud (FA), insults and noise (IN), and customer support (CS) were negatively perceived by customers. Based on these results, we offer guidelines to practitioners to improve their social media communication. Our results also have theoretical implications that can promote further research in this area

Multifaceted companion devices: applying the new model of media attendance to smartphone usage

This study inspects the relationship between outcome expectations, habit strength, and smartphone usage by attempting to validate the new model of media attendance (NMMA) (LaRose and Eastin, 2004) , a social-cognitive theory of uses and gratifications. The fast adoption rate of smartphones, and their inherent characteristics as convergent, always-on, always-connected devices, warrant a closer look into user habitualization of this medium. Using a sample of 481 smartphone users selected from a larger panel, we were able to support the NMMA, although surprisingly no significant effect of habit strength on smartphone usage was found. While some uncertainties connected to the method are noted, this suggests a more complex reality, in which habitualization of a convergent media device does not necessarily implicate a significant rise in usage

Brain Drain: The Mere Presence of One’s Own Smartphone Reduces Available Cognitive Capacity

Our smartphones enable—and encourage—constant connection to information, entertainment, and each other. They put the world at our fingertips, and rarely leave our sides. Although these devices have immense potential to improve welfare, their persistent presence may come at a cognitive cost. In this research, we test the “brain drain” hypothesis that the mere presence of one’s own smartphone may occupy limited-capacity cognitive resources, thereby leaving fewer resources available for other tasks and undercutting cognitive performance. Results from two experiments indicate that even when people are successful at maintaining sustained attention—as when avoiding the temptation to check their phones—the mere presence of these devices reduces available cognitive capacity. Moreover, these cognitive costs are highest for those highest in smartphone dependence. We conclude by discussing the practical implications of this smartphone-induced brain drain for consumer decision-making and consumer welfare.Marketin

Why do People Adopt, or Reject, Smartphone Security Tools?

A large variety of security tools exist for Smartphones, to help their owners to secure the phones and prevent unauthorised others from accessing their data and services. These range from screen locks to antivirus software to password managers. Yet many Smartphone owners do not use these tools despite their being free and easy to use. We were interested in exploring this apparent anomaly. A number of researchers have applied existing models of behaviour from other disciplines to try to understand these kinds of behaviours in a security context, and a great deal of research has examined adoption of screen locking mechanisms. We review the proposed models and consider how they might fail to describe adoption behaviours. We then present the Integrated Model of Behaviour Prediction (IMBP), a richer model than the ones tested thus far. We consider the kinds of factors that could be incorporated into this model in order to understand Smartphone owner adoption, or rejection, of security tools. The model seems promising, based on existing literature, and we plan to test its efficacy in future studies

Using Smartphone Technology to Enhance Self-Management Support in Adults with Type 2 Diabetes in Primary Care

Background: Self-care is a crucial component in the management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). The literature shows that frequent feedback on blood sugar recordings together with reminders can lead to improvements in patient’s glucose control and diabetic self-care. The Chronic Care Model developed by Wagner emphasizes the importance of patient participation in the management of their chronic diseases. Purpose: To explore the possibility of using smartphone technology to help adults with T2DM better manage this chronic disease in a primary care clinic in New England. Methods: A smartphone application (App) OnTrack Diabetes (OnTrack) and text messaging were used to enhance communication between the patient and the provider. After receiving facility and IRB waivers, participants were recruited and trained on the downloaded App. Data was generated through text messages, the App and DNP student journaling, which was evaluated for patient and provider satisfaction with the App. Results: This project lasted about five months with five out of the seven participants recruited actually completing the project. Many (60%) of the participants found the App useful, 80% followed through with the instructions in the text messages and 60% intend to continue to use the App. Three out of five providers liked the App and intend to continue to use it. Most (80%) of the participants noticed a decrease in blood sugar, hemoglobin A1C and weight. Conclusion: This project confirms that an App and text messaging may be a useful tool for primary care providers to enhance self management in patients with T2DM and that frequent communication with the patient in between face to face office visits keeps them engaged and more compliant with diabetes management

Intention to use mobile customer relationship management systems

© Emerald Group Publishing Limited. Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to investigate the behavioral intentions of business-to-business (B2B) sales managers to use mobile customer relationship management (CRM) systems in the course of their day-to-day activities. Design/methodology/approach - An extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) of mobile CRM system adoption is developed and tested with data from 105 international sales managers representing five B2B companies. Findings - The study extends the TAM framework with three additional constructs derived from mobile technology and sales force automation literature, namely personal innovativeness in the domain of IT, perceived risk, and perceived reachability. The model demonstrates that personal innovativeness and perceived reachability have significant effects on the TAM framework. Research limitations/implications - The relatively small sample size limits the generalization of the results. Practical implications - Sales managers' intention to adopt mobile CRM can be explained by the extended TAM framework. Understanding the key factors that influence intention to adopt a mobile CRM system will aid companies in implementing it among their sales force. Companies willing to foster adoption of a mobile CRM system among the sales force could focus on communicating the usefulness of using the system and benefits gained from enhanced reachability. Recruiting sales people with strong personal innovativeness is beneficial. Originality/value - This study responds the calls for studies on mobile platforms and on the use of mobile B2B applications in sales force management. It is among the first attempts to incorporate variables derived from mobile technology acceptance literature among the sales force into the TAM framework, to better explain acceptance of mobile CRM systems

Factors Influencing Hotel Managers’ Perceptions Regarding the Use of Mobile Apps to Gain a Competitive Advantage

The purpose of this quantitative study is to examine the opinions of hotel managers regarding the use of mobile applications in the hotel industry and to analyse the influence of these applications on a hotel’s perceived competitive advantage. Factor analysis and multiple regression analysis were performed to analyse the data collected from 106 hotel managers in Turkey. The results of the study indicate that the factors connection and assistance had a significant impact on hotel managers’ perceived competitive advantage. The findings of this study, one of the few that have examined managers’ attitudes toward the use of mobile apps in the hotel industry, provide valuable information that will help to guide technology vendors and software companies that develop mobile apps for hotel