Connecting through smartphones: Cognitive, social, emotional motivations, and the experience of value perceptions

Smartphones became a dominant medium for communication with the emergence of converging technology. Since smartphones enable people to access various services, and to interact with other people within mobile social networks, users have become highly involved with such devices. To understand motivational factors associated with using smartphone, this study was informed by perceived cognition (i.e., expected outcomes) and social influence (i.e., social identity) from a social cognitive perspective, which was expanded to incorporate the dimension of emotional attachment. To develop its “motivational framework”, this study adopted social cognitive theory and attachment theory. This study also investigated the “experience of value perceptions” (i.e., perceived social, hedonic, and utilitarian values) that emerged concurrently with smartphone use. Moreover, consumption value theory was employed to understand the perceived values of smartphone users. Ultimately, a Motivation-Experience-Behavior (M-E-B) model was suggested for smartphone users. The main purpose of this study is to examine how different motivations influence perceived values of using the device, which consequently explains current smartphone use. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the proposed model. Data collected from 738 current smartphone users was analyzed. Regarding results, cognitive factors (i.e., information seeking, entertained activity, and self-reactiveness), and social influence (i.e., SNS social identity) explained value perceptions (i.e., social, hedonic, and utilitarian values). Expectations of social contact, however, did not explain value perception (i.e., social value). Effects of emotional attachment on value perceptions (i.e., social, hedonic, and utilitarian values) were detected. Consequently, perceived values influenced recent use of the smartphone. In addition, demographic differences (e.g., age, sex, socioeconomic status, and race) as regards such motivations were found, and demographic variables were further included in the model as control variables. Last, to examine sex differences in the hypothesized model, two different sex groups were compared. In the male group, motivation of entertainment activity did not explain hedonic value perception, and experiences of social and hedonic values importantly explained use of the smartphone. In the female group, motivation of self-reactiveness did not have an effect on hedonic value perception, and experiences of social and functional values had an effect on use of the smartphone

Understanding the Adoption of Mobile Data Services: A Value Perspective

Mobile data services (MDS) are wireless value-added pay-per-use services that have attracted increased attention in recent years. In the marketing and information system (IS) disciples, the ability of a service provider to offer a high level of value to its customers is regarded as a success. In this paper, a theoretical framework is proposed to investigate key drivers in wireless pay-per-use services behavior based on a value perspective. This study examines the role of three evaluation values, derived from marketing and IS literature, in adoption decisions. Potential adopters have no experience with MDS; thus, they likely conceive value based primarily on indirect experience with it, such as through advertisements or communication with peers. Most studies of MDS, however, have given little attention to the types of information sources that affect the formation of value that is obtained using MDS. In this study, the influence of members of social networks and secondary sources are regarded as the major sources of information. The proposed model is empirically tested using survey data collected from 287 potential adopters. The analysis results show that the proposed model, based on the aforementioned view of value, provides a significant explanation of the variance in the level of adoption intention toward MDS in individuals. The results of this study show that utilitarian and social values dominate adoption decisions while the impact of hedonic value in MDS acceptance is weaker than other values. Information from relevant others and from mass media play a critical role in forming the perceptions of value obtained from the use of MDS

Mobile Commerce App Adoption: Consumer Behavior Differences between Europe and Asia

Title: ‘Mobile Commerce App Adoption: Consumer Behavior Differences between Europe and Asia’ Research Question: 1. What are the differences between European and Asian consumer behavior of adopting m-commerce apps? 2. Why is there a different level of m-commerce app adoption between European and Asian consumers? Research Purpose: The purpose of this research is to investigate the reasons why consumer adoption behavior of m-commerce apps in the European market differs from those in the Asian market. Our findings will contribute to helping to raise their level of m-commerce app adoption in the European market. Method: This research is a qualitative study and utilizes survey as a research design. Interviews designed according to a theoretical framework were used to collect data for analysis. The interviews were conducted in four countries: UK, Sweden, China and South Korea. Conclusion: Our results showed that European consumers lacked knowledge and were unable to perceive the full conveniences of using apps, compared to Asian respondents. What’s more European consumers placed a lot of importance on risks and anxieties when adopting apps. Findings showed that these differences could be explained through Hofstede’s cultural dimensions

User Acceptance of the Next Generation Digital Signage: A Perspective of Perceived Value

The next generation digital signage (NGDS) has become extremely important as a new innovative information system that provides interactive information to users by capturing contextual information through the utilization of the state-of-the-art technologies. NGDS gets wide popularity from millions of people due to its advanced information services that fit in with the individual’s digitizing life style. Despite the increasing importance, however, there is a significant gap of our understanding on the user acceptance of NGDS. Motivated thus, this paper aims to develop a research model to explore the factors influencing the user acceptance of NGDS from the perspective of perceived value. The four dimensions of perceived value are proposed as key antecedents: utilitarian value, hedonic value, social value, and epistemic value. In particular, our interest is on their impacts on users’ satisfaction, continuance intention, and positive word-of-mouth (WOM). The pilot study results indicate that utilitarian value increases satisfaction, continuance intention, and positive WOM. Moreover, hedonic value increases satisfaction and positive WOM, while social value increases positive WOM only. Also, epistemic value increases satisfaction and positive WOM. This research is expected to advance the theoretical understanding on the user acceptance of NGDS and offer organizations useful insights to manage their NGDS

Factors Influencing Purchase Intention on Mobile Shopping Web Site in China and South Korea: An Empirical Study

The research objective of this study is to analyze the factors that influence consumers\u27 perceptions of using mobile commerce services for online shopping in China and South Korea using ordered logistic regression analysis. We constructed the research model using the three dimensions of individual characteristics, shopping motivations and the characteristics of mobile shopping. We discovered that shopping frequency, utilitarianism, instant connectivity, and personalized information push positively impact the customers’ intention to use mobile phones in China. The results of the marginal effects indicated that the behavioral intentions of Chinese consumers increased when shopping frequency and instant connectivity increased. In addition, when utilitarianism and the personalized information push reach certain values, the shopping intention of online customers in China will decrease. Likewise, shopping frequency, hedonism, utilitarianism, instant connectivity, and SNS (Social Networking Services) accessibility positively affect the intention to use the Internet for m-shopping of South Korean consumers. In addition, the results regarding the marginal effects suggested that the intention to use m-shopping services on m-shopping web site of South Korean consumers increased as shopping frequency, hedonism, and instant connectivity increased. However, South Korean consumers\u27 adoption intention will decrease when utilitarianism and SNS accessibility reach certain values. These results provide important implications for mobile commerce literature and practice

Determining the Antecedents to Use Intention in the Area of Telecommunication-Broadcasting Convergence

The convergence of telecommunication and broadcasting is one of the representative innovative technologies in digital environment. It has recently been empathized as an alternative solution to overcome already saturated telecommunication and broadcasting markets. However, the growth of related service and market cannot reach prior expectation due to the lack of understanding on the real users. Telecommunication technologies support users’ instrumental purpose and broadcasting services usually serve their entertainment activities, which have an inherent value. Our research question is which factors influence users’ attitude and decision making in the use of convergence services in the area of telecommunication and broadcasting. To access the determinants, we propose hedonic and utilitarian values as intrinsic and extrinsic motivators, and perceived control as internal and external conditions. To verify our model empirically, we have selected the DMB technology, a good example for the distinctive convergence service of telecommunication and broadcasting. In order for the DMB service to differentiate itself from the existing media and create unique benefits as a business model, service providers must develop individually customized contents based on each user’s context information and life style and deliver them with the format meeting their hedonic needs and demands