Exploring convenience in mobile commerce: Moderating effects of gender

To date, little research has examined gender difference in how convenience is perceived in mobile commerce (m-commerce). The current work presents and tests a theoretical model partially based on Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), and posits a sequential relationship among four primary dimensions: (1) intrinsic attributes of mobile device—portability and interface design; (2) ease of use; (3) extrinsic attributes of mobile device—simultaneity, speed, and searchability; and (4) perceived convenience of m-commerce. We posit that physical attributes of mobile device (portability and interface design) are antecedents of ease of use, which in turn determines three extrinsic attributes (simultaneity, speed, and searchability). The final dependent variable is perceived convenience. Based on prior research on TAM and gender theories, the study proposes 16 hypotheses, of which our data support 12. Our results indicate that the link between interface design and ease of use holds a key to motivate females’ use of m-commerce. In closing, implications are discussed while important limitations are recognized along with future research suggestions.     

Towards an understanding of the consumer acceptance of mobile wallet

This study seeks to validate a comprehensive model of consumer acceptance in the context of mobile payment. It uses the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model with constructs of security, trust, social influence, and self-efficacy. Structural equation modeling is used to construct a predictive model of attitudes toward the mobile wallet. Individuals’ responses to questions about attitude and intention to adopt/use a mobile wallet were collected and analyzed with various factors modified from UTAUT. While the model confirms the classical role of technology acceptance factors (i.e., perceived usefulness and ease of use are key antecedents to users’ attitude), the results also show that users’ attitudes and intentions are influenced by perceived security and trust. In the extended model, the moderating effects of demographics on the relations among the variables were found to be significant. The proposed model brings together extant research on mobile payment and provides an important cluster of antecedents to eventual technology acceptance via constructs of behavioral intention to use and actual system usage.     

Predicting the adoption of mobile financial services: The impacts of perceived mobility and personal habit

Mobile financial services (MFS) have become a critical issue in the financial sectors. An expanding application of mobile commerce, MFS play an important role in managing customer relationships. Thus, we proposed a model that incorporates three external variables—perceived enjoyment, perceived mobility, and personal habit—into the technology acceptance model (TAM) to assess the antecedents that influence continued usage intention in MFS. In addition, we examined the moderating effect of gender on customer relationships. Structural equation modeling was used, and 368 MFS users were investigated. The findings revealed that perceived mobility, personal habit, perceived usefulness, and perceived ease of use are the major antecedents that influence continued usage intention in MFS. However, perceived enjoyment is not significantly associated with intention. Moreover, gender moderates the relationships between the variables in the proposed model. Perceived mobility affecting usage intention will be stronger for men than for women, whereas personal habit affecting usage intention will be stronger for women than for men.     

Determinants of consumers’ attitudes toward mobile advertising: The mediating roles of intrinsic and extrinsic motivations

Mobile advertising is booming, due to the popularity of mobile devices. Drawing on motivation theory, this study examines the factors that influence consumers’ attitudes toward mobile advertising. The authors identify timeliness, localization, and personalization of the advertisement message as antecedents of extrinsic motivation, as well as consumer innovativeness and perceived enjoyment as antecedents of intrinsic motivation. Using structural equation modeling, the study analyzes the conceptual model with a sample of 218 mobile phone users. Both intrinsic and extrinsic motivations mediate the effects of the advertising message’s characteristics on mobile phone users’ attitudes toward mobile advertising.     

In-store shopping with location-based retail apps: perceived value,consumer response,and the moderating effect of flow

Bricks-and-mortar retailers have recently begun to utilize mobile applications delivering location-based services (LBS) as part of their omni-channel strategy to provide consumers with new in-store experiences. In light of this trend, this study examined how consumers’ value perception influences their intention to use LBS in the store and their behavioral responses as well as the moderating effect of flow on the relationships between the perceived benefits/costs and the perceived value of LBS usage. The results indicated that benefits (perceived usefulness and perceived enjoyment) and costs (perceived complexity and perceived privacy risk) were influential antecedents shaping consumers’ value perception of LBS, which in turn impacted their intention to use LBS and behavioral responses (search and purchasing using LBS). Also, we found that the negative relationship between the perceived costs and perceived value was attenuated in high flow states than in low flow states

     

Examining the role of initial trust in user adoption of mobile payment services: an empirical investigation

User adoption of mobile payment (m-payment) is low compared to the adoption of traditional forms of payments. Lack of user trust has been identified as the most significant long-term barrier for the success of mobile finances systems. Motivated by this fact, we proposed and tested an initial trust theoretical model for user adoption of m-payment systems. The model not only theorizes the role of initial trust in m-payment adoption, but also identifies the facilitators and inhibitors for a user’s initial trust formation in m-payment systems. The model is empirically validated via a sample of 851 potential m-payment adopters in Australia. Partial least squares structural equation modelling is used to assess the relationships of the research model. The results indicate that perceived information quality, perceived system quality, and perceived service quality as the initial trust facilitators are positively related to initial trust formation, while perceived uncertainty as the initial trust inhibitor exerts a significant negative effect on initial trust. Perceived asset specificity is found to have insignificant effect. In addition, the results show that initial trust positively affects perceived benefit and perceived convenience, and these three factors together predict usage intention. Perceived convenience of m-payment is also found to have a positive effect on perceived benefit. The findings of this study provide several important implications for m-payment adoption research and practice.     

The respective roles of perceived usefulness and perceived fun in the acceptance of microcomputer technology

Abstract

This study examined the effects of two main factors affecting microcomputer technology acceptance: perceived usefulness and perceived fun. We examined whether users are motivated to accept a new technology due to its usefulness or fun. Results of this study suggest that perceived usefulness is more influential than perceived fun in determining whether to accept or reject microcomputer technology. We also examined the impact of computer anxiety on acceptance. Results showed that computer anxiety had both direct and indirect effects on user acceptance of microcomputer technology, through perceived usefulness and fun. We also found attitude (satisfaction) to be less influential than perceived usefulness and fun. Implications for the design and acceptance of microcomputer technology and future research are discussed.     

Examining the determinants of continuance intention to use and the moderating effect of the gender and age of users of NFC mobile payments: a multi-analytical approach

The interest in m-payments through mobile phones to replace the use of cash, credit cards or cheques is rapidly increasing in our society. The present study aims to examine the situation of near field communication (NFC) m-payment services along with the determinants of users’ continuance intention. To this intent, a sample of 1840 respondents with experience in using NFC payments participated in an online survey. During the first phase of this research, an structural equation modelling (SEM) technique was used to identify the acceptance predictors of mobile payments as well as to analyse the eventual moderating effect of the gender and age of the users of this tool. The second phase focused on the neural network model’s proficiency in assessing the relative impact of the most relevant predictors stemming from the aforementioned SEM analysis. The results obtained revealed subjective norms, risk, perceived usefulness, customer brand engagement and trust as the most significant antecedents of continuance intention towards NFC payments. The study also discusses the managerial implications derived from this research while assessing and suggesting potential user behaviour-based business opportunities for service providers.

     

A benefit–cost perspective of the consumer adoption of the mobile banking system

The present research adopts a benefit–cost perspective to study consumer adoption of the mobile banking services. It is suggested that because of the specific product context of the mobile banking service, such as the difficulty to assess some experiential qualities like the ease of use due to a low trial rate of mobile banking and the inherent risk factor involved in a new financial service technology, models complementary to the technology adoption model may be needed to accommodate these product contexts. In the present research, the benefit–cost framework was employed as an example of the complementary framework to study consumers' adoption of the mobile banking system. The key benefit of mobile banking is convenience, while the key cost is security. A set of ability and risk factors were modelled via structural equation model (SEM) as the antecedents of the benefit and cost of adopting the mobile banking system. The results showed that the empirical data supported most hypothesised relationships among the factors. It is concluded that consumers' new technology adoption behaviour is a complicated phenomenon which may require different models in different product contexts. It is suggested that future research should address the issue of the preconditions and product contexts under which a certain class of models may be most suitable to explain the adoption behaviour.     

A user study of accessing web applications via voice cellular phone: a model comparison approach

Although most users currently receive web services from web browser interfaces, pervasive computing is emerging and offering new ways of accessing Internet applications from any device, any time and anywhere. It is not only a technological change, but a philosophical and psychological one. Our research project investigated the theoretical concepts of pervasive computing as well as their practical applications, by using cellular phones as the pervasive device to access a web application prototype, the voice-enabled web system (VWS), through the voice user interface technology. The acceptance rate of consumers on new pervasive interfaces was studied using factors (including perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control and fun) adapted from technology acceptance theories. Although our empirical findings were in general consistent with the findings from several prior studies on various information technologies, there were still some discrepancies. Our overall research results, including the implications derived from the user study, may be useful for the purpose of designing and developing successful business applications based on VWS.     

Internet privacy concerns and their antecedents - measurement validity and a regression model

This research focuses on the development and validation of an instrument to measure the privacy concerns of individuals who use the Internet and two antecedents, perceived vulnerability and perceived ability to control information. The results of exploratory factor analysis support the validity of the measures developed. In addition, the regression analysis results of a model including the three constructs provide strong support for the relationship between perceived vulnerability and privacy concerns, but only moderate support for the relationship between perceived ability to control information and privacy concerns. The latter unexpected results suggest that the relationship among the hypothesized antecedents and privacy concerns may be one that is more complex than is captured in the hypothesized model, in light of the strong theoretical justification for the role of information control in the extant literature on information privacy.     

Studying the effect of perceived hedonic mobile device quality on user experience evaluations of mobile applications

When people interact with digital artefacts they perceive their pragmatic and hedonic qualities. In the case of interacting with mobile devices and applications, users seek utility as they try to satisfy certain needs, but at the same time they have certain feelings and emotions when, for example, they feel attached to their personal phone and/or trust its brand. Due to this strong relation between users and mobile devices a significant problem occurs when researchers want to evaluate the user experience of a mobile application in laboratory settings: the selection of an appropriate mobile device. Towards this end, this paper aims to unveil the effect of perceived hedonic quality of a mobile device on the user experience evaluation results of an application. Our results show that the perceived hedonic quality of a mobile device significantly affected the perceived pragmatic quality of the application, but not the hedonic one.     

An Integrated Model of Voice-User Interface Continuance Intention: The Gender Effect

Advanced speech recognition technology facilitated the development of voice-based smart devices. Voice user interface (VUI) is now a common feature on smartphones, computers, smart home devices, and car systems. The fragmented and context focused literature on VUI motivates this examination of the relationship between perceived quality and customer satisfaction in VUI portable devices. This study is the first to introduce extrinsic motivational factors as an extension to Wixom and Todd’s model. These additional antecedent factors add an enriched explanation of VUI user behavior. This study is also the first to consider the role of gender in a VUI behavior model. Our findings suggest that the proposed driving factors, including trust, perceived risks, perceived enjoyment, and mobile self-efficacy, significantly affect VUI user attitudes, which influence their continuance intention. Our results also address the role of gender on the association of attitude toward VUI use and its antecedents. The findings show that perceived risk (privacy concerns) and perceived ease of use are more influential on VUI use behavior of males than females. However, the effect of trust and mobile self-efficacy play a more crucial role for females than males.     

A framework for mobile SNS advertising effectiveness: user perceptions and behaviour perspective

This study develops and empirically tests a framework for mobile social network service (SNS) advertising effectiveness. The study sets the advertising value, attitude towards advertising, and behavioural intentions as the key variables for the assessment of advertising effectiveness. Regarding antecedents of advertising effectiveness, the study identifies the salient attributes of mobile SNS advertising as social, mobile convenience, and active control; the main sub-values of mobile SNS advertising as informativeness, entertainment, and irritation.     

Design aesthetics leading to m-loyalty in mobile commerce

Researchers have previously examined the technology acceptance model (TAM) in many contexts, including the Internet. More recently TAM has been enhanced to include a hedonic component of enjoyment but the effect has rarely been investigated in a mobile commerce context. In addition, specific antecedents of TAM related to design aesthetics have not been examined within the mobile domain. Our research filled these gaps, and discovered that visual design aesthetics did significantly impact perceived usefulness, ease of use, and enjoyment, all of which ultimately influenced users’ loyalty intentions towards a mobile service.     

Arithmetical complexity of fuzzy predicate logics – a survey

Results on arithmetical complexity of sets of tautologies and satisfiable formulas of various fuzzy logics (with respect to their standard t-norm based semantics as well as with respect to their general BL-algebra based semantics) are surveyed. Some new results are also obtained. Partial support of the project LN00A056 (ITI) of Ministry of Education of the Czech Republic is recognized.     

The dark side of elderly acceptance of preventive mobile health services in China

Mobile health services have become increasingly important for people, especially for the elderly. Despite the potential benefits, there are challenges and barriers for the elderly in adopting mobile health services. Drawing upon the dual factor model, we investigate the enablers and the inhibitors of the elderly mobile health service adoption behaviour. We also address two typical characteristics of elderly users—technology anxiety and dispositional resistance to change—to understand the antecedents of the enablers and the inhibitors. The hypothesized model is empirically tested using data collected from a field survey of 204 customers of a large elderly service providing company in China. The key findings include: (1) resistance to change influences perceived usefulness but does not influence perceived ease of use and adoption intention; (2) technology anxiety is negatively associated with perceived ease of use but positively associated with resistance to change; (3) dispositional resistance to change is negatively associated with perceived ease of use but positively associated with resistance to change. Implications for research and practice are discussed.     

The respective roles of perceived usefulness and perceived fun in the acceptance of microcomputer technology

This study examined the effects of two main factors affecting microcomputer technology acceptance: perceived usefulness and perceived fun. We examined whether users are motivated to accept a new technology due to its usefulness or fun. Results of this study suggest that perceived usefulness is more influential than perceived fun in determining whether to accept or reject microcomputer technology. We also examined the impact of computer anxiety on acceptance. Results showed that computer anxiety had both direct and indirect effects on user acceptance of microcomputer technology, through perceived usefulness and fun. We also found attitude (satisfaction) to be less influential than perceived usefulness and fun. Implications for the design and acceptance of microcomputer technology and future research are discussed.     

Investigating the role of identity and gender in technology mediated learning

Instructors and trainers are increasingly using online education and technology-mediated learning (TML) to supplement or replace traditional approaches to classroom teaching. Because mandatory involvement requirements may not intrinsically motivate learners to achieve high quality learning, social factors with commitment, such as identification among group members, are especially important determinants of TML success. This article investigates an individual's social and self identities as important determinants in developing affective commitment (identification) and intrinsic motivation (perceived enjoyment) to share knowledge by email in the TML environment. Furthermore, given the recent emphasis on gender in system adoption and socio-linguistic literature, this study investigates gender as a moderating variable in the proposed model. An empirical test of the proposed model was conducted in the pilot test (n = 155) as well as the main test (n = 411). Social and self identities influence identification (R ² = 0.42) and perceived enjoyment (R ² = 0.52) of sharing knowledge by email. As expected, there are significant moderating effects of gender in these relationships in that male shows stronger effects of self identity while female shows stronger effects of social identity. The results of this study will help us understand the antecedents of effective knowledge sharing intervention in the TML environment, based on the integrated model of social identity theory, social influence theory, self determination theory and socio-linguistic literature.     

Mobile technology acceptance model: An investigation using mobile users to explore smartphone credit card

Smartphone credit card (SCC) is an emerging payment method using NFC-enabled smartphones. The proximity payment allows consumers to pay their products and services by waving their smartphones with a NFC reader. While there are advantageous adopting SCC, the adoption rate has not been encouraging. Interestingly, existing research work on past information technology and system models have so far focused primarily on organizational context and adopted specifically for work. Furthermore, past antecedents were mainly constructed using electronic commerce literatures which do not reflect the actual mobile environment. In contrast SCC is mainly adopted voluntarily by mobile users and for personal purposes. Thus this leads to the difficulty in drawing meaningful conclusion. The study addresses these limitations by proposing a new mobile technology acceptance model (MTAM) which consists of mobile usefulness (MU) and mobile ease of use (MEU) to determine SCC adoption. In anticipating on the complexity which exists in the mobile environment, additional mobile constructs namely mobile perceived security risk (MPSR), mobile perceived trust (MPT), mobile perceived compatibility (MPC) and mobile perceived financial resources (MPFR) were incorporated into the parsimonious MTAM. The integrated model was applied to 459 mobile users through a questionnaire approach and tested using partial least square-structural equation modelling-artificial neural network (PLS-SEM-ANN) has provided a new impact and a possible new research methodology paradigm as it is able to capture both linear and non-linear relationships. While the model confirms the role of MU in MTAM, MEU needs for more attention in practice. The results from the extended model showed that only three of the proposed hypotheses were non-significant in this study and thus warrant further investigation. The study contributes to academia by proposing new mobile constructs that brings together MTAM to assess the likelihood of mobile users to adopt SCC. The study also offers several important managerial implications which can be generalized to the mobile studies of other transportation, hotel, banking, and tourism industries.