Gender and Age Differences in Individual Decisions about Wireless Mobile Data Services: A Report from China

Incorporating SEM model comparison and hierarchical multiple regression procedures and using the survey data collected from 1,432 participants in five cities in China, this study revealed the influence nature of age and gender differences in relation to the decision pattern of WMDS adoption in China. Age had both strong direct and moderating effect on major causal relationships toward WMDS adoption intentions. Gender alone did not influence much of the decision intention pattern regarding WMDS adoption in China. Age and gender combined did not exert strong interaction on major causal relationships regarding WMDS adoption as well. This study reveals with delight that consumers in China now pay increasing attention to quality, functions and services of mobile phones in addition to brands and outlooks. They have strong desire to use more wireless mobile Internet services, when data transmission speed, content and service charges get more appealing.

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