Usefulness, Enjoyment, and Self‐Image Congruence: The Adoption of e‐Book Readers

One challenge when launching new technologies is to overcome consumer resistance to change so as to accelerate market acceptance. This is the case of e-book readers. The present study investigates individuals’ perceptions of the utilitarian and hedonic values of such devices and their congruence with self-image as determinants of adoption. Additionally, consumer profile and familiarity with the new technology as a whole influence individuals’ perceptions of this particular technology and its congruence with self-image. Findings show that perceived enjoyment and self-image congruence complement perceived usefulness in forging a favorable attitude toward e-book readers and adoption intention, and that knowledge proves essential in the adoption process. Moreover, people highly involved with reading tend to perceive e-book readers as useless, which hampers their adoption.

[1]  Henryk Sienkiewicz,et al.  Quo Vadis? , 1967, American Association of Industrial Nurses journal.

[2]  Terry S. Overton,et al.  Estimating Nonresponse Bias in Mail Surveys , 1977 .

[3]  D. Midgley,et al.  Innovativeness: The Concept and Its Measurement , 1978 .

[4]  J. Sheth,et al.  Psychology of innovation resistance : the less developed concept (LDC) in diffusion research / BEBR No. 622 , 1979 .

[5]  I. Ajzen,et al.  Understanding Attitudes and Predicting Social Behavior , 1980 .

[6]  C. Fornell,et al.  Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. , 1981 .

[7]  Barton A. Weitz,et al.  The SOCO Scale: A measure of the customer orientation of salespeople. , 1982 .

[8]  E. Hirschman,et al.  Hedonic Consumption: Emerging Concepts, Methods and Propositions , 1982 .

[9]  J. Cacioppo,et al.  Central and Peripheral Routes to Advertising Effectiveness: The Moderating Role of Involvement , 1983 .

[10]  M. Sirgy,et al.  Using self-congruity and ideal congruity to predict purchase motivation , 1985 .

[11]  J. Zaichkowsky.  Measuring the Involvement Construct , 1985 .

[12]  S. Ram.  Successful innovation using strategies to reduce consumer resistance: An empirical test , 1989 .

[13]  Fred D. Davis,et al.  User Acceptance of Computer Technology: A Comparison of Two Theoretical Models , 1989 .

[14]  Fred D. Davis.  Perceived Usefulness, Perceived Ease of Use, and User Acceptance of Information Technology , 1989, MIS Q..

[15]  Richard P. Bagozzi,et al.  Assessing Construct Validity in Organizational Research , 1991 .

[16]  Charles F. Hofacker,et al.  Measuring consumer innovativeness , 1991 .

[17]  Fred D. Davis,et al.  Extrinsic and Intrinsic Motivation to Use Computers in the Workplace1 , 1992 .

[18]  D. Midgley,et al.  A Longitudinal Study of Product Form Innovation: The Interaction between Predispositions and Social Messages , 1993 .

[19]  T.S. Perry,et al.  Consumer electronics , 1990, IEEE Spectrum.

[20]  W. Glynn Mangold,et al.  Differential Effects of Subjective Knowledge, Objective Knowledge, and Usage Experience on Decision Making: An Exploratory Investigation , 1995 .

[21]  A. Venkatesh,et al.  Liberatory Postmodernism and the Reenchantment of Consumption , 1995 .

[22]  David I. Gilliland,et al.  The infomercial shopper , 1996 .

[23]  Cynthia M. Jackson,et al.  Toward an Understanding of the Behavioral Intention to Use an Information System , 1997 .

[24]  Harold W. Berkman,et al.  Assessing the predictive validity of two methods of measuring self-image congruence , 1997 .

[25]  Fred D. Davis,et al.  A Theoretical Extension of the Technology Acceptance Model: Four Longitudinal Field Studies , 2000, Management Science.

[26]  E. Thorson,et al.  The Effects of Progressive Levels of Interactivity and Vividness in Web Marketing Sites , 2001 .

[27]  Forbes Gibb,et al.  Looking for guidelines for the production of electronic textbooks , 2001, Online Inf. Rev..

[28]  M. Lindell,et al.  Accounting for common method variance in cross-sectional research designs. , 2001, The Journal of applied psychology.

[29]  Terry L. Childers,et al.  HEDONIC AND UTILITARIAN MOTIVATIONS FOR ONLINE RETAIL SHOPPING BEHAVIOR , 2001 .

[30]  A. Markman,et al.  Entrenched Knowledge Structures and Consumer Response to New Products , 2001 .

[31]  R. Bagozzi,et al.  An attitudinal model of technology-based self-service: Moderating effects of consumer traits and situational factors , 2002 .

[32]  P. Shrout,et al.  Mediation in experimental and nonexperimental studies: new procedures and recommendations. , 2002, Psychological methods.

[33]  Ya-ning Chen,et al.  Application and development of electronic books in an e-Gutenberg age , 2003, Online Inf. Rev..

[34]  Gordon B. Davis,et al.  User Acceptance of Information Technology: Toward a Unified View , 2003, MIS Q..

[35]  M.H.P. Kleijnen,et al.  Consumer adoption of wireless services: Discovering the rules, while playing the game , 2004 .

[36]  Felix B. Tan,et al.  Antecedents of perceived playfulness: an exploratory study on user acceptance of general information-searching websites , 2004, Inf. Manag..

[37]  Mirella Kleijnen,et al.  Image Congruence and the Adoption of Service Innovations , 2005 .

[38]  Margherita Pagani.  Determinants of adoption of third generation mobile multimedia services , 2004 .

[39]  Cheryl Burke Jarvis,et al.  The problem of measurement model misspecification in behavioral and organizational research and some recommended solutions. , 2005, The Journal of applied psychology.

[40]  Gordon C. Bruner,et al.  Explaining consumer acceptance of handheld Internet devices , 2005 .

[41]  Norshuhada Shiratuddin.  E-Books in Higher Education: Technology, E-Marketing Prospects, and Pricing Strategy , 2005, J. Electron. Commer. Organ..

[42]  H. Winklhofer,et al.  Applying the technology acceptance model to the online retailing of financial services , 2006 .

[43]  Naresh K. Malhotra,et al.  Common Method Variance in IS Research: A Comparison of Alternative Approaches and a Reanalysis of Past Research , 2006, Manag. Sci..

[44]  H. Bauer,et al.  Investigating the relationship between product involvement and consumer decision‐making styles , 2006 .

[45]  Viswanath Venkatesh,et al.  Where To Go From Here? Thoughts on Future Directions for Research on Individual-Level Technology Adoption with a Focus on Decision Making , 2006, Decis. Sci..

[46]  Izak Benbasat,et al.  Quo vadis TAM? , 2007, J. Assoc. Inf. Syst..

[47]  Kent Eriksson,et al.  Determinants of the continued use of self-service technology: The case of Internet banking , 2007 .

[48]  Chun-Hsiung Liao,et al.  Factors influencing the usage of 3G mobile services in Taiwan , 2007, Online Inf. Rev..

[49]  Richard P. Bagozzi,et al.  The Legacy of the Technology Acceptance Model and a Proposal for a Paradigm Shift , 2007, J. Assoc. Inf. Syst..

[50]  Gavin L. Fox,et al.  A structural look at consumer innovativeness and self-congruence in new product purchases , 2008 .

[51]  Jane L. Hsu,et al.  Consumers’ Willingness to Pay for Non-pirated Software , 2008 .

[52]  Tommi Laukkanen,et al.  Mapping the reasons for resistance to Internet banking: A means-end approach , 2007, Int. J. Inf. Manag..

[53]  Gordon C. Bruner,et al.  Toward a unified theory of consumer acceptance technology , 2007 .

[54]  Suzanne Altobello Nasco,et al.  The CAT model: Extensions and moderators of dominance in technology acceptance , 2008 .

[55]  Gordon W. Cheung,et al.  Testing Mediation and Suppression Effects of Latent Variables , 2008 .

[56]  Feng-Yang Kuo,et al.  An empirical investigation of habitual usage and past usage on technology acceptance evaluations and continuance intention , 2008, DATB.

[57]  Jiyeon Kim,et al.  Sensory enabling technology acceptance model (SE‐TAM): A multiple‐group structural model comparison , 2008 .

[58]  Kar Yan Tam,et al.  Understanding the behavior of mobile data services consumers , 2008, Inf. Syst. Frontiers.

[59]  Sang Hyun Kim,et al.  Moderating effects of Job Relevance and Experience on mobile wireless technology acceptance: Adoption of a smartphone by individuals , 2008, Inf. Manag..

[60]  Viswanath Venkatesh,et al.  Technology Acceptance Model 3 and a Research Agenda on Interventions , 2008, Decis. Sci..

[61]  Jung-Chae Suh,et al.  The role of consideration sets in brand choice: The moderating role of product characteristics , 2009 .

[62]  Chechen Liao,et al.  Information technology adoption behavior life cycle: Toward a Technology Continuance Theory (TCT) , 2009, Int. J. Inf. Manag..

[63]  Son K. Lam,et al.  Resistance to Brand Switching when a Radically New Brand is Introduced: A Social Identity Theory Perspective , 2010 .

[64]  Jan Schoormans,et al.  Using Product Bundling to Facilitate the Adoption Process of Radical Innovations , 2010 .

[65]  Joseph S. Valacich,et al.  The Effect of Perceived Novelty on the Adoption of Information Technology Innovations: A Risk/Reward Perspective , 2010, Decis. Sci..

[66]  Mohamed Saber Chtourou,et al.  Rethinking the TAM model: time to consider fun , 2010 .

[67]  Jung-Yu Lai,et al.  User attitudes toward dedicated e-book readers for reading: the effect of convenience, compatibility, and media richness , 2011, Online Inf. Rev..

[68]  Pieter Verdegem,et al.  Rethinking determinants of ICT acceptance: Towards an integrated and comprehensive overview , 2011 .

[69]  Pradeep Gopalakrishna,et al.  Some people just want to read: The roles of age, interactivity, and perceived usefulness of print in the consumption of digital information products , 2012 .

[70]  Lan-Ying Huang,et al.  Consumer electronics acceptance based on innovation attributes and switching costs: The case of e-book readers , 2012, Electron. Commer. Res. Appl..