Switching intention in the online crowdsourced delivery environment: The influence of a platform's technological characteristics and relational bonding strategies

This paper aimed to investigate the effect of the technological characteristics and relational bonding strategies of crowdsourced delivery (CD) service platforms on customers' switching intention. It was proposed that this effect was mediated by perceived value and switching cost. Five hundred survey responses were collected using a stratified random sampling strategy to represent Singapore's population. The collected data were analysed using structural equation modelling, which revealed that technological characteristics (i.e. ease of use, breadth of use and switching experience) influence the perceived switching cost. In addition, relational bonds (i.e. structural, financial and social bonds) influence perceived value. Furthermore, perceived value and switching cost influence switching intention. The combination of perceived value, switching cost and social exchange theory carries cogent explanatory power regarding users' switching intention in the CD industry (R² = 81%). The findings also provide managerial implications for CD companies to formulate appropriate strategies to build customer loyalty in light of increasing competition.     

Understanding sustained usage of health and fitness apps: Incorporating the technology acceptance model with the investment model

With the increasing popularity and adoption of health/fitness apps, more research attention is needed to examine users' behavior in order to promote sustained usage of the apps. The purpose of this study is to understand health and fitness app users' decision-making process by integrating the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Investment Model (IM). Three hundred forty-six responses were collected from health and fitness app users in China. A confirmatory factor analysis and a structural equation modeling analysis were conducted. Results show that continuance intention to use the apps is significantly affected by constructs included in the two models. Specifically, perceived ease of use of the apps has a positive effect on perceived usefulness, which further affects users' intention to continue using the apps. In addition, perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use of the apps have significant effects on users' satisfaction, investment size, and quality of available alternatives, and these three constructs affect users' relationship commitment to the apps, which, in turn, influences users' continuing intention. The integrated model provides new insights into the app users' decision-making process and suggests practical implications for app providers, such as developing strategies to evoke and maintain users’ interest in their apps, keeping users satisfied by personalizing their experience, and designing features that keep users invested in the apps.     

文化遗产类AR中用户使用意愿影响因素研究

目的 构建文化遗产类AR中用户使用意愿模型,探究影响用户使用文化遗产类AR产品的主要因素。方法 基于技术接受模型与心流理论,通过扎根理论的质性研究方法引入临场感、交互性和美学质量三个用户感知因素为外部变量,构建文化遗产类AR中的用户使用意愿理论模型,探讨相关因素与用户使用意愿的映射关系。根据理论模型设计量表进行实证检验。结果 文化遗产类AR中的美学质量、临场感与交互性是衡量用户使用意愿的重要指标;并且用户在文化遗产类AR中对系统的感知有用、易用与心流体验正向影响其使用意愿。结论 心流体验、美学质量、感知易用性、感知有用性、交互性、临场感的关联度由大到小依次影响用户在文化遗产类AR中的使用意愿,是文化遗产类AR中用户使用意愿提升的关键,为文化遗产类AR的设计创新研究提供指引。     

Urban drone adoption: Addressing technological,privacy and task–technology fit concerns

Cutting-edge technologies are changing the operations of urban last-mile delivery. In particular, innovative technologies, such as delivery drones, have shown promising results in commercial applications. When considered alongside the ongoing pandemic, contactless technologies have become even more important to the daily lives of consumers in highly urbanized areas. This study investigates underlying factors influencing consumers' acceptance of drone delivery in urban cities amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. To this end, a model was created by fusing the technology acceptance model, task–technology fit, and privacy calculus theory. Four hundred and fifty survey responses were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The findings suggested that perceived usefulness, attitude, and perceived privacy risks directly influence consumers' behavioral intentions. In addition, perceived ease of use, task characteristics, technology characteristics, task–technology fit, and privacy concerns indirectly impact consumers' behavioral intention. This study offers an insightful perspective on consumers’ perception of urban last-mile delivery drones while providing insights into urban transport planning and regulation of drone delivery services.     

A new reality: Exploring continuance intention to use mobile augmented reality for entertainment purposes

Augmented Reality (AR) is a technology that combines virtual objects with the real world. In recent years, the rapid development of smartphones has provided a suitable environment for AR technology. This study aims to explore the continuance intention to utilize AR mobile entertainment applications, using the decomposed theory of planned behavior. The research hypotheses were verified using structural equation modeling, which revealed that: (1) telepresence, perceived mobility, perceived enjoyment, and perceived connectedness exert a positive effect on users' attitude toward AR mobile apps; nostalgia is the only factor not to do so; (2) perceived critical mass has a significant positive impact on subjective norms, whereas peer influence does not; (3) self-efficacy has a significant positive influence on perceived behavioral control but facilitating conditions does not; and (4) users' attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control all have significant positive impacts on users’ intention to continue to use the technology.     

Lifeguards in the sky: Examining the public acceptance of beach-rescue drones

The use of rescue drones is expected to increase in forthcoming years. However, the success of their implementation through different applications will depend on public acceptance. Studies to date have analyzed public support for the use of drones with various applications, although public acceptance of drones in specific contexts remains to be explored. In particular, the use of drones for beach rescues has proven beneficial in reducing response times, thus helping to save lives. In this study, we analyze the public acceptance of lifesaving drones and their associated variables. Data collected from a survey of beach users (N = 3363) for this study are used to measure public acceptance of rescue drones. We found that public acceptance of rescue drones is moderate, with approximately half of all participants accepting their use. In terms of influencing variables, we found that the factors most associated with their use are ‘perceived benefits’ and ‘perceived risks’. We also found that the participants from beaches without lifeguard services were more likely to accept the use of rescue drones. These results initiated a discussion on the variables that are associated with the public acceptance in the specific context of lifesaving. In addition, based on the results of this study, we propose implementation plans for rescue drones that might also include public information campaigns on their benefits for beach users.     

基于用户感知的健身APP持续使用因素研究

目的 在全民健身的大背景下,研究影响用户持续使用健身移动软件的主要因素,探究APP的设计方法,优化用户使用流程。方法 从设计的角度出发,发放问卷302份,利用结构方程模型的方法,从感知娱乐性、感知易用性、感知有用性、感知价值(感知质量/表现价值)、满意度五个方面,分析其与持续使用的内在关联并构建相关理论模型。结果 根据路径研究发现:用户的价值感知和满意程度是主要影响用户持续使用APP的因素,感知价值也是用户满意程度的主要衡量指标。同时,软件的实用性和趣味性是用户进行感知判断的主要考虑因素,并且用户对软件易用、趣味和实用程度的感知会相互影响。结论 健身软件在界面设计、内容呈现、互动设置等方面应保证实用、有趣、易用。     

Towards a conceptual model for examining the impact of knowledge management factors on mobile learning acceptance

A vast amount of research has been devoted to examine the determinants influencing the acceptance of Mobile learning (M-learning). Nevertheless, little is known about studying the effect of knowledge management (KM) factors on M-learning acceptance. Therefore, the core objective of the present study is to develop a conceptual model by extending the technology acceptance model (TAM) with KM factors (acquisition, sharing, application, and protection) to examine the M-learning acceptance. This study employs the Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to validate the developed model. Data were gathered from 416 IT undergraduate students registered at Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP) in Malaysia. The results triggered out that knowledge acquisition, application, and protection have positive impacts on perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness. However, knowledge sharing was observed to be partially supported with regard to perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness. The implications to theory and practice, limitations, and future work are also discussed.     

Understanding the attitude and intention to use smartphone chatbots for shopping

Using the technology acceptance model and diffusion of innovations theory, this study evaluated the intention of consumers to use chatbots on smartphones for shopping. Chatbot is a relatively new technology and is expected to dominate mobile commerce and shopping applications in future. Hence, this study aimed to determine the association of perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, perceived enjoyment, price consciousness, perceived risk, trust, and personal innovativeness with attitude and intention to use chatbots for shopping. Respondents were asked to fill a questionnaire after using a Facebook e-commerce chatbot that was specifically created for this study. In total, 350 responses were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling. Results indicated that attitude toward chatbots was considerably influenced by the variables perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, perceived enjoyment, price consciousness, perceived risk, and personal innovativeness. However, intention to use was directly influenced only by trust, personal innovativeness, and attitude. Mediation analysis indicated that full mediation occurs through the attitude variable for most direct relationships. Moderation analysis by using age, gender, and prior experience with mobile shopping applications indicated considerable differences between the groups in terms of the strength of certain relationships and the mean responses between the variables.     

博物馆文化创意产品感知价值与消费意向研究

目的分析博物馆文化创意产品感知价值对用户满意度及购买意向的影响。方法基于理性行为理论与满意度理论,提出博物馆文化创意产品购买意向影响因子模型与假设,通过问卷调查法收集博物馆文化创意产品消费者感知价值数据,经SPSS多元层次回归模型,对假设模型进行实证分析。结果得出消费者购买行为意向主要受到用户满意度与感知购买成本的影响,而满意度则主要受到感知文化性的影响。结论在博物馆文化创意产品开发过程中,设计师可以通过提高新产品文化创意元素的表现力,来提高消费者满意度,进而间接影响消费者的消费意向;通过丰富产品分级价格,改善消费者对文创产品购买成本价值感知,进而提高博物馆文化创意产品对消费群体的价格应变能力,影响消费者的消费意向,最终改善博物馆文化创意产品的销售现状。     

Accepting financial transactions using blockchain technology and cryptocurrency: A customer perspective approach

Blockchain, and cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin, are innovative FinTech technologies that speedily invade the finance market and changing the power of the global economy. However, there was a low acceptance of these technologies among consumers. There is a clear gap in-between that has not yet been taken into consideration and has been misunderstood on many platforms. This paper intends to estimate the usability of blockchain technology by investigating behavioral elements that affect customers' intention towards blockchain-based cryptocurrency transactions. Given the complexity of the technology, this study proposes a new integration model: The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) together with new external variables regarding blockchain adoption characteristics such as trust, regulatory support, social influence, design, and experience. Surveys were conducted among international users to identify the impacts of these variables on their intention.Our findings indicate two powerful constructs (regulatory support and experience) that encourage customer trust towards blockchain-based applications. People surveyed agreed on a great sense of security and can trust the Blockchain-based applications when they are regulated and insured by the local government. Also, at a certain level of experience, users feel confident to use blockchain-based applications, a high level of trust supports technology adoption. As such, governments and businesses can dedicate efforts to enhance customers' trust and ultimately promote better acceptance of blockchain technology and its applications.     

Chatbot for SMEs: Integrating customer and business owner perspectives

PurposeChatbots have been widely adopted to create more positive customer experiences as customers now spend more time in digital environments. Despite the technological advancement and benefits of chatbots for customer service, research on chatbot applications for Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is limited. The absence of research explaining the struggles faced by SMEs contributes to the gap of SMEs' chatbot adoption. This research determines the features and elements that fit with SMEs’ characteristics and their customers with chatbots.Design/methodology/approachA mixed-methods approach is used to understand SMEs' needs. Study 1 uses interviews with SME business owners and its customers; it aims to explore the features that should be provided by chatbots for SME by identifying combinations between chatbots' generic features and SMEs' customer characteristics. Study 2 tests features identified in Study 1 and surveys 315 SMEs customers to empirically test featured chatbots' influence to anthropomorphism, perceived enjoyment, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and how they affect SMEs’ customer intentions to use chatbots and their shopping intentions.Findings –The findings suggest four combinations of chatbot features that match SME customer characteristics: responsive; simple steps to trigger customer actions; humanized conversations; and personalized recommendations. An experimental survey was designed by creating a chatbot prototype based on these features. The results show that the featured chatbot prototype affects higher anthropomorphism, perceived enjoyment, and perceived usefulness, compared to the standard chatbot. We also find that perceived enjoyment and usefulness positively affect customer's intention to shop and intention to use the chatbot. While anthropomorphism only affect customer's shopping intention to SMEs.OriginalityThis paper contributes to the emerging service literature on the use of chatbots service interactions, particularly for SMEs. This research provides robust explorations from the perspective of both SME owners and customers. For practice, the research provides guidelines on how to design a chatbot for SMEs that meet customers’ needs.     

基于VAM的手机新闻智能推荐使用意愿研究

目的建立手机新闻智能推荐的用户使用意愿模型,研究用户对手机新闻智能推荐的感知要素,获取手机新闻智能推荐中影响用户使用意愿的感知价值关联度。方法基于用户感知价值理论与用户深度访谈调研,结合手机新闻智能推荐的特征分析,确立手机新闻智能推荐的感知价值维度为情感价值、功能价值、社会价值、信任价值、情境价值;基于价值接受模型建立手机新闻智能推荐的用户使用意愿模型与量表;通过实证调研与统计分析对使用意愿模型进行验证。结论手机新闻智能推荐用户使用意愿模型与假设成立,感知价值正向显著影响用户使用意愿,且5个价值维度均正向作用于感知价值,关联度从大到小依次为:功能价值、情境价值、社会价值、情感价值和信任价值。     

Digital wellbeing tools through users lens

There is a growing recognition of excessive, compulsive, and hasty use of technology as an emerging form of problematic behavior affecting individuals' emotional, social, and occupational wellbeing. Smartphone overuse, in particular, has been linked to negative effects on users' quality of life, such as anxiety, depression, sleep disturbance and loss in productivity. One strategy to help regulate digital usage and, potentially, increase digital wellbeing is to devise smartphone applications to collect data about usage and increase users' awareness of it and enable them to set limits and alert users accordingly. However, such applications have not been extensively evaluated from the users' perspective and whether they help the basic requirements for digital wellbeing. In this paper, we examine the quality of the emerging family of digital wellbeing smartphone applications from the users' perspective and based on persuasive design and established behavioral change theories. We performed a thematic analysis on the users’ reviews on two popular applications, SPACE Break Phone Addiction and Google Digital Wellbeing (GDW). We report on the factors influencing user acceptance and rejection towards digital wellbeing applications and identify possible challenges and opportunities to improve their design and role in future releases.     

Applied Artificial Intelligence and user satisfaction: Smartwatch usage for healthcare in Bangladesh during COVID-19

The evolution of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has revolutionized many aspects of human life, including healthcare. Amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, AI-enabled smartwatches are being used to help users to self-monitor and self-manage their health. Using a framework based on Stimulus-Organism-Response (S–O-R) theory, this present study aimed to explore the use of AI-enabled smartwatches for health purposes, in particular the effects of product quality, service quality, perceived convenience, and perceived ease of use on user experience, trust and user satisfaction. Based on a purposive survey sample of 486 smartphone users in Bangladesh, data collected was analyzed using SPSS software for elementary analyses and PLS-SEM for hypotheses testing. The findings showed that the predictors, namely product quality, service quality, perceived convenience, and perceived ease of use, significantly affected user experience and trust. Similarly, user experience and trust were influential on user satisfaction and played partial mediating roles between predictors and user satisfaction. Besides, gender and age moderate the relationships of experience and trust with customer satisfaction. These findings support the S–O-R theoretical framework and have practical implications for brand and marketing managers of smartwatches in developing product features and understanding users' attitudes and behaviours.     

知识获取类平台用户使用意愿影响因素设计研究

目的 在移动互联网高速发展的背景下,了解用户使用知识获取类平台意愿的影响因素,为平台的设计和服务提供参考。方法 通过用户调研、因子分析和线性回归分析,发放问卷450份,确定影响用户使用知识获取平台的具体因素,并分析以上要素和用户使用意愿之间的影响关系,以及各因素间的内在关联程度。结果 因子分析显示,影响用户使用知识获取类平台的主要因素是社交互动、功能质量、有用性和安抚性,其中社交互动是影响用户使用意愿的最重要因素,接着依次为功能质量、安抚性和有用性。多元线性回归分析显示,社交互动和功能质量是影响安抚性的直接因素且社交互动对功能质量产生影响。有用性在促进社交互动的同时受到功能质量的影响。结论 知识获取平台在开发设计时应着重增强用户间的交流互动、提供完善的产品功能、聚集优质资源并提供针对性内容以缓解用户的知识焦虑,最终提升用户对平台的使用意愿。     

The determinants of virtual reality adoption for marine conservation

Initiatives for marine conservation are funded by revenue from marine sites. However, the emergence of COVID-19 has restricted travelling, thus leading to decreased revenue and weakening conservation efforts. Virtual reality technology to support marine conservation efforts is explored as it allows users to experience marine sites, without having to be there physically. This study examines factors influencing users' desire to adopt virtual reality technology in marine ecotourism. With the integration of Stimulus-Organism-Response framework and three behavioural theories (i.e. health belief model, attitude, and eTrust), a hypothetical model was constructed to investigate consumers’ intention to adopt virtual reality technology in marine ecotourism amidst the pandemic. The data were analysed and interpreted using structural equation modelling after 451 survey responses were obtained via an online questionnaire. Outcome expectation, perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, self-efficacy, and cues to action exhibit significant positive effects on attitude towards virtual reality technology in marine ecotourism. Consequently, attitude has a direct and indirect influence on use intention via eTrust. Post hoc analysis revealed that self-efficacy has a direct impact on eTrust and use intention. Total effect analysis further concluded that attitude has the greatest influence on use intention of virtual reality technology in marine ecotourism. This research contributes to the existing literature by utilizing health belief factors to explain use intention of technology towards marine conservation efforts. Recommendations including policy formulation and marketing initiatives were generated for marine ecotourism operators and policymakers.     

绿色包装的消费者接受意愿影响机制研究

目的 探索心理因素如何影响消费者对绿色包装的接受意愿。方法 首先,参考计划行为理论构建绿色包装的消费者接受意愿模型,然后依据模型假设开发调查问卷,并展开调查,最后对调查所得的417份有效调查问卷进行信度、效度检验,并用AMOS 17.0软件对样本数据和假设模型进行结构方程模型拟合检验。结果 消费者对绿色包装的感知有用性、知觉行为控制和环保责任意识对消费者接受意愿有显著影响;绿色包装的感知易用性、消费者对环保的后果意识以及知觉行为控制三者之间相互影响显著。结论 绿色包装的有用性、易用性,消费者的环保责任意识以及充分的宣传教育是提升消费者接受意愿的关键。     

Investigating acceptance of telemedicine services through an extended technology acceptance model (TAM)

BackgroundDeveloping countries around the globe are striving continuously to provide free access to health care services. Telemedicine services represent a significantly increasing form of an adequate health care delivery mechanism in developing countries.Research objectiveThis research study was aimed at investigating the factors influencing the acceptance of telemedicine services among the rural population of Pakistan. Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) was used as a theoretical framework for this research, with the inclusion of several other antecedents.Research methodA face-to-face survey method was used to collect research data from 275 participants. The data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares (PLS) method.ResultsThe findings suggest that usage intention of telemedicine services is a function of perceived ease of use, technological anxiety, social influence, perceived ease of usefulness, trust, facilitating conditions, perceived risk, and resistance to technology.ConclusionsThis research study confirms the applicability of TAM with the inclusion of additional variables to model the adoption of telemedicine services in developing countries. The study offers valuable information for policymakers and health service providers for understanding the facilitators and inhibitors influencing the large scale implementation of telemedicine services. The research findings regarding factors including perceived risk, trust, facilitating conditions and resistance to change can aid in the design and adequate provision of telemedicine services in developing countries.     

The use of manufacturing technologies–an external influence perspective

Given the generally positive relationship between technology utilisation and performance, why do some plants use installed technologies to a lesser extent than others? Literature suggests that the extent of use of technology, as a decision of choice, is influenced by a variety of factors. Organisational and individual influences include process type, plant size, perceived usefulness of the technology, and user demographics (Zhang, P., Aikman, S.N., and Heshan, S., 2008, Two types of attitudes in ICT acceptance and use. International Journal of Human–Computer Interaction, 24 (7), 628–648; Swamidass, P.M. and Kotha, S., 1998, Explaining manufacturing technology use, firm size and performance using a multidimensional view of technology. Journal of Operations Management, 17 (1), 23–37; Davis, F., Bagozzi, R., and Warshaw, P., 1989, User acceptance of computer technology: a comparison of two theoretical models. Management Science, 35 (8), 982–1003). External factors such as customer mandates and firm nationality have also been found to affect technology use (White, A., Johnson, M., and Wilson, H., 2008, RFID in the supply chain: lessons from European early adopters. International Journal of Physical Distribution and Logistics Management, 38 (2), 88–107; Kotha, S. and Swamidass, P.M., 1998, Advanced manufacturing technology use: exploring the effect of the nationality variable. International Journal of Production Research, 36 (11), 3135–3146). In this stream of research, one external factor of potential influence–supply chain management–remains conspicuously absent. This study uses data from industry to (a) develop rationales for a relationship between the extent of use of manufacturing technologies and supply chain management; and (b) offer data-based verification and insights on the nature and management of this relationship. Results suggest that the extent of use of specific manufacturing technologies increases or declines depending on the specific supply chain management practice in use. The findings raise interesting implications for managers and scholars.