Determinants of continuance intention to use gamification applications for task management: an extension of technology continuance theory

Abstract

Purpose Gamification applications (apps) are gaining great attention in many contexts and have grown increasingly. Despite their significant role in many settings, prior research mainly focused on initial adoption, and there are limited studies on the post-adoption stage. This study aims to explore the factors influencing individuals’ continuance intention to use gamified task manager apps, drawing on the technology continuance theory (TCT) by integrating enjoyment, habit and social influence. Design/methodology/approach Data were obtained from 318 Malaysian who had prior experience with task management gamified apps and analysed with the partial least squares approach. Findings According to the results, confirmation, perceived usefulness (PU) and enjoyment positively influence satisfaction. PU, enjoyment, satisfaction and social influence affect attitude, while the result failed to confirm the association between perceived ease of use and attitude. Furthermore, PU, attitude and habit are strong determinants of users’ continuance intention. Moreover, continuance intention was not predicted by users’ satisfaction and social influence. Practical implications The findings provide directions for developers and marketers of gamified task manager apps. Besides the technological and functional benefits of applications, they should also consider social, hedonic and individual factors in the designing and marketing stages. Originality/value This study extends the literature by assessing the determinants of continuous intention to use gamified task manager apps; and extending the TCT in the context of gamification by incorporating three contextual factors, namely, perceived enjoyment, social influence and habit.