Understanding consumer’s belief and fear: The case of smart meter installation

Abstract

This paper aims to understand the issues related to the perceived negative health effects of electromagnetic field (emf) radiation due to smart devices from the consumer’s perspective. With the recent technological advancement, more and more devices like smartphones, smart locks, smart TVs, smart meters, etc., are becoming integral parts of human lives. On the one hand, these devices have added comfort and efficiency, while on the other hand, the negative health impacts of persistent exposure to emf radiation from these devices can’t be denied. This paper used smart meter as an example of a smart device to explore potential adverse health effects of emf radiation by applying Soft System Methodology (SSM). Semi-structured interviews and workshops were conducted to gain insight into the research domain. The objective hierarchy has been proposed as a result of applying SSM. Some key concerns that must be considered for addressing consumers’ health concerns were identified as the outcome of the conducted SSM workshops. The proposed hierarchy suggests creating a risk-management team of knowledgeable individuals and provides a roadmap for executives, government officials and policymakers.