What Drives the Adoption of Mobile Data Services? An Approach from a Value Perspective

Abstract

Mobile data services (MDS) are wireless value-added pay-per-use services that have attracted increased attention in recent years. In this paper, a theoretical framework is proposed to investigate key drivers of user behavior in wireless pay-per-use services based on a value perspective. This study examines the role of three evaluation criteria -utilitarian, hedonic, and social values - in adoption decisions. Potential adopters have no direct experience with MDS; thus, they likely conceive value based primarily on indirect experience with it, such as through communication with peers or advertisements. In this study, the influence of members in the social networks and external sources are regarded as the major sources of information in order to capture the role of these factors on the perceptions of value. Additionally, according to the age and gender of potential adopters, changes in the degree to which the antecedents lead to MDS acceptance are examined. The proposed model is empirically tested using survey data collected from 287 potential adopters. The analysis results show that the proposed model, based on the aforementioned view of value, provides a significant explanation of the variance in the level of adoption intention toward MDS. The results of this study indicate that utilitarian and social values dominate adoption decisions, whereas the impact of hedonic value in MDS acceptance is weaker than other values. Information from relevant others and from mass media play a critical role in forming the perceptions of value obtained from the use of MDS. The results also shed light on the moderating effects of age and gender on MDS acceptance. Theoretical and practical implications of this work are discussed.