Factors Affecting Acceptance of Mobile Content Services among Mature Consumers

151 Pages·2009·0.82 MB·English

JYVÄSKYLÄ STUDIES IN BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
72
Jenni Niemelä-Nyrhinen
Factors Affecting Acceptance
of Mobile Content Services
among Mature Consumers
JYVÄSKYLÄSTUDIESINBUSINESSANDECONOMICS72
Jenni Niemelä-Nyrhinen
Factors Affecting Acceptance
of Mobile Content Services
among Mature Consumers
EsitetäänJyväskylänyliopistontaloustieteidentiedekunnansuostumuksella
julkisestitarkastettavaksiyliopistonpäärakennuksensalissaC5
helmikuun13.päivänä2009kello12.
Academicdissertationtobepubliclydiscussed,bypermissionof
theSchoolofBusinessandEconomicsoftheUniversityofJyväskylä,
intheMainBuilding,HallC5,onFebruary13,2009at12o'clocknoon.
UNIVERSITYOF JYVÄSKYLÄ
JYVÄSKYLÄ2009
Factors Affecting Acceptance
of Mobile Content Services
among Mature Consumers
JYVÄSKYLÄSTUDIESINBUSINESSANDECONOMICS72
Jenni Niemelä-Nyrhinen
Factors Affecting Acceptance
of Mobile Content Services
among Mature Consumers
UNIVERSITYOF JYVÄSKYLÄ
JYVÄSKYLÄ2009
Editors
TuomoTakala
SchoolofBusinessandEconomics,UniversityofJyväskylä
PekkaOlsbo,Marja-LeenaTynkkynen
PublishingUnit,UniversityLibraryofJyväskylä
URN:ISBN:978-951-39-3485-9
ISBN978-951-39-3485-9(PDF)
ISBN978-951-39-3466-8(nid.)
ISSN1457-1986
Copyright ©2009, by University of Jyväskylä
JyväskyläUniversityPrintingHouse,Jyväskylä 2009
ABSTRACT

Niemelä-Nyrhinen, Jenni
Factors Affecting Acceptance of Mobile Content Services among Mature
Consumers
Jyväskylä: University of Jyväskylä, 2009, 148 p.
(Jyväskylä Studies in Business and Economics
ISSN 1457-1986; 72)
ISBN 978-951-39-3485-9 (PDF), 978-951-39-3466-8 (nid.)
Mobiilien sisältöpalveluiden omaksumiseen vaikuttavat tekijät ikääntyvien
kuluttajien keskuudessa
Diss.

The aim of this study is to increase our understanding of mature consumers as
users of technological services. More specifically, the objective is to find out
which factors have an effect on the acceptance of mobile content services in the
target group. The services studied are mobile services, including content that is
provided by a service provider. Examples of mobile content services are mobile
news, mobile banking and downloading ringing tones. In order to arrive at a
theoretical model, the previous literature on technology acceptance is explored
from a general and a more age group-specific perspective. The literature review
is multidisciplinary, concentrating on knowledge generated in marketing and
information systems science. The model that is tested in the empirical part is
synthesised from the Technology Acceptance Model, TAM (including perceived
usefulness, perceived enjoyment, perceived ease of use and behavioural
intention) and four individual difference variables (cognitive age, technology
anxiety, prior similar experience and subjective norm). In this study mature
consumers are represented by Finnish baby boomers (born between 1945 and
1955). The data (620 usable responses) were gathered through a structured
postal questionnaire. The main analytical method used is structural equation
modelling (SEM). TAM proved to explain mobile content services acceptance
among Finnish baby boomers extremely well. In addition, the four individual
difference variables were shown to have an effect on one or more of the
variables of TAM. On the basis of the results consideration is given to the
theoretical contributions, practical implications and limitations of the study,
and suggestions for future research are made.

Keywords: ageing/mature consumers, information technology, technology
acceptance, mobile services, structural equation modelling
Author’s address Jenni Niemelä-Nyrhinen
School of Business and Economics
University of Jyväskylä
P.O.BOX 35, 40014 University of Jyväskylä
[email protected]

Supervisors Professor Hannu Niittykangas
School of Business and Economics
University of Jyväskylä

Professor Esko Leskinen
Department of Mathematics and Statistics
University of Jyväskylä

Reviewers Professor Ruby R. Dholakia
College of Business Administration
University of Rhode Island

Professor Harri Luomala
Department of Marketing
University of Vaasa

Opponent Professor Ruby R. Dholakia
College of Business Administration
University of Rhode Island
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Someone has said that a dissertation process is successful when at the end of it
the doctoral student knows how the work should have been done. I must admit
that I am still not absolutely sure what would have been the best way to carry
out this research. Instead, I have learned that there are multiple ways of doing
things of which some may be better than others. This applies to life in general. I
will carry on remembering that one should always have an open mind
regarding alternative approaches and solutions.
As I take the final steps of my dissertation journey I realise that I have a lot
to be grateful for. First of all, I am very grateful to have had, not one, but two
outstanding supervisors. I cannot imagine two supervisors more insightful and
encouraging. From the bottom of my heart I thank Professor Hannu
Niittykangas at the School of Business and Economics and Professor Esko
Leskinen at the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, both at the
University of Jyväskylä. The journey would have been a lot rockier without
you. My warm thanks go also to my valued colleague Professor Outi Uusitalo,
head of Marketing Department at the School of Business and Economics at the
University of Jyväskylä. Thank you for being my “marketing perspective”.
I am grateful to my opponent and reviewer Professor Ruby R. Dholakia
from the College of Business Administration at the University of Rhode Island
and reviewer Professor Harri Luomala from the Department of Marketing at
the University of Vaasa for taking time and effort to read, comment on and
evaluate the dissertation. Your comments guided me in the final revision of the
manuscript.
I would like to express my gratitude to the Foundation for Economic
Education, Häme Regional Fund of the Finnish Cultural Foundation, HPY
Research Foundation and University of Jyväskylä for their financial support as
well as the invaluable encouragement and boost that receiving each scholarship
has given me. I would also like to thank FINNMARK (the Finnish Graduate
School of Marketing) and EIASM (European Institute for Advanced Studies in
Management) for organising high quality courses that have guided me in the
process of producing my dissertation.
My friends and colleagues have greatly supported me throughout this
research effort. Thank you all! Special thanks to Nadia and Mari for reading
and commenting on my texts. Thank you also for each and every conversation
not related to the work we do. Furthermore, I thank Michael Freeman for his
English language consultation, Taina Ruottinen for her Finnish language
consultation, Kaj Grönqvist for his input in the data collection, and Professor
Hans van der Heijden and Professor Magnus Söderlund for their support
during this process.
I thank my mom Terttu and dad Matti for raising me to value education. I
am also grateful to my brothers Janne, Jussi and Ville, and my sister Vilma for
all the much needed fun and relaxation enjoyed during many weekends and
holidays. You mean the world to me.
Finally, I thank the two most important people in my life. Markus, thank
you for your love, patience and support during these years. Anni, my little
princess, thank you for reprioritising my world.

Tampere, January 2009
Jenni Niemelä-Nyrhinen
FIGURES

FIGURE 1 Position of the Research within the Marketing Domain and the
Origins of the Relevant Theories, Models and Concepts...........19
FIGURE 2 Theory of Reasoned Action.............................................................27
FIGURE 3 Theory of Planned Behaviour.........................................................28
FIGURE 4 Original Technology Acceptance Model, TAM by Davis 1986..30
FIGURE 5 Modified Technology Acceptance Model, TAM..........................30
FIGURE 6 Enhanced Technology Acceptance Model, TAM2.......................33
FIGURE 7 Determinants of Perceived Ease of Use.........................................33
FIGURE 8 Theoretical Model of the Study......................................................48
FIGURE 9 Experience of Use of Mobile Content Services among
Respondents......................................................................................72
FIGURE 10 Variety of Mobile Content Services Used.....................................73
FIGURE 11 Frequency of Mobile Content Service Use during Last Year.....73
FIGURE 12 Estimated Measurement Model for Perceived Usefulness.........85
FIGURE 13 Estimated Measurement Model for Perceived Ease of Use........85
FIGURE 14 Estimated Measurement Model for Perceived Enjoyment.........86
FIGURE 15 Estimated Measurement Model for Intention..............................86
FIGURE 16 Estimated Measurement Model for Cognitive Age.....................88
FIGURE 17 Initial Estimated Measurement Model for Technology
Anxiety...............................................................................................89
FIGURE 18 Final Measurement Model for Technology Anxiety...................90
FIGURE 19 Estimated Measurement Model for Subjective Norm.................91
FIGURE 20 Estimated Measurement Model for Subjective Norm and Others’
Use......................................................................................................92
FIGURE 21 First Estimation of the Basic Full Model.......................................94
FIGURE 22 Second Estimation of the Basic Full Model...................................95
FIGURE 23 Third Estimation of the Basic Full Model.....................................96
FIGURE 24 The Basic Full Model with Constrained Parameters...................98
FIGURE 25 Results of the Ridge Estimation of Parameters............................99
FIGURE 26 The Basic Full Model with Ridge Estimation (k=0.10)................99
FIGURE 27 Cognitive Age and TAM, Standardised Solution......................101
FIGURE 28 Cognitive Age, Chronological Age and TAM, Standardised
Solution............................................................................................102
FIGURE 29 First Estimation of Technology Anxiety and TAM, Standardised
Solution............................................................................................103
FIGURE 30 Second Estimation of Technology Anxiety and TAM,
Standardised Solution....................................................................103
FIGURE 31 Frequency of Use of Mobile Content Services and TAM,
Standardised Solution....................................................................104
FIGURE 32 Variety of Mobile Content Services Used and TAM,
Standardised Solution....................................................................105
FIGURE 33 SMS Experience and TAM, Standardised Solution...................106