Assessing customer passion, commitment, and word-of-mouth intentions in digital assistant usage: The moderating role of technology anxiety. (March 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Maduku, Daniel K.; Mpinganjira, Mercy; Rana, Nripendra P.; Thusi, Philile; Ledikwe, Aobakwe; Mkhize, Njabulo Happy-boy
• Is Part Of: Journal of retailing and consumer services. Volume 71(2023)
• Publication Date: 2023-03
• Subjects: Digital assistants -- Localisation -- Passion -- Privacy concern -- WOM intentions -- S–O-R framework; Retail trade -- Periodicals; Service industries -- Periodicals; Customer services -- Periodicals; Commerce de détail -- Périodiques; Service à la clientèle -- Périodiques; Customer services; Retail trade; Periodicals; 658.87
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jretconser.2022.103208
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0969-6989

Abstract

Abstract: Consumers develop a passion for the use of innovations, which is a critical determinant of their success. Research has largely examined drivers of initial acceptance of digital assistants (DAs) and has yet to fully understand the factors driving or deterring consumers' passion towards DAs and the behavioural outcomes. Drawing on the stimulus-organism-response framework, this study examines a unique set of factors (usefulness, ease of use, privacy concern, and localisation) that act as stimuli to drive an organismic state of passion for DAs, and how this produces behavioural responses of word-of-mouth (WOM) intention and commitment to DA use. The study also examines how technology anxiety moderates passion's impact on WOM intentions and commitment. The findings show that usefulness, ease of use, privacy concern, and localisation are significant explanatory variables of consumers' passion towards DAs. Furthermore, passion towards DAs results in WOM intentions and commitment to its use. The findings further show that passion's effect on DAs in explaining WOM intentions and commitment is weakened by technology anxiety. Lastly, passion is the mediating mechanism through which usefulness, ease of use, privacy concern, and localisation impact WOM intentions and commitment. The implications of these findings for theory and practice are highlighted. Highlights: This study examines users' commitment and WOM intentions to use digital assistant (DA). Usefulness, ease of use, privacy concerns and localisation influence passion. Passion results in word-of-mouth (WOM) intentions and commitment to its use. Technology anxiety significantly acts as a moderator between passion-WOM intentions. Technology anxiety significantly acts as a moderator between passion-commitment.