Assessing the Impact of Urban Lifestyle and Consumption Values on Conversion Intention: A Study towards Energy Sustainability

Abstract

Energy converter innovation has shifted the world’s cooking energy from wood, coal, kerosene, and liquid petroleum gas (LPG) to electricity. This paper identifies the factors influencing customers’ intention to switch their cooking energy from LPG to electricity. The study proposes a conversion intention (COIN) framework with urban convenience and perceived alternative value (PAV) as predictor variables and examines the mooring effect of conversion cost to COIN. The data were gathered by a cross-sectional survey, and the PLS-SEM approach was applied to 194 LPG users in Jakarta, Indonesia. The results reveal that PAV mainly determines cooking energy conversion and partially mediates the relationship between urban convenience and COIN. Conversion cost indicates no significant moderating effect of PAV on COIN. By conducting this study, we contribute to the literature by integrating the theory of consumption value (TCV) with the value-based adoption model (VAM), generating the indicators of urban convenience based on time-oriented advertisement categories and applying the consumption values of the TCV as the dimensions of PAV on the VAM framework. The findings of the paper provide a more in-depth understanding of customers’ motivations when switching from LPG to electric power, particularly for household cooking energy, as well as opportunities for the government and electronic manufacturers to promote more sustainable energy consumption patterns.