Continuance in Portuguese Peer-To-Peer Accommodation Services Through the Lens of Process Virtualization Theory

Abstract

ABSTRACT A Substantial changes have taken place in the way digital technology influences hosting practices. In a quantitative study, the factors driving the digitalization of hosting practices are analyzed through the lens of process virtualization theory (PVT). The impact of the propositions set out in PVT on hosts perceptions of diagnosticity and the intention to continue using peer-to-peer (P2P) accommodation services are assessed. A survey is used to collect data from Portuguese hosts and partial least square path modelling (PLS-SEM) technique is used to test our model. Findings show support for the direct impact of process readiness (relationship and synchronism readiness) and technological capabilities (representation and reach) on hosts’ intentions to continue using P2P accommodation services. Moreover, results show support for the influence of identification and control, relationship readiness, monitoring, and representation capabilities on hosts’ perception of diagnosticity, which will influence hosts’ intention to continue using P2P accommodation services. However, sensory readiness has no significant effect on hosts’ perceptions of diagnosticity or their intention to continue using P2P accommodation services. This study extends PVT into a new research context, that of accommodation services. The Portuguese market also provides a new cultural setting for further exploration. The results offer a nuanced understanding of hosts’ intentions to continue using these services and show the importance of shaping hosts’ perceptions of diagnosticity.