Determinants of on-demand ridesharing: the role of awareness of environmental consequences

Abstract

PurposeThe primary goal of this study is to determine the predictors of on-demand ridesharing intention in an emerging economy. For this purpose, the study uses the theoretical underpinnings of the theory of planned behavior (TPB).Design/methodology/approachThe study surveyed 347 frequent users of ridesharing services using a set of pre-validated scales. The resulting data were analyzed using covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM).FindingsThe results of SEM analysis disclosed that the significant factors contributing to ridesharing intention are awareness of environmental consequences, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control and attitude (towards ridesharing).Practical implicationsThis empirical research provides statistically robust insights for developing marketing strategies that attract more individuals toward ridesharing services.Originality/valueThis research has remarkable significance as it is one of the pioneering studies that critically examine the determinants of ridesharing intention from a South Asian emerging economy. Further, the extended TPB framework proposed in this study explains 71.4% variance in ridesharing intention, which is significantly higher than existing studies, with none of them explaining more than 70% variance.