Hedonic preference for technological devices justified by utilitarian application

Abstract

This study analyses consumer behaviour for bundled mobile phones, and tests the perception that integrated products have higher hedonic, rather than utilitarian, value. The study covers a variety of scenarios based on brand, price, and preference (hedonic or utilitarian) in the selection of mobile telecommunications devices. Two studies are developed on two specific themes: benchmarking of hedonic and utilitarian values according to consumers' current mobile phones, and hypotheses testing of consumer preferences related to hedonism/utilitarianism under the conditions of brand, price, and mobile characteristics (kind of convergence) proposed. This study enhances understanding of consumers' preferences and market tendencies according to their values related to hedonic and utilitarian characteristics converged in mobile devices. Thus, it has academic implications related to the theory of technology convergence according to the characteristics of new products that can lead to a combined hedonic, social, and utilitarian values perception. In terms of practical implications, the findings enhance comprehension for enterprises regarding which features/attributes, according to significance, are most closely related to the various scenarios that consumer are exposed to.