Service innovation and usage intention: a cross-market analysis

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate market-contextual variations in consumers’ self-service technology (SST) usage intentions. Design/methodology/approach – Applications of the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology support the exploration of antecedents of usage intention for SSTs in two market contexts, through a survey among Taiwanese and Austrian college students. The cross-cultural nature of the study suggested the need for factor analyses to evaluate measurement equivalence. A Chow-Test confirmed structural stability, followed by regression analysis and independent samples t-tests to confirm the hypotheses. Findings – Substantial differences arise across market contexts that shape usage intentions. In a collectivistic, emerging market context (Taiwan), performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, and personal innovativeness significantly influence usage intention. In an individualistic, advanced market context (Austria), only performance expectancy and social influence have significant impacts on usage intention. Personal innovativeness moderates only the relationship between performance expectancy and usage intention. Practical implications – The findings suggest that usage intention is subject to the market environment in which the technology is introduced. Consumers are influenced by the local and institutional-cultural environment. Originality/value – Globalization has accelerated the launch of retail services innovations. It is imperative to understand consumers’ usage intentions from a global perspective. This study advances SST research by analyzing and comparing adoption behavior in an advanced vs emerging market setting.