Why do mobile consumers resist mobile commerce applications? A hybrid fsQCA-ANN analysis

Abstract

Since its inception, mobile commerce (m-commerce) has introduced many disruptive changes to the business world via various types of m-commerce applications, which refer to the novel applications of m-commerce in conducting tasks that require mobility, for instance, mobile payment and mobile shopping. In view that not all mobile consumers around the world are keen to adopt mobile commerce applications, this study seeks to clarify the roles of active innovation resistance barriers (comprising functional and psychological barriers) on three distinct forms of resistance behaviour exhibited by mobile consumers (i.e., rejection, postponement, or opposition) towards m-commerce applications through the theoretical lens of Innovation Resistance Theory. For this purpose, an asymmetric and non-linear model was built and analysed through a configurational approach complemented by machine learning. The results indicate that all active innovation resistance barriers matter but are not equally important in triggering the resistance behaviours. Theoretically, this study has advanced the Innovation Resistance Theory and enriched the existing literature on m-commerce applications resistance. Practically, to lower the resistance behaviours of mobile consumers towards m-commerce applications, practitioners are advised to prioritise strategies that could overcome the psychological barriers.