Byoungsoo Kim

Effects of Emotion on User Loyalty in a Mobile Messenger Service

AbstractGivenrapidgrowthofmobilemessengerservices(MMSs)suchasKakaoTalk,Line,andWechat,ithasbecomecriticaltounderstandthemechanismsthatleadtouserloyaltyintheMMScontext.Inthisregard,thisstudyexaminedkeyfactorsofuserloyaltyintheMMSenvironment.WepositattitudinalloyaltyandITexpertiseaskeydriversofbehavioralloyalty.Inaddition,theimpactsofperceivedusefulnessandemotiononattitudinalloyaltywereexamined.Datacollectedfrom235KakaoTalkuserswhohaveusedmorethan1yearwereempiricallytestedagainstaresearchmodelusingpartialleastsquares.TheanalysisresultsfoundthatbothattitudinalloyaltyandITexpertiseplayanimportantroleinenhancingbehavioralloyaltyintheMMScontext.Thefindingsofthisstudyindicatethatperceivedusefulnessandpositiveemotionsignificantlyinfluenceattitudinalloyalty,whereasnegativeemotionnegativelyaffectsit.TheanalysisresultsprovideseveralinsightsthatcanhelpMMSprovidersunderstandtheroleofemotioninenhancinguserloyalty. ■ keyword : Mobile Messenger Service Behavioral Loyalty Attitudinal Loyalty Emotion Negative Emotion

Exploring Purchase Behavior of Digital Items and Actual Usage in a Social Network Site: A Longitudinal Perspective

Given the rapid growth of social network services (SNS) such as Facebook and Cyworld, it is important to understand SNS users` decision-making processes such as purchasing and continuance intention. Especially, as a number of SNS providers such as Cyworld and Habbo Hotel recognize the sales of digital items as the main source of their profits, it is critical to in-depth understand SNS users` purchasing behaviors. In this regard, this study explores continued usage behaviors and purchase behaviors of digital items in an SNS environment using a longitudinal research method. This paper develops a theoretical model to deeply understand the key drivers of purchase behavior of digital items through constructs prescribed by two established research streams on information systems, namely continuance usage and habitual usage. Moreover, this study examines the effects of actual and ideal self-image congruity on SNS continuance intention and habit. The research model was tested by using survey data collected from 307 users who have experience with Cyworld. The analysis results show that SNS actual usage directly influence purchase behavior of digital items. SNS users` continuance intention and habit are key drivers to enhance the level of actual usage of the SNS. Both actual and ideal self-image congruity play a key role in enhancing continuance usage and habitual usage. The implication of research and discussions provides reference for SNS providers in marketing and IT strategy.

A Study on Antecedents of SNS User`s Addiction in the Age of Convergence: The Role of SNS Habit

Given social problems of social network service (SNS) addiction, it is critical to understand user`s formation mechanism of SNS addiction. Since a number of studies have demonstrated the negative outcomes of excessive SNS use, the researchers examined important antecedents of SNS addiction as SNS habit that is considered as a key driver of SNS addiction. Moreover, the effects of self-expression, network management, and information search on SNS addition formation were investigated. The proposed theoretical model was empirically tested by using longitudinal survey data collected from 206 Facebook users. The analysis results indicate that SNS habit plays an important role in forming SNS addiction. Further, self-expression, network management, and information search influence SNS addiction through SNS habit. The analysis results offer some in-depth perspectives to SNS providers and government that establish policies or digital convergence strategies to induce healthy SNS use.