Gregory Gimpel

The adoption of hyped technologies: a qualitative study

The introduction of new consumer technology is often greeted with declarations that the way people conduct their lives will be changed instantly. In some cases, this might create hype surrounding a specific technology. This article investigates the adoption of hyped technology, a special case that is absent in the adoption literature. The study employs a consumer research perspective, specifically the theory of consumption values (TCV), to understand the underlying motives for adopting the technology. In its original form, TCV entails five values that influence consumer behavior: functional, social, epistemic, emotional and conditional. The values catch the intrinsic and extrinsic motives influencing behavior. Using a qualitative approach that includes three focus groups and 60 one-on-one interviews, the results of the study show that emotional, epistemic and social values influence the adoption of hyped technologies. Contrary to expectations, functional value, which is similar to the widely used information system constructs of perceived usefulness and relative advantage, has little impact on the adoption of technologies that are surrounded with significant hype. Using the findings of the study, this article proposes a model for investigating and understanding the adoption of hyped technologies. This article contributes to the literature by (1) focusing on the phenomenon of hyped technology, (2) introducing TCV, a consumer research-based theoretical framework, to enhance the understanding of technology adoption, and (3) proposing a parsimonious model explaining the adoption of hyped technology.

Time-out/time-in: the dynamics of everyday experiential computing devices

In everyday life, the role of computing devices alternates between the ordinary and mundane, the un‐reflected and the extraordinary. To better understand the process through which the relationship between computing devices, users and context changes in everyday life, we apply a distinction between time‐in and time‐out use. Time‐in technology use coincides and co‐exists within the flow of ordinary life, while time‐out use entails ‘taking time out’ of everyday life to accomplish a circumscribed task or engage reflectively in a particular experience. We apply a theoretically informed grounded approach to data collected through a longitudinal field study of smartphone users during a 6‐month period. We analysed the data based on the concept of time‐in/out and show the dynamics in the experience of a device that changes from the ‘extraordinary’ to the ‘ordinary’ over time. We also provide a vocabulary that describes this relationship as stages resembling the one between a couple, which evolves from an early love affair, to being married and to growing old together. By repurposing the time‐in/out distinction from its origin in media studies, this paper marks a move that allows the distinction to be applied to understanding the use and dynamic becoming of computing devices over time.

Smart Phones and Their Substitutes: Task-Medium Fit and Business Models

Drawing on data from a longitudinal field study, this paper investigates the influence of existing, better and stand-alone technology substitutes on the use of smart phones. By applying prospect theory, media richness theory, and business model literature, the purpose of this paper is to improve our understanding of the role of substitutes, device content fit issues, and implications for business models by asking the question: What is an effective business model to address the relationship between user preference and the fit of the smart phone and everyday task? The field study data suggest the need for business models to recognize that adoption decisions are reference dependent and strongly influenced by the fit between task and smart phone.

The Future of Video Platforms: Key Questions Shaping the TV and Video Industry

The telecommunications, media, and entertainment industries face significant changes as technological innovations, shifting consumer behavior, and new business models reshape the industry. The video entertainment sector, which spans these industries, exemplifies how the traditional linear value chain transforms as platform-based business models play more pronounced mediation roles. Drawing upon insights from platform theory, this article synthesizes interviews with 22 executives at key positions throughout the video value chain to identify and confront three key questions that will define the future of the telecommunications, media, and entertainment sectors: (1) Who will come out on top as the video market transforms?; (2) Will people own content or only subscribe to video services?; and (3) Will advertising agencies maintain control of media buying? This article ascertains the critical factors and requisite conditions that will determine the answers to these questions and the future shape of the telecommunications, media, and entertainment industries.

Emerging IT for Medication Adherence

Medication adherence is one of the most complex and persistent challenges in healthcare. Solutions have been designed with varying degrees of success. Here, the authors present a roadmap that shows how emerging IT can play a major role in improving medication adherence. Specifically, they discuss five major technologies for medication adherence: smartphone apps, smart medication boxes, smart pills, sensors, and implantable devices. They show how these technologies support and integrate into a roadmap for higher medication adherence. The hope is that IT professionals will address many of the challenges and opportunities identified in the article.

The wireless internet decision: a multi-method investigation of decision drivers

The deployment of mobile internet technologies such as 3G/4G and WiMax adds more access technologies options for internet users. This raises a question about how people decide which access technology to use. Behavioural economics suggests that reference price, status quo bias and flat rate bias are important determinants of peoples buying behaviour when making a choice among several alternatives. This paper takes a mixed-methods approach to address calls for alternative perspectives on technology adoption and for exploration of the consumer decision-making process beyond construct-based research. More specifically, focus group and survey methodologies are used to examine the research questions. The study finds that reference pricing, flat rate bias and status quo bias are important factors in technology adoption decisions. This study contributes to the Information Systems and mobile communications literature by proposing an approach for technology adoption when alternative options are available to users and by providing opportunities for further research.

Why people aren't using wireless internet: a behavioural economics approach to technology preferences

This paper proposes a new model for understanding the adoption of internet services when competing technological standards can fulfil similar needs. Using prospect theory as its theoretical foundation, the model posits that reference prices, flat rate preference, and status quo bias constitute the perceived sacrifice when users consider adoption of new services such as wireless internet. Perceived sacrifice and perceived quality influence the perceived relative value, which in turn influences the intention to adopt wireless internet. The proposed model and related hypotheses are empirically confirmed through a field study. The paper discusses several implications for telecommunications policy and industry.

A consumption theory and task-fitness perspective of wireless internet adoption for mobile commerce

Recent advances in wireless technology have resulted in new opportunities for electronic commerce to migrate to mobile platforms. To understand the acceptance of mobile commerce, we investigate the drivers of the adoption of wireless internet broadband for the laptop. Task fitness is important to those users conducting mobile commerce, which may involve completion of several sequential transactions. This study draws upon consumption theory and task–technology fit literature to investigate the antecedents of wireless internet adoption. The structural equation model of field study data indicates that there are significant positive relationships among perceived quality, task fitness, and perceived value and the intention to adopt wireless internet. Surprisingly, the study also finds that the likelihood to subscribe to wireless internet declines as the awareness about the technology increases. This research provides theoretical insights for researchers and practical guidance for service providers as they push mobile commerce to increase data traffic revenue.

Wired or Wireless Internet? A Situation in Which Standards Don't Matter

This paper finds that network externalities play a minimal role in the choice of internet access technology. Potential adopters of mobile laptop internet view broadband technology as a black box, the technological details of which do not matter. The study uses qualitative techniques to explore how the speed of technological obsolescence, market share dominance, and the black boxing of technology influence consumer intention to adopt WiMax and 3G wireless internet for their laptop computers. The results, implications for industry, and areas for further research are discussed.