移动社交应用的持续使用意愿影响因素研究——探讨网络外部性和羊群行为的共同作用

Empirical Study on Continuance Using Intention of Mobile Social Apps:Integrating Network Externalities and Herd Behavior Theory

由于移动社交应用较低的切换成本,使得用户使用或者弃用一项移动社交应用几乎不需要付出任何代价,因此,增强用户黏性对移动社交应用的发展至关重要。本研究以网络外部性和羊群行为理论为基础,构建了移动社交应用持续使用意愿影响因素的研究模型。通过问卷调查方法收集数据,采用SPSS和AMOS软件进行实证分析,对该理论模型进行检验。结果表明,感知收益(包括感知有用性和沉浸体验)和羊群行为均正向影响用户的持续使用意愿,其中,感知有用性的影响最大;直接网络效应(感知使用性)和间接网络效应(感知互补性)均正向影响感知有用性,其中,感知使用性的影响起主导作用。本研究结论对于移动社交应用的提供商和使用者都具有重要的指导意义:对提供商而言,本研究证实了网络外部性和羊群行为均会对用户的持续使用意愿造成影响,增加网络外部性是留住用户的关键;对用户而言,选择一项自己能接受的信息技术的最佳策略,就是跟风采纳别人选择的信息产品。

Users＇ continuance using intention is vital to the future of mobile social apps（i.e.,applications）with rapid development and intensive competition among their providers.This study examines how network externalities,in terms of referent network size（i.e.,perceived number of peers） and perceived complementarity,enhance the users＇ perceived benefit（i.e.,perceived usefulness and flow experience）of using mobile social apps,in turn,influence their continuance using intention.We also investigate the influence of herd behavior including imitating others and discounting own information on mobile social apps＇ continuance using intention.To test our research model,a survey was conducted in two public universities in China.Among the factors affecting continuance using intention directly,perceived usefulness and discounting own information have relatively larger effects（β =0.335 and 0.249.respectively）.Flow experience also has positive effect（β = 0.133） on continuance intention,imitating others has no significant influence on continuance intention.According to our hypotheses,herd behavior should have negative effect on continuance,while the empirical result is contrary to the hypotheses.The result is consistent with Sun（2013）＇s finding,herding others is an appropriate strategy for users to find an acceptable information technology,and it can also reduce post-adoption regret and thus positively affects continuance using intention.As regard to the relationship between network externalities and perceived benefit,we find that both referent network size and perceived complementarity have positive effect on perceived usefulness,with referent network size exerting dominant effect（β =0.739）.Referent network size has significant positive effect on flow experience,and perceived complementarity has no effect on flow experience.From a theoretical perspective,this research enriches the understanding of continuance using intention.Existing IS research on herd behavior is focused primarily on technology initial adoption,little attention has been paid to information technology post-adoption.How to retain users is a crucial issue to mobile social apps developers,while research into this field is still in its infancy.In order to extend previous research,we draw on the theory of network externalities and herd behavior to build an integrated model to explain factors influencing users＇ continuance using intention of mobile social apps.From a practical perspective,this research can help practitioners to retain users.This paper shows that both network externalities and herd behavior exert significant influence on users＇ continuance using intention.Individuals may keep using a technology after adopting it by imitating others,however,information technology developers should keep in mind that individuals who adopt a technology by herding may abandon this technology en masse.Therefore,creating network externalities is essential,as both direct network externality and indirect externality are positively associated with continuance intention through perceived benefit from the technology.This research also has implications for users,the empirical results indicate that it is a good strategy for users to choose an acceptable technology by imitating others.This study has several inherent limitations due to the sampling methods and measurements used.First,a convenience sampling method was used to select the sample.The subjects used in the survey were drawn from college students.There is no evidence that the sample is representative of the whole population of Chinese Wechat users.Future studies should investigate and compare different samples to increase representativeness.Second,the survey data used in this study were gathered in a single time point,a longitudinal investigation would be more convincing in explaining Wechat users＇ continuance using intention.Third,this survey was conducted in China,cultural differences between countries should be considered further.