基于技术兼容与社会兼容的数字信息产品采纳研究

Despite its newness, digital information products, such as tablet PC and smart phone, are revolutionizing many aspects of online consumers' behavior, as well as the competitive landscape of the whole value chain which delivers such products. The adoption and diffusion of digital information products may differ from traditional consumer products such that not only the quality and price of the product, but also the technology compatibility and the social compatibility might play a key role. Our research attempts to shed some lights on the adoption of digital information products. Drawing upon the innovation diffusion theory, the network effects theory, and the bandwagon effects theory, this study suggests that both the network effects and bandwagon effects will significantly affect the adoption and diffusion of digital information products. For such two effects to take place, the technology compatibility and the social compatibility of the products are critical. Hence, by identifying technology and social compatibilities as key enablers of network effects and bandwagon effects, respectively, this research identifies scale of existing users, technology compatibility, and social compatibility as important antecedents of perceived functional utility and perceived symbolic utility of digital information products, which lead to the consumer's intention of purchase. Further, product knowledge, product involvement, and consumer experience (new vs. experienced users) are suggested to moderate the effects between two types of compatibilities and perceived utility of products. A series of surveys and experiments are designed to test our research model. First, we will develop the measurement model for technology compatibility and social compatibility based on related measures in prior research. A series of focus groups with product users will be organized and a small scale survey will be conducted. Item sorting technique and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) will be employed to test the face validity, construct validity and reliability of the developed measures. Second, a large-scale survey will be conducted to collect data from both new and experienced product users to test our research model. Structural equation modeling (SEM) will be employed for data analysis. Finally, a series of laboratory experiments will be designed and implemented to test our research model by manipulating technology and social compatibilities, aiming at differentiating the network effects and bandwagon effects in the adoption and diffusion of digital information products. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

网络时代数字信息产品的采纳与产品的技术兼容性和社会兼容性密切相关，其扩散过程也同时受到网络效应和跟风效应的影响。本课题的核心研究目标为：集成创新扩散理论、网络效应理论和跟风效应理论，探索影响不同类型的数字信息产品采纳的关键因素与机理，发掘数字信息产品采纳的一般规律。本课题的研究包含三个模块：1）通过集中讨论组和问卷调研收集数据，采用测度项分类法和探索性因子分析，开发数字信息产品技术兼容性和社会兼容性的测度；2）基于理论与文献总结，构建影响数字信息产品效用的理论模型，并通过问卷调研方法收集数据，采用结构方程模型对理论模型进行检验；3）基于网络效应和跟风效应理论，通过一系列问卷和准实验方法辨析两种效应在来源、存在前提、作用对象和作用效果等方面的差异对数字信息产品采纳中的不同作用。本课题的研究成果将从理论层面科学地解释数字信息产品的采纳扩散现象及其规律，从实践层面为企业产品创新提供的建议与指导。

数字信息产品的迅速普及，改变了人们的互联网应用习惯，促进了基于移动互联网的移动社会网络的迅速发展。随着数字信息产品消费比例的逐年攀升，其对经济发展的意义将显得更加重大。本课题的核心研究目标为：集成创新扩散理论、网络效应理论和跟风效应理论，科学地分析和论证相关理论的基本概念的内涵和联系，丰富和发展新技术尤其是信息技术的采纳和扩散理论，并为管理实践提供更具解释力的新理论。. 在国家自然科学基金委的大力支持下，本课题《基于技术兼容与社会兼容的数字信息产品采纳研究》（课题号：71202059）围绕数字信息产品的技术兼容性与社会兼容性，展开了一系列研究。主要研究结果表明：1.网络效应的前提是存在技术兼容性，而跟风效应与社会兼容性密切相关，虽然两者可以相互促进，但存在的前提不同。数字信息产品如果主要表现为硬件（如智能手机），跟风效应产生的作用强于网络效应；2.对数字信息产品而言，网络效应与跟风效应的来源不同，前者源于产品的技术特性，后者来源于消费者的心理特性；3.从用户对某一数字信息产品的评价上看，网络效应的能够增强产品的功能效用，而跟风效应主要作用于象征效用。. 在课题组全体人员的共同努力下，本课题取得了较好的研究成果。目前在Information & Management, Electronic Commerce Research and Applications等国际期刊上发表了5篇论文。而课题最主要的研究成果目前还处于审稿阶段，有望于接下来的三年中陆续发表。除了论文发表以外，本项目还在学术交流和人才培养方面取得了一系列成绩。学术交流方面，在自然科学基金委的资助下，过去三年本人共参加了10次国内国际会议，在会议上与同领域专家进行了深入的交流；在人才培养上，过去三年共培养了本研究方向的8名学术型硕士研究生，其中6名已经毕业并顺利获得硕士学位。作为课题主持人，本人还获得了其它方面的成果，包括：入选2013年度教育部“新世纪优秀人才支持计划”；入选2013年福建省“新世纪优秀人才支持计划”等。在接受基金委资助的三年中本人还有幸从副教授晋升为正教授。. 总体而言，本项目进展顺利，取得成果应能超过课题申请时的预期。但遗憾的是，在国际最顶尖的期刊上的发表目前尚无，这将是我下一步努力的方向。