Title: Emotional connections to books and technological innovations: an e-book perspective

Authors: Vanessa Ratten

Addresses: Faculty of Business and Law, Deakin Graduate School of Business, Deakin University, 70 Elgar Road Burwood, Victoria 3125, Australia

Abstract: E-book devices are a technological innovation that has been mass marketed to consumers as a revolution in the way that books will be read and stored. This paper extends previous research on technology adoption behaviour of individuals by focusing on the role of emotional connections people have towards e-books. A number of technology adoption models can explain the adoption of e-book devices such as the technology acceptance model, theory of planned action, theory of reasoned action and social cognitive theory. Due to the increased importance of social learning on a person|s behaviour, social cognitive theory is identified in this paper as being the most appropriate theoretical lens to understand the emotional connections a person has towards e-books. The findings from this paper may help to fill the gaps in academic discussion about what theory best explains a person|s behavioural intention towards technological innovations and the impact of marketing on this behaviour. In addition, the paper has a number of managerial implications including identifying the importance of an emotional connection to a technological innovation that influences the adoption process. The emphasis on emotional connection as mediating the way a person receives information about e-book devices may help to influence future marketing efforts of new technologies.

Keywords: emotions; e-books; technology innovations; adoption behaviour; marketing; technology marketing; social cognitive theory; books; technology acceptance model; TAM; emotional connections; ebooks; behavioural intention.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTMKT.2011.043785

International Journal of Technology Marketing, 2011 Vol.6 No.3, pp.272 - 286

Received: 30 Dec 2010
Accepted: 15 Sep 2011
Published online: 30 Sep 2014 *

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