Title: Hedonic and social values supporting utilitarian technologies

Authors: Emílio José Montero Arruda Filho

Addresses: Social Science Research Center – University of Amazon (UNAMA), Av. Alcindo Cacela, 287, Belém, PA 66060-902, Brazil

Abstract: This article argues that products with multifunctionality/integrations have excited much more interest in this market, justifying as utilitarian even when these integrations are hedonic. The article analyses consumers' preference for high technology products focusing on attributes integrated, hedonic and utilitarian behaviour, and decision interference based on different scenarios to better understand which factors and conditions currently interfere in consumers' behaviour. It is concluded that consumers prefer new mobile devices with multiple integrated features because customers' decisions are based on the integration of different services updated in the new devices, as well as the different scenarios imposed by the competitive technology market.

Keywords: hedonism; utilitarianism; technology preferences; hedonic integrations; hedonic values; social values; utilitarian technologies; multifunctionality; multifunctional products; consumer preferences; high technology products; integrated attributes; hedonic behaviour; utilitarian behaviour; decision interference; consumer behaviour; mobile devices; multiple features; integrated features; mobile phones; cell phones; mobile technologies; cellular communications; customer decisions; competitive markets; technology markets; undergraduate students; North University; Brazil; universities; higher education; innovation; learning.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIL.2012.048352

International Journal of Innovation and Learning, 2012 Vol.12 No.2, pp.160 - 180

Published online: 28 Aug 2014 *

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