Title: Perceptions of hedonic and utilitarian values in consumer choice based on use and future adoption of technological products and innovations

Authors: Emílio José Montero Arruda Filho; Everaldo Marcelo Souza da Costa

Addresses: Business Administration Graduate Program – PPAD, University of Amazon (UNAMA), Av. Alcindo Cacela 287, Bloco E, 4º andar, 66060-902, Belém – PA, Brazil ' Business Administration Graduate Program – PPAD, University of Amazon (UNAMA), Av. Alcindo Cacela 287, Bloco E, 4º andar, 66060-902, Belém – PA, Brazil

Abstract: This work studies the usability, acceptance and adoption of technological products which consumers choose for their hedonic value but which are justified by such consumers on utilitarian grounds. The principal objective of this article is to discuss the behaviour of users of netbooks for didactic purposes. In order to analyse this behaviour which in this case is concerned with the usage and value perceptions that define consumer preferences, a 'netnographic' analytic method is used, which, similar to an ethnographic approach, examines the behaviour of individuals through a (written) description of the needs and values of virtual communities and cyberculture. The authors argue that the utilitarian value of the product is not key in its position and acceptance in the market; when the product presents ambiguous values (both utilitarian and hedonic), consumers tend to base their preference on the product's hedonic values. It is also argued that technological products link satisfaction to social status, creating differentiation through the level of actualisation of the users' products and a utilitarian preference for integrated products, given practical applications of these integrated features.

Keywords: consumer behaviour; hedonism; utilitarianism; social presence; consumer choice; technology adoption; technological products; technological innovation; product usability; product acceptance; hedonic value; utilitarian value; consumer preferences; virtual communities; cyberculture; web based communities; online communities; netnography; social status; differentiation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIL.2015.072454

International Journal of Innovation and Learning, 2015 Vol.18 No.4, pp.397 - 412

Received: 08 Nov 2013
Accepted: 18 Feb 2014
Published online: 14 Oct 2015 *

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