Using the DEMATEL based network process and structural equation modeling methods for deriving factors influencing the acceptance of smart phone operation systems

Abstract

Smartphones have emerged as one of the most important consumer-electronic products during the past years. Therefore, researches on factors influencing consumers' behavior and thus, repurchase intention toward smartphones become the most critical issue for smartphone marketers. The smartphone operation system (OS) is one of the major factors influencing consumers' purchase decisions toward purchasing smartphones. However, the analysis and predictions of consumer behaviors toward the smartphone OSs are not easy due to due to the fast emerging technology and highly competitive market situation. To resolve this problem, this research aims to propose a novel multiple criteria decision making (MCDM) based approach for discovering the factors influencing the technology acceptances of the smartphone OSs based on industry experts' opinions. The opinions of mass users will also be summarized by using the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) based Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) for comparisons. Differences of the analytic results being derived by the two analytic frameworks will be compared. Both the analytic framework and results can serve as the basis for future smartphone marketers' uses for strategy definitions. © 2012 Springer-Verlag.