Effects of Exchange Benefits, Security Concerns and Situational Privacy Concerns on Mobile Commerce Adoption

Abstract

Few empirical studies have examined both privacy and security concerns in the context of mobile commerce (m-commerce) while accounting for the effects of situational privacy concerns specific to the context of m-commerce. This research fills this gap in research by exploring users' exchange perceptions specific to the context of m-commerce in China and by examining the inhibitors and drives of m-commerce adoption in China from the perspectives of social exchange. Particularly, this research develops an integrated research model in which users' perceptions on value added of and usefulness of m-commerce, and users' privacy concerns and security concerns of m-commerce are examined. The research model is empirically tested by using the survey data collected in a large city in China. Our findings confirmed the conceptualization of the research model and indicated that users' perceived exchange benefits are the drivers of m-commerce use. Users' security concerns hinder their intention to conduct m-commerce. Surprisingly, users' privacy concerns seem not to have a significant impact on users' favorable attitude toward m-commerce, but situational privacy concerns including location tracking and personalized use of user information significantly impact users' general privacy concerns.