STANDARDIZATION OR ADAPTATION DURING THE WEB - MOBILE SERVICE TRANSITION: UNDERSTANDING THE MODERATING ROLE OF GENDER

摘要

This study investigates the standardization-adaptation paradox during the web-mobile service transition. Specifically, according to the expectation confirmation theory and the desire confirmation theory, the study proposes that user perceptions of the adaptability to the mobile context and of the consistency between the web and mobile services can shape their satisfaction with mobile services. This, in turn, can affect the intention to adopt mobile services. Furthermore, the study also highlights that males and females prefer different strategies (standardization or adaptation), such that perceived adaptability has a stronger impact on satisfaction for males than for females, while perceived consistency has a stronger impact on satisfaction for females than for males. A structural equation modeling analysis was conducted on data collected in China from a survey with 235 responses, and the results confirmed all of the hypotheses of the proposed research model. Theoretical and practical implications are also discussed.