Can mobile TV be a new revolution in the television industry?

Highlights

• The study investigates on the factors that influence users' BI to use m-TV.

• PE, EE and TST have a positive and significant impact on BI.

• TR has a negative and significant relationship with BI.

• EE and TR have positive and significant influence on PE.

• TR and TST are positively and significantly related to EE.

Abstract

The development within the mobile communications industry has provided a new mechanism for individuals to watch television programs via mobile device, known as mobile television (m-TV). Considering that m-TV is an emerging technology among traditional television services where critical success factors depend on user-centered, it is important to understand users' behavioral intention (BI). Unlike previous studies which have mainly focused on flow experience, perceived value, motivation and social cognitive theories, this study examines user-centered factors of technology readiness (TR) and technical support and training (TST). Therefore, 244 valid data were tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to measure both reflective and formative constructs based on the proposed framework. Findings reported that performance expectancy (PE), effort expectancy (EE) and TST have a positive and significant impact on BI. TR however has a negative relationship with BI. In addition, TR was also found to influence PE and EE. Similarly, TST has a direct effect factor on EE and EE was a significant determinant of PE. The findings of this study not only provide guidance for future researchers, but also valuable insights for designers, marketers and system providers of m-TV to tailor their services in the near future.

Introduction

With the advances of mobile technologies and the developments within the mobile communications industry, mobile devices (m-devices) have evolved from mere communication tool to a multifunction hybrid medium (Wei, 2008). Unlike wired network cables, mobile Internet through the wireless network allows time and place flexibility. Thus, this enables information and services to be delivered via m-devices to users for various mobile-mediated activities. In Malaysia, the population using Internet has risen from fixed line to mobile. Based on the survey reported by Forest Interactive (2014), there is an upward trend of mobile penetration rate in Malaysia from 133% in 2012 to 143% or 27.3 million users in 2014. With the proliferation of mobile technologies, a growing number of research opportunities to study on the adoption of mobile services have been identified by academicians such as mobile commerce (Chong, 2013), mobile credit card payment (Leong et al., 2013, Tan et al., 2014), mobile banking (Teo, Tan, Cheah, Ooi, & Yew, 2012) and mobile shopping (Wong, Lee, Lim, Chua, & Tan, 2012). Mobile television which is also known as m-TV is another mobile communication services that is becoming popular. By integrating mobile and television services, m-TV has altered how consumers viewed television for information, relaxation and entertainment. Users can now access TV in a more easy-to-use, convenient and playful mediums such as smartphones, personal digital assistant, mobile phones and tablets. With m-devices, users can obtain quick updates on news, weather and sporting events without the restrictions of time and place (Wong, Tan, Loke, & Ooi, 2014). M-TV not only bring advantages to consumers, but also upsurge revenues for mobile telecommunication operators, television providers and equipment suppliers (Borges, Rita, & Pagani, 2011). Constantiou and Mahnke (2010) elaborated that m-TV is one of the most advanced mobile data services offered by market operators.

According to Pagani (2009), the success of m-TV remains uncertain whereby users have been showing a low level of expected interests. In addition, investigations conducted by Breunig (2006) in Germany and Miyauchi, Sugahara, and Oda (2009) in Japan reported that m-TV is mainly viewed during short waiting times. Considering that m-TV today is an emerging technology among traditional television services where critical success factors depend on user-centered, it is utmost important to address on the challenges faced by users in accepting m-TV. By understanding on the adoption factors from the users' point of view, this will help to boost the adoption of m-TV in the long run. Most of previous studies conducted on the adoption of m-TV were investigated from the perspective of a few countries (e.g., Korea, Taiwan and China). Jung, Perez-Mira and Wiley-Patton (2009) in South Korea for example examined on the effects of cognitive concentration (or flow experience) and media content on m-TV acceptance. Similarly, another research was performed by Lee, Kim, Ryu, and Lee (2011) in South Korea, on the factors that influence m-TV adoption behaviors among young adults. Wang, Chang, Chou, and Chen (2013) on the other hand, incorporated theories of social cognitive, motivation and perceived value to understand users' adoption factors and willingness to pay for m-TV applications in Taiwan. In addition to another recent study in China, Zhou (2013) seeks to investigate on the impact of flow experience on m-TV user adoption. The research on m-TV however, is still in its infancy especially on the adoption factors from the developing economies perspective, such as Malaysia (Wong et al., 2014). Previous studies on m-TV have main focused on flow experience, social cognitive, perceived value and motivation theories. However, the user-centered attribute of m-TV which involves the effects of technology readiness (TR) and technical support and training (TSR) have been largely ignored. Realizing this gap, there is a pressing need to investigate on the factors that influence users' behavioral intention (BI) to adopt m-TV. Therefore, the aim of this study is to predict on the factors that influence m-TV BI from the user-centered perspective. The study will enable mobile communication providers to develop an appropriate marketing strategy to increase m-TV acceptance. This present study consists of nine sections. Following the introduction, Section 2 provides a brief overview of m-TV and the adoption theories of research framework. Section 3 proposes on the hypotheses of study. Section 4 reports on the research methodology, followed by data analysis and the discussion on the empirical results. Finally, the last three sections include implications, limitations and suggestion for future studies and conclusion.