Title: Antecedents and outcomes of attachment towards smartphone applications

Authors: Chung K. Kim; Mina Jun; Jeongsoo Han; Miyea Kim; Joshua Y. Kim

Addresses: Graduate School of Business, Sungkyunkwan University, Jongro Myungyun 3-53, Seoul, Republic of Korea ' Graduate School of Business, Sungkyunkwan University, Jongro Myungyun 3-53, Seoul, Republic of Korea ' Graduate School of Business, Sungkyunkwan University, Jongro Myungyun 3-53, Seoul, Republic of Korea ' Graduate School of Business, Sungkyunkwan University, Jongro Myungyun 3-53, Seoul, Republic of Korea ' College of Human Ecology, Seoul National University, Gwanak-gu Sillim-dong, San 56-1, Seoul, Republic of Korea

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to examine how consumers' attachment towards mobile applications is influenced by the antecedent variables, self-connection and social-connection, and how the attachment influences the outcome variables, brand supportive behaviours, self-efficacy and ultimately life satisfaction. To formally examine the phenomenon of mobile consumption, we borrow theoretical frameworks such as attachment theory and the broaden-and-build theory, from well-established existing studies. Our analysis of survey data from Korean consumers reveals that the more users feel self-connected or socially connected with mobile applications, the stronger they build attachment with the applications. It also shows that when users have stronger attachment with applications, they show not only more supportive Words-Of-Mouth (WOM) for the mobile applications, but also higher self-efficacy and higher life satisfaction, in general. Several important managerial implications are provided for managers and marketers to help make powerful mobile applications for effective mobile communications.

Keywords: mobile consumption; smartphone applications; self-connection; social connection; brand attachment; WOM; word-of-mouth; self-efficacy; life satisfaction; Korea; mobile communications; smartphones; consumer attachment; brand support; mobile services; m-services.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMC.2013.055750

International Journal of Mobile Communications, 2013 Vol.11 No.4, pp.393 - 411

Published online: 03 Apr 2014 *

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