Title: Para-social relationships and continuous use of mobile devices

Authors: Namyeon Lee; Ohbyung Kwon

Addresses: Graduate School of International Management, Kyung Hee University, 130-701, 1 Hoegi Dong, Dongdaemoon Ku, Seoul, Republic of Korea ' School of Management, Kyung Hee University, 130-701, 1 Hoegi Dong, Dongdaemoon Ku, Seoul, Republic of Korea

Abstract: Comprehending factors that affect customer satisfaction and continued usage of mobile devices become more important as their prevalence and turnover increase. In this study, socio-relational forces such as para-social relationships (PSRs) are examined in an effort to explain behaviours of users of mobile systems. The results indicated that traditional success factors must be complemented by socio-relational forces such as PSR. Very strong associations were identified between social bonds, user attitudes and usage continuance. The user interface design of a mobile device was shown to shape the relational attitudes of users. Understanding behaviours of users of portable devices requires a perspective different from those applied in traditional enterprise-level information systems (ISs) settings.

Keywords: mobile devices; para-social relationship theory; social bonds; user attitudes; usage continuance; user satisfaction; relationship theory; mobile communications; user behaviour; user interface design.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMC.2013.056956

International Journal of Mobile Communications, 2013 Vol.11 No.5, pp.465 - 484

Published online: 03 Oct 2013 *

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