Purpose: This study examines the drivers and outcomes of the usage intention of branded mobile
applications (apps), revealing findings of theoretical and practical relevance. First, it uncovers
the specific technological features that underpin the perceived usefulness and ease of use of
branded apps driving (directly and indirectly) usage intention. Second, it outlines two key
outcomes that are relevant to the strategic management of branded apps: willingness to
recommend the app and willingness to pay to continue using the app.
Approach: This study uses data randomly derived from a panel of one million UK consumers,
analyzed via structural equations modeling. The unit of analysis was individual apps prominently
displaying a brand identity. The study tested indirect relationships between the key drivers
considered and usage intention, via perceived usefulness and ease of use.
Findings: Consumers who view branded apps as protecting their privacy, customizable and
compatible with what they do, will have stronger perceptions of usefulness and ease of use, and
greater intention to use the app. These effects also occur indirectly. Furthermore, usage intention
drives the willingness to recommend the app and to pay to continue using it.
Practical implications: To influence usage intention, managers can improve the perception of
usefulness of branded apps by protecting consumer privacy, and improving the app’s design and
its compatibility with people’s needs and lifestyle. Managers can also enhance the perception of
ease of use of the branded app by heightening its security and ubiquity. Combined, these factors
can enhance (directly and indirectly) the intention to use the app, which will lead to the
willingness to recommend the app and pay for it.
Originality/value: This study extends previous research by examining factors driving the
intention to use branded apps and the resulting outcomes. It also offers a model that yields
predictions for individual branded apps (not the brand powering the app), thus providing
practical recommendations on how to manage, in general, apps with a brand identity.
History
School
Business and Economics
Department
Business
Published in
Journal of Product and Brand Management
Citation
STOCCHI, L., MICHAELIDOU, N. and MICEVSKI, M., 2019. Drivers and outcomes of branded mobile app usage intention. Journal of Product and Brand Management, 28 (1), pp.28-49.
This work is made available according to the conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) licence. Full details of this licence are available at: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Acceptance date
2018-09-30
Publication date
2019-02-11
Notes
This paper was published in the journal Journal of Product and Brand Management and the definitive published version is available at https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-02-2017-1436.