Technology Acceptance in the Age of Mobile Applications

Abstract: This paper aims to investigate the factors that affect the technology acceptance of retail apps and elaborates on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) through an in-depth, single case study on IKEA. The case study provides the research with the crucial aspect of the customer's perception of the app and extends the framework through the practical adoption of apps. The data were collected through; self-completion questionnaires and semi-structured interviews supported by additional participant observations. The findings from the case study were analysed based on the modified TAM factors, discussing the relevance of the factors investigated and which insights could contribute to successful app development. The results show a relationship between app adoption and all the modified, case-specific factors. This research also proposes an extended comprehensive framework derived from the results of this case study, which could benefit future research on the technology acceptance of retail apps and retailers’ app development.