Empirical Examination of Users’ Adoption of the Sharing Economy in China Using an Expanded Technology Acceptance Model

Yupeng Liu and Yutao Yang
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Yupeng Liu: School of Economics and Management, Harbin Institute of Technology, Weihai 264209, China
Yutao Yang: School of Economics and Management, Harbin Institute of Technology, Weihai 264209, China

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 10, issue 4, 1-17

Abstract: With the popularity of sharing-based applications such as bicycle and car sharing, the sharing economy has attracted considerable global attention. The factors that affect users’ adoption of the sharing economy must be identified to facilitate the promotion of low-carbon lifestyles and help enterprises attract more active users. By employing the technology acceptance model (TAM) and herd behavior, this study implemented an expanded TAM and identified several factors affecting behavioral intention (BI) toward the sharing economy. A questionnaire was used to obtain the data, which were analyzed through structural equation modeling. The results revealed that perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEOU) are the main factors affecting BI. Moreover, trust (TRU) was identified as a mediator of subjective norm (SN) and PEOU. Imitating others (IMI) affects BI, and SN affects TRU, PU, and PEOU. Gender moderates SN and IMI. This paper indicates that to improve users’ BI, enterprises should enhance PU, PEOU, and TRU; cooperate with organizations to enhance SN; and guide potential users to imitate others.

Keywords: technology acceptance model (TAM); sharing economy; herd behavior; structural equation modeling (SEM) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (11)

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