Opportunistic Consumer Behaviour in the Context of Digital Piracy

Ciprian-Marcel Pop, Andreea–Ioana Romonti-Maniu and Monica-Maria Zaharie
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Ciprian-Marcel Pop: Babes-Bolyai University, Marketing Department, Romania
Andreea–Ioana Romonti-Maniu: Babes-Bolyai University, Marketing Department, Romania
Monica-Maria Zaharie: Babes-Bolyai University, Marketing Department, Romania

from University of Primorska Press

Abstract: In light of the growing interest in challenges of the digital economy, this paper presents the results of an empirical investigation which argues that attitude and social norms are not always sufficient to explain the phenomenon of digital piracy. The quantitative study is based on the model of Theory of Planned Behaviour. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to assess measurement structures and the proposed model was estimated using structural equation modelling in order to identify the influences of Romanians` intention to engage in digital piracy. Significantly, perceived behavioural control is shown to have a positive, but obvious impact on the intention to pirate. Thus, when a consumer perceives himself to have more control in a piracy situation, he will take the opportunity to engage in a wrong behaviour. As such, perceived behavioural control has a distinctive feature enabling consumers to exploit opportunities, often unethically, with little regard to principles and consequences. The paper analyses the results specific to the Romanian consumers, but emphasizes implications for an understanding of digital piracy in the East European economies and cultures. Overall, the findings offer a new facet of ethically questionable behaviour placing the opportunity in terms of digital piracy. Furthermore, consumers are more likely to be opportunistic when dealing with online activities, therefore the results have important practical implications for the digital industry and governments hoping to reduce online piracy. In other words, companies need to understand the consumer perceptions toward the severity of punishment and the difficulty of engaging in acts of piracy. Moreover, Romanian consumers find piracy as a common behaviour, not unethical or illegal, a perception that enable them to transform digital piracy in a ”good habit”. However, it is necessary to take note not only of what consumers consider, but equally what they are allowed to do in terms of digital piracy. Limitations of the study and future directions for research are considered as well.

Keywords: theory of planned behaviour; digital piracy; opportunistic behaviour (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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