The “Domestication” of Technology in Globalization: A Case Study of Chinese Households Using American Smart Home Products

Xuanwen Mo (), Yingmei Wu and Shaobin Mo
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Xuanwen Mo: Newcastle University
Yingmei Wu: Guangdong Excellence Quality Research Institute Co. Ltd.
Shaobin Mo: Guangdong Songshan Polytechnic

A chapter in Proceedings of the 2026 11th International Conference on Financial Innovation and Economic Development (ICFIED 2026), 2026, pp 1044-1052 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract In this research, the concept of technology domestication in Chinese family settings is explored in terms of adopting American intelligent home products using a qualitative case study method involving 12 multi-generational families in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Hangzhou for a period of 8 months. Technology domestication is investigated using semi-structured interviews, observation, and usage metrics for Amazon Echo and Google Nest intelligent systems adopted in Chinese familial settings in terms of cultural agency mechanisms applied by 92% in interface customization strategies, 85% in spatial integration approaches. With multi-generational collective decision-making marking their exemplary feature in intelligent system adoptions. “Cultural adaptation strategies encompass the management of privacy via collective family boundaries, language modification to address dialect identification difficulties, and time protocols regarding the concept of ‘digital silence’ during traditional events.” The study reveals that technology domestication entails extensive cultural mediation activities rather than mere passive technology adoption. The study thus advances domestication literature by identifying “selective modernity” as a conceptual basis for understanding technology and culture dynamics in collectivistic settings, and supplies technical corporations with guidance on cultural sensitivity in technology design to adapt to the underlying social structures for communication within local settings.

Keywords: Technology Domestication; Cross-Cultural Adoption; Smart Home Technology; Chinese Families; Selective Modernity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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DOI: 10.2991/978-94-6239-642-5_110

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