Exploring the relationship between perceived pace of technology change and adoption resistance to convergence products

Information systems studies oftentimes assume that consumer behaviors are related to the pace of technological innovation, but few of these inquiries empirically demonstrate or discuss this relationship. This study is an empirical assessment of this dynamic. Specifically, we tested a three-part model that attempts to explain how consumers' perceptions of the pace of technological advancement influence both consumers' willingness to purchase said technology, as well as their expectations about its price and quality. This model first assumes that consumers expect that as technology advances in sophistication and quality, it should eventually become less expensive to acquire. The second aspect of this theory posits that the faster technology is perceived to advance, the more strongly consumers will believe that a cheaper better product is just on the horizon. Finally, the expectation that something newer, better, and cheaper is in the immediate offing will strongly predict both consumers' resistance to adopting initial, more expensive technology and their willingness to postpone purchasing such seminal technologies in favor of waiting to buy more attractive iterations of the product later. We found general support for this model in consumer behavior. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are also discussed.