A Framework of the Consumer's Continuous Usage Decision of High Technology Products

첨단기술제품에 대한 소비자의 지속적 사용결정의 프레임워크

The prevalent phenomenon in the high technology market shows market-determined do facto standard is preferred to de jure standard determined by formal organization. The purpose of the study is to provide a framework to empirically examine the relationship between network externalities and switching costs from the consumer's point of view Key findings of the study are ： First, physical compatibility and upgradability are positively related to the network externalities. Second, conceptual compatibility and expertise are negatively related to the switching costs. Third, the network externalities and the switching costs are positively related to the continuous usage decision. Finally, the network externalities are positively related to the switching costs. The followings are major implications of the study. First, network externalities and bandwagon effects have different causal relationship respectively. Second, contrast to Weiss and Heide's (1993) study, the study suggests multiple dimensions of compatibility, Third, physical compatibility and upgradability increase switching costs through network externalities as the moderator.