A Configurational Approach to Understanding the Drivers of Mobile Phone Usage in Developing Countries

Evelyn Odonkor, Jessie Pallud

OAI: oai:igi-global.com:299322 • DOI: 10.4018/JGIM.299322

While mobile technologies adoption has been largely examined by IS research, the symbolic meanings related to these technologies and the role they play in the adoption of mobile technologies in developing countries has been neglected. Thus, we examine the effects of symbolic drivers (extended self, uniqueness and status gain), experiential (flow) and functional drivers (ease of use, usefulness) on mobile technologies usage by applying the fuzzy-set configurational approach (fsQCA). Survey responses were collected from 430 inhabitants from Ghana. The results show six configurations in which different combinations of symbolic meanings with traditional adoption factors lead to mobile phone usage. These multiple configurations reveal that there is not a single optimal feature that leads to mobile phone adoption in developing countries but rather a blend of features, depending on different combinations of symbolic, experiential and functional variables.

Global Information Technology Computer Science and Information Technology IT Research and Theory