Predicting social networking sites continuance intention through alternative services
| Pages | 1127-1144 |
| Date | 10 July 2017 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/IMDS-04-2016-0153 |
| Published date | 10 July 2017 |
| Author | Christopher Sibona,Jeff Cummings,Judy Scott |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Information systems,Data management systems,Knowledge management,Knowledge sharing,Management science & operations,Supply chain management,Supply chain information systems,Logistics,Quality management/systems |
Predicting social networking sites
continuance intention through
alternative services
Christopher Sibona
Cameron School of Business,
University of North Carolina Wilmington, North Carolina, USA
Jeff Cummings
Information Systems and Operation Management,
University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, North Carolina, USA, and
Judy Scott
Department of Information Systems,
University of Colorado Denver, Denver, Colorado, USA
Abstract
Purpose –Social networking sites (SNSs) continue to grow in popularity with competition in the market
growing as well. The purpose of this paper is to examine three research questions to determine how
competition within the SNS area may affect the continuance intention on the incumbent SNS, Facebook.
The first question examines the relationship between having an account on one of the four different SNSsand
the impact on continuance intention. The second question examines attitudes toward specific alternatives and
continuance intention on the incumbent SNS. The third question takes a broader examination of general
attitudes about alternative attractiveness and attitude toward switching to predict continuance intention.
Apost hoc analysis was conducted to further understand the impact of specific SNS alternative attitudes on
general attitudes.
Design/methodology/approach –Based on a survey of 918 users, this research examines the three
questions using various methods including ANCOVA to examine question 1 and multiple structural equation
models to examine questions 2, 3 and the post hoc analysis.
Findings –The analysis of the models suggests that both alternative attractiveness and attitude toward
switching have the greatest impact on the continuance intention of the incumbent site. Specific sites were
found to be complements or substitutes for the incumbent. The viewing of the specific alternative site
as an alternative to Facebook had a negative impact on continuance intention. The general model of
alternative attractiveness and attitude toward switching explained a moderate to substantial amount
of continuance intention.
Originality/value –Although use and abandonment of SNSs have been examined extensively, minimal
attention has been given to the impact that alternative SNSs have on continuance intentions of a user’s
primary SNS.
Keywords Social networking, Continuance intention, Attitude toward switching,
Attractiveness of alternatives
Paper type Research paper
1. Introduction
Social networking sites (SNSs) are composed of a series of dynamic user processes: they join,
interact with other users and, ultimately, decide to continue use by retaining their
membership or take breaks/abandon the site. The success of SNSs is dependent on the
following actions based on two of these processes: attracting new users and retaining
existing members through continued site use (Zengyan et al., 2009). The challenge sites face
is that users are in control of these processes; they choose whether or not to initially adopt
and then continue using these sites (Rainie et al., 2013).
There has been an evolution in how users engage in SNSs; sites that were once popular
can and often do show decline in user engagement (Garcia et al., 2013). The introduction of
Industrial Management & Data
Systems
Vol. 117 No. 6, 2017
pp. 1127-1144
© Emerald PublishingLimited
0263-5577
DOI 10.1108/IMDS-04-2016-0153
Received 30 April 2016
Revised 6 October 2016
Accepted 18 October 2016
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0263-5577.htm
1127
Predicting SNS
continuance
intention
competing SNSs in the marketplace can lead to abandoning one SNS for another.
Although there is considerable research into why users join sites and how SNSs grow, less is
known about why a user decides to continue using a particular SNS (Garcia et al., 2013;
Joinson, 2008). Even popular sites have been largely abandoned as SNS users join new sites
(Garcia et al., 2013). Thus, the question arises as to what factors influence the continuance
intention of SNSs.
Continuance decisions are not made in a vacuum. For most services, alternatives are
available that may influence users’decision to stay, depending on their satisfaction with
that product. Within information systems research, continuance is often based on an
individual’s satisfaction through prior use (Bhattacherjee, 2001b). For example, individuals
who have a positive experience with software tend to have a higher continuance intention
compared to those who have a negative experience. However, the choice to stay with one
SNS over another may depend on their general perceived attractiveness of other SNSs and
their attitude toward switching. Furthermore, attractiveness of a specific alternative
product, such as Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram or Pinterest, to users may also influence their
decision to continue their current service.
Our research addresses the gap concerning how attractiveness of specific SNS products
predicts the continuance intention of an incumbent service. We also examine how more
general attitudes toward alternatives and attitu de toward switching may predict
continuance intention. For an SNS, popularity is not a guarantee of long-term success;
previous general purpose SNSs have declined as alternative SNSs gained acceptance.
The rise of one SNS may signal the decline of the dominant SNS (Garcia et al., 2013).
This research contributes to the larger IS continuance research in that it focuses on hedonic
systems where continuance intention may be impacted by the rise of alternative products.
There were two major approaches employed to determine how alternative services may
predict continuance intention. First, we investigated how having an account on an
alternative SNS (i.e. Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram and Pinterest) may predict the continuance
intention on an incumbent SNS (i.e. Facebook). This is followed by a closer examination of
how attitude toward the specific alternatives may impact the continuance intention on the
incumbent site. Second, this research examines how general alternative attractiveness and
attitude toward switching may predict continuance intention on Facebook. SNS users may
develop a general attitude about whether an alternative site is better suited for their needs
and develop an attitude toward switching that may impact their decision to continue or
discontinue the use of a site or add an additional SNS.
There are three research questions this study addresses:
RQ1. Does having an account at one of the four specific alternative SNSs (Twitter,
Tumblr, Instagram and Pinterest) predict continuance intention on Facebook?
RQ2. Do attitudes formed from the use of a specific alternative SNS (Twitter, Tumblr,
Instagram and Pinterest) predict continuance intention on Facebook?
RQ3. How do perceptions about the attractiveness of alternative SNSs and attitude
toward switching predict continuance intention on Facebook?
2. Literature review
2.1 Continuance intention
Continuance intention focuses on post-adoption behavior of users to understand their
intention to continue using a specific technology or system, in this case an SNS (Park, 2014).
Althoughadoption is a significant step toward theinitial success of an SNS, long-term success
is dependent upon the continued use by an SNS user (Bhattacherjee, 2001b). IS continuance
has been evaluated in a number of areas including e-commerce (Bhattacherjee, 2001a),
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