Analyzing Electronic Book Acceptance: A Compatibility Perspective

The digitization is posing great challenges to the European book industry. While some national markets show a fair diffusion of electronic book (ebook) technology, others are still resisting the digital trend. The lack of differentiated knowledge about the reasons for individual differences in ebook acceptance brings about uncertainties for industry players such as publishers or retailers. Technology adoption literature suggests concepts like the perceived usefulness or ease of use to account for such differences. However, since books as cultural goods may be valued beyond pure functional advantages, research into further drivers of ebook acceptance must be conducted. Our study fills this gap by analyzing how well a person believes that ebooks “fit” him or her as an individual reader. We propose a research model, which aims for explaining individual ebook adoption decisions. Results of an empirical study among 180 participants provide deeper insights into the different drivers of ebook adoption.