Differences in usage of mobile applications in a global retail market: A case study of Western and Eastern cultures

Business/Education/Speech and Hearing Science (The Ohio State University Denman Undergraduate Research Forum)Technology enhancements in the retail environment are constantly evolving, and the way consumers engage with retailers through these technological channels are becoming more seamless, most notably through the mobile channel. This study focuses on identifying how consumers currently utilize their mobile phone in retail environments across global markets. The global comparison aspect will allow for the discovery of how different top mobile-friendly societies and retail environments around the world integrate mobile capabilities as part of their retail experience. There is another challenge of understanding the desired mobile capabilities expected or demanded by consumers in local cultures in global markets. The methodology for this study is to design and distribute a survey that focuses on the consumption of mobile apps. The survey contains questions that will identify individualistic and collectivist behaviors, perceived usefulness, ease of use, and security of mobile apps, current social factors influencing mobile usage, and demographic information. The well-established and widely used Technology Readiness & Acceptance (TRA) model is used to help describe the differences in consumer behaviors. Constructs are under development to understand how western culture behaviors and eastern culture behaviors may influence the way in which consumers engage with these channels. The study is still in progress but based on previous academic research and a test survey that was distributed to both Ohio State campus domestic and Asian students, it is hypothesized that eastern culture behaviors will differ from western culture behaviors ultimately affecting their respective mobile app usage in retail settings. The results of this study will help retailers understand the importance of integrating a sound mobile strategy through mobile apps that will continuously engage and satisfy their consumers on a global scale. It will also allow retailers to understand their consumer’s needs in mobile apps and to further enhance brand engagement and loyalty.Academic Major: Marketin