An identity perspective on the diffusion of user innovations in the household sector

Xin Yu*, J.P.J. de Jong

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

User innovations are widely present in the household sector, but often do not spread to others because users lack incentives to sell and/or share. Previous studies of what alleviates this diffusion problem were empirically driven, while a theoretical framework that integrally explains alleviating factors is missing. We fill this void by proposing an identity perspective based on users' eudaimonic motivation: diffusion efforts may be in line with users' aspired ‘daimon’ or true self. An identity perspective unites previously unconnected alleviating factors (commercial motivation, community involvement, common cause motivation) and enables theorizing about interaction effects. We identify three types of user innovator identity with potential relevance for diffusion: professional, community-oriented and societal. Survey data of 999 Chinese user innovators confirm that aspired professional identity is associated with sales effort, and community-oriented and societal identity with free sharing. Moreover, community-oriented and professional identity interact positively with selling effort. We conclude that an identity perspective enhances our understanding of the diffusion of user innovations to everyone's benefit.

Original languageEnglish
Article number104986
Pages (from-to)1-13
Number of pages13
JournalResearch Policy
Volume53
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 4 Mar 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 Elsevier B.V.

Funding

This study is funded by Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China (project no. 21XJC630015 ) and Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China (project no. DL2022035001L ).

FundersFunder number
Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China21XJC630015
Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of ChinaDL2022035001L

    Keywords

    • Diffusion failure
    • Effort to sell
    • Eudaimonic motivation
    • Free revealing
    • Identity perspective
    • User innovation

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