Determinants of consumers’ intentions to use smart home devices from the perspective of perceived value: A mixed SEM, NCA, and fsQCA study

The rapid development of Internet of Things technology has caused smart home devices to be widely integrated into daily living; nonetheless, the processes of consumer acceptance remain under-theorized and lacking useful guidance. The current studies lack a methodical deconstruction of the synergy of several perceptual components, hence limiting the extension of the interpretation boundary of the technology acceptance model (TAM). This study created a research model by integrating the TAM and Perceived Value Theory (PVT). A mixed Structural Equation Model (SEM), Necessary Condition Analysis (NCA), and fuzzy set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) approach were used to analyze the usage intention and actual behavior of 468 participants toward smart home devices. SEM results revealed that perceived ease of use (β=0.266,p<0.001), perceived usefulness (β=0.181,p<0.01), and perceived value (β=0.212,p<0.001) were the main drivers of smart home devices’ usage intention. In addition, the NCA findings indicated that none of the perception factors alone constitutes a necessary condition for usage intention. Bottleneck analysis indicated that to achieve a 90 % usage intention level, minimum necessary levels of perceived usefulness, cost, and value were 0.9 %, 4.9 %, and 0.9 %, respectively. The fsQCA results demonstrated five high usage intention configurations (three types) and two non-high usage intention configurations (one type). These findings show a complicated interaction between perceived circumstances and usage intention. The results give a foundation for later studies on technology adoption and provide ideas for technology design and optimization.