Towards a more digital future in housing: A PLS-SEM analysis of affinity for technology as a moderator for purchase intention of digital housing

The housing sector consumes a large amount of energy and natural resources. The impact on the environment during a building’s lifetime is substantial. In order to handle these challenges, the United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Particularly digital technologies play a key role in achieving the SDGs as they offer benefits for individuals, organizations, and society in the future. However, to successfully implement digital technologies, the society and its attitudes towards digitalization have to be considered. To date, in housing, little is known about the psychological antecedents and the impact of affinity for technology regarding the purchase intention of digital housing. By using the theory of planned behaviour (TPB), this study aims to better understand why consumers tend to purchase digital housing. Therefore, the effects of attitudes towards the behaviour, subjective norm, and perceived behavioural control on the purchase intention of digital housing are examined. Furthermore, the TPB is extended by incorporating affinity for technology as a moderator variable. Based on literature research, a survey was developed and n = 748 private households in Germany participated. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) is used for the analysis since it is particularly suitable for applied science because it makes it possible to test hypothesized relationships. To empirically evaluate the derived hypotheses a two-step approach is applied. In the first step, a base model including attitudes towards the behaviour, subjective norm, perceived behavioural control, and purchase intention of digital housing is run. In the second step, the moderation analysis for affinity for technology is conducted. The results emphasize the importance of subjective norms and perceived behavioural control on the intention to purchase digital housing. Moreover, affinity for technology positively moderates the effect of attitudes towards the behaviour on the intention to purchase digital housing. The study provides important implications for theory and management practice in order to realize a more digital and greener future in housing. As society’s affinity for technology grows the intention to purchase digital housing increases. Consequently, digitalization and sustainability must be integrated in order to meet the requirements of the SDGs in the future.