TY - JOUR

T1 - Determinants of user innovator behaviour in the silver market

AU - Wellner, Konstantin

AU - Herstatt, Cornelius

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2041 Imperial College Press.

PY - 2014/11/20

Y1 - 2014/11/20

N2 - The existing research on the behaviour of user innovators has focused almost exclusively on younger users. In light of the demographic shift and the increasing importance of the "Silver Market" segment (customers 55 years plus), we analysed whether important determinants of user innovator behaviour (use experience, product knowledge, technical expertise, and the lead user components) exert the same influence among older users. We conducted a study in the camping and caravanning industry and included 333 respondents from 19 to 86 years of age. The innovator share among older users was slightly lower (43% versus 57%). While use experience and product knowledge turned out less important for older users in our sample, technical expertise materialised as the most important determinant. Additionally, being ahead of trend is stronger related to dissatisfaction with existing products among older users. We found additional evidence that users with high use experience suffer from functional fixedness.

AB - The existing research on the behaviour of user innovators has focused almost exclusively on younger users. In light of the demographic shift and the increasing importance of the "Silver Market" segment (customers 55 years plus), we analysed whether important determinants of user innovator behaviour (use experience, product knowledge, technical expertise, and the lead user components) exert the same influence among older users. We conducted a study in the camping and caravanning industry and included 333 respondents from 19 to 86 years of age. The innovator share among older users was slightly lower (43% versus 57%). While use experience and product knowledge turned out less important for older users in our sample, technical expertise materialised as the most important determinant. Additionally, being ahead of trend is stronger related to dissatisfaction with existing products among older users. We found additional evidence that users with high use experience suffer from functional fixedness.

KW - Age

KW - Determinants

KW - Lead user

KW - Product knowledge

KW - Silver market

KW - Technical expertise

KW - Use experience

KW - User innovation

KW - Management studies

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84912122196&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1142/S1363919614400143

DO - 10.1142/S1363919614400143

M3 - Journal articles

AN - SCOPUS:84912122196

VL - 18

JO - International Journal of Innovation Management

JF - International Journal of Innovation Management

SN - 1363-9196

IS - 6

M1 - 1440014

ER -