What foster people to purchase further smart devices? A research proposal

Drawing on the assemblage theory and the concept of personal digital ecosystem, this study aims to propose a model for investigating the willingness to buy a further smart device in order to increase the number of devices shaping the personal digital ecosystem. This research in progress paper describes the main theoretical underpinnings on which the proposed model is built. The model considers continuance intention (CI) to use smart devices and smart device dependence (SD) as antecedents of the purchase intention (PI). Moreover, it considers the moderating effect of users’ satisfaction and the number of smart devices already owned on the relationships between CI and PI, and SD and PI respectively. Finally, the model proposed could further allow to investigate the consequences of technological possession by exploring the motivations leading people to own more smart devices.