| Developing and implementing innovations is a critical determinant of survival in the competitive marketplace. Advances in technology have allowed firms to offer technologically based self-service delivery alternatives for customers. The growth of these self-service technologies (SSTs) is dramatically altering the nature of customer-firm interactions. To date, virtually all of the service encounter research has focused exclusively on the interpersonal interactions with very little research exploring technologically based encounters. This dissertation is intended to develop an understanding of the consumer adoption process relating to innovative service delivery alternatives.;The study is grounded in literature from services marketing, information technology, human resource management, industrial psychology and diffusion and adoption of innovations. Based on this literature, a comprehensive conceptual model of consumer adoption of innovative SSTs was proposed and examined. The framework outlines a six-step innovation adoption process and the factors proposed to influence the critical stage of trial. The consumer readiness variables of role clarity, motivation and ability were proposed to mediate the relationships between various innovation characteristics and individual differences and the likelihood of trial.;A multi-method research design was developed starting with a qualitative investigation of the adoption process and followed by a more focused quantitative examination. Data were collected through depth interviews and via a mail survey from over 800 customers who have the choice of using an innovative SST in a prescription ordering context.;The results provide evidence of the proposed mediating effects of the consumer readiness variables. Although ability was not found to be a key mediator in this context, role clarity and motivation mediate the relationships between four of the individual differences (technology anxiety, need for interaction, previous experience and age) and three of the innovation characteristics (compatibility, trialability and perceived risk) variables. Only three of the 14 innovation characteristics and individual differences variables (relative advantage, inertia and income) were found to have a significant direct effect on trial that was not mediated by the consumer readiness variables. In addition, preliminary support is found for the proposed six-stage adoption process.;The study findings contribute to the understanding of consumer adoption of innovative service delivery alternatives for both managers and academics. This research is intended to direct further academic research as well as provides guidance for firms struggling with the development and implementation of SST delivery alternatives. |
