What drives event attendees’ intention to continue using mobile event apps? The role of app attributes, social exchange and social-image

Purpose This paper aims to examine factors affecting users’ intention to continue using mobile event applications (MEA). The impacts of perceived usefulness, social exchange and perceived enjoyableness on users’ intention to continue using MEA were tested. Further, the moderating role of social image in the proposed relationships was analyzed. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 407 users of MEA. Structural equation modeling was used for hypotheses testing. Findings The results indicated that perceived usefulness and social exchange positively influenced perceived enjoyableness and further users’ intention to continue using MEA. Self-image had a moderating impact on the relationship between perceived enjoyableness and intention to continue using MEA. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is one of the first to systematically study mobile event apps and offers valuable implications for academicians, technology vendors and event planners.