NBD413 Technology Adoption and Consumer Psychology

• Topics

  The purpose of this course is to provide students with insight and strategies to facilitate consumer adoption of new technologies, services and innovations. As digitalisation radically changes markets, competition and consumer behavior, understanding the key drivers and barriers of consumer adoption becomes crucial for any organization. Most innovations face resistance from the market, and research suggest that the majority of new market offerings in fact fail.

  With the emergence of platform-based services, internet of things (IoT), AI-based decision aid etc, consumers’ adoption processes are increasingly complex and risk-prone. The course introduces students to new technologies and key challenges in launching new technological products and services to the market. Students will be introduced to important psychological drivers and barriers to technology adoption and develop strategies to boost commercial success of new products and services.

  The course is a mix between theory and practice, and students will work (in groups) to identify barriers to technology- and service adoption and develop strategies to alleviate these barriers.

  Key topics include:

  • How technology changes markets and consumer behavior
  • Traditional vs. contemporary models of technology adoption
  • Psychological barriers to innovations and new technologies
  • Consumer co-creation and user-lead innovation
  • ‘Nudging’ and behavioral change on digital platforms
  • The role of AI, delegation and personalization in consumer decisions
  • The role of digital trust in technology adoption
  • Tactical strategies for launching tech innovations

• Learning outcome

  Knowledge

  Upon successful completion the candidate:

  • has advanced knowledge about consumer technology adoption.
  • is able to make critical reflections regarding existing research and course readings
  • has developed knowledge of what kind of strategies that can be used to facilitate consumer adoption of new technological products and services.

  Skills

  Upon successful completion the candidate:

  • can apply theories and models to facilitate and predict consumers' technology adoption (e.g. theories of adoption and attitude formation)
  • can apply theories and interventions for understanding and alleviating consumers' psychological barriers of technology adoption and use (e.g status quo bias, loss aversion, perceived switching costs, habits, processing fluency).
  • is able to make critical reflections regarding his/hers practice-based learning.
  • is able to take a position in a student team and participate in group processes

  Competence

  Upon successful completion the candidate:

  • is able to apply technology adoption and consumer psychology theories for managerial purposes
  • is able to disseminate knowledge on theories, problems and solutions in writing, orally and other relevant means.
  • can exchange viewpoints and experience with others based with the point of departure in theories of technology adoption and consumer psychology

• Teaching

  Plenary lectures and guest lectures. Work on course assignment in groups (supervised).

• Credit reduction due to overlap

  None.

• Compulsory Activity

  None.

• Assessment

  Group term paper 50% (groups of 3-5)

  You will be working on the course paper - guided by the course responsible - throughout the course. The content of the course paper will be applying course curriculum on a real business case. The course paper will be supervised.

  Individual written home exam (4 hours) 50%

  All submissions (term paper and exam) must be written in English.

• Grading Scale

  Grading scale A - F.

• Literature

  The reading list includes a collection of articles, videos and podcasts that will be made available online for the students to download.