Mobile TV Drivers and moderators of continued Mobile TV usage: A three-country comparison

Markus Pirro

doi:10.25907/01046

The production, distribution and consumption of media such as film, television and entertainment content have undergone profound changes in recent years. The emergence of streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, now widely accessed via Smart TVs, tablets and smartphones, exemplifies how digitalisation has reshaped the media landscape—particularly how content is delivered, accessed and experienced. In this context, Mobile TV has become a central component of the digital entertainment ecosystem, enabling users to watch television content anytime and anywhere. This mobility differentiates Mobile TV from other media technologies and necessitates focused research to understand its sustained use. This thesis investigates the factors influencing the continued use of Mobile TV across three international markets—South Korea, Germany and the United States—to develop a theoretical understanding of the drivers of continued usage and to inform international marketing strategies that encourage long-term engagement. Existing research on Mobile TV has predominantly examined the initial adoption phase rather than sustained usage, often applying simplified frameworks such as the Technology Acceptance Model or the Theory of Planned Behaviour. Moreover, many studies employ limited samples, such as university students or single-country datasets, which restrict generalisability. To address these gaps, this research integrates the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT2) with the Technology Readiness Index (TRI) and Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, namely individualism and uncertainty avoidance, to explain the continued use of Mobile TV within a cross-cultural context. A quantitative, cross-sectional research design was employed using an online survey distributed through Qualtrics and Prolific across the three target countries. Established measurement scales were used for all constructs, including UTAUT2, TRI, perceived value and Hofstede’s cultural dimensions. Data were analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM), applying the Measurement Invariance of Composite Models (MICOM) procedure and Multi-Group Analysis (MGA) to ensure valid cross-country comparisons. The findings contribute to theory, methodology and practice. Theoretically, the thesis extends UTAUT2 by incorporating individual-level moderators from TRI and considers how these are modified (moderated) across different country contexts, offering a richer understanding of how personal and contextual factors jointly shape continued technology use. The results reveal that hedonic motivation and performance expectancy are consistent drivers across all markets, whereas social influence, effort expectancy and habit vary significantly across different countries. Additionally, price value was found to be non- significant across all countries, suggesting that in the usage phase, financial considerations play a diminished role in entertainment-oriented services like Mobile TV. These variations can be theoretically explained by the cultural dimensions of individualism and uncertainty avoidance, with differences between countries emerging only when there are substantial national-cultural contrasts on these dimensions, rather than when the differences are comparatively moderate. Methodologically, the study demonstrates the value of MICOM and permutation-based MGA for robust cross-cultural PLS-SEM applications, while also testing additional measured moderators such as TRI, promoting best practices for future international technology acceptance research. Practically, the findings provide actionable insights for Mobile TV providers, marketers and platform developers. By showing how cultural context and individual technology readiness influence user behaviour, the study supports the design of tailored engagement, pricing and communication strategies across markets, offering critical insights into international marketing strategy.

Mobile TV Drivers and moderators of continued Mobile TV usage: A three-country comparison

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