INFLUENCE OF CONSUMER INNOVATIVENESS ON PERCEPTIONS OF MUSEUM PODCASTS

Author #1
Author #2

Abstract (150 Words)

The primary objective of this study was to investigate museum visitors’ interest in podcast museum tours and identify determinants which influence perceptions of the podcast tour experience. In particular, this study hypothesized a positive effect of consumer innovativeness on expected changes in the museum experience as a result of the podcast tour. Self-report questionnaires were distributed to visitors who had finished their museum visit and a total of 797 usable questionnaires were collected. The findings of this study indicate that the majority of museum visitors included in the study are still unaware of emerging technologies such as podcasts. However, museum visitors clearly show interest in special audio tours and expect those to enhance their museum experience. Innovativeness as an individual’s trait drives these perceptions as well as actual technology ownership. Thus, it is recommended that offerings for visitors with different levels of innovativeness have to be designed (e.g. devices to be rented at the museum vs. podcasts downloadable from a Web site) in order to speed up the adoption process and to make podcast tours useable for the majority of visitors. The study findings suggest that new technologies such as podcasts provide opportunities for museums to interpret their offerings in new ways, targeting more specific audiences. With growing familiarity of museum visitors with these technologies and increasing adoption by other museums, it is expected that demand for special interest tours available as podcasts will rapidly increase.

 

INFLUENCE OF CONSUMER INNOVATIVENESS ON PERCEPTIONS OF MUSEUM PODCASTS

The primary objective of this study was to investigate museum visitors’ interest in podcast museum tours and identify determinants which influence perceptions of the podcast tour experience. In particular, this study hypothesized a positive effect of consumer innovativeness on expected changes in the museum experience as a result of the podcast tour. Self-report questionnaires were distributed to visitors who had finished their museum visit and a total of 797 usable questionnaires were collected. The findings of this study indicate that the majority of museum visitors included in the study are still unaware of emerging technologies such as podcasts. However, museum visitors clearly show interest in special audio tours and expect those to enhance their museum experience. Innovativeness as an individual’s trait drives these perceptions as well as actual technology ownership. Thus, it is recommended that offerings for visitors with different levels of innovativeness have to be designed (e.g. devices to be rented at the museum vs. podcasts downloadable from a Web site) in order to speed up the adoption process and to make podcast tours useable for the majority of visitors. The study findings suggest that new technologies such as podcasts provide opportunities for museums to interpret their offerings in new ways, targeting more specific audiences. With growing familiarity of museum visitors with these technologies and increasing adoption by other museums, it is expected that demand for special interest tours available as podcasts will rapidly increase.