GENERATIONAL STUDY ON MOBILE APPLICATION ADOPTION FOR GEN X AND GEN Y - A MULTI-INDUSTRY ANALYSIS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.69980/7zqt5303Keywords:
generational cohort theory, mobile application adoption, Generation X, Generation Y, cross-industry studyAbstract
Smartphones are today an integral part of daily life and mobile based applications are the key point of consumer engagement across different sectors. Yet assumptions about how Generation X (born between 1965–1980) and Generation Y (born between 1981–1996) adopt these technologies are dependent on an empirical foundation which differs widely by industry. This study conducts a systematic literature review, grounded in Generational Cohort Theory and operationalized through the TAM and UTAUT2 framework to examine generational adoption patterns across seven sectors - Banking, E-commerce, Food delivery, Telecom, Beauty and Personal care, Mobile Health, and OTT streaming. Findings showed that PEOU acts as a threshold condition for Generation X, who prefer to clear a usability bar before adopting, whereas Generation Y treats usability as a given and is driven more by PU, and in some sectors, hedonic or social value. Perceived risk emerged as a stronger deterrent for Generation X, with trust functioning as an independent predictor rather than a strict precondition for adoption. Several assumed generational patterns such as differential SI and habit-based differentiation among them had weaker support than expected. The study revealed a distinct imbalance in research depth : Banking, E-commerce, and mHealth are well studied, while Telecom self-service, Beauty, and OTT streaming show a clear absence of direct comparative evidence. From this synthesis, a conceptual model and seven propositions were formed to guide future empirical work, particularly within the identified gap industries.
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