Consumers’ De-ownership as a Predictor of Dark-side Digital Acquisition and Digital Piracy Behavior
(R2020-83675)

AUTHORS

Monika Kukar-Kinney, University of Richmond; Mateja Kos Koklic, University of Ljubljana, School of Economics and Business; Irena Vida, University of Ljubljana

KEYWORDS

De-ownership; Digital acquisition; Digital piracy

ABSTRACT

This research investigates how consumers’ orientation towards lending/renting versus buying/owning (i.e., de-ownership orientation) influences their compulsive and impulsive digital acquisition tendencies, and through them, the extent of digital piracy behavior. Findings from a U.S. panel survey indicate that consumers’ de-ownership orientation leads to higher compulsive and impulsive digital acquisition tendency, and consequently, stimulates digital piracy. Two moderators of the relationships are also identified. Specifically, consumers’ perceptions of the extent of a strong (versus weak) social impact of their behavior (i.e., moral intensity) help attenuate the identified positive relationships, while collectivistic feelings strengthen the identified effects.