To read this content please select one of the options below:

Gym users: an enabler in creating an acceptance of sports and fitness wearable devices in India

Prashant Raman (Management, Institute of Public Enterprise, Hyderabad, India)
Kumar Aashish (Management, Jaipuria Institute of Management, Noida, India)

International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship

ISSN: 1464-6668

Article publication date: 7 December 2021

Issue publication date: 19 August 2022

569

Abstract

Purpose

There are two-fold objectives to this research. First is to analyse the importance of technology readiness (TR) for the users in using sports and fitness wearable devices in India. And second is to explore if gymnasium (gym) users are much more technologically ready as compared to non-gym users to use sports and fitness wearable devices.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses technology readiness and acceptance model (TRAM) to examine the users' intention to use sports and fitness wearable devices. Data from a survey of 907 respondents from India were collected and partial least squares (PLS)-structural equation modelling (SEM) technique was used to empirically examine it.

Findings

The outcomes reveal that innovativeness and optimism have a positive influence on perceived ease of use (PEOU) and perceived usefulness (PU), and insecurity and discomfort have a negative influence on PEOU and PU. Both PEOU and PU act as important determinants in the user's intention to use sports and fitness wearable devices. The multi-group analysis (MGA) suggests that gym users tend to exhibit more positive intention towards using sports and fitness wearable devices and show higher probability of using the wearable devices relative to non-gym users.

Originality/value

There are hardly any studies on intention to use sports and fitness wearable devices in India. The current research tries to understand the intention behind the gym users and non-gym users to use sports and fitness wearable devices. The outcomes of the research will help the marketers to align their promotional campaign based on the new segmentation variable “gym-user/non-gym user”. The research also highlights the importance of TR in the use of sports and fitness wearable devices in India.

Keywords

Citation

Raman, P. and Aashish, K. (2022), "Gym users: an enabler in creating an acceptance of sports and fitness wearable devices in India", International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship, Vol. 23 No. 4, pp. 707-726. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSMS-08-2021-0168

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited

Related articles