Purpose

This research empirically investigates the differential roles of utility and entertainment on the value obtained from the use of mobile phones by users belonging to low-income groups in emerging markets.

Design/methodology/approach

This research reports the findings from an investigation that obtains data through a survey of mobile phone users from urban and rural areas across five emerging markets. Structural equation modeling is used to analyze the data obtained.

Findings

Study findings demonstrate that users obtain utility, social as well as entertainment value from mobile phones.

Research limitations/implications

This investigation uses the capability approach for conceptualizing the capabilities obtained from mobile phones by users from lower socioeconomic strata, a theoretical lens that is particularly suited for explaining behavior that may represent well-being of the user group.

Practical implications

Managers may explore whether the platform of entertainment is a suitable vehicle for offering additional services. This study’s findings also suggest that creating value for customers should be a primary concern in emerging markets, similar to that in developed markets.

Originality/value

This research is among a few that report investigations into the differential roles of utility and entertainment on the value obtained from mobile phones. This study also presents differences in terms of: urban versus rural, younger versus older and male versus female subgroups. This research presents a large-scale multicountry empirical study investigating mobile phone use by users from lower socioeconomic groups in emerging markets.

中文翻译：

---

功利还是娱乐？新兴市场中低社会经济阶层的用户从手机中获得的价值

目的

这项研究从经验上调查了公用事业和娱乐对新兴市场中低收入群体用户使用手机所获得的价值的不同作用。

设计/方法/方法

这项研究报告了一项调查的结果，该调查是通过对五个新兴市场中来自城市和农村地区的手机用户进行的调查获得数据的。结构方程建模用于分析获得的数据。

发现

研究结果表明，用户可以从手机中获得实用，社交和娱乐价值。

研究局限/意义

这项研究使用能力方法来概念化从较低社会经济阶层的用户从手机获得的功能，这是一种理论镜头，特别适合于解释可能代表用户群体福祉的行为。

实际影响

管理者可能会探索娱乐平台是否适合提供其他服务。这项研究的发现还表明，与发达市场类似，在新兴市场中为客户创造价值应该是首要考虑的问题。

创意/价值

这项研究报告了对实用程序和娱乐在从手机获得的价值中的不同作用的调查中进行的调查。这项研究还提出了以下方面的差异：城市与农村，年轻人与老年人，男性与女性。这项研究提出了一项大规模的多国经验研究，调查了新兴市场中社会经济地位较低的用户使用手机的情况。