Unfolding IoT Adoption: A Status Quo Bias Perspective

Abstract

Internet of Things (IoT) solutions are still far from using their enormous potential, partly because misconceptions lead employees to avoid using IoT solutions and stick to established working routines. To shed light on the non-rational perspective of users, which allows for inference on the emergence of cognitive misconceptions, 489 respondents' perceptions of benefits and costs of IoT solutions were analyzed. Using the perspective of “status quo bias”, the qualitative analysis reveals that the perceptions of experienced and inexperienced users partly overlap on benefits such as the reduction of errors and relief of personnel. However, the perceptions also diverge in part, as inexperienced users consider IoT solutions to be gimmicky, fostering mistrust. In addition, inexperienced users overestimate learning phases for interacting with IoT solutions, leading to loss aversion and consequently to cognitive misperceptions. Hence, the study examines the gap between experienced and inexperienced users as a neglected aspect in IoT adoption. Further, identifying relevant drivers for the implementation of IoT solutions at the individual level helps to extend the hitherto technical view of IoT solutions towards a multi-layer approach that includes a holistic, behavioral perspective.