Understanding motivated consumer innovativeness in the context of a robotic restaurant: The moderating role of product knowledge

This study was designed to understand the role of motivated consumer innovativeness in the context of a robotic restaurant. More specifically, this study proposed that four sub-dimensions of motivated consumer innovativeness (i.e. functionally, hedonically, cognitively, and socially motivated consumer innovativeness) have a positive influence on the overall image of a robotic restaurant. In addition, it hypothesized that overall image plays a significant role in the formation of word-of-mouth intentions. Lastly, it proposed that product knowledge moderates the relationship between overall image and word-of-mouth intentions. In order to test six hypotheses, 427 respondents were collected using an online survey in South Korea. The data analysis results show that the proposed sub-dimensions of motivated consumer innovativeness, except for socially motivated consumer innovativeness, positively affect overall image, which in turn has a positive influence on word-of-mouth intentions. In addition, the results of data analysis indicate that product knowledge plays a moderating role in the relationship between overall image and word-of-mouth intentions.