While smart home speakers are extensively adopted in developed countries, their penetration remains considerably lower in emerging markets. Moreover, their increasing sophistication requires heightened skills. Drawing on the Unified Theory of Technology Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), we propose a theoretical model to ascertain the determinants impacting the continuance intention to utilize smart home speakers, as well as the moderating role of user skills.
A survey was conducted with 347 Tunisian consumers. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) to test the proposed hypotheses.
The findings reveal that the autonomy of smart home speakers positively influences performance expectancy and effort expectancy, which sequentially affect consumer’s continuance intention. The data also confirm the moderating role of user skills between autonomy and the attributes of technology adoption.
This study stands out by investigating the adoption of smart home speakers in an emerging market context, focusing on Tunisia. It extends the UTAUT model by incorporating autonomy as a key determinant and highlights the moderating role of user skills. By addressing gaps in the literature on smart technology adoption, particularly in emerging economies, the research provides novel insights into how contextual factors and user capabilities shape adoption and usage patterns.
