Contents
Title
Use of Digital Technologies in Consumer Fitness Practices: Insights from Service-Dominant Logic
Author
Yuanfei Guo,Mary FitzPatrick,Roy Larke
Classification JEL
M31
Abstract
Suboptimal health and chronic disease are major health issues worldwide, accounting for 63% of the cause of deaths globally in 2012 (World Health Organization, 2012). In China, the increasing numbers of young Chinese consumers with suboptimal health are causing concern to healthcare policy-makers and providers. This paper presents research findings that show state-of-the-art digital technologies (e.g., smart devices and fitness apps) influence Chinese Gen Y consumers’ fitness practices and therefore offer the potential for improving their lifestyles. Using a non-experimental quantitative methodology, we examined the construct of ‘value’ for 230 Chinese Gen Y consumers in relation to their fitness practices facilitated by digital technologies. Given the research focus on value and value co-creation that occur within virtual fitness communities, we adopted Service-Dominant (S-D) logic as the theoretical framework. Analysis showed that respondents reported high fitness-oriented and experience-oriented value in the use of digital technologies in their fitness practices, whereas socialising-oriented value was the least important value. The findings of this study provide a new application of S-D logic to consumers’ online fitness behaviours, which substantiates S-D logic’s applicability in interpreting emerging consumer behaviour phenomena in complex service contexts. Finally, by addressing the gap in marketing research on consumer fitness practices facilitated by digital technologies, this research sets a base for future studies of consumer health and wellbeing using the latest electronic tools, systems, devices and resources that generate or process consumer data.
Keywords
Services marketing, digital technologies, fitness practices, value co-creation, service-dominant logic.
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