Continuing E-book Use: Role of Environmental Consciousness, Personality and Past Usage

Although recent studies shed light on design features preferred by users of e-books, little effort has been made to examine the impact of e-book design and characteristics of the individual user on usage or continued usage of ebooks in one conceptual framework. This study examines (1) the role of environmental consciousness and personality (Big-5) on e-book usage, and also, (2) the influence of preference for traditional books and the perceived e-book design on e-book usage intentions. One of the significant findings is that environmental consciousness lowers preference for traditional books, thereby increasing acceptance of e-books, and increasing perceived design evaluation of the e-book. Personality factors impact the preference for traditional books and perceived design evaluation of the e-book in different ways. This study is one of the first to establish the role of environmental consciousness on continuing usage intentions related to e-books.