Impacts of Hedonic and Utilitarian User Motives on the Innovativeness of User-Developed Solutions

Journal of Product Innovation Management, Volume 32, Issue 3, May 2015, Pages 389-403

15 Pages Posted: 7 May 2013 Last revised: 10 Jul 2022

See all articles by Ruth Maria Stock

Ruth Maria Stock

Technical University of Darmstadt

Pedro Oliveira

Copenhagen Business School; Nova School of Business and Economics

Eric A. von Hippel

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) - Sloan School of Management

Date Written: May 3, 2013

Abstract

When individual consumers develop products for their own use, they in part expect to be rewarded by the use value of what they are creating (utilitarian user motives), and in part expect to be rewarded intrinsically by such things as the fun and learning experience derived from creating it (hedonic user motives). In this paper, we conduct first-of-type studies to understand the relationship between individual consumers’ motives to innovate and the novelty and utility of the solutions they develop. The theoretical framework integrates self-determination theory and goal setting theory.

The major findings of this study are that utilitarian user motives positively affect the utility of user-developed innovations. In addition, we find that a strong utility motive is associated with reduced solution novelty — perhaps because if individual users really need something to function well, it may be wise to go with tried and true solutions. In contrast, hedonic user motives drive solution novelty; the more an innovator is “in it for fun,” the more novel the solution developed. However, hedonic user motives also have an inverted U-shaped relationship with solution utility. When the dominant motive for developing an innovation is the joy of the creative process rather than use value, the utility of what is developed is negatively affected. The levels of utility and hedonic user motives driving innovators are variables that can be adjusted by the innovators themselves, and/or by third parties seeking to motivate individual innovators and affect the rate and direction of inventive activities.

Keywords: user innovation; consumer innovator motives; self-determination theory; goal-setting theory; non-linear relationships; novelty and utility of the solution

Suggested Citation

Stock, Ruth Maria and Oliveira, Pedro and von Hippel, Eric, Impacts of Hedonic and Utilitarian User Motives on the Innovativeness of User-Developed Solutions (May 3, 2013). Journal of Product Innovation Management, Volume 32, Issue 3, May 2015, Pages 389-403, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2260436 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2260436

Ruth Maria Stock (Contact Author)

Technical University of Darmstadt ( email )

Hochschulstr. 1
Darmstadt, Hesse D-64289
Germany

Pedro Oliveira

Copenhagen Business School ( email )

Department of Strategy and Innovation (SI)
Kilen, Kilevej 14, K.2.71
Frederiksberg, DK - 2000
Denmark

Nova School of Business and Economics ( email )

Campus de Carcavelos
Rua da Holanda, 1
Carcavelos, 2775-405
Portugal

Eric Von Hippel

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) - Sloan School of Management ( email )

E62-455
Cambridge, MA 02142
United States
617-253-7155 (Phone)
617-253-2660 (Fax)

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