Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to investigate how customers respond to
innovative products from the perspective of disconfirmation sensitivity. Extant
literature has concerned disconfirmation sensitivity largely but fails to identify
it in relation to innovative products. The methodological approach of this study
conveys conceptual development based on research propositions. Therefore, a
conceptual framework has been built based on existing knowledge of
literature. The authors derived research propositions that explain the potential
relationship between innovative products and disconfirmation sensitivity.
Three of the research propositions focused on positive disconfirmation that
aims to set a lower expectation of innovative products. The other three
research propositions focused on negative disconfirmation that aims to set a
higher expectation on innovative products. This is the first attempt to discover
the relationship between innovative products and disconfirmation sensitivity
at the best of the authors’ knowledge. Understanding customer expectations
largely contribute to the competitiveness and profitability of the organization.
Therefore, managers may need to understand the acceptance or rejection of
innovative products accurately in order to secure future survival.
