LIFE-STYLES AND THE USE OF NEW MEDIA TECHNOLOGY IN URBAN CHINA

Research in adoption of new media technologies for social identity and its relationship to lifestyle has received little attention. The purp ose of this study is to link consumers' lifestyle orientation and medi a use to the adoption behavior of new media technologies in urban Chin a. Key findings indicate that (1) lifestyles significantly affect inno vativeness; (2) the upscale socioeconomic profile of earlier adopters was consistent with early research; and (3) adoption of certain new me dia technologies appeared to project certain social identities such as 'life expansionists', 'sophisticated and fashionable', and 'pleasurab le and enjoyable'. The results have important implications for marketi ng managers and media planners. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rig hts reserved.