Information systems satisfaction, loyalty and attachment: Conceptual and empirical differentiation

This study aims to address an important but largely unexplored question of whether loyalty and attachment, which are increasingly relevant to the changing software market, add value as a construct to information systems (IS) use researchers compared with satisfaction. Building on prior work on the three constructs (i.e. satisfaction, loyalty and attachment) in both marketing and IS use research, this study makes two key contributions. First, this study conceptually differentiates the three constructs by articulating their distinct properties. Second, based on the conceptual differences identified, this study finds that the three constructs have a differential impact on contributory behaviours with varying levels of behavioural difficulty. The results of the study also offer other important managerial and further research implications.