An Integrative Framework of Technology-Driven Constraints on Consumer Behavior

This article is the first to consolidate the state of scholarly research on the different phenomena connected to the constraining effect of technology on consumer behavior, defining technology as artificial things and modern machines which require engineering knowledge to be produced, and perform operations by themselves (Joerges, 1988). We systematically review the relevant literature published over the past 10 years, and organize the various research perspectives into a multi-dimensional and integrative framework known as the eight paradoxes of technology (Mick & Fournier, 1998). The M&F framework structures potentially enabling and constraining elements of technology into eight categories: control/chaos; freedom/enslavement; competence/incompetence; fulfills/creates needs; efficiency/inefficiency; assimilation/isolation; engaging/disengaging; and new/obsolete. Through this methodologically systematic review and framework development, we provide a more comprehensive and deeper understanding of the constraints posed by technology in consumers’ lives. We consequently identify effective avenues for future research, and discuss the implications for technology managers and entrepreneurs alike