Antecedent, behaviour, and consequence (a-b-c) of deploying the contact tracing app in response to COVID-19: Evidence from Europe

Abstract

In response to the current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, countries have or intend to deploy contact tracing apps as a way of containing and or reducing the community spread of the virus. Whilst a few studies have so far been conducted on the acceptability of the app, little is known about the antecedent, behaviour, and consequence (a-b-c) of deploying the app and its success thereof. This study, therefore, proposes and validates an integrated a-b-c and technology acceptance model of deploying the contract tracing app in four European countries. The study adopts a quantitative approach and uses publicly available cross country survey data from the Center for Open Science. An extract of 2512 data is analysed using SEM-PLS. The results confirmed the integrated a-b-c and technology acceptance model that underpins the study and revealed that the chance of achieving a positive outcome with citizens complying with recommendations of the app was only 17.1 % or R ² = 0.171 (±0.020) whilst the chance of negative consequent or deviant response of uninstallation of the app by the citizens was 54.3 % or R ² = 0.543 (±0.021). The results have huge implications for governments and public health institutions in their attempt to deploy the contract tracing app.