This study examined the effect of subjective norm and consumer innovativeness on adoption of new mobile phones among students of Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti. The study was based on Ajzen’s theory of planned behaviour and Rogers’ theory of adoption. Data were obtained from a sample of 389 respondents out of a population 13,798 full-time undergraduate students of the institution using stratified random sampling technique. 380 copies of the structured questionnaire administered were duly completed and useable giving a 97.6% response rate. Multiple regression analysis was used to test the research hypothesis. The result showed that subjective norm and consumer innovativeness had a combined positive effect on adoption (0.782), subjective norm’s effect was 0.315 but it was insignificant (p > 0.05, p = 0.286); meaning that, subjective norm had no significant influence on adoption of mobile phones. The study concluded that students have the drive or are innovative in their quests to own new phones and this accounts for the high number of new phones usage on campuses. The study further revealed that they are not influenced by their friends or peers (subjective norm) in the acquisition of new phones. The study recommended that marketers and promoters of mobile phones must recognize the degree of innovativeness and eagerness among students to purchase novel phones out of their own freewill. They should package their marketing and promotion efforts to reflect the uniqueness of each customer, as students are not influenced by peers or friends in the adoption of new phones.
Keywords: Adoption, consumer innovativeness, subjective norm, theory of planned behaviour.
