Relational cohesion between users and smart voice assistants

Purpose This study aims to examine users’ affective relationships with smart voice assistants (SVAs) and aims to analyze how these relationships explain user engagement behaviors toward the brands of SVAs. Drawing on relational cohesion theory, it proposes that cohesion between users and SVAs influences brand engagement behaviors, that is, continuing purchasing other products of the brand, providing knowledge to the brand and referring the brand. Design/methodology/approach Data from a survey of 717 US regular SVA users confirm the validity of the measurement scales and provide the input for the covariance-based structural equation modeling. Findings The results demonstrate that frequent u…