Online piracy in the context of routine activities and subjective norms

ABSTRACT

Why do mainstream consumers who would not typically engage in illegal behaviour routinely resort to online piracy of copyrighted software? This paper provides answers to this research query by applying routine activity theory and the theory of reasoned action. The paper’s study analyses consumers’ role as possible offenders that can have the opportunity to engage in online software piracy as part of their routine online activities. Although it is problematic to measure the exact magnitude of the negative impact on the US economy, as stated by the Government Accountability Office it is sizeable. After analysing the conceptual model using a US national consumer sample of over 700 consumers, results show the influence of proximity to motivated offenders, target suitability, and capable guardianship on consumers’ attitudes and perceived subjective norms towards online software piracy, as well as their intentions to engage in this illegal behaviour on the Internet. By integrating routine activity theory, a criminology theory with the theory of reasoned action from psychology and analysing a widespread online software piracy phenomenon, several academic and practical contributions are made.

KEYWORDS:

• Online software piracy
• routine activity theory
• theory of reasoned action
• peer-to-peer sharing
• digital copyright

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Maria Petrescu

Maria Petrescu is an Associate Professor of Marketing at Nova Southeastern University. Her main research areas include digital marketing, social media, international marketing and entrepreneurship. Dr. Petrescu has published in journals such as the Journal of Product and Brand Management, the Journal of Promotion Management, the Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, the Journal of Marketing Analytics, and the Journal of Internet Commerce, on topics such as online price dispersion, viral advertising and mobile marketing. She has also presented papers at a number of academic conferences, such as the American Marketing Association Summer Educators’ Conference, the Academy of Marketing Science Conference, the AMS World Marketing Congress and the Society for Marketing Advances Conference.

John T. Gironda

John T. Gironda is an Associate Professor of Marketing at Nova Southeastern University. He received his PhD from Florida Atlantic University. His teaching and research interests include Digital and Social Media Marketing, Branding, Advertising, and Consumer Privacy Issues. His research has been published in Industrial Marketing Management, the Journal of Marketing Management, Journal of Internet Commerce, European Journal of International Management, and Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services. He has also presented papers at a number of academic conferences including the American Marketing Association Summer and Winter Educator’s Conferences, Academy of Marketing Science Annual Conference, Society for Marketing Advances Annual Conference, Academy of Marketing Science World Marketing Congress and the International Colloquium on Consumer Brand Relationships.

Pradeep K. Korgaonkar

Pradeep K. Korgaonkar is a Professor of Marketing at Florida Atlantic University. He received his PhD from Georgia State University. His teaching interests include Marketing Management, Marketing Strategy, Direct Marketing and Services Marketing. His research has been published in the Journal of Marketing Research, European Journal of Marketing, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Journal of Advertising Research, Journal of Business Research, Journal of Retailing, Journal of Business and Psychology, and Journal of Direct Marketing. He has presented papers at academic conferences including the national meetings of the American Marketing Association, TIMS/ORSA and Decision Science National Conference.