Product Innovativeness: Systematic Literature Review and Proposal of a Multidimensional Construct

Understanding the mechanisms behind the adoption of innovation has been of interest for marketing scholars for decades. Surprisingly, however, one of the most crucial elements in studying this phenomenon continues to be used heterogeneously in its conceptualization and measurement: product innovativeness. There is reason to believe that the inconsistent application of the construct partly accounts for varying results in empirical research studies. Hence, this article applies a systematic literature review on findings using the variable product innovativeness. Based on the synthesis of results, we propose a multidimensional conceptualization of the construct product innovativeness. More specifically, results suggest that the complexity of product innovativeness is best accounted for when including functional, behavioral and design related product perceptions. We conclude with future research avenues.