Wayfinding strategies guide mobile commerce in sharing economy development

Purpose The purpose of this study is to integrate wayfinding strategies and open innovation to examine the factors of mobile application (M-App) design. Design/methodology/approach The study formulated an M-App model from the wayfinding sense-making and open innovation perspective. Samples were collected from the M-Apps users of Airbnb.com in a survey based on the principle of snowball sampling, and 416 samples were returned in total. The hypothesis testing of the model was conducted using structural equation modeling with Linear Structural Relations. Findings The operators of the lodging industry should design the recommended route on the M-Apps for tourists to reach the accommodation on the map function conveniently. Practical implications The orientation of wayfinding sense-making integrates the accommodation host to mark the direction of the accommodation on the map function of M-Apps to indicate the direction of the location. Social implications The operators of the lodging industry should design the recommended route on the M-Apps for tourists to conveniently reach the accommodation on the map function. Originality/value For the M-Apps designer of the lodging industry, devising the function with an arrow point on the map would enable tourists to check their current location handily. Moreover, the M-Apps of lodging businesses can reduce marketing expenses from the high recommendations of tourists.