Circulating Mobile Apps in Greater China: Examining the Cross–Regional Degree in App Markets

Authors

  • Chris Chao Su University of Copenhagen
  • Xiao Zhang Faculty of Humanities and Arts, Macau University of Science and Technology

Keywords:

mobile app, policy, capital, Greater China, cross-regional degree, regional cultural taste

Abstract

This article examines the use of mobile apps and the model of cross-regional communication in the app markets of Greater China and explores the influence of policy, capital, and culture on the mobile app consumption. The cross-regional degree (CRD) of mobile apps is used to measure the circulation of apps in different markets and to identify mobile apps and app producers capable of achieving cross-regional commercial success and of gaining market recognition in Greater China. The final samples include 1,124 mobile apps that ranked among the top 500 in at least two markets. The apps were coded according to market platform, firm age, price, producer listing status, producer location, app genre, and CRD. The consumption of apps in these markets is significantly influenced by policies, company capital, and local cultural tastes. Moreover, mainland China is isolated from other Greater China regions in terms of the app market. Compared with app producers in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, app producers in mainland China should consider more marketing strategies targeting audiences in other regions.

Author Biographies

Chris Chao Su, University of Copenhagen

Chris Chao Su is a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Media, Cognition and Communication, University of Copenhagen, Denmark. His main research interests reside in social media, new media use, and digital media consumption, with special focuses on mobile apps and online network studies. Some of his publications have appeared in journals such as Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, Computers in Human Behavior, Asian Journal of Communication, Twenty-First Century, and some international edited volumes.Tel: +852 54882017

Xiao Zhang, Faculty of Humanities and Arts, Macau University of Science and Technology

ZHANG Xiao is an assistant professor at the Faculty of Humanities and Arts, Macau University of Science and Technology. She obtained her Ph.D degree at the School of Journalism and Communication, the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Her research interests include media effects, social media studies, media and gender, and transnational media consumption.Tel: +852 53445306

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Published

2019-05-28

Issue

Vol. 13 (2019)

Section

Articles

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