The Application of UTAUT Theory to Determine Trust Among Women in E-Hailing Apps Adoption

The gig economy has paved the way for sharing economy growth especially e-hailing applications, as more women turn to e-hailing applications for convenience in commuting and travelling. However, women are concerned about whether to trust or not to trust e-hailing applications due to the openness of their digital and spatial crowdsourcing nature. Additionally, the user’s locations are exposed to risks like stalking, identity theft, and physical safety, which can be extremely dangerous, especially for women. The paper begins by introducing the e-hailing industry and the gig economy. It then discusses women’s unique challenges in using e-hailing applications and their trust towards these platforms. This paper dives deep into the heart of the matter by employing a quantitative approach through the survey to investigate women’s trust in e-hailing apps using the UTAUT as the underpinning theory. The results show that e-hailing applications greatly influence women’s trust while puzzlingly having no significant impact on their trust towards e-hailing drivers. From eye-opening insights to practical recommendations, this study sheds light on the crucial role of trust in the sustainable growth of the e-hailing industry focusing on women.