Abstract

The purpose of this research is to identify multidimensional motivation factors that determine the piracy of copyrighted digital music. The model is based on TPB(theory of planned behavior) as well as other models in consumer behavior. An empirical study resulted in the following findings. first Both individual's attitude toward music piracy and individual's perceived behavior control have positive impacts on the individual's behavioral intention of piracy. It turned out that perceived behavior control has a stronger impact on behavioral intention than attitude does. Second, the level of individual's moral judgment has negative impacts on both the attitude and behavioral intention toward music piracy. Third, individual's experience in music piracy positively affects the attitude, but does not directly or indirectly affect the behavior intention. Fourth, an economic gain from music piracy is not a significant factor in determining both attitude and behavioral intention. Fifth, the risk of being prosecuted for music piracy is a major factor in determining one's attitude, although the risk is not significant enough to change one's behavioral intention. This research found that individuals' intention to pirate digital music is mainly affected by the moral and ethical standards of the individuals and by the extra resources and abilities they possess. Such factors as economic gain and law enforcement were not significant enough to alter one's behavioral intention. This research is significant in that it established a behavioral model to understand the piracy of copyrighted digital music and that it empirically tested the model with Internet users in Korea. This is one of the first empirical studies in Korea to touch such ethically and perhaps politically sensitive issues as online music piracy.

Keywords

• Digital Music;
• Digital Piracy;
• Theory of Planned Behavior;
• Moral Judgment