Switching Barriers in the Modern Era: A Systematic Exploration of the Literature

Abstract

The rapid advancement of technology and increasing competition in the digital era have heightened the complexity of understanding switching barriers in customer behavior(Fan et al., 2016; Yang & Peterson, 2004). Dissatisfied consumers do not always go, just as happy customers are not constantly devoted. The growing globalization of the economy, the diversity of accounting teams in multinational management groups, and the trend towards harmonizing financial and management accounting are some factors that cause changes and dynamics in the competitive world. The business and accounting sectors have seen significant changes and repercussions as a result of the Industrial Revolution 4.0 and advancements in information technology(Chauhan et al., 2022; Dwivedi, Hughes, et al., 2023; Dwivedi, Kshetri, et al., 2023; Mauludina et al., 2023)The purpose of this study is to discover, examine, and describe the most recent advancements in the field of switching barriers. Scopus provided the data for this study. All available research on phenomena connected to certain variables in a field of study is evaluated, examined, and interpreted using the SLR approach (Tsai & Huang, 2007). Koutsothanassi(2017)claims that switching barriers include availability and awareness of alternatives, switching costs, special treatment rewards, and confidence. According to Dwivedi and Hughes' research, influencing factors include switching costs, product service, service value, brand pride, government policies, product information comprehension, consumer behavior and needs understanding, customer-business provider relationships, and customer loyalty. Enhancing service quality, supporting policies, gaining a better understanding of consumer behavior, comprehending client wants, and boosting customer loyalty are among strategies that can be used to mitigate the effects of switching barriers (Palamidovska-Sterjadovska & Ciunova-Shuleska, 2017). Using the Scopus database, 54 peer-reviewed articles were analyzed to identify critical themes, such as switching costs, trust, service quality, and consumer behavior. The findings provide a comprehensive framework for addressing switching barriers, offering practical insights for businesses to enhance customer loyalty and maintain competitive advantage.