Journal Article

Come on, network! Empowering employees to use Web-based interorganizational learning platforms in research and development

Reichenbach, Rebecca, Eberl, Christoph, Lindenmeier, Jörg

2021

Overview

Purpose An interorganizational learning (IOL) Web-based platform provides an ambidextrous working area, where employees can switch between exploration and exploitation-related activities. This study aims to present new indications on how to increase the acceptance and use of Web-based platforms for IOL. Specifically, it proposes how acceptance rates can be increased by focusing on the key mechanisms in Web-based platforms that are important from the users’ perspective. Design/methodology/approach Survey data were collected from employees in universities, companies, government agencies and research and technological development performers. Data analysis applies a multi-group analysis (MGA) based on the partial least squares structural equation modeling. Findings Performance expectancy is important in explorative, exploitative and ambidextrous organizations. Moreover, effort expectancy is an important driver of platform acceptance in explorative organizations, facilitating conditions in exploitative organizations and hedonic motivation in ambidextrous organizations. Originality/value This study contributes to the IOL literature by analyzing specific acceptance characteristics of potential users of a Web-based IOL platform for research and development. As the first paper published in this research context, it explicitly considers explorative, exploitative and ambidextrous organizations based on interactive and integrative interorganizational ambidexterity.

• Publisher: Emerald Publishing Limited,Emerald Group Publishing Limited
• Subject: Absorptive capacity / Acceptance / Active learning / Adoption (Ideas) / CAI / Collaboration / Computer assisted instruction / Computer Software / Computer Use / Data analysis / Employees / Empowerment / Exploitation / Foreign Countries / Government agencies / Group psychotherapy / Handedness / Individual Characteristics / Innovation / Innovations / Institutional Characteristics / Interactive learning / Interorganizational networks / Knowledge / Knowledge Management / Learning / Learning Activities / Learning Management Systems / Learning Processes / Management Systems / Manufacturing / Motivation / Online Surveys / Organizational Learning / Organizations / R&D / Rating Scales / Research & development / Research and Development / Social Influences / Software / Structural equation modeling / Technological change / Technology / Usability