Professionals’ Acceptance of the Metaverse.

The emergence of the Metaverse as an immersive digital universe, where users can interact with each other and the environment beyond the possibilities of the physical world, provoked sizeable interest. Many recognize the Metaverse as the innovation that will transform the way in which companies across industries conduct their strategic operations and communicate with stakeholders. As such, the features of the Metaverse offer companies the opportunity to reshape their marketing communications practices, engage with the public in novel ways, foster customer engagement, and increase brand loyalty. To successfully adopt the Metaverse in companies’ marketing communications strategies and leverage its benefits, there is a need to understand the factors contributing to professionals’ acceptance of this innovation. Previous research in the diffusion of innovations and technology acceptance literature recognizes the key role of perceptions in predicting individuals’ attitudes and behaviors. Therefore, this thesis investigated the association between the perceived characteristics of using the Metaverse and professionals’ Intention to Use it as a tool for marketing communications. The study aimed to answer the research question of whether the Perceived Characteristics of Innovating (PCI), such as Relative Advantage, Compatibility, Ease of Use, Image, Trialability, Visibility, Result Demonstrability, and Voluntariness, explain the behavioral intention to use the innovation. Additionally, factors from the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework and an individual characteristic were integrated into the research model to explore the implication of Competitive Pressure, company size, and Anxiety. A quantitative online survey was distributed to gather the data and recorded 167 valid responses. The study targeted professionals in marketing communications possessing at least two years of experience and having knowledge about the usage of the Metaverse in marketing communications strategies and practices. The results found that certain PCI constructs are associated with the Intention to Use the Metaverse. More particularly, the hierarchical regression analysis revealed that Relative Advantage and Compatibility are the most significant explanatory factors. Moreover, Ease of Use and Image are equally significant, but the magnitude of the effect sizes is weaker. Additionally, a linear regression analysis identified Anxiety to be negatively associated with Ease of Use. Further, the study uncovered interesting insights regarding Voluntariness, this being a negative predictor of Intention to Use. No other results reached significance. In spite of the potential impact of the Metaverse on social and professional life, limited research investigated the subject. This thesis contributes to academic research by examining this innovative tool in marketing communications and professionals’ acceptance of it. Apart from adding knowledge to the existing literature on the diffusion of innovations and technology acceptance, the findings highlight the necessity of providing professionals with training to help them develop the needed competencies. Specifically, managers should guide employees in understanding the advantages of using the Metaverse compared to other communication channels and the ways it can be integrated into the company’s marketing communications strategies and completion of everyday tasks. Additionally, this study provides insights and suggestions for Metaverse technology providers regarding the communication strategy these should adopt.