IS THE METAVERSE THE NEXT FRONTIER FOR CORPORATE GROWTH AND INNOVATION? EXPLORING THE POTENTIAL OF THE ENTERPRISE METAVERSE

Abstract

This study addresses the problem that evidence exists on whether enterprise metaverse adoption improves corporate innovation and growth and which enablers create value. The purpose was to test a readiness to adoption to outcomes framework in a cloud enterprise case using a quantitative, cross-sectional, case-based survey. Purposive and convenience sampling produced N = 210 responses from staff. Predictors were Technology Readiness, Governance and Security Preparedness, Facilitating Conditions, Strategic Alignment, Adoption Intensity, and Collaboration Quality; outcomes were Corporate Innovation and Corporate Growth. Analysis used statistics, Cronbach alpha, Pearson correlations, and regression. Readiness and adoption were above the midpoint (Technology Readiness M = 3.74, SD = 0.68), and reliability was strong (alpha = 0.81 to 0.90). Collaboration Quality showed the strongest association with Innovation (r = 0.66, p < .001), while Strategic Alignment related to Growth (r = 0.60, p < .001). The innovation regression explained 58% of variance (F(6,203) = 46.70, p < .001; R2 = 0.58) with Collaboration Quality as the dominant predictor (beta = 0.38, p < .001) and Adoption Intensity also significant (beta = 0.24, p = .002). The growth regression explained 52% (F(6,203) = 36.90, p < .001; R2 = 0.52) and was led by Strategic Alignment (beta = 0.31, p < .001) with additional effects from Adoption Intensity (beta = 0.22, p = .004). Implications are that metaverse value depends less on technology presence and more on aligned strategy, governed scaling, sustained use, and collaboration design for performance gains across functions.