Why Do Organizations Hesitate to Participate in Data Spaces? An Empirical Study of Adoption Intentions
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Data spaces are gaining increasing attention as decentralized digital infrastructures for sovereign data sharing, yet organizational adoption remains limited. This study examines why organizations hesitate to participate in data spaces by investigating the drivers of adoption intention. Drawing on prior literature and Rogers’ diffusion of innovation theory, we develop and test a research model capturing seven key factors. Using survey data from 254 German-based B2B senior managers, our results show that external pressure is by far the strongest positive driver of adoption intention, followed by data sovereignty, while value opacity exhibits a significant barrier. In contrast, shared governance and cost reduction do not show significant effects. These findings suggest that data space adoption is currently driven primarily by institutional pressures rather than its intrinsic value proposition. The study contributes to the emerging literature on data spaces by providing empirical insights into early-stage adoption dynamics.
Authors: Kolb, Jannis, Kranz, Johann
Institution: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
Language: English
Subfield: Information Systems and Management
Field: Decision Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7222991445