Research on influencing factors of researchers’ willingness to use preprint platforms in the context of open science

Purpose This study aims to investigate the factors influencing researchers’ willingness to use preprint platforms in open science, aiming to inform platform enhancements. Design/methodology/approach This study employs signal theory to identify pivotal variables, utilizing a questionnaire survey with 329 respondents for data collection. Subsequently, the data was analyzed using necessary condition analysis (NCA) and fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to identify the necessary conditions and causal configurations. Findings Firstly, the variable platform ease of use (PEU) is a necessary condition that influences the intention of researchers to use the platform, but there is a phenomenon of necessary ineffectiveness, and the remaining five antecedent variables, including perceived usefulness, do not constitute necessary conditions for the outcome. Secondly, three condition configurations that elicit a high intention to use among researchers and one condition configuration that elicits a low intention to use have been identified; within these configurations, variables perceived risk, source authority and PEU appear frequently as core conditions. Thirdly, based on the results of the empirical analysis, practical implications are proposed in the areas of improving risk prevention and control measures, enhancing platform promotion, strengthening the quality of platform resources, simplifying platform operational processes and enriching service function settings. Originality/value This study presents a novel application of NCA and fsQCA in the context of preprint platforms, elucidating the intricate causal pathways to usage intentions and offering actionable insights for platform development within the open science movement.