The Role of Certifications and Immersive Technologies in the Context of Digital Transformation of Enterprises

This doctoral thesis investigates the role of certifications and immersive technologies (ImTs) in the digital transformation of enterprises, with a particular focus on e-commerce and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). In form of a cumulative doctoral thesis, it presents a synthesis of three interrelated studies: the moderating effect of prior purchase experiences on the impact of IS certifications, the factors contributing to immersion in virtual reality (VR) environments, and the affordances and constraints influencing the adoption of ImTs in SMEs. The first study explores the role of information systems (IS) certifications in building customer trust in e-commerce, specifically investigating how prior purchase experiences with the same vendor moderate the effect of IS certifications on purchase intention. Drawing on expectation confirmation theory (ECT) and using the factorial survey method, the study reveals that while positive prior experiences have little impact, negative experiences significantly diminish the influence of IS certifications on purchase intention. This study contributes to e-commerce practices by emphasizing the importance of managing customer experiences to maximize the effectiveness of IS certifications in driving purchasing decisions. The second study focuses on the phenomenon of immersion in VR environments. While previous research has identified some immersion factors, advancements in VR technology, such as high-resolution head-mounted displays and precise motion tracking systems, have yet to be fully examined. Through semi-structured interviews with participants using modern VR equipment, this study identifies eleven immersion factors across three categories: physical and physiological aspects, cognitive and affective aspects, and social interaction and shared experience. Notably, the study introduces two novel factors—shared experience and translating actions from physical to virtual reality—that enhance user immersion in highly interactive VR environments. The third study investigates the potential of ImTs for SMEs, which, despite the affordances presented by ImTs—such as virtual prototyping and employee training with extended reality technologies—face significant constraints of this technology to adoption. Through qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews with ImT providers and users in the context of SMEs, the research uncovers both the affordances and constraints associated with ImTs adoption. Novel key findings include improved worker safety as a benefit of ImTs and the lack of standardization as a critical barrier for SMEs. The study offers practical insights for SMEs on overcoming these challenges and integrating ImTs to remain competitive in the digital age. Together, this doctoral thesis examines the role of IS certifications, VR immersion and the adoption of ImTs in the context of digital transformation of enterprises. The findings contribute to both theoretical frameworks and practical applications by offering actionable insights for enterprises on adopting digital tools to enhance customer trust, user engagement, and operational efficiency.