Investigating the role of ICT intervention in grassroots innovation using structural equation modelling approach

Abstract

Research on information communication technologies (ICT) for entrepreneurship development is burgeoning, yet our understanding of the use of ICT in support of grassroots innovation remains unclear. This paper examines the moderating role of the use of ICT on the relationship between grassroots innovation (GRI) and entrepreneurial success (ES). The study involved 400 grassroots entrepreneurs selected from three states in India, and the moderating effect of the use of ICT was analysed using moderated structural equation modelling. The results revealed that the use of ICT partially moderates the relationship between the new learning practices and economic benefits. It also partially moderates the relationship between local solution and economic benefits, but it fully moderates the relationship between networking capabilities and economic benefits, where the relationship is stronger when the use of ICT is high. Furthermore, the study found that the use of ICT does not moderate the relationship between new learning practice and non-economic benefits, relationship between local solution and non-economic benefits and relationship between networking capabilities and non-economic benefits.