Virtual Reality Adoption in Malaysia’s Business Events Ecosystem: A Stakeholder Sensemaking Perspective

Virtual reality (VR) provides options to achieve higher levels of engagement, personalization, and service delivery in the industry of business events. However, to adopt it, it is necessary to meet the technology requirements, because its value for different stakeholders is perceived differently in the context of organizations and institutions. The present research studies the situation concerning the case of technology adoption in the business events industry in Malaysia from the perspective of stakeholder sensemaking. It studies how the actors in the process of technology adoption- organizers of events, providers of technology, and policymakers- perceive both the possibilities of VR and its challenges, and how their perceptions influence the adoption process. This paper presents a conceptual discussion based on the literature; primary data have not yet been collected. Semi-structured interviews, observations, and thematic analysis are proposed for future empirical investigation. The literature reviewed suggests a contradiction between the idea of the advantages of VR technologies and the difficulties connected with the implementation of these technologies. Besides, organizational readiness, digital capabilities, and cooperation of stakeholders are discussed as potential factors influencing the process. The paper emphasizes that VR technology adoption is a process of interpretation and cooperation rather than a simple technology choice. The researchers recommend gradual or phased adoption of VR technologies, training of staff, support policies, and greater cooperation between event organizers and technology providers.