Thriving in Virtual Academic Conferences: Fact or Fiction?

Drawing on the motivation opportunity ability (MOA) theoretical framework, we examine whether there is a three-way interaction between the unique features of virtual academic conferences (VACs), namely construal level (motivation), schedule and location flexibility (opportunity), and digital competence (ability), that predicts knowledge exchange in terms of knowledge sharing and acquisition during VACs, which in turn allows attendees to thrive during VACs. Based on a sample of 166 VAC attendees of two large academic management conferences that were collected pre and post VACs, we found that all three elements of the MOA theoretical framework need to be present to predict knowledge exchange in VACs. Both knowledge acquisition and knowledge sharing mediate most of the indirect effect of the three-way interaction concerning thriving. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed as well as future research directions.