COVID-19: Job insecurity as a moderator of e-learning acceptance in Indian organisations

Abstract

Orientation: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused the loss of jobs of more than 340 million individuals worldwide in the middle of 2020. At the same time, COVID-19 pandemic sparked increased usage of digital products, Internet resources, online media technology and e-learning practices.Research purpose: The research strives to explore the moderating role of job insecurity caused by the coronavirus towards the usage of e-learning.Motivation for study: This study aimed to assess the behavioural effects of employees working in the most damaged sectors related to rental and business services of Indian businesses.Research approach/design and method: The investigation used a structured questionnaire for the survey data obtained from 307 employees from the most affected sectors in major cities of India. The research utilised the conservation of resources (COR) theories and the General Extended Technology Acceptance Model for e-learning (GETAMEL) framework for the investigation. To probe the evidence, the researchers used Structural Equation Modelling techniques.Main findings: The findings revealed a substantial impact of ‘job uncertainty’ as a moderator in employees’ acceptability towards e-learning.Practical/managerial implications: The study provides a deep insight to experts, educators, top management, policymakers, team managers and human resource (HR) practitioners about the moderation effect of job insecurity created by pandemics on technology acceptance.Contribution/value add: This study is unique as no researcher investigated the moderating influence of job instability on e-learning acceptability.