Information interaction capabilities: conceptualisation and instrument development

The twenty-first century has seen the rise of a new wave of technological change and industrial revolution. The next-generation Information Technology (IT) is radically shifting the core competence of corporation, meaning of value creation, and sources of a competitive advantage. In this situation, it is imperative for firms to build a new core competence. Based on the resource-based theory, this paper describes the competence of firms in the information interaction area, frames the concept and classification systems of information interaction capabilities (IICs), develops the scale of IICs, and tests the relationship between IICs and competitive advantages using empirical data in China. In short, the paper identifies that IICs are an important competence in the environment of the next-generation IT. Conceptualising IICs provides a foundation for bridging information interaction and strategy research. IICs provide a holistic approach to building the new core competence and achieving competitive advantages.