Exploring the Role of Digital Governance and Institutional Readiness in Service Innovation and LMS Adoption: A Comparative Higher Education Study

Abstract

This study investigates how digital governance and institutional readiness influence service innovation and Learning Management System (LMS) adoption success in higher education, through a comparative analysis of Universitas Negeri Makassar (Indonesia) and Khon Kaen University (Thailand). An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was employed, combining quantitative survey data with qualitative semi-structured interviews. Quantitative data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) via SmartPLS 4.0, while qualitative findings were analyzed thematically to contextualize the statistical results. The findings indicate that digital governance and institutional readiness significantly and positively influence both service innovation and LMS adoption success. Service innovation was confirmed as the strongest predictor of LMS adoption success and as a partial mediator between governance, institutional readiness, and LMS outcomes. Multi-Group Analysis revealed no statistically significant structural differences between the two institutions, suggesting that the governance–innovation–adoption pathway operates equivalently across governance contexts. The novelty of this study lies in being among the first to integrate digital governance theory, public service innovation theory, and the Technology–Organization–Environment framework within a comparative Southeast Asian higher education context, thereby advancing LMS adoption research beyond individual-level technology acceptance perspectives.