Evaluating the Interrelationships within the Technological Ecosystem: An SEM-PLS Approach to Innovation Management

Alberto T.-C.R.; Martin V.-M.; Junior C.-M.P.; Valeria A.-C.P.; Yady E.-A.; Maryorit Isabel V.-B.; Bertha Esther A.-P. · Proceedings of the LACCEI international Multi-conference for Engineering, Education and Technology (2026) · DOI: 10.18687/laccei2026.1.1.2408

Resumen

This study examines the influence of the technological ecosystem on innovation management within educational institutions through a Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) approach. A quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional, and explanatory research design was applied to a sample of 148 participants from institutions in southern Peru. The technological ecosystem was conceptualized as a multidimensional construct composed of technological infrastructure, resource availability, and accessibility. The measurement model demonstrated strong reliability and validity, with high composite reliability values (>0.89), adequate convergent validity (AVE > 0.50), and satisfactory discriminant validity according to Fornell-Larcker and HTMT criteria. The structural model explained 43.8% of the variance in innovation management (R2 = 0.438), indicating moderate explanatory power. While the overall technological ecosystem construct showed a negative relationship with innovation management, its individual dimensions exhibited positive and statistically significant effects, suggesting that a lack of strategic alignment among ecosystem components may hinder overall innovation performance. Complementary analyses, including ordinal regression (Nagelkerke R2 = 0.605) and Spearman correlation, confirmed the robustness and consistency of the findings. These results highlight the importance of strengthening digital infrastructure, improving accessibility, and ensuring effective resource allocation to enhance innovation capabilities. The study contributes to the literature by providing empirical evidence of the complex and multidimensional nature of technological ecosystems in emerging educational contexts.

Instituciones: Universidad Autónoma de Ica