1. Introduction
According to the EBRD Knowledge Economy Index report by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development [
1], the continuously increasing knowledge economy (KE) is due to the rapid development of ICT infrastructure, which drives the progress of business services. Due to the increasing demand for knowledge content by learners, knowledge consumption behavior has shifted from a free-of-charge model to a payment model, where learners use knowledge payment platforms to gain interdisciplinary knowledge and skills [
2,
3]. That is, intangible knowledge has become a deliverable product through digital technology, and the value of these product depends on a learner’s cognitive ability.
Knowledge management (KM) aims to effectively facilitate the sharing and transmission of knowledge, in order to facilitate access [
4]. An essential feature of knowledge management is properly preserving knowledge for future use through systematic planning [
5]. Mardani, Nikoosokhan [
6] describe three dimensions of knowledge management, including knowledge production, knowledge integration, and knowledge application, in which knowledge integration comprises knowledge storage and knowledge distribution (i.e., knowledge transfer). Therefore, knowledge has shifted from supply to demand [
7]. The main process of knowledge transfer involves source-recipient communication, and depends on a person’s abilities, dispositions, or motivational factors [
8]. As stated above, knowledge transfer involves two-way communication and is a dynamic process, thus knowledge demanders are typically proactive in their search for relevant information. Therefore, this study proposes that knowledge transfer and knowledge purchase intentions belong to the same concept. Upadhyay and Paul [
9] argue that the relationship between learning and knowledge management is best understood through experiential learning.
According to an overall internet usage status survey conducted by the Taiwan Network Information Center [
10], 85.6% of the Taiwanese population uses the internet daily, and there is little difference in the internet access rates of 12- to 54-year-olds. People primarily learn online by using online searches, and they believe that online learning is helpful to them. Furthermore, our survey found that computers are the most widely used online learning device. Based on the 2019 Digital Content Industry in Taiwan Report, there are three pillars of Taiwan’s digital content industry: Digital games, computer animation, and e-learning, of which e-learning is the most important, emphasizing educational services for knowledge transfer through innovative technologies. New knowledge payment platforms are continually increasing in prominence, with knowledge regarded as the main products sold on the platform. The main customer base is learners, i.e., people who want to self-educate or invest in themselves. In addition, our survey found that VoiceTube
TM Hero is the most commonly used knowledge-based services platform for Taiwanese users, and Hahow
TM is the second most commonly used platform. Hahow
TM provides the most diverse and interesting online courses for both educational advancement and career-oriented training. Through a unique course fundraising mechanism, individuals who enjoy self-learning and exchanging skills can efficiently complete online learning and independently gain achievements. Clearly, some people study a language as a goal, while others prefer interdisciplinary studies. The business model of knowledge payment platforms can be divided into two groups: A subscription model (i.e., through an annual fee or monthly fee) and outright purchasing habits (i.e., through a perpetual license). Learners can choose a suitable solution for themselves.
The three cores of knowledge payment are: The knowledge demander; knowledge supplier; and knowledge payment platform (
Figure 1). Knowledge suppliers sell their professional knowledge to the platform as products, and knowledge demanders purchase the knowledge products they need. While, knowledge payment platforms represent a service broker, thereby creating multiple courses with knowledge suppliers and ensuring that the quality of the knowledge product conforms to learners’ preferences. Finally, knowledge payment platforms gain learners’ attention by offering multiple professional courses. At present, the main services of Taiwan’s knowledge payment platforms include two-way communications between lecturers and learners, which invite professional lecturers from all walks of life to help build helpful learning environments. In conclusion, knowledge payment platforms have changed the traditional methods of acquiring knowledge by providing multiple courses to learners [
11].
Information overload has generally been accepted as an issue since the digital technology became so indispensable [
12]. As the amount of available information increases, individuals will likely become increasingly overwhelmed, which tends to hinder learning and innovation, reduce productivity and performance, and even affect the decision-making and well-being of individuals [
13]. In addition to developing knowledge and skills in higher education or vocational education, incumbent learners need to rely on the opportunities in self-study for personal improvement. Generally speaking, in the self-learning stage, learners are eager to learn and improve their professional abilities. If individuals cannot clearly identify their learning needs, they may purchase knowledge products out of impulse, in order to meet the current demand perception. However, due to this impulse, individuals often purchase excessive knowledge products online and induce information complexity, which cannot be applied to short-term learning. Such behavioral patterns are discouraged by the overload of knowledge payment. As discussed above, individuals’ different motivations and personal background factors can affect decisions about future knowledge consumption behaviors [
14].
As the knowledge economy develops, information sharing has extended from tangible assets to knowledge-based services [
15]. In essence, knowledge payments are now being disseminated via fee-based services. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether the impact of certain factors on knowledge purchase intentions, in the context of knowledge consumption behavior, is influenced by personal motivation, involvement, information anxiety, or cognitive style. More explicitly, this study analyzes whether individuals over 20 years old prefer to use knowledge payment platforms (i.e., are knowledge demanders). There are two research objectives: (1) The impact of certain factors on learners’ knowledge purchase intentions; and (2) how learners make decisions to purchase online training course under the circumstances of overwhelming free online content.
5. Conclusions and Future Research
Our study’s framework surrounds the relevant factors that determine incumbent learners’ basic demands for knowledge-based products and focuses on learners’ knowledge consumption behavior. The study allowed us to reach the following four conclusions:
First, we adopted a three needs theory with a broader view toward learners’ knowledge consumption behaviors. The results showed that learners’ nAff will make them more willing to pay for intangible knowledge. The results also suggest that knowledge-based products can establish common topics and interpersonal relations in learning.
Second, this study investigated purchase intentions via online knowledge-based service platforms. Therefore, using cognitive styles to examine the characteristics of learners’ different cognitive behaviors, the results showed that regardless of which cognitive style is used by learners, their cognitive abilities will not be affected by knowledge-based products. This is an important finding for knowledge suppliers and platform providers. It suggests that brand positioning should be done properly to avoid homogenization, i.e., implementing brand value as a method to attract demanders should be considered a form of marketing strategy.
Third, although knowledge payment platforms can help learners quickly gain knowledge, the use of knowledge-based products is a pain point for learners. Therefore, information anxiety as a moderating variable was used to determine whether learners’ anxiety affects the relationship between knowledge-based product involvement and purchase intentions. The results showed that FD learners have more information anxiety than FI learners on knowledge-based product involvement and purchase intention. Consequently, the exchange activities provided by knowledge payment platforms tend not to help FD learners during their studies. Platform providers should propose solutions to relieve the pain points arising from demands and stable qualities for learning contexts.
Fourth, involvement is the key factor affecting purchase intentions in the future. We showed that the interaction between gender and age influences involvement, especially among 31 to 40-year-old male learners (Generation Y). Knowledge payment platforms can transform fragmented knowledge into systematic learning; for example, through a shortened version of a learning plan. Male learners 31–40 years of age (Generation Y) have specific knowledge needs, and typically consider knowledge-based products can increase their professional knowledge and skills to improve job opportunities.
As discussed above, this study’s hypotheses together frame our overall model for demonstrating the impact of learners’ basic demands on knowledge-based product purchase intentions. In the future, research directions and suggestions should be provided to knowledge payment platform operators as the bases of their decision-making. First, knowledge payment entails self-education, and this study is a pilot study; thus, some background factors of learners have not been included, such as learners’ salaries or their preferred prices for purchasing knowledge-based products. Moreover, it is recommended that further research should focus on confirming whether the higher involvement of 31 to 40-year-old male learners is related to job performance or professional fields. Given the different cognitive styles of learners, it is recommended that future researchers also investigate trust and satisfaction across platforms to identify whether external factors influence learning processes.
In conclusion, three elements of knowledge payment can further knowledge payment development, especially for knowledge platforms that aim to output and input knowledge-based products for revenue. Therefore, creating the core value of a brand is key, as it makes learners aware of its advantages. Brand positioning helps establish connectivity with a product and executes knowledge consumption behavior. Overall, we suggest that future research should focus on brand image and knowledge-based product marketing strategies.