Background: Knowledge development and innovation are at the heart of the progress of
academic and research institutions (ARIs) through individual and coordinated research
projects. Collaboration initiatives remain a challenge for many researchers for a myriad
of reasons which are further intensifid by the many technology options that are available
both freely and at varying prices. Although multiple theories were considered, the focus on
electronic communication supported by the interest in how innovation is diffused and the
richness of media motivated the focus on diffusion of innovations (DOI) and media richness
theory (MRT).