Proposing a Comprehensive Meta-model for Technology Acceptance

New technologies appear constantly, offering the promise of greater efficiency and effectiveness for work processes in all types of organizations. However, not all reach their full potential, either because of employee rejection or less-than optimal implementation. Studies that examine Information Technology (IT) adoption in business have often used the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to predict IT adoption in a business environment. However, the TAM fails to explain much of the variance in technology usage. This article examines technology acceptance processes in the light oftheories of technology readiness, technology acceptance, and diffusion of innovation and proposes a comprehensive meta-model to integrate and expand existing models to explain technology acceptance in a wide range of contexts. With regard to future research, the paper also recommends attention to a greater breadth of contexts, cultures, and questions related to issues and recommendations for promoting technology acceptance

Determinants of smartphone shopping adoption: Key factors for online shopping of consumer goods through smartphones in Sweden

The purpose of this thesis was to examine key factors for adoption of online shopping of consumer goods through smartphones in Sweden. Previous research on online shopping and m-commerce was reviewed and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology model (UTAUT) (Venkatesh et al. 2003) was chosen. Interviews were conducted with 11 online shoppers and 5 industry experts to explore current beliefs and to modify the model to the empirical context. The model with hypotheses was tested with statistical analysis of data obtained by a survey on 303 shoppers in the Malmoe region. The findings suggest that social influence and the location of the shopper have significant positive effects on behavioural intention to shop consumer goods through smartphones. The experience of the shopper was shown to moderate the effects of the determinants. High trustworthiness and performance of smartphone web shops was appreciated, but did not affect intention. A positive relation was found between intention to shop through smartphones and self-reported past smartphone shopping habits. The findings suggest that online retailers should customise their marketing efforts to consumers with different experience levels of smartphone shopping if they wish to increase its adoption. This is one of few studies that investigate the determining factors for online shopping exclusive to smartphones

Multi criteria decision support system for watershed management under uncertain conditions, A

2012 Summer.Includes bibliographical references.Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution is the primary cause of impaired water bodies in the United States and around the world. Elevated nutrient, sediment, and pesticide loads to waterways may negatively impact human health and aquatic ecosystems, increasing costs of pollutant mitigation and water treatment. Control of nonpoint source pollution is achievable through implementation of conservation practices, also known as Best Management Practices (BMPs). Watershed-scale NPS pollution control plans aim at minimizing the potential for water pollution and environmental degradation at minimum cost. Simulation models of the environment play a central role in successful implementation of watershed management programs by providing the means to assess the relative contribution of different sources to the impairment and water quality impact of conservation practices. While significant shifts in climatic patterns are evident worldwide, many natural processes, including precipitation and temperature, are affected. With projected changes in climatic conditions, significant changes in diffusive transport of nonpoint source pollutants, assimilative capacity of water bodies, and landscape positions of critical areas that should be targeted for implementation of conservation practices are also expected. The amount of investment on NPS pollution control programs makes it all but vital to assure the conservation benefits of practices will be sustained under the shifting climatic paradigms and challenges for adoption of the plans. Coupling of watershed models with regional climate projections can potentially provide answers to a variety of questions on the dynamic linkage between climate and ecologic health of water resources. The overarching goal of this dissertation is to develop a new analysis framework for the development of optimal NPS pollution control strategy at the regional scale under projected future climate conditions. Proposed frameworks were applied to a 24,800 ha watershed in the Eagle Creek Watershed in central Indiana. First, a computational framework was developed for incorporation of disparate information from observed hydrologic responses at multiple locations into the calibration of watershed models. This study highlighted the use of multiobjective approaches for proper calibration of watershed models that are used for pollutant source identification and watershed management. Second, an integrated simulation-optimization approach for targeted implementation of agricultural conservation practices was presented. A multiobjective genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) with mixed discrete-continuous decision variables was used to identify optimal types and locations of conservation practices for nutrient and pesticide control. This study showed that mixed discrete-continuous optimization method identifies better solutions than commonly used binary optimization methods. Third, the conclusion from application of NSGA-II optimization followed by development of a multi criteria decision analysis framework to identify near-optimal NPS pollution control plan using a priori knowledge about the system. The results suggested that the multi criteria decision analysis framework can be an effective and efficient substitute for optimization frameworks. Fourth, the hydrologic and water quality simulations driven by an extensive ensemble of climate projections were analyzed for their respective changes in basin average temperature and precipitation. The results revealed that the water yield and pollutants transport are likely to change substantially under different climatic paradigms. And finally, impact of projected climate change on performance of conservation practice and shifts in their optimal types and locations were analyzed. The results showed that performance of NPS control plans under different climatic projections will alter substantially; however, the optimal types and locations of conservation practices remained relatively unchanged

The human-centred designer and the cognitive dissonance theory

This thesis will explore how the Theory of Cognitive Dissonance provides an improved competency for designers to understand the people they design for and the impact solutions have on communities. To do so, this thesis explains; components of the Theory of Cognitive Dissonance, identifies scientific experimentation, utilization in design, provides tools and methods for the application of the Theory to Human-Centered Design practice, and exemplifies Cognitive Dissonance Theory based intervention in a case study. The result of developing competencies in Cognitive Dissonance Theory is the ability to assess qualitative data that allows designers to understand the deeper mental drivers of human behavior and make predictions of how design solutions may impact the community, all rooted in evidence-based theory. This thesis not only allows designers to adopt a new competency for understanding people and their motivations but can act as a conduit for the adoption of other psychology based competencies to Human-Centered Design as a discipline. By doing so designers understand people on a deeper level making their work truly human-centered

Customer heterogeneity in operational e-service design attributes : an empirical investigation of service quality

Author name used in this publication: T. C. E. Cheng2008-2009 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalAccepted ManuscriptPublishe

Systemic problems related to multiple stakeholders in technology adoption and use in organizations : a systems thinking perspective

Understanding and creating the conditions under which information systems will be embraced by human organizations (thinking systems) remain high-priority research issues. Despite numerous benefits associated with information technology (IT), implementing an information system (IS) in organizational environment is challenging. The literature reports numerous IS project failures. During IS implementation, several factors impede technology’s widespread adoption and use in organizations. These organizational problems often result from such barriers or ‘systemic problems’. The proposed work is based on the argument that addressing ‘systemic problems’ can reduce barriers to organizational progress. Most of the IS/IT adoption theories (e.g. TAM, UTAUT, TAM2 and TAM3) highlight factors related to system users, completely ignoring the other stakeholders who are affected by the adoption process. The purpose of this study is to apply an holistic or systems thinking approach to identify systemic problems in information technology adoption and use within an organizational context by considering the complete stakeholder set as a ‘system of stakeholders’. It involves the study of a web portal implementation project in an Australian university referred to as Aus-Uni. Data was collected through face-to-face interviews of different stakeholders across Aus-Uni and were fundamentally classified into the two categories of ‘involved’ and ‘affected’. Their relevant comments and experiences have been analysed using the lens of a systems thinking-based framework of Critical Systems Heuristics (CSH). The interpretive approach, based on structured-case study method, and the technique of practising CSH have been used as a data gathering framework for this case study. The study’s findings contribute towards identifying information needs and systemic problem scenarios, related to multiple stakeholders in the context of the web portal project. However, its insights may allow broader applications. The roles which these stakeholders play have been classified under the categories prescribed by the CSH methodology of boundary critique. This generated ‘system of stakeholders’ was further analysed to explore problem scenarios as subsystems to this ‘system of stakeholders’. Each problem scenario identifies who was involved and affected by it. It is believed that identifying problems holistically will lead to smoother IS adoption, and reduce IS project failures. This research also proposes two theoretical models based on Critical Systems Heuristics (CSH); one for IS adoption, which demonstrates how CSH can be coupled with the existing IS implementation methodologies to create a holistic perspective of IS implementation issues. This model uses Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) as an example, and proposes that the stakeholder roles need to be identified using boundary critique throughout the project life cycle. The second model is for managing conflicts in the context of organizational change, and is applicable for implementing innovative practices inside organizations, and identifying conflicting scenarios which surface during that process

Factors Influencing the Infusion of Information Systems: A Literature Review

This paper presents a descriptive review of the information system (IS) infusion literature and proposes a structured framework of factors influencing IS infusion. The IS infusion stage, the last stage of IS implementation, is associated with IS implementation success and evidence suggests the depth of IS use leads to increased efficiency and effectiveness. Despite the introduction of the IS infusion concept in the late 1980s, we observe only a small number of empirical studies that examine factors influencing IS infusion at an organizational and an individual level. In addition, some studies show conflicting results and there is no framework to organize previous studies in a meaningful way. We believe that a descriptive review is an appropriate approach at the current state of IS infusion literature. Given the importance of IS infusion, it seems timely to develop a structured framework detailing all the key factors influencing IS infusion found in the extant literature. The framework is drawn from factors derived from theories used in previous IS infusion studies, such as the technology organization environment theory and the theory of planned behavior, to classify different types of influencing factors namely organization, technology, task-job, firm environment and the individual factors. This review paper facilitates further theory development in the IS infusion domain by highlighting under-researched areas, suggesting future directions, and providing a reference source and a classified framework for IS researchers interested in IS infusion. Available at: https://aisel.aisnet.org/pajais/vol8/iss1/2

Developing a diagnostic heuristic for integrated sugarcane supply and processing systems.

Doctoral Degrees. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.Innovation is a valuable asset that gives supply chains a competitive edge. Moreover, the adoption of innovative research recommendations in agricultural value chains and integrated sugarcane supply and processing systems (ISSPS) in particular has been relatively slow when compared with other industries such as electronics and automotive. The slow adoption is attributed to the complex, multidimensional nature of ISSPS and the perceived lack of a holistic approach when dealing with certain issues. Most of the interventions into ISSPS often view the system as characterised by tame problems hence, the widespread application of traditional operations research approaches. Integrated sugarcane supply and processing systems are, nonetheless, also characterised by wicked problems. Interventions into such contexts should therefore, embrace tame and/or wicked issues. Systemic approaches are important and have in the past identified several system-scale opportunities within ISSPS. Such interventions are multidisciplinary and employ a range of methodologies spanning across paradigms. The large number of methodologies available, however, makes choosing the right method or a combination thereof difficult. In this context, a novel overarching diagnostic heuristic for ISSPS was developed in this research. The heuristic will be used todiagnose relatively small, but pertinent ISSPS constraints and opportunities. The heuristic includes a causal model that determines and ranks linkages between the many domains that govern integrated agricultural supply and processing systems (IASPS) viz. biophysical, collaboration, culture, economics, environment, future strategy, information sharing, political forces, and structures. Furthermore, a diagnostic toolkit based on the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) was developed. The toolkit comprises a diagnostic criteria and a suite of systemic tools. The toolkit, in addition, determines thesuitability of each tool to diagnose any of the IASPS domains. Overall, the diagnostic criteria include accessibility, interactiveness, transparency, iterativeness, feedback, cause-and-effect logic, and time delays. The tools considered for the toolkit were current reality trees, fuzzy cognitive maps (FCMs), network analysis approaches, rich pictures (RP), stock and flow diagrams, cause and effect diagrams (CEDs), and causal loop diagrams (CLDs). Results from the causal model indicate that collaboration, structure and information sharing had a high direct leverage over the other domains as these were associated with a larger number of linkages. Collaboration and structure further provided dynamic leverage as these were also part of feedback loops. Political forces and the culture domain in contrast, provided lowleverage as these domains were only directly linked to collaboration. It was further revealed that each tool provides a different facet to complexity hence, the need for methodological pluralism. All the tools except RP could be applied, to a certain extent, across both appreciation and analysis criteria. Rich pictures do not have causal analysis capabilities viz. cause-and-effect logic, time delays and feedback. Stock and flow diagrams and CLDs conversely, met all criteria. All the diagnostic tools in the toolkit could be used across all the system domains except for FCMs. Fuzzy cognitive maps are explicitly subjective and their contribution lies outside the objective world. Caution should therefore be practiced when FCMs areapplied within the biophysical domain. The heuristic is only an aid to decision making. The decision to select a tool or a combination thereof remains with the user(s). Even though the heuristic was demonstrated at Mhlume sugarcane milling area, it is recommended that other areas be considered for future research. The heuristic itself should continuously be updated with criteria, tools and other domain dimensions

Smart Cities and Sustainable Development, Adoption of Green IS Projects in Local Authorities

Smart city teams working in local authorities may have an important role to play in pursuing Sustainable Development Goals at local level. However, the successful adoption of their projects has been problematic. This research in progress addresses this problem by focusing on the adoption process of Green IS projects led by smart city teams in local authorities and the factors that enable or constrain that process. It presents key findings from a systematic literature review; research gaps and future research directions; a research methodology including a draft framework to guide data collection; and anticipated theoretical and practical contributions

Institutions in comparative policy research

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