Metaverse, a Holistic Vision of the New Virtual Reality

Metaverse bursts into the media as a new marketing channel in September 2021, creating an explosion of reactions as brands join the race to be pioneers. Within a fully digital society and from a mature gaming industry, Metaverse is much more than an incubator of marketing and advertising ideas for brands, Metaverse is envisioned as a social disruption. This scenario raises three relevant questions to resolve over time: 1) Will the Metaverse finally take shape as a virtual society or, on the contrary, will it be integrated as one more channel of relationship within the context omnichannel? 2) how customers, brands and institutions are reacting to the Metaverse and 3) in any case, what transversal disruptive changes will be necessary in the new scenario of the Metaverse? From the deep and constant search for information in secondary sources (desk research methodology), this article seeks a holistic vision of the Metaverse, and its reading will allow defining specific areas of research on behavior patterns of people in this new virtual reality.Metaverso irrumpe en los medios como un nuevo canal de marketing en septiembre de 2021, creando una explosión de reacciones a medida que las marcas se unen en la carrera por ser pioneras. Dentro de una sociedad totalmente digital y de una industria del juego madura, Metaverso es mucho más que una incubadora de ideas de marketing y publicidad para marcas, Metaverso se concibe como una disrupción social. Este escenario plantea tres cuestiones relevantes a resolver en el tiempo: 1) ¿Metaverso se configurará finalmente como una sociedad virtual o, por el contrario, se integrará como un canal más de relación dentro del contexto omnicanal? 2) ¿cómo están reaccionando los clientes, marcas e instituciones ante Metaverso? y 3) en todo caso, ¿qué cambios disruptivos transversales serán necesarios en el nuevo escenario del Metaverso? Desde la búsqueda profunda y constante de información en fuentes secundarias (metodologia desk research), este artículo pretende una visión holística del Metaverso, y su lectura permitirá definir áreas específicas de investigación sobre patrones de comportamiento de las personas en esta nueva realidad virtual

UNBOXING THE ROLE OF E-COMMERCE ECOSYSTEMS TO ADDRESS GRAND CHALLENGES

The modern world is confronted with grand challenges, such as those codified by the United Nations Agenda 2030, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While single organizations are often not capable to address a broad set of goals on their own, we can observe an increasing creation of e-commerce ecosystems. Although owners of focal platforms in e-commerce ecosystems wield the power to foster and implement sustainability, there is a demand for identifying and organizing corresponding initiatives and actionable guidance. This paper analyzes how e-commerce ecosystem participants implement sustainability through a multiple-case study featuring a set of 112 initiatives from sustainability reports. Our results show that (1) sustainability initiatives lay a particular emphasis on the reduction in inequality and management of climate change as well as (2) manufacturers, sellers, and service providers are the most involved ecosystem participants. Based on that, we (3) synthesized six categories of sustainability initiatives as measurements

Domestication of open educational resources by academics in an open distance e-learning institution of South Africa

The emergence of open educational resources has gained popularity and acceptance in higher education institutions and beyond the basic education sector. This brought a persisting shift in depending on information communication technologies for tuition and research provision. Information technology artifact was not treated in isolation to user perspective. The study established how academics accept, feel, perceive, and what skills, opportunities, challenges exist to hinder the domestication. The study context had no uniform guidelines or tools and policy in place for the domestication of open educational resources. The study adopted the exploratory approach guided by the interpretivism paradigm. The study employed Domestication theory. This study conducted in an heterogenous single case study, which is the open distance e-learning (University of South Africa). That was done for an in-depth investigation by relying on multi-methods for data triangulation such as semi-structured interviews, focus group interviews, document analysis, and actual artifact analysis. The total of participants were 52. The study found that most academics played a role in the domestication of open educational resources besides the minority who were unable. The experience and prior knowledge were found to be a factor hindering the domestication process. Open distance e-learning found to relevant space for open educational resources. Such institutions play a role in the adoption and development of open educational resources and mostly rely in information technology for tuition and research. Information technology infrastructure found to be an enabler and disabler in the domestication process. This study contribution to the world of knowledge is based on the theory and practice. Eight theoretical propositions were suggested. The study further contributed by extension of domestication theory as recommended two additional phases which are non-appropriation and dis-appropriation. The current proposed Domestication theory has five phases. Lastly, the study recommended the actual guidelines for adoption and development of open educational resources. This guideline can be adopted by higher education institutions by infusing them in policy development or for general guidance in actual adoption and developments

Telecentres in Mozambique: Staying On-Line

The aim of this report is to give an overview of the current phase of development of the Telecentres in Mozambique, describe their main difficulties, challenges and opportunities, proposing recommendations and a framework for action

The Influence Electronic Loan Management System on Loan Performance Amongst Microfinance Institutions in Kenya

This study sought to determine the influence of electronic loan management system on performance of loans in microfinance institutions in Kenya with specificity of Nairobi County where the survey was conducted on microfinance institutions in Nairobi. The study was based on three main variables which included credit scoring system, loan monitoring and credit recovery processes. The study was based on Transactions Cost Innovative Theory. Descriptive research design was employed in the study. Census used because the population was manageable. Regression coefficient from revealed that a unit increase in electronic loan management system would results to a significant increase in Loan performance amongst microfinance institutions in Kenya.Keywords: Electronic loan management system, Microfinance institution, Loan performance. DOI: 10.7176/RJFA/14-10-07 Publication date:May 31st 202