Exploratory Study of the Factors that Influence the Adoption of Electronic Commerce in a Latin-American Context

The strong pattern of inequality that marks Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) is repeated, although with different characteristics, in access to information and communication technologies (ICTs). Although it is not currently possible to demonstrate empirically, in great detail, that mobile telephony is making a substantive contribution to poverty reduction in LAC, we aim to shed light on certain areas. First, we argue that mobile telephony penetration has been significantly higher than that of other ICTs among the poorest sectors of the population. Second, by constructing Gini indexes of phone access, data show that the distribution of mobile telephony is consistently more equitable than that of landlines in LAC. Third, the high degree of mobile telephone penetration in poor sectors sparks new implications about possible strategies and tools for promoting other ICTs, which have had comparatively less impact so far. We seek then to contribute to the discussion on design –or redesign- of public policies that focus on development through the use of ICTs in the region

Contribución del comercio electrónico al desempeño de las PyMEs industriales: un modelo estructural

El rol que juegan las Tecnologías de la Información y comunicación (TIC) para lograr un mejor desempeño organizacional aún requiere de un análisis más profundo entre las pequeñas y medianas empresas (PyMEs) de los países en desarrollo. Este estudio pretende ampliar la literatura empírica sobre la relación entre TIC, comercio electrónico y desempeño de las PyMEs en países en desarrollo. Para alcanzar este objetivo, utilizamos una muestra de 87 empresas manufactureras de la ciudad de Bahia Blanca, Argentina correspondiente al año 2015. Mediante la estimación de un Modelo de ecuación estructura, se obtiene que la adopción del comercio electrónico posee una influencia positiva y significativa en las ventas de las PyMEs la cual es potenciada por el nivel de uso de las TIC. Otros factores organizacionales tales como el tamaño de la empresa y los programas públicos explican el desempeño, pero no son predictores significativos de la adopción del comercio electrónico.The role Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) play in achieving a better organizational performance still needs further analysis among small and medium sized enterprises (SME) from developing countries. This study aims to extend the empirical literature on the relationship between ICT, electronic commerce and SME performance in developing countries. To achieve this goal, we employ a sample of 87 manufacturing firms from the city of Bahía Blanca, Argentina in the year 2015. By estimating a structural equation model, we obtain that electronic commerce adoption has a positive and significant influence on SME sales which is reinforced by the level of ICT use. Other organizational factors such as firm size and public programs explain performance, but are not significant predictors of the electronic commerce adoption.Fil: Alderete, Maria Veronica. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Economía; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto de Investigaciones Económicas y Sociales del Sur. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Economía. Instituto de Investigaciones Económicas y Sociales del Sur; Argentin

The intention to use mobile digital library technology: A focus group study in the United Arab Emirates

IGI Global (“IGI”) granted Brunel University London the permission to archive this article in BURA (http://bura.brunel.ac.uk).This paper presents a qualitative study on student adoption of mobile library technology in a developing world context. The findings support the applicability of a number of existing constructs from the technology acceptance literature, such as perceived ease of use, social influence and trust. However, they also suggest the need to modify some adoption factors previously found in the literature to fit the specific context of mobile library adoption. Perceived value was found to be a more relevant overarching adoption factor than perceived usefulness for this context. Facilitating conditions were identified as important but these differed somewhat from those covered in earlier literature. The research also uncovered the importance of trialability for this type of application. The findings provide a basis for improving theory in the area of mobile library adoption and suggest a number of practical design recommendations to help designers of mobile library technology to create applications that meet user needs

Public IT Policies in Less Developed Countries: A Critical Assessment of the Literature and a Reference Framework for Future Work

How well do extant diffusion models originating in developed countries explain adoption of information technologies in less developed countries? m a t is the current status of the literature with respect to public IT policies? The authors explore the literature on public IT policies to answer these questions. Findings indicate that, due to differences in environmental factors, existing models may not be readily applicable to less developed countries without careful consideration of the structural differences between developed countries -where most models originated- and less developed countries. Within extant studies of public IT policies, this article identifies typical research characteristics - e.g., case study methodologies, single country selection, single project scope, and little theory development. Finally, an integrative framework for the rationalization of existing models is proposed

Electronic Government Adoption Model Among Business Organizations in Jordan

E-government adoption involves a significant change in the way government administrative operations with its stakeholders are being conducted. Past studies have tended to view e-government adoption in terms of a dichotomous outcome; either e-government is adopted, or it is not. Such studies give little indication of the diffusion of e-government applications. The aim of this study is to address this gap in existing research by investigating both the level and extent of usage of e-government applications. In so doing, the study draws on research in the area of innovation diffusion theories. The population of this study consisted of firms listed in Amman Stock Exchange (ASE) that have adopted B2G (business-to-government) e-government. The main objective of this study is to characterize B2G e-government adoption among businesses listed in ASE. It also aims to identify factors associated with the adoption of B2G e-government and to determine the impacts of its adoption on these businesses. A total of 113 usable responses were generated for further analysis. Based on two parts, the level of e-government adoption and the extent of usage for each application, two groups of adopters were identified and labeled as basic-adopters and advanced-adopters. Technological, organizational and external factors were found to have influenced e-government adoption among businesses in ASE. It was also found that advanced-adopters had gained more significant benefits from e-government adoption than basic-adopters. In particular, advanced-adopters achieved time saving, lower cost and efficiency as well as gaining strategic benefits such as better work efficiency, lower operational cost, and reduced work-process time

Exploring the factors affecting the use of C2C in Colombia

This study analyses the factors that users of consumer-to-consumer (C2C) commerce value as direct influences in the intention to use and the acceptance of a marketplace. An empirical model is formulated, which integrates three variables that evaluate trust and, in turn, other variables that influence C2C intention and purchases, taking a sample of 686 surveys gathered using the Internet in Colombia. The results show that trust is a fundamental factor in this type of electronic commerce in Colombia, given that C2C users seek intermediation pages with third-party recognition (TPR) and high web quality; similarly, key variables in the adoption of this type of commercial platform include finding low prices and social influence. The perception of trust in this type of electronic commerce is a broader concept that requires the analysis of psychosocial factors. For companies that manage marketplaces, this study allows them to focus on key actions and tools in their websites. This study allowsone to get to know the users of this transactional system, specifically for the Latin American region, highlighting the variables that they most consider when engaging in direct commerce between people. The results show that C2C requires marketplaces that guarantee the necessary conditions for a purchase/sale transaction with trust and quality

Factors influencing environmental management accounting adoption in oil and manufacturing firms in Libya

This study was conducted to examine the factors that influenced Environmental Management Accounting (EMA) adoption. Specifically, it investigated the influence of the dominant factors in the organizational, environmental and technological contexts on firms’ intentions to adopt EMA. To achieve this objective, eight hypotheses were formulated, with information from previous research and the TOE framework, the TAM model, the contingency theory, the institutional theory, the legitimacy theory, the stakeholder theory and diffusion of the innovation theory. In order to examine these hypotheses, data were collected from financial directors and environmental managers in the oil and the manufacturing firms in Libya, who constituted the sample of this research, by using a researcher-administered questionnaire. A total of 202 usable questionnaires were collected and the data were subjected to tests of variances, factor analysis, correlations and multiple regression. The results revealed that age, education level and tenure in position were among the influential factors on firms’ intention to adopt EMA. The results also showed that Libyan firms in the selected industries were dominated by defender strategy and hierarchy culture, which favoured a centralized management style. However, these practices had a negative influence on firms’ intention to adopt EMA. Furthermore, the results also revealed that organizational, environmental and technological variables significantly influenced firms’ intention to adopt EMA. This study has made useful contributions to current knowledge by providing more explanations on EMA adoption in an unexplored context, and providing further insights into factors that facilitate and impede the adoption of EMA practices. The present study has also filled the gap in the EMA literature by developing a theoretical framework to assess the relationships between the factors within the organizational, environmental, and technological contexts and the intention to adopt EMA. To conclude, this study has provided important insights into the factors that influence the acceptance and adoption of EMA in general, and specifically in Libya. More importantly, this study has opened up possibilities for further research into EMA adoption in Libya and other developing countries, and worldwid

Thirdparty recognition, perceived product related risk, and perceived ease of use among online consumer trust: The moderating role of internet experience

To investigate impact of perceived ease of use, third-party assurance seal and financial risk on online consumer trust, is the primary goal of this research. This impact is investigated through the moderating influence of internet experience. The data was collected from 307 students from three universities namely UUM, UniMap and USM. This study employed Partial Least Squares Structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) as the major analysis technique, as PLS SEM is comparatively new analytical technique in construction. Before testing the model, systematic procedures to find the validity and reliability of the outer model were followed as it is the standard of SEM data analysis reporting. As the measurement model has been termed as valid and reliable, it further tests the hypothesized relationships. Prior to examining the hypothesized relationships, the predictive authority of the model was observed and described the goodness and verification of the overall model. After that, the structural model was analyzed and the results were reported in details. As shown in Table 4.10, the hypotheses of H₁, H₃, and H₄, were statistically confirmed with the findings of the study while H2 was not assisted. Similarly, hypotheses of moderation effect, H₅, and H₇ were also not supported whereas H₆ was supported according to the method of Baron and Kenny (1986). The study concludes with some recommendations that can be used to guide the online retailers in managing their stores' service quality and loyalt