The moderating influence of device characteristics and usage on user acceptance of smart mobile devices

This study seeks to develop a comprehensive model of consumer acceptance in the context of Smart Mobile Device (SMDs). This paper proposes an adaptation of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2) model that can be employed to explain and predict the acceptance of SMDs. Also included in the model are a number of external and new moderating variables that can be used to explain user intentions and subsequent usage behaviour. The model holds that Activity-based Usage and Device Characteristics are posited to moderate the impact of the constructs empirically validated in the UTAUT2 model. Through an important cluster of antecedents the proposed model aims to enhance our understanding of consumer motivations for using SMDs and aid efforts to promote the adoption and diffusion of these devices

Towards a Taxonomy of Challenges in an Integrated IT Governance Framework Implementation

The rapid adoption of IT governance (ITG) frameworks in organizations worldwide, along with the subsequent need to select and integrate overlapping ITG frameworks has presented practitioners with challenges in choice and integration of frameworks. In this respect, the purpose of this study was to explore the ITG frameworks integration (ITGFI) challenges faced by organizations worldwide; develop and test a theory-based integrated ITG challenges (IIC) taxonomy model created from extant literature; and validate and compare these with those empirically extracted from three case studies in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The results present the audience with a taxonomy of a prioritized set of common global and region-specific (UAE) ITGFI challenges. The study thus aids practitioners to prioritize and focus on these areas of an integrated ITG frameworks implementation

A very modern professional: the case of the IT service support worker

The IT profession has retained a reputation as a ‘privileged area of the labour market’ (Webster, 2005, p.4; Bannerji, 2011). Workers practicing IT skills have been at the forefront of the competitive drive for innovation and efficiency gains promoted by a neoliberal enterprise ideology (Blackler et al, 2003). In the last two decades, as systems thinking (e.g. Ackoff, 1999) and customer-centric practices (e.g. Levitt, 2006) have converged in a globally powerful IT service management (ITSM) ‘best practice’ discourse (Trusson et al, 2013), the IT service support worker has emerged to be a worker-type of considerable socio-economic importance. Aside from keeping organizational information systems operative, when such systems fail these workers are called upon to rapidly restore the systems and thus head-off any negative commercial or political consequences. Yet these workers are acknowledged only as objectified resources within the ITSM ‘best practice’ literature (e.g. Taylor, Iqbal and Nieves, 2007) and largely overlooked as a distinctive contemporary worker-type within academic discourse. This paper, through analysis of salary data and qualitative data collected for a multiple case study research project, considers the extent to which these workers might be conceived of as being ‘professionals’. The project approached the conceptual study of these workers through three lenses. This paper focuses on the project’s consideration of them as rationalised information systems assets within ‘best practice’ ITSM theory. It also draws upon our considerations of them as knowledge workers and service workers. We firstly situate the IT service support worker within a broader model of IT workers comprising four overlapping groupings: managers, developers, technical specialists and IT service support workers. Three types of IT service support worker are identified: first-line workers who routinely escalate work; second-line workers; and ‘expert’ single-line workers. With reference to close associations made with call centre workers (e.g. Murphy, 2011) the status of IT service support workers is explored through analysis of: (i) salary data taken from the ITJOBSWATCH website; and (ii) observational and interview data collected in the field. From this we challenge the veracity of the notion that the whole occupational field of IT might be termed a profession concurrently with the notion that a profession implies work of high status. Secondly, the paper explores two forces that might be associated with the professionalization of IT as an occupation: (i) rationalisation of the field (here promoted by the British Computer Society); and (ii) formalisation of IT theoretical/vocational education. A tension is identified, with those IT service support workers whose work is least disposed to rationalisation and whose complex ‘stocks of knowledge’ (Schutz, 1953) have been acquired through time-spent practice laying claim to greater IT professional status. Thirdly, consideration is given to individuals’ personal career orientations: occupational, organizational and customer-centric (Kinnie and Swart, 2012). We find that whilst organizations expect IT service support workers to be orientated towards serving the interests of the organization and its clients, the most individualistically professional tend towards being occupationally orientated, enthusiastically (re)developing their skills to counter skills obsolescence in an evolving technological arena (Sennett, 2006)

Conceptual modeling for the design of intelligent and emergent information systems

A key requirement to today's fast changing economic environment is the ability of organizations to adapt dynamically in an effective and efficient manner. Information and Communication Technologies play a crucially important role in addressing such adaptation requirements. The notion of `intelligent software' has emerged as a means by which enterprises can respond to changes in a reactive manner but also to explore, in a pro-active manner, possibilities for new business models. The development of such software systems demands analysis, design and implementation paradigms that recognize the need for ‘co-development’ of these systems with enterprise goals, processes and capabilities. The work presented in this paper is motivated by this need and to this end it proposes a paradigm that recognizes co-development as a knowledge-based activity. The proposed solution is based on a multi-perspective modeling approach that involves (i) modeling key aspects of the enterprise, (ii) reasoning about design choices and (iii) supporting strategic decision-making through simulations. The utility of the approach is demonstrated though a case study in the field of marketing for a start-up company

An Optimized Dynamic Process Model of IS Security Governance Implementation

The year 2011 has witnessed a lot of high profiles data breaches despite the availability of IS security and governance controls, frameworks, standards and models for organisations to choose from; and the technical advances made in intrusion prevention and detection. Taking this issue into account the objective of this paper is to identify and analyse the weaknesses in the IS security defences of organisations from a holistic perspective, and propose a dynamic IS security governance process model for the implementation of appropriate controls and mechanisms for optimised IS security. Optimization is achieved through the strategic overlap of security and governance frameworks implemented in a prioritized phased manner for efficiency and effectiveness in cost, time and effort. The paper starts with the analysis of data breaches to identify the weaknesses in the organisational information system. This is followed by the analysis of recommended requirements and dimensions of effective IS security architecture, IS governance, concepts and models to identify relevant frameworks used in IS security and governance. Thereafter, the best practices for implementing the model is evaluated and finally the frameworks and IS entities are integrated into an optimized Information Systems Security and Governance (ISSG) process model

Kajian tadbir urus teknologi maklumat organisasi awam di Gorontao-Indonesia

The concept of information technology (IT) governance has become a trend in public organizations sector in most countries. However, the implementation of IT governance in Indonesia continues to face problems and challenges, including weak understanding and assessment processes activities based on IT implementation. In addition, empirical studies related to IT governance within public organizations in Indonesia are limited. The main objective of this study is to develop an IT governance model in public organizations in Gorontalo, Indonesia. This study adapted the Control Objective for Information and Related Technology (COBIT) model which conformed to the principles of management of IT resources that form the basis of IT governance in Indonesia by studying the contribution factors of implementation IT governance in public organizations. This study used quantitative and qualitative methods which involved questionnaires, interviews, observations and documents. Quantitative data was collected via questionnaires that were distributed to 367 and the return rate was 90.6 percent. This data was analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to validate the research model and test the proposed research hypotheses. Semi-structured interviews were used to obtain the management's views about IT governance activities and their implementation. Observations and documents analysis were used to observe how the activities and find data, information and resources for implementation of IT governance. The results show that the proposed model conforms to COBIT. The study also proves that COBIT together with the goal of and the principles of IT resource management that form the basis of IT governance in Indonesia has managed to enrich the model in describing understanding and implementation of IT governance. The results of this study contribute to knowledge to best practice of IT governance. This study can be used as a guide the best practice IT governance in Indonesia in the futur

Managing Information Risks and Protecting Information Assets in a Web 2.0 Era

The growth in volume of digital information arising from business activities presents organisations with the increasingly difficult challenge of protecting their information assets. Failure to protect such information opens up a range of new business risks. The increase in externally hosted services and social networking tools also adds a new layer of complication to achieving information protection. Prior research has recognised the need for a socio-organisational view of information protection, shifting the emphasis from a narrowly defined technical concern to an enterprise-wide, business-led responsibility encompassing strategic and governance issues. We argue that this shift is important but not enough and that greater attention should be given to understanding the nature and complexities of digital business information. In this paper we examine the extent to which existing frameworks for information protection are structured to account for changes in the information environment. Our findings indicate that whilst these frameworks address the need to adopt a broader social and organisational perspective there remain a number of significant limitations in terms of the way the information is treated. To address these limitations we propose a more co-ordinated and information-centric approach to information protection