Factors influencing mobile marketing acceptance in higher education students in the United Arab Emirates

Technology advancements in mobile communication has seen a rapid rise in recent years. Likewise, the use of mobile technologies has proven to be of extreme importance in consumer’s life. The main goal of this study is to investigate and identify the impact of marketing activities on the acceptance of mobile marketing practiced by higher education students. Assisted by the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Uses and Gratifications Theory, this study tests a conceptual model that explain factors influencing mobile marketing acceptance. The study was conducted in Federal Higher Education Institutions in the UAE. A descriptive, explanatory research that used a quantitative survey methodology was adopted. This study surveyed 402 higher education students using a probabilistic stratified sampling method. The overall findings revealed that risk acceptance, providing information, sharing content, accessing content, perceived value and personal attachment have a positive influence in mobile marketing acceptance, and it validates a new model using Structural Equation Modelling. Furthermore, this study highlights the current state of mobile marketing utilization along with preferred types of services used. This research has the potential to benefit companies to create better mobile marketing strategies, in which they can incorporate within their product and services and recommends actions to create a more effective mobile marketing campaign that benefits both consumers and organizations.Os avanços tecnológicos na comunicação móvel tiveram um rápido aumento nos últimos anos. Da mesma forma, o uso das tecnologias móveis provou ser de extrema importância na vida do consumidor. O principal objetivo deste estudo é investigar e identificar o impacto das atividades de marketing na aceitação do marketing móvel praticado por estudantes do ensino superior. Assistido pelo Modelo de Aceitação de Tecnologia (TAM) e pela Teoria de Usos e Gratificações, este estudo testa um modelo conceitual que explica os fatores que influenciam a aceitação do marketing móvel. Foi adotada uma metodologia de pesquisa quantitativa, descritiva e explicativa auxiliada pelo uso do questionário. O estudo foi realizado em instituições federais de ensino superior nos Emirados Árabes Unidos. Este estudo pesquisou 402 estudantes do ensino superior usando um método probabilístico de amostragem estratificada. As descobertas gerais revelaram que a aceitação de riscos, fornecimento de informações, compartilhamento de conteúdo, acesso a conteúdo, valor percebido e vinculação pessoal influenciam positivamente a aceitação do marketing móvel e validam um novo modelo usando a Modelagem de Equações Estruturais. Além disso, este estudo destaca o estado atual da utilização do marketing móvel juntamente com os diferentes tipos de serviços mais utilizados. Esta pesquisa tem o potencial de beneficiar as empresas na criação de melhores estratégias de marketing móvel para que possam ser incorporadas nos produtos e serviços e recomenda ações para criar uma campanha de marketing móvel mais eficaz que beneficie tanto os consumidores quanto as organizações.Les progrès technologiques dans la communication mobile ont augmenté rapidement ces dernières années. De même, l’utilisation des technologies mobiles s’est avérée d’une importance capitale dans la vie du consommateur. L'objectif principal de cette étude est d'étudier et d'identifier l'impact des activités de marketing sur l'acceptation du marketing mobile pratiqué par les étudiants de l'enseignement supérieur. Assistée du modèle d'acceptation technologique (TAM) et de la théorie des usages et des gratifications, cette étude teste un modèle conceptuel qui explique les facteurs qui influencent l'acceptation du marketing mobile. L'étude a été menée dans des établissements d'enseignement supérieur fédéraux des Émirats Arabes Unis. Une recherche descriptive et explicative utilisant une méthodologie de recherche quantitative a été adoptée. Cette étude a examiné 402 étudiants de l'enseignement supérieur utilisant une méthode probabiliste d'échantillonnage stratifié. Les conclusions générales ont révélé que l'acceptation des risques, la fourniture d'informations, le partage de contenu, l'accès au contenu, la valeur perçue et les liens personnels influencent positivement l'acceptation du marketing mobile et valide un nouveau modèle utilisant la modélisation par équation structurelle. En outre, cette étude met en évidence l’état actuel de l’utilisation du marketing mobile ainsi que des différents types de services les plus utilisés. Cette recherche pourrait aider les entreprises à créer de meilleures stratégies de marketing mobile afin de les intégrer à des produits et services, et recommande des actions pour créer une campagne de marketing mobile plus efficace, bénéfique pour les consommateurs et les organisations

Factors influencing mobile marketing acceptance in higher education students in the United Arab Emirates

Technology advancements in mobile communication has seen a rapid rise in recent years. Likewise, the use of mobile technologies has proven to be of extreme importance in consumer’s life. The main goal of this study is to investigate and identify the impact of marketing activities on the acceptance of mobile marketing practiced by higher education students. Assisted by the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Uses and Gratifications Theory, this study tests a conceptual model that explain factors influencing mobile marketing acceptance. The study was conducted in Federal Higher Education Institutions in the UAE. A descriptive, explanatory research that used a quantitative survey methodology was adopted. This study surveyed 402 higher education students using a probabilistic stratified sampling method. The overall findings revealed that risk acceptance, providing information, sharing content, accessing content, perceived value and personal attachment have a positive influence in mobile marketing acceptance, and it validates a new model using Structural Equation Modelling. Furthermore, this study highlights the current state of mobile marketing utilization along with preferred types of services used. This research has the potential to benefit companies to create better mobile marketing strategies, in which they can incorporate within their product and services and recommends actions to create a more effective mobile marketing campaign that benefits both consumers and organizations.Os avanços tecnológicos na comunicação móvel tiveram um rápido aumento nos últimos anos. Da mesma forma, o uso das tecnologias móveis provou ser de extrema importância na vida do consumidor. O principal objetivo deste estudo é investigar e identificar o impacto das atividades de marketing na aceitação do marketing móvel praticado por estudantes do ensino superior. Assistido pelo Modelo de Aceitação de Tecnologia (TAM) e pela Teoria de Usos e Gratificações, este estudo testa um modelo conceitual que explica os fatores que influenciam a aceitação do marketing móvel. Foi adotada uma metodologia de pesquisa quantitativa, descritiva e explicativa auxiliada pelo uso do questionário. O estudo foi realizado em instituições federais de ensino superior nos Emirados Árabes Unidos. Este estudo pesquisou 402 estudantes do ensino superior usando um método probabilístico de amostragem estratificada. As descobertas gerais revelaram que a aceitação de riscos, fornecimento de informações, compartilhamento de conteúdo, acesso a conteúdo, valor percebido e vinculação pessoal influenciam positivamente a aceitação do marketing móvel e validam um novo modelo usando a Modelagem de Equações Estruturais. Além disso, este estudo destaca o estado atual da utilização do marketing móvel juntamente com os diferentes tipos de serviços mais utilizados. Esta pesquisa tem o potencial de beneficiar as empresas na criação de melhores estratégias de marketing móvel para que possam ser incorporadas nos produtos e serviços e recomenda ações para criar uma campanha de marketing móvel mais eficaz que beneficie tanto os consumidores quanto as organizações.Les progrès technologiques dans la communication mobile ont augmenté rapidement ces dernières années. De même, l’utilisation des technologies mobiles s’est avérée d’une importance capitale dans la vie du consommateur. L'objectif principal de cette étude est d'étudier et d'identifier l'impact des activités de marketing sur l'acceptation du marketing mobile pratiqué par les étudiants de l'enseignement supérieur. Assistée du modèle d'acceptation technologique (TAM) et de la théorie des usages et des gratifications, cette étude teste un modèle conceptuel qui explique les facteurs qui influencent l'acceptation du marketing mobile. L'étude a été menée dans des établissements d'enseignement supérieur fédéraux des Émirats Arabes Unis. Une recherche descriptive et explicative utilisant une méthodologie de recherche quantitative a été adoptée. Cette étude a examiné 402 étudiants de l'enseignement supérieur utilisant une méthode probabiliste d'échantillonnage stratifié. Les conclusions générales ont révélé que l'acceptation des risques, la fourniture d'informations, le partage de contenu, l'accès au contenu, la valeur perçue et les liens personnels influencent positivement l'acceptation du marketing mobile et valide un nouveau modèle utilisant la modélisation par équation structurelle. En outre, cette étude met en évidence l’état actuel de l’utilisation du marketing mobile ainsi que des différents types de services les plus utilisés. Cette recherche pourrait aider les entreprises à créer de meilleures stratégies de marketing mobile afin de les intégrer à des produits et services, et recommande des actions pour créer une campagne de marketing mobile plus efficace, bénéfique pour les consommateurs et les organisations

Branding SMEs in the UAE\u27s Emerging Market

Brand positioning is one of the crucial elements to a businesses’ success or failure. Extensive research has been conducted to formulate theories and strategies around successful positioning for global brands and the ways small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) can compete in the market through positioning, but none of it completely or directly applies to the focus of this research. Dubai is emerging as a fashion capital, it is the second top retail tourist destination globally, and the market is highly saturated with fashion brands from around the world. Success in the UAE could provide endless opportunity for SMEs. Middle Eastern millennials were surveyed; which yielded 114 responses. Findings include, community involvement, ethical advertisements, in-store experiences, a preference for Western brands, social media usage and other key insights highly influence purchases and brand acceptance. Based on the responses, an integrated marketing campaign was planned for promoting two American apparel brands in the UAE

Use and Acceptance of Social Technologies by Internet Banking Services Users in the Middle East

Bankers worldwide are interested in user´s behaviour in adopting technology-enhanced banking services. This paper analyses the factors that affect the adoption of social technology by users of internet banking services in the Middle East context. The Technology Readiness and Acceptance Model is applied to data from a survey of 338 users in Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia. Findings indicate that technology readiness plays an important role in forming the perceived ease of use. Another main finding is that, contratry to previous research, only perceived ease of use and playfulness influence on the intention to continuous use of these services.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Understanding Middle Eastern consumers through innovative research tools

The aim of this two-part DProf is to produce a portfolio of research approaches to: Understand how mainstream brands can effectively access and engage Middle East consumers across the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC), comprising Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates; Lever mainstream luxury brands to access and engage Middle East Ultra-High Net Worth Individuals (UHNWI) across the GCC; Develop a training programme for Brands on insights of Middle East consumers, including UHNWI; Develop a website communication platform to act as a catalyst for enquiries. In achieving the aim of the project, the objectives were to: Review literature in relation to ‘hard-to-reach’ communities in the emerging market context, in particular the Middle East; Undertake a 600-strong face-to-face questionnaire survey of Middle East consumers across the six GCC nations; Undertake six gender-split focus groups across the GCC; Undertake a series of cognitive interviews with Middle East shoppers; Critically review five research projects undertaken in the Middle East; Carry out five in-depth interviews with brand influencers in the West and three practitioner influencers in the Middle East. The tangible outcomes that arose from the project included: A portfolio of new communication approaches pertaining to reaching Middle East consumers that incorporates a cognitive interview product and a culturally pertinent luxury brand health model; A refined ‘Middle East Millionaire Panel’ research product that appealed to Western brands. A number of distinct questions were the focus of this study: How can cultural features associated with Middle East consumers’ norms impact upon the suitability of research methodologies? What are the most appropriate qualitative and quantitative approaches that serve to maximise consumer engagement across research studies? What enhancements to research approaches can be developed to maximise consumer engagement by Middle East consumers? What will attract Western brands to take up the Middle East Millionaire Panel? How can the Panel and associated services be marketed in local and international markets? Whilst the products represent innovations for engaging consumers across this segment, they also recognise that rigour, validity of analysis and statistical significance have to be reconciled with tools that articulate novel ways of clustering and configuring heterogeneous Middle East consumer tastes and preferences

Investigating the factors affecting business-to-consumer e-commerce adoption in Egypt

Through the application of the extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2) model, this study investigates the key factors affecting the adoption of business-to-consumer (B2C) e-commerce in Egypt. This study has adopted a quantitative methodology to answer the research questions and test the proposed sixteen hypotheses. The research sample of this study included 600 Egyptian respondents. Regression Analysis has been conducted as a major evaluation of the research model and associated hypotheses. The constructs that have been empirically tested in the extended UTAUT2 model are: Performance Expectancy (PE), Effort Expectancy (EE), Social Influence (SI), Hedonic Motivation (HM), Habit (HI) and Facilitating Conditions (FC). Age, gender and experience moderate the relationship for the six independent variables and the dependent variable except for Performance Expectancy (PE) construct that was only moderated by age and gender. The proposed additional constructs for this model are on-line satisfaction (OS), on-line interactivity (OI), on-line trust (OT) and on-line security (OSY).The major findings of this study show that there is an effect of the established factors: Effort Expectancy, Hedonic Motivation and Facilitating Conditions, Social Influence, on-line Trust, on-line Satisfaction and on-line Interactivity on Egyptian consumers’ intention to adopt B2C e-commerce. In addition, the effect of moderator’s factors: age, gender, and experience have been absent in this study. Accordingly, seven hypotheses have been proven, while nine have been rejected. The study further discusses significant implications for marketers, on-line vendors and the Egyptian Government. In addition to presenting the important theoretical and practical contributions, this study also recommends directions for future related research. By specifically examining the Egyptian consumer, this study is the first of its kind to empirically examine B2C adoption in Egypt. Thus, it expands the body of knowledge in the field of B2C adoption and usage, which the existing literature has failed to provide an extensive understanding of B2C in the Arab World’s most populous country. This study is also the first of its kind to provide a comprehensive understanding of the factors affecting B2C by Egyptian consumers and to develop the (UTAUT3) model

Exploring Intergenerational Value Changes across Three Generations of Emirati Women Using Focused Ethnography

Intergenerational value change, influenced by technological advancements, economic development, formal education, and urbanization, becomes especially complex when it occurs in times of rapid changes, as in the case of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Through the lens of social change and human development theory, heavily constructed in the Gemeinschaft/Gesellschaft paradigm, this focused ethnography explored the push and pull of traditional boundaries within a collectivist society and the necessary navigation of infused Westernized philosophies promoting individualism and autonomy. Participants in this study (N = 24) were members of 8 family triads of grandmothers, mothers, and daughters who represented 8 different Emirati tribes from 4 cities in the Emirates. Data were collected during semi-structured interviews using prompts and vignettes and through observation and the generation of field notes. Thematic analysis revealed 3 themes that described the Emirati women’s unique cultural experiences: (a) cultural value change (gender equity and roles, family connectedness and relatedness) is evident across generations; (b) change in cultural values is the result of multiple factors (e.g., wealth, education, heterogeneity, independence, need for and acceptance of change, negotiation); and (c) resistance to change (e.g., gender roles, respect, connectedness, relatedness) slows the changing of values. The findings underscore the need to support young Emirati women as they navigate value change and try to rectify often conflicting role expectations. Insight gained from this study informs the field of cross-cultural leadership and female leadership development in the Gulf region

FACTORS THAT AFFECT THE ACTUAL USE OF M-GOVERNMENT FROM THE USER PERSPECTIVE: THE CASE OF ABU DHABI GOVERNMENT

In recent years, the evolution of information technologies has shown vast growth. The popularity of and demand for mobile smartphones and applications also continue to grow, so governments are developing mobile business models and moving from electronic-government (e-government) to mobile-government (m-government) practices in order to enhance functioning and increase the efficiency and effectiveness of their services. However, there are very few pieces of systematic evidence related to m-government implementation and the level of actual use of m-government applications and services in less developed countries. Therefore, the current study aims to identify factors that affect Abu Dhabi citizens\u27 and residents’ actual use of m-government applications. Moreover, this study examines the relationships between m-government service and technology characteristics, perceived ease-of-use and usefulness, user past experience, attitude toward m-government use, behavioural intention to use m-government, and actual use of m-government. In addition, 22 hypotheses are developed and tested using a sample of 279 m-government service users in Abu Dhabi, collected through a cross-sectional survey. After developing and testing the conceptual model, the results show that the suggested m-government factors are crucial to achieving user adoption of m-government services while excluding the factors of accuracy, convenience, risk, and privacy. Furthermore, the results of the study are expected to enhance the existing theorization of mobile technology factors that affect user acceptance and actual usage of m-government services. From a practical perspective, this study provides a recommendation to decision-makers and developers of m-governments in order to enhance and increase the level of actual usage of their applications and services

The impact of e-service quality on atitude toward online shopping

The research was designed to fill the gap in the existing body of knowledge regarding attitudes toward online shopping and differences in electronic service quality perception between two different geographical and cultural countries. In addition, this research extended previous effort done in an online shopping context by providing evidence that high service quality increase consumers’ trust perception, which in turn results in favorable attitude toward online shopping, with risk perception moderating the impact on consumer’s trust. Cluster random sampling was used to select respondents with previous online shopping experience. Correlation and hierarchical regression was used to analyze the direct and indirect relationship between service quality, risk, trust and attitude, while t-test was used to compare the two cultures in e-service quality perception. The present study demonstrates that e-service quality is affected by consumer’s culture. This research also provides evidence that trust in Internet shopping is built on high service quality. Notably, risk moderates the effect of e-service quality on trust toward online retailer. Finally, the research highlights the significant effect of trust on the attitude towards online shopping