Understanding merchant adoption of m-payments in South Africa

Despite the proliferation of mobile communication technology and smartphone adoption, a number of barriers, most notably trust and security, and the lack of critical mass, have slowed the uptake of mobile payments (m-payments). Little is understood about the factors driving the success of novel, intermediating technologies such as m-payments, particularly in emerging markets. In this thesis, we empirically investigated the factors that affect the success of m-payments in Cape Town, from the merchant's perspective. The research model is based on the Perceived Characteristics of Innovation (PCI) instrument developed by Moore and Benbasat (1991) which measures an individual's perception of adopting m-payments. Our results found the main adoption drivers to be relative advantage, ease of use, results demonstrability, convenience, speed of transaction, and service provider brand value. The key barriers to adoption include cost as well as trust and security. Based on our findings, implications for practice and future studies are suggested

Consumer uptake of digital low-carbon innovations

Digitalisation is transforming the consumer landscape. Digitally-enabled mobility, food provision, domestic living, and energy supply can help reduce carbon emissions. We use stated preference data from a nationally-representative sample in the UK (n=3014) to understand consumer adoption of 13 digital low-carbon innovations across mobility, food, homes and energy domains. Using diffusion of innovations as our analytical framework, we test three main adoption drivers: adopter characteristics, social influence, and innovation attributes. We use blocks of variables measuring each adoption driver as predictors in logit models that distinguish adopters from non-adopters. We focus our analysis on adoption drivers that are significant and consistent predictors of digital innovation adoption across different contexts.Compared to non-adopters, we find that early adopters of digital low-carbon innovations are more likely to be younger, in employment, living in multi-person households, digitally skilful, environmentally active, and technologically active. We also find that early adopters are more exposed to inter-personal information flows (i.e., social influence), use social media more intensively, and perceive the innovations to offer higher relative advantage over current practices, be easy to use, be more compatible both with their values and their lifestyles. These drivers of adoption hold across mobility, food, homes and energy-related innovations, so can be translated into generalisable strategies, policies, and interventions for stimulating consumer uptake of digital low-carbon innovations. Although our data collection specifically characterises adopters and non-adopters in the UK, the innovations in our sample are increasingly available in markets worldwide so our findings have broad applicability

ICT adoption and development of E-business among SMEs in South Africa

Objectives: This paper examines ICT adoption among small hotel establishments in South Africa. The paper identifies the key ICT adoption attributes and explains how these influence ICT adoption and development of e-business among these typical SMEs in South Africa. Prior Work: The paper draws and builds on several studies on ICT adoption in small firms (Gibbs et al., 2007; Beckinsale and Ram, 2006; Zappala and Gray, 2006; Manueli et al., 2007). Notably, the paper mainly draws from the Gibbs et al. (2007) model which identifies and integrates the key ICT adoption factors that include government; environmental attributes; owner (managerial) attributes; organisational attributes; adoption attributes and social networks. Approach: This qualitative research takes a multiple case study approach highlighting the experiences of small hotel establishments in South Africa. Semi-structured interviews, observation and document analyses are used to collect data from a total of 3 case studies theoretically sampled from two locations in Johannesburg. The underlying technique in the analytical and interpretative process within the multiple case study methodology is that of epistemological bootstrapping (Archer, 1988). Results: The findings suggest internet; websites; fixed-line and mobile phone networks as the most common technologies adopted by SMEs to support their e-business operations. The results also suggest both formal and informal networks as important for ICT adoption. These are key sources of information, technology, social and business support. In addition, financial and owner manager support, including personal skills and experience are also crucial in the adoption of ICT. Power outage is identified as a major barrier across the three case studies. Government intervention is largely indirect and crucial in areas such as setting up of national ICT policy; infrastructure; dissemination of information; facilitating public-private partnerships; capacity building and power supply. Implications: The paper highlights ICT adoption and the distinctive and behavioural characteristics of SMEs operating small hotel business in South Africa. Potentially, other sectors and, SMEs in general may benefit from these insights which may also be useful to policy-makers in terms of effective policy reviews, implementation and support strategies for SMEs. Value: Although this paper only presents the findings based on SMEs in South Africa, the original doctoral project also included case studies from Botswana and Zimbabwe. The findings contribute to literature on ICT adoption among SMEs in general, but more specifically bring new insights to this area of study in developing nations within SADC. In addition, the research framework was applied within different geographical, economic, political and social contexts of the SADC countries and provided insights which suggested it was a useful framework for undertaking this research in southern Africa. Future research involving more SADC countries and other SME sectors would bring more detailed insights into ICT adoption at regional level

Delivering on net zero: Scottish Agriculture

The aim of this study was to identify whether, how and at what cost agricultural GHG emissions in Scotland could be reduced by 35% by 2045. In 2017, Scottish agricultural GHG emissions were estimated to be 7.6 Mt CO2e making the 35% target 2.7 Mt CO2e. Building on previous work by SRUC and others, 37 different measures to reduce GHG emissions were evaluated, focusing on improvements in nitrogen fertiliser use, organic manure/slurry storage and use, mechanisation, soil management, cropping systems and management, livestock nutrition, health and breeding, as well as improved farming systems integrating multiple measures, represented by conservation agriculture, organic farming, pasture-fed livestock production and agroforestry. Land use changes, such as from agriculture to peatland or forestry, as well as non-agricultural activities (including input manufacturing, food processing, retailing and consumption) were outside the scope of the study, although consideration was given to food losses on farms arising from decisions in other sectors. Embodied GHG emissions in inputs and impacts of output changes on other countries were also not assessed. In theory, if taken up 100% and accounting for no interactions, the measures could reduce Scottish agricultural emissions by almost 100%. In practice, there are many reasons why measures might not be implemented in combination, or adopted, by all farmers. We estimated that the most promising measures could potentially deliver 2.9 Mt CO2e annually, or 38% of 2017 GHG emissions, and concluded that the 35% target is achievable by 2045. 75% of Scottish agricultural GHG emissions are related to livestock production. This is not surprising given the importance of grassland and rough grazing in Scottish agriculture, which together account for almost 80% of agricultural land. Given this context, measures focused on tillage crops are relatively unimportant with respect to their potential for GHG reduction. The measures with most potential (all specified on annual basis) that we identified were: a) Reduction in nitrogen fertiliser use. Measures to use nitrogen more efficiently, including better use of organic manures, could potentially generate reductions of nearly 350 kt CO2e, or 13% of the target, within the next 10 years, if adopted on most farms. b) More radical reductions in nitrogen fertiliser use, by encouraging the use of legumes in grassland to eliminate or substantially reduce the need for N fertiliser, could reduce emissions by nearly 300 kt CO2e, or 11% of the target, within the next 15 years, if adopted on 40% of grassland. c) The use of legumes combined with rotational grazing techniques in diverse-species grassland, which help build soil organic matter and sequester carbon, could increase the total benefit to 540 kt or 20% of the target. This could potentially be linked with a pasture-fed livestock approach. d) Reducing methane emissions associated with ruminants by using feed additives including 3NOP, nitrates, probiotics, high dietary fat sources and seaweed derivatives could make a significant contribution. In the case of 3NOP, emissions could be reduced by 265 kt or 10% of the target within 10 years, if adopted on most dairy and some other cattle farms. This would require approval of 3NOP as a feed additive so that it can be marketed, and that at an affordable price. e) Improved animal health and breeding, with increased fertility, growth rates and yields, and reduced morbidity/mortality could reduce total livestock numbers needed to deliver the same output, and deliver 366 kt emission reductions (14% of the target) with 40-50% uptake. f) Organic farming, with 40% uptake, could potentially deliver 730 kt CO2e reductions or 27% of the target. This is a result of combining no synthetic nitrogen fertiliser use with an overall 10% reduction in livestock numbers and the conversion of 20% of tillage land to rotational grassland. The financial impacts of these changes are reduced due to the premium markets for organic food. g) Agroforestry also offers potential for substantial reductions: 570 kt (21% of the target) with 30% uptake. This is assuming 10% of farmland is used for trees, with consequent output reductions for crops and livestock, although with some scope to mitigate this. Despite their emission reduction potential, organic farming and agroforestry both have the disadvantages of higher initial investment costs, greater complexity acting as a disincentive to adoption and longer lead-in times, as well as output reductions that, if demand remains unchanged, could lead to an increased requirement for imports and increased emissions elsewhere. However, the widespread adoption of these approaches would need to be considered in the context of changing human and animal diets, and the potential for reducing food losses and waste also highlighted in the report. The financial assessment of these measures indicates that many are likely to be associated with increased costs and, in the absence of other financial benefits, reduced incomes, which would need to be addressed by policy support in some form. In several cases, reductions in nitrate leaching, ammonia emissions and other impacts leading to improvements in water and air quality could provide further justifications for support. In some cases, the improved productivity, for example associated with improved animal health and breeding, could create a win-win situation, with emissions reduction combined with financial benefits. As most of the measures are unlikely to be driven by market forces, policy interventions are likely to be needed, including: • Farming system payments for innovative approaches (whole or part farm) • Input reduction and improved soil management, including support for advice and investments • Regulatory and fiscal options including input taxes and quotas or tradeable carbon quotas linked to input use and sequestration opportunties • Carbon, nitrogen and sustainability auditing • Training, advice and skills • Improved greenhouse gas monitoring and statistics • Targeted research, and • Dietary change and food waste reduction In almost all cases, the practices and systems that could be adopted are well developed and understood, but actions are needed to ensure that financial and knowledge barriers are addressed in order to facilitate their adoption so that the desired GHG mitigation targets can be achieved

The Use of Hosted Enterprise Applications by SMEs: A Dual Market and User Perspective

YesThis deliberately dual perspective paper seeks to deepen our understanding of the engagement of SMEs in hosted enterprise applications in the UK. The emergence and development of the ASP sector has attracted much interest and highly optimistic forecasts for revenues. The paper starts by considering ICT adoption by SMEs in general before reviewing the provision of hosted enterprise applications in the US and UK (market perspective). The study is extended by qualitative empirical data collected by semi-structured interviews with SME users of hosted enterprise applications (user perspective) and subsequent analysis in order to develop the key findings and conclusions. From an SME user perspective the key findings to emerge from the study include: i) confirmation that ICT infrastructure was no longer a barrier to adoption, ii) the pragmatic approach taken to security issues, iii) the use of both multiple information systems and multiple service providers, iv) the financial attractiveness of the rental model and v) the intention to continue or extend the use of hosted applications. It also highlights the opportunity for gaining competitive advantage by using hosted enterprise applications to reduce costs. There are very few empirical studies of hosted applications which take deliberately market and SME user perspectives - this paper makes an important contribution in this emerging field

Source-tracking cadmium in New Zealand agricultural soils: a stable isotope approach

Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic heavy metal, which is accumulated by plants and animals and therefore enters the human food chain. In New Zealand (NZ), where Cd mainly originates from the application of phosphate fertilisers, stable isotopes can be used to trace the fate of Cd in soils and potentially the wider environment due to the limited number of sources in this setting. Prior to 1997, extraneous Cd added to soils in P fertilisers was essentially limited to a single source, the small pacific island of Nauru. Analysis of Cd isotope ratios (ɛ114/110Cd) in Nauru rock phosphate, pre-1997 superphosphate fertilisers, and Canterbury (Lismore Stony Silt Loam) topsoils (Winchmore Research Farm) has demonstrated their close similarity with respect to ɛ114/110Cd. We report a consistent ɛ114/110Cd signature in fertiliser-derived Cd throughout the latter twentieth century. This finding is useful because it allows the application of mixing models to determine the proportions of fertiliser-derived Cd in the wider environment. We believe this approach has good potential because we also found the ɛ114/110Cd in fertilisers to be distinct from unfertilised Canterbury subsoils. In our analysis of the Winchmore topsoil series (1949-2015), the ɛ114/110Cd remained quite constant following the change from Nauru to other rock phosphate sources in 1997, despite a corresponding shift in fertiliser ɛ114/110Cd at this time. We can conclude that to the present day, the Cd in topsoil at Winchmore still mainly originates from historical phosphate fertilisers. One implication of this finding is that the current applications of P fertiliser are not resulting in further Cd accumulation. We aim to continue our research into Cd fate, mobility and transformations in the NZ environment by applying Cd isotopes in soils and aquatic environments across the country

Resistance of multiple stakeholders to e-health innovations: Integration of fundamental insights and guiding research paths

Consumer/user resistance is considered a key factor responsible for the failure of digital innovations. Yet, existing scholarship has not given it due attention while examining user responses to e-health innovations. The present study addressed this need by consolidating the existing findings to provide a platform to motivate future research. We used a systematic literature review (SLR) approach to identify and analyze the relevant literature. To execute the SLR, we first specified a stringent search protocol with specific inclusion and exclusion criteria to identify relevant studies. Thereafter, we undertook an in-depth analysis of 72 congruent studies, thus presenting a comprehensive structure of findings, gaps, and opportunities for future research. Specifically, we mapped the relevant literature to elucidate the nature and causes of resistance offered by three key constituent groups of the healthcare ecosystem—patients, healthcare organizational actors, and other stakeholders. Finally, based on the understanding acquired through our critical synthesis, we formulated a conceptual framework, classifying user resistance into micro, meso, and macro barriers which provide context to the interventions and strategies required to counter resistance and motivate adoption, continued usage, and positive recommendation intent. Being the first SLR in the area to present a multi-stakeholder perspective, our study offers fine-grained insights for hospital management, policymakers, and community leaders to develop an effective plan of action to overcome barriers that impede the diffusion of e-health innovations.publishedVersionPaid open acces

Towards a model of transformation: Manager's perceptions of transformation in an e-business environment

In the Entrepreneurial Millennium, companies and industries must come to terms with change. When change is radical, they must manage a metamorphosis by way of transformation. Here industry structures and relationships may change radically where new rules and guidelines are needed to manage the business and its customers in the transformed dimension. Some studies have conducted research and analysed findings according to the transformational impact on the organisations showing that early adopters of e-business show a trend towards cost reductions and administrative efficiencies while more mature users focus on strategic level change and advantage (Ash and Burn, 2003). Other researchers have studied the challenges that major organisations have encountered while expanding their ebusiness transformation strategy (Ranganathan, Shetty and Muthukumaran, 2004). Managers therefore need to develop a better understanding of the theory and processes associated with the transformation in an e-business context. This paper reviews the findings of field research and uses it as a basis to propose a new model of transformation which may guide future research and lead to a better understanding of what is involved in the process. © 2008 iKMS & World Scientific Publishing Co