Factors Influencing User Adherence towards Privacy Standards of Internet of Things Devices

The upsurge in the use of Internet of things (IoT) devices increases the likelihood of cyber-attacks on end users. The objective of the study reported here was to investigate the factors that influence IoT device users’ adherence to privacy standards. This interpretivist exploratory research was guided by a three-phased approach using activity theory. The interview questions were derived from the conceptual model and themes analysed using deductive thematic analysis. The findings indicate that a lack of adherence is driven by a lack of trust in IoT devices and service providers, as well as convenience and health factors. In addition, users’ personality, awareness, and surroundings also influence adherence to IoT device privacy standards. This study proposes that IoT adherence to device privacy standards may be promoted by increased awareness raising and education

THE ROLE OF CONTRADICTIONS AND NORMS IN HEALTH INSURANCE CLAIMS PLATFORMISATION: AN INTER-ORGANISATIONAL PERSPECTIVE

This study aims to understand the role of contradictions and norms in health insurance claims platformisation from an inter-organisation system perspective. The study is situated in a developing country context of Ghana. A growing body of information systems research on digital platforms as a vehicle to organise public healthcare exists and continues to evolve; however, the inter-organisational perspective has received little attention. Even less is the focus on the complex relationship between the health insurance sector and health care providers. This paper, therefore, applies a sociotechnical approach using activity theory as the analytical lens and qualitative interpretive case study as the methodology. It depicts how contradictions between the various levels of the activity system influence platformisation between organisations in the health system. The findings have implications for policy research and practice

Towards ‘Onlife’ Education. How Technology is Forcing Us to Rethink Pedagogy

[EN] The objective of this chapter is twofold: on the one hand, to provide an explanation for the need we have today to rethink pedagogy based on new realities and the scenarios in which we live, also in education, generated by the technology of our time and, on the other hand, to point out the direction in which we can find a path that leads us to that reflection in the face of the inevitable convergence between technology and pedagogy in which we are today

Collective Learning for Developing Cyber Defense Consciousness: An Activity System Analysis

This paper explores the perceptions of undergraduate students experiencing an educational intervention in a cybersecurity course. The intervention was developed using activity theory. Laboratory activities were designed to ‘protect’ and ‘poke around’ systems and networks in a sandbox cloud environment. These activities provided dynamic opportunities to tackle cyber challenges through teamwork. Transcripts of interviews with students (working as system administrators) were analyzed to describe the development of their cyber defense consciousness. Activity system node analysis reveals the transformative development of cybersecurity consciousness over time that involves the internalization of skills and knowledge; reliance on community for support, information, and acculturation; working with others through the division of labor; as well as their struggle with the demands of cybersecurity work. The cyber defense activity model further unveils the potential of collective learning in teams as depicted by four mediated relationships. The study contributes by building a foundation for a pedagogical approach that transforms the cyber defense consciousness through the collective learning activity model

A Review and Analysis of Process at the Nexus of Instructional and Software Design

This dissertation includes a literature review and a single case analysis at the nexus of instructional design and technology and software development. The purpose of this study is to explore the depth and breadth of educational software design and development processes, and educational software reuse, with the intent of uncovering barriers to software development, software re-use and software replication in educational contexts. First, a thorough review of the academic literature was conducted on a representative sampling of educational technology studies. An examination of a 15-year time period within four representative journals identified 72 studies that addressed educational software to some extent. An additional sampling of the initial results identified 50 of those studies that discussed software the development process. These were further analyzed for evidence of software re-use and replication. Review results found a lack of reusable and/or replication-focused reports of instructional software development in educational technology journals, but found some reporting of educational technology reuse and replication from articles outside of educational technology. Based on the analysis, possible reasons for this occurrence are discussed. The author then proposes how a model for conducting and presenting instructional software design and development research based on the constructs of design-based research and cultural-historical activity theory might help mitigate this gap. Finally, the author presents a qualitative analysis of the software development process within a large, design-based educational technology project using cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) as a lens. Using CHAT, the author seeks to uncover contradictions between the working worlds of instructional design and technology and software development with the intent of demonstrating how to mitigate tensions between these systems, and ultimately to increase the likelihood of reusable/replicable educational technologies. Findings reveal myriad tensions and social contradictions centered around the translation of instructional goals and requirements into software design and development tasks. Based on these results, the researcher proposes an educational software development framework called the iterative and integrative instructional software design framework that may help alleviate these tensions and thus make educational software design and development more productive, transparent, and replicable

How the healthcare-seeking socio-cultural context shapes maternal health clients' mHealth utilisation in a Kenyan context

Problem Statement: Many developing countries are still grappling with poor health as a result of strained healthcare systems. Top among health inequalities is maternal care with maternal mortality rates being almost 19 times higher in developing countries than in their developed counterparts. mHealth presents the potential for developing countries to overcome some of the traditional healthcare challenges. However, despite the compelling evidence for the potential of maternal mHealth from the plethora of effectiveness studies, why when and how interventions work/do not work in different contexts are not fully understood. Socio-cultural factors are one of the most cited reasons for variance in uptake and utilisation of such technologies. To date, research explaining how socio-cultural factors shape mHealth utilisation is sparse. Purpose of the study: The main objective of the study was to explain how mHealth utilisation behaviour emerges within the healthcare-seeking socio-cultural context. To achieve the objective, the study identified the socio-cultural characteristics of the maternal healthcareseeking context and analysed the user-technology interaction within this context. Research methodology: Building on the foundation that human experiences are best understood in situ, the study adopted explanatory methods guided by an interpretivist paradigm. The study drew upon Activity Theory as a lens to understand the maternal mHealth utilisation phenomenon. Hence, we theorised healthcare-seeking as an activity whose cultural aspects were further understood using Hofstede typology of culture. The study used a Kenyan maternal mHealth intervention to elucidate the phenomenon. We employed semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, observations, informal discussions, and document review to gather data. The sample was purposively selected and comprised various maternal health stakeholders: maternal health clients, their partners, project implementers and healthcare professionals. Key findings: The results of the study show that the healthcare-seeking socio-cultural context which is characterised by socio-cultural attributes such as high-power distance, high uncertainty avoidance, gendered relations, and collectivism shapes mHealth utilisation behaviour in a dialectical process. This process takes place as maternal health clients shape and are shaped by mHealth within their healthcare-seeking socio-cultural context through a process of internalisation and externalisation. From an internalisation perspective, uncertainties and risks in the maternal healthcare-seeking context resulted in hesitated adoption. Contextual perceptions of usefulness of the intervention resulted in the use of mHealth to substitute other healthcare structures while having different perceptions of the role of mHealth created dissonance among the maternal health clients. With regards to externalisation, maternal health clients adopted legitimisation strategies to reduce uncertainties and to develop trust required for initial and continued use of the intervention. They legitimised both the intervention artifact, and the information. Since the mHealth intervention presented appropriate social cues, being accompanied by the expected health provider's persona, maternal health clients readily humanised the intervention. The contextual social norms around pregnancy also presented a need for the maternal health clients to make their mHealth use an ‘appropriate behaviour' by negotiating use with relevant stakeholders in the context. Finally, in response to mHealth technology paradoxes that challenged the very motive of healthcare-seeking, maternal health clients coped by abandoning mHealth, or otherwise accommodating it. Originality/contribution: This study contributed to knowledge, theory, and practice. First, the study suggests theoretical propositions that explain how mHealth utilisation behaviour emerges. These findings may be useful to similar developing-country contexts. A further contribution to theory emerges from the use of Activity Theory to understand the phenomenon. The study helps to operationalise Activity Theory concepts in Information Systems research. Second, the study provides recommendations to practise with regard to the design and implementation of mHealth interventions. These insights may be useful to mHealth designers and implementers in designing mHealth solutions that are contextually relevant. Here, we propose the consideration of mHealth intervention characteristics that will aid utilisation, involving healthcare professionals and other community stakeholders in mHealth implementation and integrating mHealth into existing healthcare structures

Activity theory as a lens for managerial innovation in the Kuwaiti Amiri Guard

This research explores managerial innovation (MI) and its embeddedness in the characteristics of a public-sector military organisation. MI reflects novel organisational structures, administrative systems, management practices, processes, and techniques with value-creation potential for organisations. Moreover, it facilitates organisational development through the utilisation of new approaches so that resources can be utilised to their full potential. Innovation has primarily been associated with the private sector, where the concept and definitions were initially developed. Therefore, to investigate MI in the military, a less frequently explored domain, a systematic analysis of MI in the public- and private-sector contexts becomes necessary.This research focuses its lens on the manner in which MI is realised with respect to the organisational activities in a military setting. To achieve this, the activities were viewed within the context of the policies/rules/regulations and those individuals who perform their respective roles in carrying out the organisational activities. Furthermore, focus was placed on the tools utilised or necessary to successfully conduct the organisational activities. To understand the organisational setting in terms of the activities requiring MI implementation, activity theory was utilised to provide a basis to explore the organisational setting in view of three dimensions: the subjects, objects, and tools of MI. This researcher selected the Kuwaiti Amiri Guard as the case study for this investigation, which is responsible for military duties such as providing protection for the heads of state and the Royal Palaces. This case was selected since, to date, no investigation has been conducted to explore the military organisation, despite the Kuwait Vision 2035's focus on the need to develop a sustainable diversified economy, creative human capital, and progressive infrastructure. An in-depth systematic literature review was undertaken for consideration of the MI concepts that exist in the public sector. From this review, the conceptualisation of a framework was derived and inspired from activity theory, which led to the adoption of an activity system in order to facilitate understanding of how MI might evolve within certain public-sector military organisations. Qualitative data were then collected through semi-structured interviews with 25 key decision makers and leaders of the Kuwaiti Amiri Guard (i.e., the head of the organisation, heads of branch, and unit leaders), while the data analysis utilised template analysis and grounded theory.The data analysis found that the current MI practice within the organisation involves a certain degree of top-down directed innovation, with potential to shift this MI practice towards greater directed and undirected (bottom-up) innovation through innovative skills, leading to the creation of an organisational structure grounded in innovative practice. However, the investigation identified limited resources and capabilities available for MI implementation. Furthermore, the study found insufficient opportunities for MI development due to time pressures, the interactivity of human resources, and the technical capability. The need to integrate the tools of MI (e.g., information and communication technology, the internet of (military) things, and management information systems) at the organisation was found to be restricted by issues relating to non-inclusive decision-making, availability of funds, the rigid organisational structure, and the lack of dedicated MI professionals (talent) or an MI department. However, the case study identified a willingness to adopt MI practices and recognition of where these could benefit the activities of the organisation, thus presenting the Kuwaiti Amiri Guard as an MI-friendly organisation where MI implementation can prosper and help fulfil the organisation's obligations under the Kuwait Vision 2035 strategic development plan. A Kuwaiti Amiri Guard Theoretical MI Framework emerged from the data analysis, which can enable GCC-based military organisations, and public-sector organisations in other nations featuring similar contexts, to utilise the framework for the evaluation of their current MI usage and the scope to develop the full potential of the organisation through the transformation process. The internal and external validity of the resulting MI framework were determined in this study through its appraisal and the responses from three military organisations based in Kuwait. The developed framework will enable the assessment of the organisational subjects of MI (i.e., the processes, mechanisms, and systems of management), objects of MI (i.e., the leaders, management, and staff) and tools of MI (i.e., ICT advancement and integration) to realise the benefits of information accuracy, cost-savings, efficiencies, improved collaboration, and increased performance. Furthermore, this study presents a roadmap as an empirical resource for military organisations sharing similar characteristics to develop innovation adoption through the domains of management, leadership, technology, and environment.This research contributes to the paucity of literature in the domain of MI in the military field by extending our understanding of MI concepts in the research context of a military organisation in the Gulf region in general, and in Kuwait in particular. Moreover, the research contributes to knowledge through the development of the Kuwaiti Amiri Guard Theoretical MI Framework, which provides an opportunity for such military organisations to conduct an in-depth analysis of the existing MI pillars and to identify where improvements may be achieved. A further methodological contribution is made through the research methodology and case study coding approach, applied to investigate a military context in a GCC country, namely the Kuwaiti Amiri Guard. This study believes that the developed research methodology has potential for application more widely in military and public-sector organisations that share similarities with the case study in this investigation, thus highlighting the potential transferability of the research methodology