An Investigation of Online Navigation Patterns of Consumers Across Cultures

Researchers have been interested in understanding the online purchase intentions of consumers. It’s interesting to see why consumers differ in the way they navigate the Internet. However, it’s still not very well explored as to what role a country\u27s cultural variables play in online purchase behavior of its users. The goal of this dissertation is to identify the determinant variables of online buying behavior of users from different cultural environments. Hofstede\u27s cultural dimensions are used to understand some of the differences. This study also conceptualizes attitudes toward search on mobile devices vs. desktops. The search behavior on mobile devices is analyzed based on demographic profiles of the e-shoppers. In Chapter 1, the background of the research is set by looking into the web adoption patterns for multiple needs, and the distinction is made between the users’ behaviors focused on actual use of the services offered versus the internet access for general purpose i.e., without any specific service in mind. This helps segment the consumers based on demographic variables and the social context of the user. The primary factors affecting the internet penetration rate in different countries are looked into too. This gives an important perspective of the key foundation of the e-commerce industry i.e., access to Internet to the populace — which forms the superset of potential buyers. The effects of high education, per capita income and telephone connectivity are explored. It\u27s intuitive to see that credit card penetration level will have a positive correlation with the online purchase rate. In this research, it is found that countries with low credit card penetration have less e-commerce even though the cash on delivery option is available there. In chapter 2, the consumer behavior in different countries is analyzed through the lens of Hofstede\u27s cultural dimensions – Uncertainty avoidance (UAI), Individualism vs. Collectivism (IDV), Masculinity (MAS) and Long-term orientation (LTO). We use the browsing behavior data of the top 5 e-commerce websites of 45 countries obtained through the Alexa website. In order to approach a conceptualization of cultural dimensions with regards to the web, we work with Hofstede’s cultural dimensions and consider how cultures might affect user interface design. It is found that consumers from countries that are high on uncertainty avoidance search for longer durations. In addition to that, consumers from countries high on collectivism are more likely to come to a shopping website from social media websites as compared to that from search engine websites. With the data collected from Globalwebindex platform, the online purchasing drivers for 36 countries are also explored and it is found that the social network\u27s influence on purchase decision is more for countries with low IDV scores and the chances to buy on social network are less for users of high IDV countries. Similarly, we find that users from countries with low UAI and high IDV are more likely to use private browsing window during the online purchase as it protects the users\u27 browsing behavior data on e-commerce websites. And it\u27s also found that users from countries low on IDV are more likely to write post-purchase online reviews. The results support the conjecture that examining the cultural dimensions and customers\u27 attitudes for online shopping is critically important for e-commerce players intending to make their mark in the global arena. They should consider these different types of online buying behaviors when it comes to web design. In chapter 3, we attempt to model consumer choice behavior towards web search engines, taking into account users\u27 demographic and cultural dimensions too. The factors that contribute towards the choice of a consideration set of web search engines are explored—using consideration set theory. The choice of the number of web search engines is modeled, taking into account three different categories of variables i.e., ‘who’ – which includes consumer characteristics including cultural dimensions, ‘what’ – which includes information search characteristics and ‘why’ – which includes attitudinal characteristics. Results of the study indicate that \u27Age\u27 and \u27Uncertainty Avoidance\u27 have significant effect on choice of number of search engines by consumers. Attitudinal characteristics don\u27t contribute significantly towards explaining the choice behavior towards web search engines but information search parameters are significant in that regard. In chapter 4, the roles of uncertainty avoidance and the demographic variables are identified in online purchase behavior of mobile-only-internet-users (MOIU) vs. desktop-internet users. It is found that the countries with high IDV scores have higher percentage of MOIU and UAI has no effect irrespective of the fact that internet access with mobile devices offers less data privacy. The more individualistic nations have better infrastructure, they have more opportunities to use other mobile devices like iPad and laptop to access the Internet. So, they are less likely to be mobile only. The effect of income per capita on a PPP (Purchasing Power Parity) basis has no significant effect on MOIU. An explanation for it could be the one mentioned above—the required infrastructure not being in place for potential users to access the Internet on desktops. In addition to that, it is found that the effect of IDV scores and the age of users— on MOIU number—are significant too. Also, the young users, aged between 25 – 35 years, are much more likely to fall into the MOIU category, irrespective of which country they are from. In chapter 5, we conclude with our findings and identify the limitations and the future research directions

Empirical Investigation of the Role of Privacy and Data Protection in the Implementation of Electronic Government in Ghana

This study investigates the role of privacy and data protection in the implementation of e-government in developing countries. It examines the privacy and data protection issues which arise when e-government is introduced in Ghana. E-government is a way that governments liaise with their various departments and agencies through the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs). Through e-government, governments are able to provide better, effective and efficient services to their citizens. This new form of governments’ delivering services electronically to their citizens, businesses and various departments potentially offers benefits (for example, economic development, low costs and improved services) to society. However the implementation of e-government carries potential risks to users. The potential for online identity theft and fraud raises privacy concerns. From a theoretical foundation, fieldwork in Ghana, through interviews and focus groups, is used to investigate the issue of privacy and data protection in e-government implementation in an empirical setting. Interviewees included senior civil servants, political leaders, members of the Select Committee on Communication, academics, university students as well as stakeholders from private and public organisations. The research borrowed from the Straussian grounded theory approach as a technique to analyse the fieldwork data. The results of the study indicate that privacy and data protection does not currently play a significant role in e-government implementation in a developing country such as Ghana. Other factors such as access to information and communication technologies (Internet accessibility) and e-skills were found to be challenges which significantly impact individuals’ use of e-government. The study found that there is a low privacy concern among Ghanaian citizens. This was found to be significantly related to a lack of awareness of privacy issues; and also the national cultural dimensions of Ghanaian society. The study concludes by emphasising the importance of government investing in ICT infrastructure and public education to raise awareness of e-government services, as well as privacy and data protection issues. Implications for research and policy makers are discussed. The study suggests future research to investigate the further impact of privacy awareness on individuals’ adoption of e-government in a collectivist society such as Ghana.Government of Ghan

The role of strong ties in empowering women entrepreneurs in collectivist contexts.

This study examines what social ties within collectivist settings mean for women's venturing and how these ties support women in gaining empowerment through their ventures. Thirteen in-depth semi-structured interviews with women entrepreneurs located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) were conducted to examine the influence of social ties in their ventures. The findings reveal that women in this context, contrary to most reported findings in the extant literature, both rely more on and find strong ties more conducive than weak ties in most of their entrepreneurial behaviours and activities. Results also show how the UAE's collectivist cultural norms shape social networks and inform individual decision-making, resource acquisition, well-being and self-efficacy as well as enhance women's empowerment through entrepreneurship. The women entrepreneurs were found to leverage their social ties for both power and action throughout their entrepreneurial journey consistent with their culture. A conceptual model, derived from the results of a qualitative study, illustrating the relationships between women entrepreneurs' use of social ties and the empowering capacities of venturing within a collectivist cultural context is developed. Based on these findings, the authors discuss the implications for policymakers and recommend avenues for future research, and research designs, on women entrepreneurs in collectivist contexts

Determinants of the Generalized Trust Radius in Scripted Fragile Sub-Saharan African States

Trust between strangers does not come easily in collectivist societies governed by coercive institutions and subject to unstable market forces. More than one-third of all states are fragile, yet the trust literature has shown little interest in explaining the variability of generalized trust among them; instead fixating on social capital, the consequence of the expansion of generalized trust, putting the cart before the horse and leaving unexamined many of its causes. The enhanced accuracy of the reconfigured World Values Survey trust question has generated new research opportunities to address this concern. This dissertation advances the trust literature through identifying, measuring, and explaining the full social effect on generalized trust in fragile states through group proximity and civil society power differential. Sociological institutionalism and social capital theory provide the theoretical framework for modeling and explaining structural social effects leading to the improbable expansion of generalized trust in the highly scripted fragile sub-Saharan African states of Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, and Nigeria. These purposefully deviant and least likely test cases are examined using within- and cross-case analysis of necessary and sufficient conditions through most similar multiple comparative case analysis, affirming or confirming most hypotheses. The expansion of generalized trust requires sustained and usually incentivized positive inter-group interaction. In fragile states, most inter-group interaction is conflictual and occurs through civil society because individuals have little capital with which to engage in the market and the state is dysfunctional. The generalized trust radius is likely to widen the more proximate and consociational its civil society is, regardless of how fragile the state is. This dissertation enlarges and strengthens the social explanation for generalized trust variability in fragile states, filling a significant gap in the literature and establishing a research design and model for future research to replicate in other fragile regions

Mobile banking and mobile payment acceptance

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor in Information Management, specialization in Information and Decision SystemsTechnological advancements registered in the last three decades have revolutionized the financial industry, promoting major changes in the financial services provided. The spread of Internet-enabled phones, smart phones and tablets combined with fast and reliable communications networks, have encourage banks and service providers to provide a new set of self-service banking applications to mobile devices. These facts combined with the globalisation of business and systems are reinforcing the need to acquire a deeper understand on the impact of the acceptance of mobile services. With this dissertation we intend to contribute to a better understanding of the determinants of mobile banking and mobile payments services acceptance and use, at individual level. For this reason we developed a total of five different studies; four about mobile banking and one about the mobile payment. We started in chapter two with a mobile banking literature weight and meta-analysis. The impact of culture in the mobile banking acceptance in an African developing country is analysed in chapter three, trying to better identify how culture influences individual use behaviour. In chapter four we study the mobile payment, trying to identify the direct and indirect effects on the determinants of adoption and the intention to recommend this technology. In chapter five we return to mobile banking, intending to identify the potential impact of the utilization of game mechanics and game design techniques in the acceptance of these services. In the fifth and last study, presented in chapter six, we analyse data from three different countries in three distinct continents, combining acceptance with trust and risk, simultaneously capturing success and resistance factors towards mobile banking intention and use behaviour. In epistemological terms, we adopted a posture characteristic of positivism. With regard the theoretical framework, besides the weight and meta-analysis study, we use the extended unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT2) (Venkatesh et al., 2012) in all the studies; namely combining it with (i) cultural moderators (Hofstede, 1980) in the third chapter, (ii) the innovation characteristics of the diffusion of innovations (DOI) (Rogers, 2003), the perceived technology security, and the intention to recommend constructs in the fourth chapter, (iii) a gamification impact construct in the fifth chapter, and (iv) trust and risk model (Bélanger & Carter, 2008) in the sixth chapter. This work provides several contributions for research and practice, contributing to the advancement of knowledge, exploring and discussing direct implications for banks, financial institutions, service providers, service managers, IT and marketing departments, users, and researchers. The innovative models that we use in our work combine the strengths and constructs from well-known theoretical models, providing a solid foundation to our studies. In summary, considering all studies and datasets used, the intention best drivers were (i) habit, found significant in three studies and five datasets and (ii) performance expectancy, found significant in all five studies and in six datasets, and in the use best drivers were (i) habit, found significant in three studies and five datasets and (ii) intention, found significant in two studies. Considering the studies individually, collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, short term, and power distance were found to be the most significant cultural moderators, providing new insights into factors affecting the acceptation and how culture influences individual use behaviour. In terms of mobile payment, the relevance of customer’s intention to recommend mobile payment technology in social networks and other means of communication was confirmed, supporting the recommendation to include it in social marketing campaigns and in future technology adoption studies. A direct and strong relationship between gamification and intention was also confirmed, showing that, when used and designed properly, gamification can help make banking activities more exciting, more interesting, and more enjoyable, and in turn increase customer acceptance, engagement and satisfaction. From the multi-group analysis between countries additional results were found, supporting services customization and marketing campaigns adaptations accordingly. For the intention to use mobile banking, (i) performance expectancy is a more important factor for Portuguese than Brazilian users, (ii) hedonic motivation is a more important factor for Mozambican users than Portuguese or Brazilian ones, and (iii) price value is significant and more important for Mozambican than Portuguese users. For the use behaviour, (i) behavioural intention is a more important factor for Mozambican than Portuguese or Brazilian users and (ii) the facilitating conditions is a more important factor for Mozambican than Portuguese or Brazilian users. A theoretical model based in the best intention and use predictors found in literature is presented, from the weight and meta-analysis’ results, supporting further and future studies in this area

E-commerce and small and medium enterprises (SME) in least developed countries : the case of Tanzania

Includes abstract.Includes bibliographical references.The purpose of the study was to investigate the E-Commerce phenomena in Tanzania with the goal of understanding how E-Commerce is typically made sense of by Tanzanian SMEs and how the sense making is produced, sustained and affected by environmental and organisational conditions. Structuration theory was used as a theoretical lens from which the social construction of the E-Commerce phenomena could be understood. The study primarily adopted a subjective interpretive stance. A preliminary quantitative study using questionnaires and interviews was done to gain an initial understanding of the E-Commerce status quo in Tanzania. The main study was qualitative in nature and used interviews with 33 Tanzanian SMEs as the data collection method

Transfer of training and development practice from western countries MNCs to their subsidiaries in developing countries : the case of french and US MNCs in ivory cost

Cette thèse s'intéresse aux déterminants institutionnels et culturels du transfert de la pratique de formation et du développement des compétences des multinationales françaises et américaines vers leurs filiales en Côte d'Ivoire, un pays Africain en développement. La question fondamentale de recherche est : quels sont les facteurs institutionnels et culturels qui influencent le transfert de la pratique de formation et du développement des compétences des multinationales françaises et américaines vers leurs filiales en Côte d'Ivoire ? Afin de répondre à cette question, cette thèse est subdivisée en trois (03) articles. Le premier article met en évidence les initiatives visant à développer les compétences en Afrique subSaharienne, identifie les challenges qui leurs sont liées et propose des solutions idoines à leur amélioration. Le deuxième article examine les facteurs institutionnels du pays hôte qui influencent le transfert de la pratique de formation et de développement des compétences des multinationales françaises et américaines vers leurs filiales en Côte d'Ivoire. Le troisième article, quant à lui, examine l'influence de la distance culturelle entre les pays d'origine et hôte sur ce transfert.This thesis examines institutional and cultural determinants of training and development practice transfer to French and US MNCs' subsidiaries in Ivory Coast, a developing country of Africa. The fundamental research question is: 1) what institutional and cultural factors influence training and development practice transfer to French and US MNCs' subsidiaries in Ivory Coast? This thesis is divided into three (03) articles to answer this question. The first article highlights human capital development initiatives in Sub-Saharan Africa, identifies challenges related to them, and offers solutions for their improvement. The second article investigates the host country's institutional factors that influence training and development practice transfer to French and US MNCs' subsidiaries in Ivory Coast. The third article examines the influence of the cultural distance between home and host countries on such transfer

Networks, [Mis]trust, and Pentecostal Conversion: narratives of divergent pathways among small Black entrepreneurs in Tshwane

This thesis is an exploration of the cultural meanings, practices, and discourse that impinge upon the workings of social capital and trust among small black entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs need to draw on social networks to get advice and resources to launch and manage a business. The contacts that lead to successful outcomes are their social capital and they are a key component of entrepreneurial networks. Structural economic sociologists tend to emphasise 'structural holes', whereby a social actor who is in a position to bridge two actors with no direct ties to each other can parlay control over information into strategic advantage. Recent sociological literature highlights questions of meaning in networks and brings to the fore concerns with the larger cultural framework within which social networks are embedded. Relational economic sociologists contend that networks can be understood as composed of culturally constituted processes. Studies on the networks of South African entrepreneurs are few and far between, and they seem to suggest that African entrepreneurs don't mobilise social capital as well as their Indian and white counterparts. The research used qualitative approaches, relying on a combination of in-depth open-ended unstructured interviews and prolonged ethnographic immersion which generated rich understandings of entrepreneurs' lived experiences, subjective meanings, and contexts. The findings underscore the cultural contingency of social ties and network structure, suggesting that an entrepreneur's proneness to join particular types of associations and networks, and their ability to generate particular types of social ties and generalised trust has something to do with a range of cultural contingencies. The research devoted special attention to the cultural contingency of religion, bringing to light the entrepreneurial consequences of Pentecostal conversion. These intersect with, and extend far beyond, the networks of small black entrepreneurs, affecting issues at the very heart of entrepreneurship such as risk taking and proactiveness. I borrow the concept of 'cultural holes' to illustrate the contingencies of meaning that shape the networks and the entrepreneurial orientation of small black entrepreneurs and, ultimately, drive their divergent entrepreneurial trajectories. Finally, the study adumbrates a typology of small black entrepreneurs, arguing for the possibility that multiple cultural contingencies may open up alternate understandings of entrepreneurship