Social Aspects in Technology Acceptance: Theory Integration and Development

The success of many new technologies and technology-based applications relies heavily on considering social factors. Contemporary models for technology acceptance either neglect social aspects or cover them in a superficial way. In our study we develop a better understanding of social aspects in technology adoption. We analyze and combine items related to social influence from the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology and the Model of Adoption of Technology in Households and develop a new research model. While testing this model using quantitative data (n=501), one derived construct appears to be weak. Hence, we introduce new items, provide a second round of data collection (n=682), and develop an improved research model, which is validated by the new data. Here, all constructs work as intended. Our second model has a higher coefficient of determination than the first one. We can show that Social Externalities is the most influential social factor towards technology acceptance. We provide the corresponding items for future research

ACCEPTANCE AND USE OF INTERNET BANKING: A DIGITAL DIVIDE PERSPECTIVE

Internet banking offers major advantages for both banks and their customers. However, not all people have equal access or skills to use such services. As banks are interested in migrating customers online, they need to reveal the conditions of internet banking services acceptance and use. The main objective of this study is to understand the factors influencing internet banking adoption taking into account insights from the digital divide theory. In order to explain internet banking usage we developed a research model drawing from the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and Digital Divide research. Moreover, a qualitative pre-study has led to the creation of a new construct: perceived security. The model was tested against comprehensive survey data (n = 503). As a result, more than 90% of the variance of internet banking usage was explained by the elaborated model. Results demonstrate that the strongest factor influencing the intention to adopt internet banking services is the degree to which an individual believes that it is safe to use such services. Hence, this paper contributes to existing technology acceptance literature by introducing the construct of perceived security. Other major implications for theory and practice are discussed

The Role of Gender in Business Process Management Competence Supply

While Business Process Management (BPM) was originally focused on Information Technology as a key factor driving the efficiency and effectiveness of organizational processes, there is now a growing consensus among practitioners and academics that BPM represents a holistic management approach that also takes such factors as corporate governance, human capital, and organizational culture into account. Studies show that the BPM practice faces a shortage of competence supply that stems from a shortage of qualified BPM professionals. At the same time, there is a distinct underrepresentation of women in technology-related fields; it has been suggested that gender stereotypes are one of the reasons for this underrepresentation. The goal of this research paper is, thus, to better understand the role of gender in the BPM competences supply. In this study 10,405 LinkedIn profiles of BPM professionals were analyzed using a text mining technique called Latent Semantic Analysis. Twelve distinct categories of supplied BPM competences were identified and it was investigated how far gender biases exist among BPM professionals. The nature of BPM-related competences is discussed, together with the differences in their presentation by male and female professionals, which indicate potential existence of gender stereotypes. Further, it is discussed how the apparent underrepresentation of women among BPM professionals can be addressed to close the competence gap in the field. The study contributes to both the call for research on human capital in the BPM field, and the calls for research on gender and gender stereotypes in technology-related fields

The impact of IT intervention programs for girls

The goal of our study is to investigate the longitudinal effects of one intervention program for schoolgirls in the Information Technology (IT) field. This bi-annual event has been conducted regularly since 2006 with the aim of confronting a decline in the interest among girls to study IT and promoting study and work opportunities in the field. Each event has been evaluated with pre- and post-event surveys. Longitudinally, both students and teachers have also been surveyed three to four years after the event in which they participated. Results from the 2006 cohort surveyed in 2009-2010 are reported on in this paper. The main conclusion is that, unfortunately, any increase in the uptake of IT in schools that occurred as a result of attending the event was transitory. Therefore, it is crucial that inspiring, engaging, and empowering computing classes are being offered continuously at all secondary schools

ICT Interventions for girls : factors influencing ICT career intentions

Intervention programs aimed at promoting study and work opportunities in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) field to schoolgirls have been encouraged to combat a decline in the interest among girls to study ICT at school. The goal of our study is to investigate the influence of such interventions on schoolgirls’ intentions to choose a career in the ICT field by analysing comprehensive survey data (n = 3577), collected during four interventions in Australia, using the Partial Least Squares method. Our study is also aimed at identifying other factors influencing ICT career intentions. We found that the attitude towards interventions has an indirect influence on ICT career intentions by affecting interest in ICT. Our results also challenge several existing theoretical studies by showing that factors that had previously been suggested as influencers were found to have little or no impact in this study, these being same-sex education and computer usage

ICT Interventions for Schoolgirls Do Matter! Understanding the Factors Influencing ICT Career Intentions through Partial Least Squares Analysis.

Intervention programs aimed at promoting study and work opportunities in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) field to schoolgirls (Interventions) have been encouraged to combat a decline in the interest among girls to study ICT at school. The goal of our study is to investigate the influence of Interventions on schoolgirls’ intentions to choose a career in the ICT field by analysing the  comprehensive survey data (n = 3577), collected during four interventions in Australia, using the Partial Least Squares method. Our study is also aimed at identifying other factors influencing ICT career intentions. We found that the attitude towards interventions has an indirect influence on ICT career intentions by affecting interest in ICT. Our results also challenge several existing theoretical studies by showing that factors that had previously been suggested as influencers were found to have little or no impact in this study, these being same-sex education and computer usage

Achieving Rigor in Literature Reviews: Insights from Qualitative Data Analysis and Tool-Support

It is important for researchers to efficiently conduct quality literature studies. Hence, a structured and efficient approach is essential. We overview work that has demonstrated the potential for using software tools in literature reviews. We highlight the untapped opportunities in using an end-to-end tool-supported literature review methodology. Qualitative data-analysis tools such as NVivo are immensely useful as a means to analyze, synthesize, and write up literature reviews. In this paper, we describe how to organize and prepare papers for analysis and provide detailed guidelines for actually coding and analyzing papers, including detailed illustrative strategies to effectively write up and present the results. We present a detailed case study as an illustrative example of the proposed approach put into practice. We discuss the means, value, and also pitfalls of applying tool-supported literature review approaches. We contribute to the literature by proposing a four-phased tool-supported methodology that serves as best practice in conducting literature reviews in IS. By viewing the literature review process as a qualitative study and treating the literature as the “data set”, we address the complex puzzle of how best to extract relevant literature and justify its scope, relevance, and quality. We provide systematic guidelines for novice IS researchers seeking to conduct a robust literature review

Overproduction of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens extracellular glutamyl-endopeptidase as a result of ectopic multi-copy insertion of an efficiently-expressed mpr gene into the Bacillus subtilis chromosome

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Plasmid-less, engineered <it>Bacillus </it>strains have several advantages over plasmid-carrier variants. Specifically, their stability and potential ecological safety make them of use in industrial applications. As a rule, however, it is necessary to incorporate many copies of a key gene into a chromosome to achieve strain performance that is comparable to that of cells carrying multiple copies of a recombinant plasmid.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A plasmid-less <it>B. subtilis </it>JE852-based strain secreting glutamyl-specific protease (GSP-the protein product of the <it>mpr </it>gene from <it>B. amyloliquefaciens</it>) was constructed that exhibits decreased levels of other extracellular proteases. Ten copies of an <it>mpr^B.amy</it>cassette in which the GSP gene was placed between the promoter of the <it>B. amyloliquefaciens rplU-rpmA </it>genes and the Rho-independent transcription terminator were ectopically inserted into designated (3 copies) and random (7 copies) points in the recipient chromosome. The resulting strain produced approximately 0.5 g/L of secreted GSP after bacterial cultivation in flasks with starch-containing media, and its performance was comparable to an analogous strain in which the <it>mpr^B.amy</it>cassette was carried on a multi-copy plasmid.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>A novel strategy for ectopically integrating a cassette into multiple random locations in the <it>B. subtilis </it>chromosome was developed. This new method is based on the construction of DNA fragments in which the desired gene, marked by antibiotic resistance, is sandwiched between "front" and "back" portions of random chromosomal DNA restriction fragments. These fragments were subsequently inserted into the targeted sites of the chromosome using double-cross recombination. The construction of a marker-free strain was achieved by gene conversion between the integrated marked gene and a marker-less variant carried by plasmid DNA, which was later removed from the cells.</p

SOURCES OF SOCIAL OPTIMISM: THE INTERGENERATIONAL ANALYSIS

В статье представлены результаты межпоколенческого анализа социального оптимизма и источников его сохранения в условиях регионального социума. Социальный оптимизм рассматривается как позитивное определение важнейших измерений социального бытия индивидов и их групп. Конкретизированы и представлены в специально разработанной анкете компоненты социального оптимизма – позитивное самочувствие, причастность к общественной жизни региона, удовлетворенность властью, вера в завтрашний день, позитивное отношение к переменам, позитивная оценка социальной инфраструктуры, удовлетворенность своим социальным окружением. Показано, что процесс развития социального оптимизма в поколенческих группах имеет свои особенности и поддерживается разными ресурсными характеристиками. В группе «дети перестройки» источниками сохранения и наращивания социального оптимизма служит интернальный локус контроля, региональная идентичность и социальный капитал. Для «детей нулевых» приобретают больший вес такие источники, как диспозиционный оптимизм и уровень экономических притязаний. В группе «дети застоя» важную роль играют информированность о положительных явлениях в жизни и реалистичность уровня экономических притязаний. Главными источниками оптимизма в группе «дети Победы» служат социальный капитал и региональная идентичность. Результаты проведенного исследования указывают, что выработка мер по формированию социального оптимизма должна опираться на дифференцированный подход, который должен учитывать: а) особенности выраженности компонентов социального оптимизма и их структуры в поколенческих группах; б) анализ конкретных источников, питающих оптимизм в поколенческих группах, и обеспечивающих сохранение его на оптимальном уровне.The article presents the results of the intergenerational analysis of social optimism and the sources of its preservation in the conditions of regional socium. Social optimism is viewed as a positive definition of the most important dimensions of the social life of individuals and their groups. The components of social optimism are formulated and presented in a specially designed questionnaire – positive self-image, involvement in community life, satisfaction with authorities, confidence in tomorrow, a positive attitude towards change, a positive assessment of social infrastructure, satisfaction with social environment. It is shown that the process of development of social optimism in generational groups has its own characteristics and is supported by different resource characteristics. In the group of “children of perestroika”, the sources of preservation and escalating social optimism are the internal locus of control, regional identity and social capital. For “children of 2000’s” acquire more weight such sources as dispositional optimism and the level of economic aspirations. In the “children of stagnation” group, awareness of positive events in life and the realistic level of economic claims play an important role. The main sources of optimism in the “Victory children” group are social capital and regional identity. The results of the study indicate that the development of measures for the formation of social optimism should be based on a differentiated approach, which should take into account: a) the features of the expression of the components of social optimism and their structure in generation groups; b) analysis of specific sources feeding optimism in generational groups