Understanding citizens\u27 behavioural intention in the adoption of e-government services in the state of Qatar

This paper examines the views of travel consumers that search for information online in relation to the specific benefits and concerns identified with user-generated content (UGC). Real contrasts in relation to views about UGC content were identified in the literature. For instance, UGC is perceived as being ‘credible’ or ‘not credible’ as an information source depending upon the view of the user. The paper reports research that examined the use of UGC by online travel consumers, sourced from an Australian tourism organisation’s online subscriber database. The study highlighted a similar range of areas that were seen as benefits and concerns in the use of UGC to support travel decisions as identified in the literature – and also similar contrasts. The most notable of these is the level of trustworthiness and reliability that is associated with the postings – they can be trusted because they are \u27real\u27 experiences by \u27real\u27 people who are independent – but can also be not trustworthy because the content that is posted may be faked by someone with a vested interest. Similar paradoxes existed elsewhere. One of the theoretical contributions of the paper is the derivation of a matrix for classifying recommendations associated with online UGC

An Innovation Diffusion Approach to Examining the Adoption of Social Media by Small Businesses: an Australian Case Study

Whilst many studies have examined social media use from a consumer perspective, relatively few have examined its use by small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), a group for whom it is becoming increasingly important. This study aims to provide a deeper understanding of an under-researched area, the experience of SMEs during the process of adopting social media, by identifying the factors that influence SMEs to either adopt social media or not and, if they adopt it, how they use it and evaluate its usefulness. The study involves analysis of in-depth interviews with 42 Australian businesses. Roger’s innovation decision process is used in an innovative manner to classify SMEs into five key stages of adoption of social media and identify the factors that influence the progression of SMEs across the various stages of adoption. The results show that the story of social media use is richer than just whether SMEs adopt it or not. Most participants used Facebook, suggesting it has become the de facto platform of choice to engage with social media. However, opinions of its perceived usefulness for SMEs varied widely across users. There was confusion surrounding the role of Twitter, its value, and concern about the amount of time needed to use it. YouTube was used by some SMEs to showcase their products or services. The study contributes to the literature by identifying key facilitators which appear critical to the decision by SMEs to continue use of social media – namely increased sales; brand development and a feeling of pressure that they ‘have to be there’. It also identifies some inhibitors to sustained use by SMEs, typically a lack of compatibility to industry sector; insufficient followership; and limited return on investment compared to effort required. Finally, the study shows how SMEs differentiate between social media platforms. Available at: https://aisel.aisnet.org/pajais/vol9/iss3/2

Strategies for Adopting Consumer-generated Media in Small-sized to Medium-sized Tourism Enterprises

ABSTRACT Consumer-generated media (CGM) are created when consumers submit, review or respond to online content. The bulk of research into CGM has focussed upon its use by consumers, with less research examining the use of CGM by small businesses. This article discusses small business sector use of online technologies such as CGM, concentrating on tourism small businesses as a key industry sector affected by CGM activities. A CGM 'strategy' framework, developed from an existing small business strategy framework, is proposed. This serves as a practical tool for developing CGM strategies and as a theoretical foundation for conducting research into the use of CGM

Whale watching Tourism in Sri Lanka: Visitor Satisfaction and Behavioural Characteristics

The commercial whale watching industry in Sri Lanka, like the tourism industry generally, is experiencing rapid growth in visitor numbers. The challenge for the government is to ensure the sector is managed sustainably which, in-part, requires an understanding of tour participants, their needs and experiences. In order to address this need, a study using the perceived-performance model was undertaken in Mirissa and Galle to examine the profile of whale watching tourists, their tour experiences and spending patterns. In late-2012 and early-2013 a questionnaire constructed in English and Sinhala and containing 28 questions was administered to participants after their tour in both Mirissa and Galle. Study participants indicated that they were overwhelmingly satisfied with all aspects of their tour. Additional the findings indicated that undertaking a whale watching tour was an important influence on their decision to visit Mirissa/Galle and contributed significantly to their enjoyment of their visit to the towns. The results also indicated the economic importance of whale watching to Mirissa and Galle. </p

Trust Perceptions of Online Travel Information by Different Content Creators: Some Social and Legal Implications

Consumers are increasingly turning to the online environment to provide information to assist them in making purchase decisions related to travel products. They often rely on travel recommendations from different sources, such as sellers, independent experts and, increasingly, other consumers. A new type of online content, usergenerated content (UGC), provides a number of legal and social challenges to providers and users of that content, especially in relation to areas such as defamation, misrepresentation and social embarrassment. This paper reports research that examined the level of trustworthiness of online travel information from these different sources. The study used a survey of Australian travel consumers (n= 12,000) and results support the notion that there are differences in the level of trust for online travel information from different sources. Respondents ‘tended to agree’ that they trusted information provided by travel agents, information from commercial operators and comments made by travellers on third party websites. However, the highest level of trust was afforded to information provided on State government tourism websites. These results suggest that greater trust is placed in online travel comments when they are on a specific travel website than when they are on a more generic social networking website. However, respondents were ‘not sure’ that they trusted comments made by travellers on weblogs and on social networking sites. Some 88% of respondents that had not visited UGC websites (or were unsure if they had) indicated that they thought that UGC would be useful in the future – suggesting that they feel that any concerns they may have in relation to legal and social problems resulting from its use will be resolved