Conceptual model for cloud ERP adoption for SMEs

The Small and Medium Enterprise industry is experiencing a major transformation towards cloud ERP systems. These systems can organize, and maintain data remotely, accept a pay-as-you- use method and enhance related information through a cloud computing platform. Hence, this makes the cloud ERP system crucial for their sustainability and enables them to become competitive in the market. However, the adoption rate of cloud ERP among Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) has been recorded as slightly low compared to other enterprise systems like Customer Relationship Management. This could be attributed to unclear adoption factors among SMEs and the lack of a theoretical model that can enhance the predictive power to adopt a cloud ERP system. To address this gap, the objective of this study is to develop a conceptual model by which to investigate the broad factors which influence or inhibit the adoption of cloud ERP, the model based on TOE, DOI and FVM. Thus, this model intends to help SMEs managers understand and increase predictive capacity on cloud ERP adoption. The model has been constructed using four dimensions, namely; task, technology, organization and environmental. Findings from this study are projected to be able to instruct SMEs decision-makers on the factors that will lead to successful adoption. The proposed model will be a critical lens for decision-makers on cloud ERP adoption

Phosphorus–iron interaction in sediments : can an electrode minimize phosphorus release from sediments?

All restoration strategies to mitigate eutrophication depend on the success of phosphorus (P) removal from the water body. Therefore, the inputs from the watershed and from the enriched sediments, that were the sink of most P that has been discharged in the water body, should be controlled. In sediments, iron (hydr)oxides minerals are potent repositories of P and the release of P into the water column may occur upon dissolution of the iron (hydr)oxides mediated by iron reducing bacteria. Several species of these bacteria are also known as electroactive microorganisms and have been recently identified in lake sediments. This capacity of bacteria to transfer electrons to electrodes, producing electricity from the oxidation of organic matter, might play a role on P release in sediments. In the present work it is discussed the relationship between phosphorus and iron cycling as well as the application of an electrode to work as external electron acceptor in sediments, in order to prevent metal bound P dissolution under anoxic conditions.The authors are grateful to two anonymous reviewers of a previous version of the manuscript for the constructive comments and suggestions. The authors also acknowledge the Grant SFRH/BPD/80528/2011 from the Foundation for Science and Technology, Portugal, awarded to Gilberto Martins

Using AHP method to evaluate e-payment system factors influencing mobile banking use in Iranian banks

In the mobile banking technology, the electronic payment systems need to be assessed from different viewpoints to boost the performance of these systems. Therefore, in this research, a multi-criteria decision making model is developed comprising the key factors that impact the mobile banking usage in the Iranian banks. From the literature, we developed a research model including four main criteria and 22 sub-criteria. AHP as the multi-criteria decision making method is used for ranking the criteria and sub-criteria to incorporate the research model. The obtained data from 12 experts in online banking systems were analysed by using Expert Choice software. The pairwise comparisons results revealed that the main criterion, the most important factor that influences the use of Iranian mobile banking, was the security infrastructure. Additionally, as the sub-criteria, authorisation in legal infrastructure, trust in socio-economical infrastructure, security in security infrastructure, and flexibility in technical infrastructure had high priority

Mentoring an Entrepreneur: Guide for a Mentor

A mentor plays an important role in entrepreneurial development of an individual. He guides entrepreneurs from conception of business to product development and business growth. Previous literature on entrepreneurial learning is disseminated and not properly organized; it is difficult to even find pertinent and comprehensive articles on entrepreneurial learning. The research proposed in this article helps mentors to understand and find out what type of entrepreneurs need what kind of mentoring support. This article proposes a conceptual model for mentors and discusses that an entrepreneur may need different mentoring support and skills depending on the type of entrepreneurs, personality traits, or decision-making style and phase at which entrepreneurs are at that moment. This article will also help mentors in understanding what type of skills entrepreneurs need at each stage of mentoring relationship, that is, initiation, cultivation, separation, and redefinition stage

Mentoring an Entrepreneur

A mentor plays an important role in entrepreneurial development of an individual. He guides entrepreneurs from conception of business to product development and business growth. Previous literature on entrepreneurial learning is disseminated and not properly organized; it is difficult to even find pertinent and comprehensive articles on entrepreneurial learning. The research proposed in this article helps mentors to understand and find out what type of entrepreneurs need what kind of mentoring support. This article proposes a conceptual model for mentors and discusses that an entrepreneur may need different mentoring support and skills depending on the type of entrepreneurs, personality traits, or decision-making style and phase at which entrepreneurs are at that moment. This article will also help mentors in understanding what type of skills entrepreneurs need at each stage of mentoring relationship, that is, initiation, cultivation, separation, and redefinition stage

Requirements engineering of Malaysia’s radiation and nuclear emergency plan simulator

Responses to disastrous radiation and nuclear meltdown incidents require a large and complex emergency health and social care capacity planning framework. Incompleteness, inconsistency, and infeasibility of the provided requirements of the proposed planning framework might create unnecessary conflicts during the system development. In this paper, we propose the requirements engineering of an emergency preparedness and response simulation model for the Malaysian radiation and nuclear emergency plan simulator. This simulator development refers to an empirical interpretive approach following the pragmatism view. This approach involves the construction of the dedicated simulator by interpreting insights and document analysis relevant to the stakeholders in the respective emergency plan in order to plan and manage responses to emergencies and disasters. Dedicated process models (overall process map and workflow diagram) explain that, those organisations unable to define and identify the disaster coordinator roles and responsibilities, resources and equipment may contribute 65.63% of emergency plan disorder and severe calamities. Those models are able to materialise the structure of a simulation workflow in order to demonstrate in training the emergency response prerequisites rather than intervention principles alone. It is likely that, this approach is significantly useful and justifies a mixture of tacit and explicit knowledge among the emergency plan experts. Therefore, a strategic, simplified and prevailing radiation and nuclear emergency plan simulator can be attained, though it is certainly as complex

Analyzing and sense making of human factors in the Malaysian radiation and nuclear emergency planning framework

The evolution of current Radiation and Nuclear Emergency Planning Framework (RANEPF) simulator emphasizes on the human factors to be analyzed and interpreted according to the stakeholder's tacit and explicit knowledge. These human factor criteria are analyzed and interpreted according to the "sense making theory" and Disaster Emergency Response Management Information System (DERMIS) design premises. These criteria are corroborated by the statistical criteria. In recent findings, there were no differences of distributions among the stakeholders according to gender and organizational expertise. These criteria are incrementally accepted and agreed the research elements indicated in the respective emergency planning frameworks and simulator (i.e. 78.18 to 84.32, p-value <0.05). This paper suggested these human factors criteria in the associated analyses and theoretical perspectives to be further acomodated in the future simulator development. This development is in conjunction with the proposed hypothesis building of the process factors and responses diagram. We proposed that future work which implies the additional functionality of the simulator, as strategized, condensed and concise, comprehensive public disaster preparedness and intervention guidelines, to be a useful and efficient computer simulation