An Investigation of Significant Factors Influencing Western Australian Wool Producers to Produce Wool: A Structural Equation Modelling Approach

Why Australian wool producers remained in the business despite the hardship they have experienced for much of the 1990s from low prices of wool? This question was raised frequently by research scientists and policymakers of the wool industry. A recent exploratory study gives a notion that Australian wool production could be a 'lifestyle' choice and/or a choice other than economic reasons. To validate this notion this paper investigates the factors that drive and motivate the Western Australian wool producers, as identified in the exploratory study, by applying a Structural Equation Modelling approach. An innovative mixed research method is adopted in this study. Telephone survey is conducted among a random selection of 290 wool producers in WA. The results suggest that despite some expectations lifestyle factor is not significant in influencing WA wool producers to produce wool. Income, input factor and personal motivation are significant predictors of wool production by WA wool producers. Implications of the results are discussed.Livestock Production/Industries, C21, L2, L7, Q10,

Antecedents of Continuance Intention of RFID Technology in Western Australian Farms

In literature, adoption and continuance of an innovation have been considered as discrete events and discussed in separate models. This study argues that these are interrelated and continuous processes. The objective of this study is to investigate the adoption and continuance behaviour of a technological innovation in a single framework taking Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) as the context. Applying the quantitative research approach, this study finds that external environment, the technology itself, and the organization factors influence RFID adoption whereas the continuance of RFID technology is dependent on confirmation and satisfaction from using the technology. Moreover, confirmation is the immediate next stage of adoption where the adopters justify their adoption decision and take required actions and/or adjustments. Data were analysed using Partial Least Square (PLS)- based Structured Equation Modelling (SEM) tool. The discussion and implications on the findings are discussed in detail

Information and Communication Technology Usage by SMEs in a Developing Country: An Environmental Perspective

The paper addresses organisational usage of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) from a developing country perspective. Applying three dimensions of environmental pressures—coercive pressures, normative pressures and mimetic pressures—with the two fundamental antecedents of Technology Acceptance Model (TAM)—perceived usefulness and ease of use—this study attempts to look at the effects of external forces on the adoption and use of ICT by SMEs in Bangladesh. PLS based path modelling with a cross-sectional dataset of 557 SMEs in Bangladesh reveals a significant association of normative pressures, coercive pressures, perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use with SMEs intention to use ICT. The path analysis further demonstrates a strong and significant effect of intention on actual ICT usage behaviour. The study concludes with implications of the results

Qualitative investigation of digital divide in Indonesia : toward a comprehensive framework

The issue of digital divide has attracted many researchers for over a decade, yet the understanding of digital divide is not comprehensive. This research examines three commonly recognised orders of the digital divide, which are: economic divide, the inequality of access to ICT associated with economic conditions; access divide, the disparity of access to ICT; and capability divide, the inequality of ability in using ICT, while conceptualising a fourth divide, innovativeness divide, which is defined as the disparity of individual&rsquo;s willingness to try out any new information technology. The paper presents a tentative model based on extensive literature review which was explored using qualitative method. The findings generate new insights into the relationships among those four orders of digital divide which contribute to the theoretical framework to understand the digital divide more comprehensively and provide evidence on the impact of digital divide on e-government use. Implications for theory and practice are also discussed in this paper.<br /

World Wide Web Diffusion Among Indonesian Bank Employees: a case of international research in information systems

This paper investigates the roles of formal and informal networks and perceived compatibility with task/ work in World Wide Web (WWW) diffusion among Indonesian bank employees. In doing so the paper also provides insights into various factors that influence the international information system research processes. It is anticipated that these factors (or some variations) will be important determinants of the success of any international IS research. A structural equation model is first developed based on an extensive literature review for the WWW diffusion. Data is collected via a questionnaire based survey in Indonesian banks following the process of international IS research. The results show that the informal network and compatibility are significant factors of WWW diffusion among the Indonesian banking employees, but the formal network is not. Possible explanations of the results are provided from cultural perspectives

Qualitative Investigation of Digital Divide: Toward a Comprehensive Framework

The issue of digital divide has attracted many researchers for over a decade, yet the understanding of digital divide is not comprehensive. This research examines three commonly recognised orders of the digital divide, which are: economic divide, the inequality of access to ICT associated with economic conditions; access divide, the disparity of access to ICT; and capability divide, the inequality of ability in using ICT, while conceptualising a fourth divide, innovativeness divide, which is defined as the disparity of individual’s willingness to try out any new information technology. The paper presents a tentative model based on extensive literature review which was explored using qualitative method. The findings generate new insights into the relationships among those four orders of digital divide which contribute to the theoretical framework to understand the digital divide more comprehensively and provide evidence on the impact of digital divide on e-government use. Implications for theory and practice are also discussed in this paper