Gender Differences Among Online Shopping Factors in Pakistan

Pakistan is a huge consumer market, where very little is known about the aspects of consumers in online shopping environment. Consumer demographics such as gender are important factors in determining behaviour of individuals towards online shopping. This study finds relationships between gender and online shopping factors in Pakistan. With a survey sample of 286 respondents from various disciplines, exploratory factor analysis was used as an extraction method on the items of the proposed latent variables. MANOVA was then conducted to find gender differences among online shopping factors. Findings showed that shopping patterns differed between genders due to the influence of online shopping factors. This research may facilitate national and multinational organisations to streamline e-tailing strategies in order to gain business opportunities in emerging markets such as Pakistan

Intention Towards Online Shopping: A Pakistan Based Study

Online shopping environment is still in an infancy stage in Pakistan. The intent of this research is to develop a model on the basis of the traditional technology acceptance model (TAM), to find factors that affect online shopping adoption in Pakistan. With a survey sample of 286 respondents which includes university students and professionals from various walks of life, the proposed model was evaluated by confirmatory factor analysis and regression analysis. The significant findings of the study indicate that perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, perceived risk, perceived enjoyment, distrust and legal framework are the main factors affecting online shopping acceptance except that the cultural environment has a negligible influence

Internet banking in Pakistan: finding complexities

Technology is evolving every new day and has its impact on every thing. In this paper we will analyze the acceptance of technology in the Banking Industry of Pakisatn. This research investigates complexities (factors) that have resisted or obstructed the adoption of Internet Banking in Pakistan. Traditional innovation diffusion model (IDT) is used to develop the research model indicating the proposed complexities and acceptance of Internet Banking among Pakistani users. The model is tested with a survey sample (n=45). Out of the nine complexities identified, six are found significant. The findings of the research signify that 67 % of the proposed complexities, Familiarity with the technology, Concerns for Download Speed, Unfriendly Website Design, Fear of Government tracking transactions, Security and People Gaining Access/Misusing, hinder the users in accepting and adopting internet banking technology in Pakistan

Facilitating health information exchange in low- and middle-income countries: conceptual considerations, stakeholders perspectives and deployment strategies illustrated through an in-depth case study of Pakistan

Background Health information exchange (HIE) may help healthcare professionals and policymakers make informed decisions to improve patient and population health outcomes. There is, however, limited uptake of HIE in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). While resource constraints are an obvious barrier to implementation of HIE, it is important to explore what other political, structural, technical, environmental, legal and cultural factors may be involved. In particular, it is necessary to understand associated barriers in relation to context-specific HIE processes and deployment strategies in LMICs with a view to discovering how these can be overcome. My home country Pakistan is currently struggling to implement HIE at scale and so I undertook a detailed investigation of these issues in the context of Pakistan to generate insights on how best to promote uptake of HIE in Pakistan and in LMICs more generally. Aims The concept of HIE is evolving both over time and by context. To gain a clearer understanding of this terrain, I began by identifying different definitions of HIE in the literature to understand how these had evolved and the underlying conceptual basis for these changes. Second, I sought to understand the barriers and facilitators to the implementation and adoption of HIE in LMICs. Building on this foundational work, I then sought to explore and understand in-depth stakeholders perspectives on the context of and deployment strategies for HIE in Pakistan with a view to also identifying potentially transferable lessons for LMICs. Methods I undertook a phased programme of work. Phase 1 was a scoping review of definitions, which involved systematically searching the published literature in five academic databases and grey literature using Google to identify published definitions of HIE and related terms. The searches covered the period from January 1900 to February 2014. The included definitions were thematically analysed. In Phase 2, to identify barriers and facilitators to HIE in LMICs, I conducted a systematic review and searched for published and on-going (conference papers and abstracts) qualitative, quantitative and mixed-method studies in 11 academic databases and looked for unpublished work through Google interface from January 1990 to July 2014. Eligible studies were critically appraised and then thematically analysed. Finally, in Phase 3 I conducted a case study of HIE in Pakistan. Data collection comprised of interviews of different healthcare stakeholders across Pakistan to explore attitudes to HIE, and barriers and facilitators to its deployment. I also collected evidence through observational field notes and by analysing key international, national and regional policy documents. I used a combination of deductive thematic analysis informed by the theory of Diffusion of Innovations in Health Service Organisations that highlighted attributes of the innovation, the behaviour of adopters, and the organisational and environmental influences necessary for the success of implementation; and a more inductive iterative thematic analysis approach that allowed new themes to evolve from the data. The findings from these three phases of work were then integrated to identify potentially transferable lessons for Pakistan and other LMICs. Results In Phase 1, a total of 268 unique definitions of HIE were identified and extracted: 103 from scientific databases and 165 from Google. Eleven attributes emerged from the analysis that characterised HIE into two over-riding concepts. One was the ‘process’ of electronic information transfer among various healthcare stakeholders and the other was the HIE ‘organisation’ responsible to oversee the legal and business issues of information transfer. The results of Phase 1 informed the eligibility criteria to conduct Phase 2, in which a total of 63 studies met the inclusion criteria. Low importance given to data informed decision making, corruption and insecurity, lack of training, lack of equipment and supplies, and lack of feedback were considered to be major challenges to implementing HIE in LMICs, but strong leadership and clear policy direction coupled with the financial support to acquire essential technology, provide training for staff, assessing the needs of individuals and data standardisation all promoted implementation. The results of Phases 1 and 2 informed the design and content of Phase 3, the Pakistan case study. The complete dataset comprised of 39 interviews from 43 participants (including two group interviews), field observations, and a range of local and national documents. Findings showed that HIE existed mainly in/among some hospitals in Pakistan, but in a patchy and fragmented form. The district health information system was responsible for electronically transferring statistical data of public health facilities from districts to national offices via provincial intermediaries. Many issues were attributed to the absence of effective HIE, from ‘delays in retrieving records’ to ‘the increase in antibiotic resistance’. Barriers and facilitators to HIE were similar to the findings in Phase 2, but new findings included problems perceived to be the result of devolution of health matters from the federal to provincial governments, the politicised behaviour of international organisations, healthcare providers’ resistance to recording consultations to avoid liability and poor documentation skills. Public pressure to adopt mobile technology frameworks was found to be a novel facilitator whereas sharing regional health information with international organisations was perceived by some participants as disadvantageous as there were concerns that it may have enhanced espionage activities in the region. Conclusions HIE needs to be considered in both organisational and process terms. Effective HIE is essential to the provision of high quality care and the efficient running of health systems. Structural, political and financial considerations are important barriers to promoting HIE in LMICs, however, strong leadership, vision and policy direction along with financial support can help to promote the implementation of HIE in LMICs. Similarly, the federal and provincial governments could play an important role in implementing HIE in Pakistan along with the support of international organisations by facilitating HIE processes at federal and provincial levels across Pakistan. This however seems unlikely for the foreseeable future. At a meso- and micro-level, HIE in Pakistan and other LMICs could be achieved through using leapfrog mobile technologies to facilitate care processes for local organisations and patients. Specifically, the study on Pakistan has highlighted that LMICs may achieve modest successes in HIE through use of patient held records and use of now ubiquitous mobile phone technology with some patient and organisational benefits, but scaling these benefits is dependent on the creation of national structures and strategies which are more difficult to achieve in the low advanced informatics skill and resource settings that characterise many LMICs

Defining Health Information Exchange: Scoping Review of Published Definitions

Objective The term Health Information Exchange (HIE) is often used in health informatics, yet uncertainties remain about its precise meaning. This study aimed to capture and analyse existing definitions in order to map variations in its use and the concepts associated with it. Methods Systematic literature search to identify published definitions of HIE and equivalent terms such as Clinical Information Exchange. Medline, Web of Science, Library Information Science and Technology Abstracts, EMBASE and CINAHL Plus were searched to identify relevant research, and Google to identify grey literature. Searches were not limited by language or date of publication. In order to warrant inclusion documents had to either define the concept explicitly or do so via a concrete description.  Included references were tabulated by author affiliation, source of quote, year of publication, country of origin and definitions and the definitions themselves were analysed thematically. Results Searches revealed 603 scientific articles and 5981 website links. From these, a total of 268 unique definitions of HIE were identified and extracted: 103 from scientific databases and 165 from Google. Eleven constructs emerged from the thematic analysis. Contextual factors influenced the emphasis of the definitions and the framing of HIE as a concept/process, a set of enabling technologies, or an entity/organisation. Conclusions HIE is a complex and evolving concept and uses of the term vary across settings, presenting challenges for communication.  Developing a generic term is difficult, given the importance of context, but the authors suggest one covering key attributes of HIE, which may be helpful

The characteristics and capabilities of the available open source health information technologies supporting healthcare:A scoping review protocol

INTRODUCTION: Due to the many advantages of open source software (OSS), including reduced cost of licensing, more flexibility in terms of customisation and redistribution, better quality and no vendor lock-in, OSS in healthcare is increasingly gaining importance. Various open source health information technologies (OS-HITs) are continuously being designed and developed for different areas of healthcare to increase organisational efficiencies and quality of care at minimum costs. The objective of this scoping review is to identify the kinds of existing OS-HITs, their characteristics (e.g. functions) and capabilities (e.g. advantages/disadvantages) for various healthcare stakeholders (physicians and patients) and healthcare sectors (e.g. clinical, administrative).METHODS: We will conduct a scoping review to identify the range of available OS-HITs in international literature from 1980 to September 2018. Searches will be conducted in six major international databases, namely: Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature Plus, Excerpta Medica Database, Global Health, Library Information Science and Technology Abstracts, Medline and Web of Science to identify relevant published research. We will also search the Google search engine and Google Scholar for on-going and unpublished work and the grey literature. Searches will be peer-reviewed by two independent reviewers and will not be limited by methodology or language. Next, selected references will be tabulated for study characteristics by author affiliation, country of origin, the name of OS-HIT, healthcare area/sector, system requirements, stakeholders, complete solution and web link. Furthermore, functions, benefits/advantages, disadvantages and outcomes (e.g. usability) of OS-HITs will be extracted. Narrative and interpretative synthesis of data will be undertaken.RESULTS: We will report our findings in a peer-reviewed journal

Barriers and facilitators to health information exchange in low- and middleincome country settings:: a systematic review protocol

<h2>Introduction</h2><p>The ability to capture, exchange and use accurate information about patients and services is vital for building strong health systems, providing comprehensive and integrated patient care, managing public health risks and informing policies for public health and health financing. However, the organisational and technological systems necessary to achieve effective Health Information Exchange are lacking in many low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). Developing strategies for addressing this depends on understanding the barriers and facilitators to HIE at the individual, provider organisational, community, district, provincial and national levels. This systematic review aims to identify, critically appraise and synthesise the existing published evidence addressing these factors.</p><h2>Objective</h2><p>To assess what is known, from published / unpublished empirical studies, about barriers and facilitators to HIE in LMIC so as to identify issues that need to be addressed and approaches that can fruitfully be pursued in future improvement strategies.</p><h2>Methods</h2><p>We will conduct a systematic review to identify the empirical evidence base on the barriers and facilitators to HIE in LMIC.  Two reviewers will independently search 11 major international and national databases for published, unpublished and in-progress qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods studies published during 1990-July 2014 in any language. These searches of scientific databases will be supplemented by looking for eligible reports available online. The included studies will be independently critically appraised using the Mixed Method Appraisal Tool (MMAT), version 2011. Descriptive, narrative and interpretative synthesis of data will be undertaken.   </p><h2>Results</h2><p> These will be presented in a manuscript that will be published in the peer-reviewed literature. The protocol is registered with the International Prospective Register for Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) CRD 42014009826</p

Health Information Exchange as a Complex and Adaptive Construct: Scoping Review

Objective To understand how the concept of Health Information Exchange (HIE) has evolved over time. Methods                                                            Supplementary analysis of data from a systematic scoping review of definitions of HIE from 1900 to 2014, involving temporal analysis of underpinning themes. Results The search identified 268 unique definitions of HIE dating from 1957 onwards; 103 in scientific databases and 165 in Google. These contained consistent themes, representing the core concept of exchanging health information electronically, as well as fluid themes, reflecting the evolving policy, business, organisational and technological context of HIE (including the emergence of HIE as an organisational ‘entity’). These are summarised graphically to show how the concept has evolved around the world with the passage of time.  The term HIE emerged in 1957 with the establishment of Occupational HIE, evolving through the 1990s with concepts such as electronic data interchange and mobile computing technology; then from 2006-10 largely aligning with the US Government’s health information technology strategy and the creation of HIEs as organisational entities, alongside the broader interoperability imperative, and continuing to evolve today as part of a broader international agenda for sustainable, information-driven health systems. Conclusions The concept of HIE is an evolving and adaptive one, reflecting the ongoing quest for integrated and interoperable information to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of health systems, in a changing technological and policy environment

Online Shopping: A Global Perspective

ABSTRACT Technology has shortened distances between continents, countries, cities and people. People living in different parts of the world now have similar tastes, perceptions, styles and accessibility. Online shopping has opened the doors of globalization as it allows consumers to buy products from anywhere around the world. This research develops a global online shopping model that will be help e-tailers / e-vendors to increase their customers worldwide. We used exploratory factor analysis and multiple regression modeling, to develop a model relating Intention as a dependent variable to the number of independent factors. Our study revealed that Perceived Enjoyment, Perceived Ease of Use and Perceived Risk are statistically significant factors. Other factors such as Legal Framework and Distrust were found statistically insignificant. A global online shopping model for e-tailers is required to address large number of diversified customers. The current study represents an important contribution to the theories of consumer acceptance of technology, helping researchers to know and understand various factors having multiple effects on the acceptance of global online shopping

The Barriers to and Facilitators of Sustainable Organizational Change

As the contemporary environment is infused with change, organizations push for change, and the notions of failure and success associated with organizational change management interventions are linked to (perceived) barriers and facilitators. Purpose - This study aims to identify barriers and facilitators in organizational change management and investigate essential dimensions to consider to improve the successful implementation of change initiatives within organizations. As two ends of a spectrum, barriers and facilitators play a crucial role in either hindering or facilitating the progress of a change intervention. While barriers can impede organizational change success, they can also serve as facilitators. Research Design - A literature review of over forty (forty) articles was conducted to determine how and how scholars have identified the variables contributing to the success or impeding change efforts. The study was conducted using a descriptive exploratory approach to identify variables considered barriers to or facilitators of change. Findings - Based on descriptive analysis, the findings from the literature search were categorized under three (three) themes: 1/ Self; 2/ Social Support; and 3/ Organizational Support. A deeper understanding of each theme was achieved by categorizing it further into subcategories aligned with the given theme. Value - This article provides a unique perspective on why planned interventions do not always consider the identified variables and, as a result, struggle to effect organizational change. By understanding factors that have a direct impact on change and assisting leaders and employees, this article provides a pathway for success in organizational change