Mobile phone and e-government in Turkey: practices and technological choices at the cross-road

Enhanced data services through mobile phones are expected to be soon fully transactional and embedded within future mobile consumption practices. While private services will surely continue to take the lead, others such as government and NGOs will become more prominent m-players. It is not yet sure which form of technological standards will take the lead including enhance SMS based operations or Internet based specifically developed mobile phone applications. With the introduction of interactive transactions via mobile phones, currently untapped segment of the populations (without computers) have the potential to be accessed. Our research, as a reflection of the current market situation in an emerging country context, in the case of mobile phones analyzes the current needs or emergence of dependencies regarding the use of m/e-government services from the perspective of municipality officers. We contend that more research is needed to understand current preparatory bottlenecks and front loading activities to be able to encourage future intention to use e-government services through mobile phone technologies. This study highlights and interprets the current emerging practices and praxis for consuming m-government services within government

An actor-network theory (ANT) approach to Turkish e-government gateway initiative

There are various models proposed in the literature to analyze trajectories of e-Government projects in terms of success and failure. Yet, only the Actor-Network Theory (ANT) perspective (Heeks and Stanforth, 2007) considers the interaction factors among network actors and actants. This paper proposes the ANT for approaching to the Turkish e-Government Gateway initiative as a case study. In doing so, it provides valuable insight in terms of both local and global actor-networks which surround the initiative

'it’s in her eyes': A 'barometer' for EU accession through female perceptions of role portrayals in advertising: a Cross-cultural study of Ukraine and Turkey

This article examines female response to gender role portrayals in advertising for Ukraine and Turkey. Both being new potential EU candidates, we argue that gender stereotype could also be use as a ‘barometer’ of progress and closure towards a more general EU accepted behaviour towards women. While their history remains different, both from a political and society values point of views, constraints are currently being faced that require convergence or justification of practices and understanding. Principal components analysis was employed over 290 questionnaires to identify the underlying dimensions. Results indicate overall similarities in perceptions, fragmentation within groups, but seem to provide divergence regarding thresholds. Keywords Gender Role Portrayal, Advertising, Ukraine, Turke

Online social capital: understanding e-impulse buying in practice

Socially constructed marketing imageries (e.g. e-atmospherics) help consumers while making choices and decisions. Still, human and retailing technology interactions are rarely evaluated from a social practice perspective. This article explores the potential impact of socially constructed e-atmospherics on impulse buying. A framework with three interrelated factors, namely social acoustic, co-construction and mundane language enactment is analysed. The way these allow for e-social norms to organically emerge is elaborated through a set of propositions. Retailing implications are subsequently discussed

Online social capital: understanding e-impulse buying in practice

Socially constructed marketing imageries (e.g. e-atmospherics) help consumers while making choices and decisions. Still, human and retailing technology interactions are rarely evaluated from a social practice perspective. This article explores the potential impact of socially constructed e-atmospherics on impulse buying. A framework with three interrelated factors, namely social acoustic, co-construction and mundane language enactment is analysed. The way these allow for e-social norms to organically emerge is elaborated through a set of propositions. Retailing implications are subsequently discussed

Anticipating e-grocery services pre-purchase practices: Contrasting trajectories in households’ organisation

Supermarkets offer multiple mechanisms to encourage consumers to shop online. Little is, however, available to comprehend household purchasing arrangements, processes and practices before going online. Our theoretical perspective draws on body of research covering areas such as intra-household economy and relationships, consumer decision making process, and retailing. We surmise that, due to the nature of the products/services, e-grocery shopping is, in effect, bringing new complexities for consumers which have yet to be addressed by most retailers’ e-strategies. Nowadays, there is simply no single member whom is ‘in sole charge of grocery shopping’. New e-grocery pre-purchase procedures should, however, be adapted to the chosen channel. These socially embedded practices should also be understood within the domestic/household context. In this paper, we present the case for a re-conceptualisation of the pre-purchase practices that surround e-grocery. Technology mediated household organisation is reviewed in the context of multiple equipment, diverse technological generations and access types, and household members’ geographical locations. We then, provide a theoretical analysis in the perspective of consumers’ daily life established social practices and cultural norms and routines, constrained by the repetitive aspects of grocery shopping. Household internal dynamics, coping mechanisms, the need for ever changing experiences are explored. The multifaceted aspects of information gathering and sharing are unpacked including foreseen usage of grocery in specific social circumstances (conspicuity of food consumption) and perspectives (timing, logistic, and alternatives). Critical thresholds in information processing, and household organization are identified. Strategic recommendations are then formulated and plans for future research presented. Key words: e-grocery, decision making, household pre-purchase practice

The influence of social E-atmospherics in practice: a website content analysis perspective

E-atmospherics have been often analyzed in terms of functional features, leaving its characteristics’ link to social capital co-creation as a fertile research area. Prior research have demonstrated the capacity of e-atmospherics’ at modifying shopping habits towards deeper engagement. Little is known on how processes and cues emerging from the social aspects of lifestyle influence purchasing behavior. The anatomy of social dimension and ICT is the focus of this research, where attention is devoted to unpack the meanings and type of online mundane social capital creation. Taking a cross-product/services approach to better investigate social construction impact, our approach also involves both an emerging and a mature market where exploratory content analysis of landing page are done on Turkish and French web sites, respectively. We contend that by comprehending social capital, daily micro practices, habits and routine, a better and deeper understanding on e-atmospherics incumbent and potential effects on its multi-national e-customer will be acquired. Keywords: E-shopping, cultural capital, web content, e-atmospherics

The Mobile Phone Usage for E-government Services in Turkey: The Assessment of Conceptual Models (Türkiye’de E-Devlet Hizmetleri İçin Mobil Telefonların Kullanımı: Kavramsal Modellerin İncelenmesi)

Türkiye’de E-Dönüşüm 2006 Nisan ayı itibarı ile hız kazanmıştır. 2005 Eylem Planı’nda e-devlet bölümü 19 eylemle, en çok sayıda eylemi barındıran bölüm olmuştur. Güncel projeler arasında e-devlet kapısı, VEDOP, MERNİS Kimlik Paylaşım Sistemi, e-imza, SEÇSİS Bilgisayar Destekli Merkezi Seçmen Kütüğü Sistemi, Türkiye Yatırım Portalı, DMO e-satın Alma, Türkiye Ulusal Coğrafi Bilgi Sistemi yer almaktadır. Türkiye İstatistik Kurumunun (TUİK) 2005 yılı verilerine göre, Türkiye’de İnternet erişimi olan haneler %9, firmalar %80 seviyesindedir. Verilere göre İnternet erişimi firmalar açısından Avrupa’daki gelişmiş benzer örnekler ile paralellik gösterirken, bireylerin İnternet kullanım oranları oldukça düşüktür. Örneğin geniş bant erişimine sahip firmalar %52 seviyesinde iken, bu oran hanelerde %2 seviyesindedir. Diğer yandan TUİK 2006 verilerine göre Türkiye nüfusunun %72,62’sının cep telefonuna erişimi bulunmaktadır. E-devlet hizmetleri için mobil teknolojilerinin barındırdığı potansiyel büyüktür. Araştırmamız Türkiye’deki e-devlet uygulamalarının mobil teknolojileri kullanımında güncel durumu ve olası fırsatları analiz edebilmek için hizmet odaklı genel iş modelleri, Teknoloji Kabul Modeli, Nedenli Eylem Kuramı, Planlı Davranış Kuramı, Uyarıcı-Organizasyon-Tepki vb. kuramlarını incelemiştir. Bu çalışmamız, e-bilgi Toplumu’na giden süreçte mobil teknolojilerin adaptasyonuna ışık tutmaktadır