WEBSITE SERVICE QUALITY IN IRELAND: A CONSUMER PERSPECTIVE

Despite the fact that service quality is a critical determinant of website success, studies show that consumers frequently view the service quality delivered through websites as unsatisfactory. This paper outlines a study investigating the dimensions of website service excellence valued by Irish customers of a small to medium enterprise specialising in gifts. The e-S-QUAL measurement instrument was applied to customers who purchase products online from this retailer, in order to determine their purchasing patterns and the dimensions of e-service quality that they value. This study makes a major contribution to the literature as it describes the application of the newly operationalised E-S-QUAL measurement instrument. The findings will also benefit both practitioners and researchers in developing an understanding of the factors that contribute towards the creation and maintenance of consumer satisfaction in Irish online transactions

Antecedents of Citizen Self-Disclosure on Social Media Health Platforms: Towards an Improved Understanding (1)

Social media platform usage and online community participation has increased to a near ubiquitous level, (Pew Research Centre, 2016). However, to date, much attention has focused on the factors that influence individual’s trust and adoption of social media networks and online communities in general. In contrast, research on the factors that influence trust and self-disclosure on social media health platforms and associated online health communities remains remarkably limited. This is particularly surprising as adoption and usage of these health platforms remains comparatively constrained, thereby limiting potential social and health benefits to consumers, whilst also being an issue of concern to those who develop and design these platforms. This paper examines the extant literature on the factors that influence usage and participation in social media platforms and online communities and which are therefore likely to be relevant to examinations of self-disclosure in an online health context. In doing so, it contributes to technology adoption research in the area of user trust and self-disclosure on social media health platforms and online health communities

Employee Monitoring in the Digital Era: Managing the Impact of Innovation

The many obvious benefits that accompany digital technology have been matched by some less welcome and more contentious impacts. One of these is the steady erosion of privacy. For example monitoring and surveillance has become a fundamental part of the workplace environment, with employee performance often the main object of scrutiny. With companies now competing within a rapidly changing global economy, managers are forced to satisfy market trends that are driven by productivity and efficiency. Attempts to satisfy these imperatives have resulted in a relentless drive to improve performance and increase efficiency. In fact, the increasing number of organisations that monitor employees through advanced digital technologies has added a dystopian edge to existing employee privacy concerns, particularly as many employees are unable to exercise choice in relation to use of these technologies. If unaddressed, their concerns have potential to impact the psychological contract between employee and employer, resulting in loss of employee trust, negative attitudes and counterproductive work behaviours. This paper outlines some of the emerging issues relating to use of employee monitoring technologies. It summarises both management rationale for monitoring as well as employee privacy concerns in an effort to balance the perspectives of both parties. This work is licensed under a&nbsp;Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.</p

The Revenue Online System: Factors Influencing Adoption

This paper describes an ongoing study into the quality of service provided by the Irish Revenue Commisioners’ on-line tax filing and collection system. The Irish Revenue On-Line Service (ROS) site has won several awards. In this study, a version of the widely used SERVQUAL measuring instrument, adapted for use with on-line services, has been modified for the specific case of ROS. The theory behind this instrument is set out, the particular problems of evaluating revenue collecting on-line are examined and the rationale for this approach is explaine

TOWARDS AN INCLUSIVE WORLD: EXPLORING M-HEALTH ADOPTION ACROSS GENERATIONS

Mobile health (m-health) technologies empower individuals to manage their personal health. Whilst older citizens can benefit greatly from m-health, it remains the case that younger individuals are more likely to use these technologies. However, the factors that drive and inhibit m-health adoption across different age groups remain relatively unexplored. By understanding what drives adoption among different age groups, efforts can be made to meet their needs and increase adoption by all. This study tests whether the predictors of adoption in the technology adoption literature can be extended to the m-health context and whether age serves as a moderator. Our findings suggest that while the extant technology adoption predictors offer insights into adoption decisions, additional constructs would enable a more comprehensive understanding of m-health adoption. The moderating role of age is also supported. Younger individuals are influenced by their expectation of m-health performance, while older individuals are influenced by their perceived ability to use these technologies. M-health technologies should therefore be marketed differently for these age groups and designed to suit their differing needs. This paper highlights the need to educate older citizens to ensure they can take advantage of the benefits offered by m-health and avoid a widening digital divide

Understanding User Adaptation Responses to Health Information Technology Use in Saudi Arabia: A Coping Theory Perspective

The introduction of a new information technology can cause wide-ranging organisational changes; changes that are perceived by users in differing ways and consequently can result in a wide variety of adaptation responses. Understanding those responses, how they are formed and how they can be positively managed is a complex but worthwhile task that is necessary in order to ensure optimal usage of technology. This paper outlines an in-progress study that examines user responses to a mandatory health information technology that has been introduced in Saudi Arabia. Interviews are conducted at defined data points with nurses and doctors working in four acute care hospitals in Jeddah, as well as with the CIOs and Managers of those hospitals. The study findings contribute to the body of knowledge regarding the key drivers and processes that underpin different types of user response in a mandatory IT use setting, including identifying the factors that can cause those behaviours to transition over time. These findings will provide useful insights for managers seeking to achieve optimal employee usage of health information technologies

Dataveillance in the Workplace: Managing the Impact of Innovation

Background: Monitoring and surveillance are a fundamental part of the workplace environment, with employee performance and productivity as the main objects of scrutiny. However, many questions surround the ethical nature of managements’ ability to employ advanced digital technologies to monitor employee behaviour and performance while in the workplace. If unaddressed, these concerns have the potential to significantly impact the relationship between the employee and the employer, impacting trust in management resulting in negative attitudes and counterproductive behaviours. Objectives: The goal of this paper is to present a comprehensive review of workplace surveillance whilst outlining some of the emerging issues relating to the use of employee monitoring technologies in the workplace. Methods/Approach: A detailed review of the literature was conducted in order to identify the major issues relating to workplace surveillance. In addition, a number of practitioner-based studies were examined to extract and identify emerging trends and concerns at an industry level. Results: Workplace surveillance is on the rise; however, empirical studies are in short supply. Conclusions: The issue of workplace surveillance is an under-researched area, which requires much attention. There is a distinct need for clear measures and structures that govern the effective and fair use of communication technologies in the workplace

Citizens\u27 Health Information Privacy Concerns: A Multifaceted Approach

The increasing prevalence of ICTs in healthcare is transforming the health services received by patients. This transformation is in part facilitated by healthcare providers’ utilization of eHealth technologies, which provide physicians with access to the health data required to treat patients. The recent emergence of mobile health (mHealth) technologies such as mHealth applications and personal health records (PHRs) enable citizens to play a role in this transformation by presenting them with the opportunity to manage their own health. The success of both eHealth and mHealth technologies is contingent on acceptance and adoption by both physicians and citizens. However in order to ensure success, the factors driving or inhibiting acceptance and adoption of these technologies must be understood. In the existing literature, factors driving citizen acceptance of health ICTs are under-examined. This paper focuses on citizens’ health information privacy concerns (HIPC), which are regularly cited as a barrier to health ICT implementation. The paper presents a framework to investigate the influence of citizens’ HIPC on their acceptance and adoption of health ICTs. An upcoming study which tests this framework and the hypotheses presented in the paper is also outlined

Healthcare information technology (HIT) in Saudi Arabia health care systems: an overview

In the last decade, healthcare in Saudi Arabia has been significantly improving. This has been accompanied by advancements within the field of Information and Communications Technology (ICT), more specifically Health Information Technology (HIT), whose applications in health have been a necessity for hospitals to achieve objectives such as enhancing of healthcare and reducing the time and the cost of healthcare delivery. This paper focuses on a number of research questions. These are: • What is the current status of healthcare in Saudi organizations? • What is the current status of ICT and HIT in Saudi healthcare organizations? • What are the critical factors influencing the adoption process of HIT in Saudi healthcare organizations? • What are the factors that influence organizational (technology) of HIT

Impact Evaluation of an Emerging European Health Project – the MIDAS Model

Background: This paper describes the impact evaluation of a large big data platform initiative that is being undertaken in order to increase the probability of its success. The initiative, MIDAS (Meaningful Integration of Data Analytics and Services), is a European health-based Horizon 2020 project comprising a consortium of members from various universities, research institutions, and government agencies. Objectives: The purpose of the paper is to present a pioneering platform that will support healthcare policymakers in their decision-making by enabling greater and more efficient use of their data. The goal is to present and evaluate the results of the MIDAS project across four countries. Methods/Approach: The literature is replete with examples of worthwhile technology projects that have failed due to user resistance. In order to avoid such failure, and ensure the success of the final MIDAS platform, a detailed impact evaluation is being undertaken at timed periods of development. Results: This paper describes the impact evaluation process, outlining the use of Q-methodology and the development of a 36-item concourse using the HTMLQ system for that purpose. Conclusions: This research contributes to the overall understanding of how impact evaluation can be undertaken at timed periods during the development of an innovative technology for organisational purposes