Number of Internet Users: Measuring Digital Access Progress in Economically Developing Countries

The percentage of Internet users in economically developing countries rose from 2% to 27% in the last decade. Eighty percent of the 25 fastest growing countries in the number of Internet users in 2004 were economically developing countries. This digital access progress in economically developing countries is a positive turn around from a decade ago. While Internet users per 100 inhabitants indicates digital access progress in economically developed countries it falls short in understanding progress in economically developing countries. Instead we found the total number of Internet users a better measure for understanding progress in economically developing countries. We recommend that future digital access index calculations to incorporate the total number of Internet users to account for economically developing country’s progress in digital access

Accessing ICT Enabled Content in Low-Income Countries: Think Big, Start Small, and Scale Up

While the digital revolution has transformed the way many of us work and live, more than half the world\u27s population lives in rural areas that have been shut-out of the digital transformation. Low-income countries have yet to realize the benefits from the digital revolution; therefore, a need exists for innovative and alternative models to overcome the lack of access to knowledge and learning. This paper examines the challenges faced by low-income countries in accessing ICT enabled content and proposes a Big-Small model where low-income countries can harness the ICT revolution. This paper concludes with a discussion on sustainability and future research directions

SMS Mobile Technology Success in Changing HIV/AIDS Behavior through Awareness

This is a research in progress. The study reviews four theoretical modes on mobile technology and proposes a unified model to understand consumer attitude, intention, and behavior when using Short Message Service (SMS) in mobile technology. The proposed model includes SMS success factors, consumer beliefs, SMS success measure, and demographic dimensions. By setting the study in an international context (Scharl et al., 2005; Hong and Tam, 2006) and developing survey questionnaires (Scharl et al., 2005) we follow the recommendation of prior researchers. The study context is HIV/AIDS awareness at a university in a low-income country. Seventeen hypotheses are proposed to test the full model. Some of the questionnaire is already developed, the remaining are in the final stages. The pilot test is scheduled for March 2009. Following a baseline study in the pilot we will proceed to conduct the main study and test the full model. Keywords Mobil

Business Intelligence

Business intelligence systems combine operational data with analytical tools to present complex and competitive information to planners and decision makers. The objective is to improve the timeliness and quality of inputs to the decision process. Business Intelligence is used to understand the capabilities available in the firm; the state of the art, trends, and future directions in the markets, the technologies, and the regulatory environment in which the firm competes; and the actions of competitors and the implications of these actions. The emergence of the data warehouse as a repository, advances in data cleansing, increased capabilities of hardware and software, and the emergence of the web architecture all combine to create a richer business intelligence environment than was available previously. Although business intelligence systems are widely used in industry, research about them is limited. This paper, in addition to being a tutorial, proposes a BI framework and potential research topics. The framework highlights the importance of unstructured data and discusses the need to develop BI tools for its acquisition, integration, cleanup, search, analysis, and delivery. In addition, this paper explores a matrix for BI data types (structured vs. unstructured) and data sources (internal and external) to guide research

Determinants and coping strategies of household food insecurity in rural areas of Tigray: The case of rural Adwa Woreda

This paper identified the major determinants of household food insecurity and their local coping strategies based on primary data collected from 180 randomly selected households of rural Adwa Woreda, Tigray National Regional State. To assess the determinants of food insecurity binary logit model is employed. The extent and magnitude of household food insecurity, food expenditure inequality, and the coping strategies of the food insecure households are also identified using indices of Foster, Greer and Thorbecke (FGT), Gini Coefficient, Lorenz Curve and Coping Strategy Index. The absolute food poverty line for the study area during the study period is estimated to be ETB 1634.75 per adult per year. The incidence, depth and severity of food insecurity are 63.33 percent, 18.82 percent and 6.99 percent respectively. Furthermore, the Gini Coefficient for the study area is found to be 31.20 percent. Among the most common coping mechanisms of households in the study area include selling household asset, leaving the entire days without eating and sending household members for beg. Access to agricultural extension services, off farm income, number of oxen owned, total land size and safety net participation are found to be the major determinants of household food insecurity that significantly reduce the level of households food insecurity in the study area. Whereas age dependency ratio, family size, crop disease incidence and fertilizer utilization are uncovered to be significant and positive covariates of household food insecurity in the study area.Keywords: Food Insecurity, Coping Strategies, Absolute Food Poverty Line, Determinants of Household Food Insecurity

Determinants that affect information security awareness and behavior: A systematic literature review

In today’s digital age, it is crucial for all organizations to manage their information systems security. This makes them potentially endangered by actions of employees and users. So there is a need of investing more on security related issues; one of them is giving attention for the human i.e. the social aspect of security. This paper critically analysis the different literatures using a systematic literature review technique using PRISMA search protocol concerning the determinants which most affect information security awareness and behavior. The information security training or education has given more emphasis than behavior and attitude. Then after identifying those determinants, it filters out the areas further study is needed which includes information security knowledge and care. It is determined that employee information security awareness and conduct are highly influenced by information security training, attitude, and behavior. Due to the choice of search criteria and/or databases, some pertinent papers may not have been included in this literature review so as to the study focus on developing nations. The factors that affect employees\u27 information security tasks and initiatives must be determined for future stud

An International Model for IS PhD Program in Low-Income Countries

The objective of this panel is to disseminate a viewpoint in the delivery of an IS PhD in low-income countries and to foster debate in creating an international model. Over three dozen faculty from 18 universities across the globe have come together to deliver the IS PhD at Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia. The program was launched in 2008. All nine courses are scheduled for delivery by the international faculty in cooperation with local faculty. Course work will be completed in July 2009. This panel will discuss the model used in Ethiopia with the intention of fostering debate on creating an international model for IS PhD programs

Emerging Technology IS Course Design: Blockchain for Business Example

IS curricula require constant updating to accommodate the emergence of new technologies. Designing and delivering effective emerging technology courses within the constraints of existing programs remains an important challenge faculty face. This paper presents a template for approaching these courses from a learning theory perspective. Results of tests of this template, developed for teaching blockchain, indicate that it successfully strikes the balance needed in an IS program while simplifying the work of designing the structure of an emerging technology course. Additionally, this design was able to deliver this success in an online format, which can be a more challenging format for observing application of knowledge. Blockchain is a disruptive emerging technology opportunity for businesses to unlock value through trusted and “smart” peer-to-peer transactions, wherein smart means businesspeople can custom design processes for verification and transfer of assets. The blockchain example provided here includes a flexible 7-scenario design targeted to enable a constructive, project-based learning approach focused on authentic learning experiences. The template as applied to blockchain may be used directly or adapted for easier development of other emerging technology courses