Cross-Cultural Consumer Perceptions of Advertising via Mobile Devices

This chapter tries to answer the question on how international consumers differ in their perceptions of mobile advertising. In order to answer this research question a survey among mobile phone users was carried out in Austria and in Japan. These two countries have been selected because they show a high dissimilarity in culture, in historical terms but also in the degree of technological development and usage. Both countries experienced a similar economic development and show comparable living standards. Furthermore, Japan and Austria are leading markets for advanced mobile technology in their geographic areas. On the basis of the literature review, variables picturing perceptions of mobile advertising are defined, hypotheses in comparing consumer perspectives in the respective countries presented and results of the MANOVA analysis shown and discussed. Finally, the paper presents theoretical and managerial implications, limitations, and recommendations for future research on this issue.

The Design of Mobile Television in Europe

Mobile Television is potentially the most anticipated mass-market mobile application across Europe. This chapter examines the business model design of Mobile TV by the various stakeholders currently piloting mobile broadcasting in the European national markets. It adapts a generic business model framework to systematically compare five recent pilots of the two mobile broadcasting technologies that are currently trialled most intensively in Europe, i.e. DVB-H and DAB-IP. The article illustrates the cross-impact of cooperation agreements between the various stakeholders with technological, service-related and financial design choices. It also provides insights as to the likely business models in the upcoming commercialisation phase of mobile broadcasting in Europe.

The Future of M-Commerce

This chapter discusses the growing significance of M-commerce with special focus on Bluetooth and WiMax. There is a detailed investigation of the components involved with, and the marketplace for, M-commerce transactions. The chapter concludes with the future opportunities and obstacles for M-commerce. The authors hope that the reader will gain a better understanding of, not only M-commerce, but the impact of Bluetooth and WiMax.

The Implementation of Wi-Fi Technology in Higher Education in the United States

This chapter discusses the implementation of Wi-Fi technology in higher education of the United States. It includes Wi-Fi standards, security, the adoption of the technology, Wi-Fi to support teaching and learning, and challenges of Wi-Fi implementation. The last section is a case study of Wi-Fi at Ohio University. Although Wi-Fi technology has a great promise in higher education, institutions are still at the beginning stage of adoption. Institutions need to make a long-term sustainable plan to develop instructional strategies, successful practices, and technology supports to improve teaching and learning using Wi-Fi technology

Perception of Mobile Technology Provision in Health Service

In this chapter the user interface perception and resources for Mobile Technology (MT) support in healthcare service activities is investigated. Most procedures oriented to provide better operation and quality of health service depends on the existing information and communication technology (ICT) system However, the implementation of new technology competes with funding available for health institutions resources, hence introducing them is complex. The technical difficulties encountered in using ICT are: an inadequate physical infrastructure, QoS issues and insufficient access by the user to the hardware/software communication infrastructure. A case study by multi-criteria approach was investigated involving three categories of hospitals in Chile and empirical data was collected comprising diverse health sector representatives. The main contribution is the proposed research decision-making model using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to evaluate and compare information and communications systems as fixed, wireless or computer-assisted provisions for health related activities and to identify the high priority dimensions in a healthcare service.

Strategies of Mobile Value-Added Services in Korea

As the growth of mobile market decreases and the market competition intensifies, mobile carriers have been trying to find new business models to retain their profits and expand their business boundaries. Development of value-added services increases the chances of keeping the growth with mobile carriers. This chapter discusses the motivation of mobile value-added service in terms of value chain and mobile adoption. Six mobile value-added services presented in Korea are introduced: short messaging service, personalized call ring service, mobile music service, mobile video service, mobile payment, and mobile games. The major characteristics of those value-added services are discussed with “4Cs”: customization, content-focused, connectedness, and contemporary. This chapter also discusses digital multimedia broadcasting (DMB) as a new value-added service and the impacts of value-added services on mobile market. This chapter is concluded with three plausible strategies of mobile carriers: real-time market-responding strategy, content-focused market strategy, and various bundling service.

Exploring the Use of Mobile Data Services in Europe

Mobile data services seem a promising revenue source for the stakeholders that have heavily invested on mobile communications infrastructures. However, in the Western world those services have not reached the mass markets yet. This chapter focuses on two markets that are representative of the European socio-economic environment, Greece and Denmark, with the aim to investigate and compare mobile data services use through the means of an online survey. We depict two user groups and observe their behaviors in both countries. The results indicate differences in locations and frequency of services use that can be attributed to specific socio-economic characteristics. However, certain similarities exist in the experience derived from mobile data service use since users believe that services cannot cater for their specific needs. We conclude by underlining the current challenges faced by mobile service providers in order to increase mobile data services use and summarizing user groups’ characteristics.

Strategy Aligned Process Selection for Mobile Customer Services

In this chapter we analyze how companies define their customer value proposition and how the selection of successful mobile customer services is done in alignment with this strategic positioning. We derive a set of five different strategic goals (price leadership, product quality leadership, customer intimacy leadership, accessibility leadership, innovation leadership) and apply this classification to case studies we analyzed. We show interdependencies between the strategic premises and the processes selected for being supported by mobile technology, resulting in typical properties which qualify processes for mobilization. These are used to derive guidelines for strategy aligned process selection when implementing mobile customer services.

Individual Telecommunications Tariffs in Chinese Communities

The chapter addresses mobile service pricing and affordability issues in China. The goal is to assist fast diffusion and sustainable development of mobile services through pricing mechanisms. Diverse situations exist with a split between a large number of mostly rural people still lacking basic services; and some affluent mostly urban users wanting personalized value added services. A historical perspective is taken and tariff data are reported. Focussing on content and interactions, solutions are found in community-based individual tariffs; this business model fits especially well with the community culture rooted in Chinese tradition. Such a solution can facilitate the diffusion to all types of users, and also allow community members themselves to satisfy their own demands. Two cases are described: the gaming communities of Lianzhong; and the “Tianfu” rural communication communities in Sichuan province. Concluding remarks are made about existing technologies and standards needed by this approach, and about how to close the gap between the current situation and the envisaged implementation.

Mobile Automotive Cooperative Services (MACS)

In this chapter we describe the systematic development and implementation of mobile services in the automotive sector. This includes a design framework that represents different requirements of automotive service engineering. The framework is used following a corresponding process model which combines iterative service development with classical prototyping. The framework and the process model are applied to a new mobile service MACS MyNews, a personalizeable, interactive news service, allowing the driver to be the editor and end user of his newscast at the same time. In order to design this service, we start with designing service scenarios. For these service scenarios a matching added value network is derived, technologies for service provisioning are chosen, a prototype is implemented. The service is thenevaluated especially concerning driving safety.A final user evaluation helps the designers choose whether or not to include the service in series production before planning the service roll-out.