The Different Key Processes in the Implementation of Knowledge Management Among IC Designers, Distributors and Manufacturers

This study is an exploratory investigation of the enabling roles of knowledge management for integrated circuit (IC) Designers, Distributors, and Manufacturers. This study explores the different enabling roles in terms of knowledge creation, storage/retrieval, transfer and application when businesses implement knowledge management in upstream, midstream, and downstream firms in the IC industry. Three cases, Winbond, Worldpeace, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) were studied and analyzed systemically to illustrate the findings and insights in this study. The findings in this study point out that IC designers may focus more on knowledge storage, while IC distributors pay more attention to knowledge application and IC Manufacturers emphasize knowledge creation. The necessity to implement knowledge management in the distribution industry is also emphasized in this study. Moreover, the reasons for the different enabling roles are presented in the ‘Insights from Case Studies’ section of the paper.

A Theoretical Technology Adoption Rate Model

This article proposes a hypothetical model for determining rate of diffusion of an innovation in a system. The model modifies Everett Rogers’ S-curve using an index created from Gartner’s hype cycle phases. Rogers’ model for technology innovation adoption demonstrates that cumulative technology diffusion in a system from zero through the late majority adopters’ phase forms a curve resembling the letter “S”. Hype cycles analyze the five emotional stages technology adopters go through from over-enthusiasm (hype) though disappointment until it plateaus (beginning of mainstream adoption). When numbers assigned to the phases of adoption from the hype cycle are used as multipliers and applied to the cumulative adoption data of an innovation (Rogers’ S-curve), the “S” becomes a “J”. With the J-curve you can determine the rate of innovation diffusion in an organization.

Exploring Antecedents of Behavior Intention to Use Internet Banking in Korea

This study is aimed at analyzing adoption and usage behavior within the context of Internet banking services in South Korea. In a country where the penetration rate of the Internet is very high, it seems that the self-efficacy would play a crucial role in affecting the Internet banking adoption. To pursue this research question, this study adopts TAM and incorporates the self-efficacy into TAM as one of antecedent variables such as risk, Internet experience, facilitating conditions. The proposed research model is tested empirically with 185 usable questionnaires and partial least square (PLS) method. Experimental results showed that the self-efficacy plays a prominent role in influencing the Internet banking usage compared to other factors.

Quantifying Factors Influencing the Adoption of Internet Banking Services in Greece

A growing phenomenon in the Internet is the rising exploitation of sophisticated security means (e.g. cryptography, digital signatures etc.) toward the development of novel commerce services for providing electronic transactions, collaborating with business partners or serving customers, regardless of geographical and time limitations. This paper discusses, presents and elaborates on the various factors that affect the adaption of Internet banking services in Greece. In particular, it deals with the factors that have been developed within the framework of providing e-banking services over an insecure shared medium like the Internet and affect the Internet Banking customer acceptance. A factor analysis is performed based on the gathered results provided by customer-questionnaires of ALPHA Bank branch in Greece in order to quantify the various parameters that affect the use of an Internet Banking System. The findings of the analysis show that despite the fact that Internet Banking in Greece is steadily increasing its penetration, factors like security, ease of use and perceived usefulness of a system play a major role on the final decision of the customer to adopt an Internet Banking System.

E-Learning Methods and the Factors Hindering Their Usage

In recent years, e-learning technology has been widely used in the academic institutes for supporting the effectiveness and efficiency of the students’ learning and the educators’ teaching, as a favored approach. However, regarding the student community, the extent to which e-learning technology is used, types of e-learning methods are being mainly used, as well as the barriers for enjoying the advantages of e-technology, remain interesting topics for the educators to explore. This chapter focuses on these issues through an investigation among the students within a higher education institute. The findings give an understanding regarding the usage of e-learning methods and the factors hindering the efficacy of their usage among the students. Also, a primary analysis on the usage difference between undergraduate and postgraduate students is presented.

The Case of Electronic Approval System

The purpose of this study is to assess and test the factors that influence user adoption of e-Government services: the Electronic Approval System (EAS). This study uses the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the extended TAM (TAM2), the Diffusion of Innovation (DOI), and trust to build a parsimonious yet comprehensive model of factors that influence user acceptance of the EAS. We collected data from a total of 112 public officers in 12 ministries in Cambodia. We assessed the model with regression analyses. The findings in this article show that the determinants of the model (perceived usefulness, relative advantage, and trust) explain 30.5% of the variance in user acceptance of the EAS. At the same time, image, output quality, and perceived ease of use explain 38.4% of the variance in user perception of the usefulness of the EAS. In this article, we discuss our findings, implications, and suggestions for future research.

Evolution, Development and Growth of Electronic Money

Traditional cash has long been envisioned to be replaced with ‘virtual’ or electronic cash. Electronic money and electronic payment systems for retail transactions are commanding widespread attention. Undeniably, electronic payment cites advantages such as efficiency and convenience to the consumers. However, with the rapid change and advances in technology, has posed significant risks, related to ensuring security and integrity of electronic payment systems in today’s cyber world. Therefore, this study attempts to understand the role of electronic payments for consumers, and to identify the problems and solutions in the emergence of electronic payments. This study also explores the challenges of electronic payments from a security perspective, in particular, and provides preliminary security countermeasures for each of the issues discussed. Beside that, the study also discusses further on the prospects of electronic payment systems. It is essential to put in place an integrated, overall risk-management approach to security, including independent security assessments as one of the components in the use of electronic payment products.

Web Site Localization Practices

The e-commerce industry has experienced spectacular growth, change and development. This situation has initiated an enormous business revolution that has affected the process of globalization tremendously. The goal of this study was to analyze the Web sites of localization companies that provide localization and translation services to other companies and see if they themselves are practicing what they are preaching. The results suggest that localization companies are indeed not practicing what they are preaching. Analysis shows that localization company Web sites are less localized than the Web sites of their clients, the multinational companies. The findings provide some implications to domestic and international marketers who currently operate in or are planning to enter into the global markets in the near future. [Article copies are available for purchase from InfoSci-on-Demand.com]

Cultural Accommodation in Consumer E-Commerce

Consumer e-commerce extends the marketplace of traditional business and brings in business opportunities in online retailing and service. As a consequence of intensive competition among online vendors, the need to capture customers has become a top priority. Thanks to the wide penetration of Internet, the online consumer group now consists of individuals with diverse cultural values and backgrounds. In the context of ethnic culture, we explore the ways a Web site may attract and accommodate ethnic consumers. Drawing upon existing literature in culture and Web Information System success, we develop a Web-based intercultural accommodation model. This model offers a theoretical explanation of online ethnic consumers’ behavioral intention to use e-commerce Web site. The conceptual model recognizes the potential roles of ethnicity attributes of individual consumers as well as the use of ethnic pertaining Web site designs in accommodating ethnic consumers. Future study that validates the theoretical model is discussed as well.

Modeling User Acceptance of Internet Banking in Malaysia

This study is the first empirical research that compares three well known technology adoption models in the in the field of e-banking. It aims to determine the dominant factor(s) which influence the user intention to use Internet banking. Three models (TAM, TPB, and TRA) were used to test the impact of five factors (perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control) on intention to adopt e-banking by 239 individual bank customers in Malaysia. Survey questions from prior studies were adopted and customized. Partial least Square (PLS) SmartPLS M2 Version 2.0 was used for data analysis. Results reveal that the five factors have a direct positive effect on behavioral intention to use Internet banking. However, attitude toward behavior has the highest beta, followed by perceived usefulness, and subjective norm, while perceived behavioral control exerts the weakest effect. In testing the explanatory power of the different models, results found TAM model has the best explanatory power, followed by TPB and TRA models. Findings of the study should benefit banks in improving their use of e-banking technologies as a strategic weapon, and can be used to target more potential customers.