What Predicts Commercial Bank Leaders’ Intention to Use Mobile Commerce?

The purpose of this study was to investigate the roles leadership behaviors have on technology acceptance models, focusing on bank leaders’ intention to use mobile-commerce. The study included responses from 101 senior-level managers working at FDIC-insured commercial banks in the United States. Three instruments including Kouzes and Posner’s (1987) leadership practice inventory (LPI), Wu and Wang’s (2005) mobile commerce technology acceptance model (MC-TAM), and Oreg’s (2003) resistance to change model (RTC) were employed. A correlation analysis revealed that two transformational leadership behaviors—model the way and enabling others to act—positively relate to behavioral intent to use mobile commerce. A regression analysis found that perceived compatibility, perceived usefulness, and perceived ease of use are positively related to the behavioral intent to use m-Commerce. However, the authors found that the RTC and LPI model cannot predict the willingness to use m-Commerce.

An Investigation into the Adoption of Electronic Commerce Among Saudi Arabian SMEs

Despite the proliferation of e-commerce adoption by SMEs and the world-wide growth of e-commerce, in general there is a paucity of empirical studies that examine the adoption of e-commerce by SMEs in the Middle East. In this paper, the authors provide insights into the salient e-commerce adoption issues by focusing on Saudi Arabian SMEs. This research was designed using a qualitative approach through in-depth case studies selected from firms in Saudi Arabia. The findings contribute toward a better conceptual and practical understanding of the main factors driving SMEs to adopt e-commerce. The authors find that the level of e-commerce implementation has yet to mature and customer readiness for Internet shopping must improve before e-commerce reaches the levels of maturity seen in other regions of the world. This study highlights directions for future inquiry and implications for information and technology managers and policymakers in developing Arab nations.

Towards a Framework for Web 2.0 Community Success

Although ample research has been conducted on the topic of community, there is still much research to be done on online communities. More specifically, there is a paucity of research on the topic of building successful Web 2.0 communities like YouTube—the top ranked Web 2.0 video sharing website. In this paper, a framework for Web 2.0 community success is proposed based on a theoretical review and an empirical study of YouTube using a dual approach consisting of content analysis and grounded theory interviews. The findings identify specific internal and external factors that are important for the success of YouTube as a Web 2.0 community. A framework of Web 2.0 community success is also proposed, which is useful in the planning and administration of Web 2.0 Communities.

Barriers to Electronic Commerce Adoption Among Small Businesses in Iran

This research examines potential barriers within the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework that affect the decision to adopt Electronic Commerce (EC) and extent of EC adoption within Small Businesses (SBs) in the context of developing countries. This research also signifies the discriminators of adoption and non-adoption of different EC applications. Through a questionnaire-based survey of 268 owners or managers of Iranian manufacturing SBs, initial and post EC adoption by these businesses were found to be hindered by some of barriers existing within technological, organizational, and environmental context including cost of EC, lack of EC compatibility, perceived risk of EC, lack of EC awareness, lack of knowledge, family intervention, lack of external support, lack of government support, and lack of business partners’ EC readiness. Similarly, this study provides discussions on determinants of adoption and non-adoption of different EC applications. Theoretical contribution and managerial implications of this research are discussed which is believed to offer valuable insights to managers, EC experts, and policy makers regarding institutionalization of EC within SBs of developing countries.

E-Service and Organizational Change

The pervasiveness of e-services offers organizations a new way to serve and engage their customers. Organizational change issues must be recognized and addressed to increase service quality and satisfaction of e-service. However, relevant research is limited. In this paper, the authors conduct a longitudinal in-depth case study of a successful e-service-induced governmental transformation and propose a three-stage change management model. First, the authors reveal the dynamic process of the e-service-induced organizational change. Second, the authors explicitly identify the role and influence of ICTs and customers in the change process, which is important in studying e-service-induced organizational change due to the boundary nature of e-service. Lastly, their three-stage change management model acknowledges the improvisational and technochange process of the e-service-induced change and can be used either as a theoretical framework or a practical management tool.

A Comparative Analysis of Chinese Consumers’ Increased vs. Decreased Online Purchases

Previous research on online consumer purchases has focused on increased purchases and neglected decreased purchases. However, factors impacting these purchases are different. Drawing on the two-factor theory, in this paper, the authors compare factors affecting increase and decrease in Chinese consumers’ online purchases. The authors conducted separate group analyses with PLS. The results show that consumers’ perception of service quality significantly affects increases in their online purchasing behavior, whereas their perception of website quality significantly affects decreases in online purchasing. These results show that e-tailers must not only focus on factors that promote online shopping but also those that deter consumers from making online purchases.

How Dependent Are Consumers on Others When Making Their Shopping Decisions?

Consumers now have a variety of shopping information sources online and offline in making purchase decisions. How has the Web changed the perceptions of consumers regarding the relative importance of different shopping information sources? Applying the attribution principle and the least effort principle, the authors hypothesize the relative importance of self-evaluation and three types of recommendations from others (word-of-mouth or WOM, expert opinion, and electronic WOM or eWOM). The data collected from 549 consumers show that the perceived importance of WOM remains equal to or even higher than that of self-evaluation for credence goods (product quality unknown even after purchase and use) and the so-called digital goods without Web access. However, the importance of self-evaluation increases when consumers have both Web access and non-Web sources of shopping information. The Web appears to make self-evaluation by consumers more important than inputs from others.

Evaluating the Relevance of Information Systems Strategic Planning Practices in E-Business Contexts

Increasing global competition and advances in Internet technologies have led organizations to consider e-business strategies. However, evolving e-business strategies have been identified as a critical issue faced by corporate planners. The relevance and the use of IS (Information Systems) strategy planning practices in the context of e-business have been argued among researchers. In this paper, the authors investigate whether organizations can successfully improve the IS value in the e-business context by suitably extending and modifying IS planning practices. To achieve this objective, the authors use a longitudinal case study of an Indian automotive manufacturer to critically evaluate ‘why’ and ‘how’ e-business strategies differ from IS strategies. The authors compare and analyze five important planning parameters (strategic alignment, technological environment, formalization, role of the IS function, and implementation planning) and the IS value of both IS and e-business contexts. The research reveals that the e-business contexts are characterized by significant changes in planning parameters. Extending IS planning experiences and proper management of these parameters results in successful e-business strategies. The paper is concluded with a set of implications for deploying e-business strategies in developing countries and directions for future research.

Advancing E-Commerce Beyond Readiness in a Developing Country

This paper identifies factors affecting the assimilation of electronic commerce in Ghana and the solutions that Ghanaian firms have developed. Drawing from the elements of two electronic commerce readiness frameworks, the study analyzes the readiness of Ghana to support the conduct of electronic commerce at the firm-level. The study covers the government, technology, market and culture readiness factors. Findings suggest that social networks, managerial capabilities and government commitment have an attendant effect on adoption and use of tangible resources like electronic commerce applications. The findings imply that future research and practitioner efforts should focus on developing a broader perspective to address electronic commerce challenges encompassing issues like how firms can advance to more complex forms of e-commerce after initial e-commerce adoption.

Factors Associated with the Use of Personal Internet Banking in Thailand

Based on a review of previous studies, important variables associated with the use of personal Internet Banking services are identified in this paper. Using data collected through a questionnaire, statistically significant associations among these variables are determined. The findings of the study confirm significant associations reported in previous studies and identify significant associations among an individual’s work position; personal characteristics of users; the influence of peers on users; the importance of trust; and the emphasis placed by users on personal relationships with banks. Conclusions are drawn which are of practical use for those responsible for the development of personal Internet Banking services.