Communication Overload in Online Communities in Higher Education

This paper presents part of a research project on the use of information technology by students and teachers to communicate with each other in online community contexts of higher education institutions. The part of this project which investigated whether the number of messages exchanged, and the effort required to process them are a source of communication overload is the focus of the paper. The research was conducted at a Portuguese university, was supported by an analysis model, and data were collected through an online questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and inference tests were used to analyse a validated data sample of n = 570 students and n = 172 teachers. The results show that students and teachers generally perceive communication overload when using communication technologies to communicate with each other. This perception is particularly relevant when using email, and inference tests show that it is higher for teachers than for students

Explicating Consumers’ Adoption of Wearable Technologies

This research aims to determine the key antecedent factors in consumers’ adoption of and their intention to recommend smartwatch wearable technology. The proposed research model combines the current technology acceptance and innovation diffusion theories with perceived aesthetic and perceived privacy risk to explain individuals’ smartwatch adoption and subsequent recommendation to other people. Based on a sample of 299 completed individual online surveys, the research employed partial least squares (a variance-based analysis method) for the model and hypotheses testing. The results showed some similarities as well as differences from the previous literature. The study found that performance expectancy, habit, and perceived aesthetic were the main predictors of smartwatch adoption. Compatibility was the antecedent factor of performance expectancy, and innovativeness directly influenced user adoption and effort expectancy. Consequently, user smartwatch adoption usually led to recommendation.

The Trust in Voting Systems (TVS) Measure

It is essential to democracy that voters trust voting systems enough to participate in elections and use these systems. Unfortunately, voter trust has been found to be low in many situations, which could detrimentally impact human-computer interactions in voting. Therefore, it is important to understand the degree to which voters trust any specific voting method. Voting researchers have developed and used measures of overall trust in technology; yet researchers have long argued that trust in systems is domain-specific, implying that system-specific measures should be used instead. To address this latter point, this paper describes the development of a psychometrically reliable and validated instrument called the Trust in Voting Systems (TVS) measure. The TVS not only allows researchers to understand group mean differences in trust across voting systems; it also allows researchers to understand individual differences in trust within systems—all of which collectively serves to inform and improve voting systems.

Enhancing Smart System Platforms; Factors Affecting People's Intentions toward Smart Homes in Jordan

Smart systems are going to transform the social life of modern society. Notwithstanding the benefits of these systems, its use is still low in developing world including Jordan. This study aims to construct a novel model to identify the factors that affect people’s intention to use smart systems in their homes. A survey was conducted on 650 individuals among which 550 valid questionnaires were considered in Jordan. The collected data were analyzed for descriptive analysis and further to valid the hypothesis using Structural Equation Modeling. The findings showed that there is a significant relationship between individuals’ attitudes related to PU and PEOU with their intention toward using smart systems in their lifestyle. It indicated that the research model explains 68.6% of the variance in the individual’s intention to use smart systems in their residence. Practically, it fruitful to the top management of IT companies that offers smart systems. Moreover, enhancing the current systems and organizing a strategic plan for implementation within best practice.

Together or Apart? A Historical Snapshot of Personal Internet Usage at Home

This paper provides a historical snapshot of personal ICT usage in 2005/2006, specifically shedding light on how Australian and German couples (N= 48) had integrated the internet into their homes with a focus on spatial and social transformations. Using a home ethnographic approach, this qualitative study implemented in-depth interviews across two countries. From a spatial perspective, Australian couples had their laptops or PCs highly integrated into the family life usually in multifunctional rooms or open areas, whereas German couples’ laptops and PCs were most often found in separate study rooms. From a social perspective, internet use can be related to elements that bring couples together, but also to elements of disintegration. A shift in how couples spent their time together was observed from watching TV together in the same room, to going online in the same room at two PCs or one person being online while the other conducted other activities.

The Use of Technological Innovations in Promoting Effective Humanitarian Aid - A Systematic Review of the Literature

The number and scale of natural and man-made disasters is increasing at an unprecedented rate, leading to devastating consequences for citizens, governments and entire economies. In response, Humanitarian Supply Chains (HSC) are used as a means of reducing suffering and saving lives. HSCs manage and deliver aid to those in need after a disaster strikes and exist only for the period of the relief operation. With reduced budgets there is an impetus to investigate technological innovations that offer increased efficiencies and reduced costs. One such innovation is information and communications technology (ICT); currently under-utilized by HSCs. This paper investigates the benefits, barriers and enablers of increased ICT adoption in HSCs and offers solutions most suited to their needs. The study develops a matrix that identifies the enablers and barriers of implementing innovative ICT and highlights associated managerial implications and suggested areas for future research.

Dynamics of Contextual Factors, Technology Paradox, and Job Performance in Smartphone Usage

The purpose of this paper is to explore the theories pertaining to the dynamics of contextual factors, technology paradox, and job performance of employees so as to answer specific questions related to the theories’ progressive advancement, and to evaluate the relationships among them in the context of mobile phones, using the evidence-based systematic review methodology. The term technology paradox has evolved over past decades, and theories have been postulated to explain its nature and relationships with its antecedents and outcomes; however, there is a dearth in the integrative models. Thus, the theory of paradox has been combined with other theoretical lenses to conceptualize tensions and responses to enrich extant theories on technology paradox and job performance. The finding of the study identifies seven research gaps in the available literature, which need to be plugged so that a holistic model is developed to address the interrelationships among the aforementioned research constructs.

Exploring User Acceptance Determinants of COVID-19-Tracing Apps to Manage the Pandemic

Tracing infectious individuals and clusters is a major tactic for mitigating the pandemic. This paper explores the factors impacting the intentions and actual use of COVID-19 contact tracing apps based on a technology acceptance model. A partial least squares structural equation model has been applied to understand determinants for the usage of tracing apps based on a large sample (N = 2,398) from more than 30 countries (mainly from Germany and USA). Further, the paper presents a classification of COVID-19 apps and users. Through that, the study provides insights for technologists and designers of tracing apps as well as policy makers and practitioners to work toward enhancing user acceptance. Moreover, the results are abstracted to general social participation with apps in order to manage future strategies. The theoretical contribution of this work includes the results of our acceptance model and a classification of COVID-19 tracing and tracking apps.

Mobile Applications in Tourism

Based on an extended version of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), this study aims to understand the intention to use tourism mobile applications. WOM about app and personal innovativeness was added to the original model along with perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and attitude. A questionnaire was distributed through the convenience sampling method and 440 valid respondents were retained and analysed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The results of this study show that WOM about app represents the strongest predictor of the intention to use of tourism mobile applications followed respectively by perceived usefulness, attitude toward using tourism mobile applications and personal innovativeness. The findings provide implications that would benefit managers in the hospitality and tourism sector as well as mobile app developers in order to ensure the effectiveness of their marketing and communication strategies and adapt their activities to the needs of a customer of the digital age.

Establishing and Testing a Quantitative Measure for Evolving Third Place Characteristics

Third places offer and promote social experiences beneficial for building interpersonal relationships. This study has two goals: 1) establish a scale that tests if an environment is characteristic of third place characteristics and 2) use this scale with four virtual environments (Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, and Twitter) to test the proficiency of third place characteristics as representative of virtual third places. A research-informed scale was created and tested with a sample of 354 participants. Confirmatory factor analysis verified a nine-factor solution, with each subscale reporting acceptable reliability (range: .89 to .96). This scale was tested with 140 participants to verify if certain social media qualified as third places. MANOVAs revealed that Facebook adheres most closely to the majority of third place characteristics, followed by Snapchat, Instagram, and Twitter respectively. The proposed scale can be used with other virtual environments to measure if they qualify as third places.