bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Awareness of E‐government Related Small Business Development Services in Cape Town
Authors: Mitrovic Z. , Bytheway A. J. 
Published: December 2017

AbstractSmall businesses are widely regarded by national and international bodies, including the South African government, as an “engine of economic growth”. However, much available evidence suggests that establishing a new small business in South Africa is difficult because of a lack of appropriate support. The project reported here set out to examine the actual support that has been available, and the viewpoints of both the support service providers and the intended beneficiaries – small business owners and managers. It was found that government‐based services were predominant in the minds of small businesses and other involved parties, and that much of the interest in these services was based on use of the Internet, in the context of “e‐Government”. However, despite claims of success by service providers, it is found that many small businesses are not aware of available support services, and that where they are known there is scepticism about the benefits of engaging with them. Problems therefore centre around a lack of awareness of available services, and a lack of proper engagement between the parties involved.
ICTs for the Broader Development of India: An Analysis of the Literature
Authors: Walsham Geoff 
Published: December 2017

AbstractIndia is known around the world for the success of its export‐oriented ICT services industry, but this paper asks whether ICTs have been valuable in providing broader development benefits to all Indian citizens. Secondary data from academic articles with a focus on India are used to analyse the contribution of ICTs towards the achievement of specific development goals. The analysis shows that many ICT‐based initiatives have taken place over the last decade and some positive effects have resulted. However, the beneficiaries are almost always not the poorest or most disadvantaged groups, it is hard to scale up initiatives to have effects throughout India, and the need for attitudinal and institutional change remains a fundamental problem. It is argued that ICTs should not be seen as ‘silver bullets’ for development but neither are they irrelevant. Rather, they are potentially important contributors towards development in India but only through their integration in wider sociotechnical interventions.
Factors affecting bank staff attitude towards E‐banking adoption in Libya
Authors: Abukhzam Mohammad , Lee Angela 
Published: December 2017

AbstractE‐banking technology is gaining widespread adoption in the banking industry across developed countries. The case, however, is different in less developed nations, such as Libya. Libyan banks, for example, despite recently acknowledging the benefits of e‐banking technology in improving banking services, have not adopted and integrated this innovation within its banking delivery strategy. Instead, they continue to deliver most of their banking services and products using traditional banking delivery channels, notably paper‐based branch networks. This is largely due to bank staff resistance to new banking technologies. A review of literature on ICT adoption shows that there has only been a few studies about ICT adoption in developing countries compared to the developed world, and even less so about the Middle East, including Libya. Thus, this paper aims to bridge this gap by investigating the key factors affecting bank staff's attitude towards e‐banking technology, a step necessary to understand what makes effective the introduction of e‐banking projects in Libya. This paper draws on existing literature on technological developments in the banking industry and the findings from semi–structured interviews with key bank staff of a leading commercial bank in Libya. A number of factors of e‐banking technology adoption are identified that affect adoption. Finally, we identified lessons that can guide future e‐banking implementation projects in Libyan banks. Lessons can be taken for other Arab countries.
Effects of Mobile Phone Use on Artisanal Fishing Market Efficiency and Livelihoods in Ghana
Authors: Salia Mahamadu , Nsowah‐Nuamah Nicholas N.N. , Steel William F. 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThis article assesses the effects of mobile phone use on the artisanal fishing industry in the Effutu Municipality of Ghana. It contributes to the growing literature on how mobile telephony can help overcome market inefficiencies in developing countries due to imperfect information. The study shows how mobile phone use among fishermen has enhanced the efficiency of input and output markets for artisanal fishing and improved their businesses relations and livelihoods. The ‘before and after’ approach was used, based on interviews with fishermen and other supply chain actors on ways in which fishermen bought inputs and sold fish, and their perceptions of the effects of the mobile phone. The results indicate that market efficiencies improved and price variations reduced as a result of better availability of up‐to‐date information. Use of mobile phones enabled fishermen to improve their incomes, expand their markets, feel more secure at sea, and remain in closer touch with both families and other fishermen.
Factors Influencing e‐commerce Adoption by Retailers in Saudi Arabia: a qualitative analysis
Authors: AlGhamdi Rayed , Drew Steve , Al‐Ghaith Waleed 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThis paper presents the preliminary findings of a study researching the diffusion and the adoption of online retailing in Saudi Arabia. It reports new research that identifies and explores the key issues that positively and negatively influence retailers in Saudi Arabia regarding the adoption of electronic commerce. Retailers in Saudi Arabia have been reserved in their adoption of electronically delivered aspects of their business. Despite the fact that Saudi Arabia has the largest and fastest growth of ICT marketplaces in the Arab region, e‐commerce activities are not progressing at the same speed. Only a tiny number of Saudi commercial organizations, mostly medium and large companies from the manufacturing sector, are involved in e‐commerce implementation. Based on qualitative data, collected by conducting interviews with a sample population of retail sector decision makers in Saudi Arabia, both positive and negative issues influencing retailer adoption of electronic retailing systems in Saudi Arabia are identified. A number of impediments which include cultural, business and technical issues were reported. Facilitating factors include access to educational programs and awareness building of e‐commerce, government support and assistance for e‐commerce, trustworthy and secure online payment options, developing strong ICT infrastructure, and provision of sample e‐commerce software to trial. While literature reveals that government promotion has had limited effects on the diffusion of e‐commerce in most countries, this study significantly indicates government promotion and support as a key driver to online retailing in KSA.
Pragmatism or Policy: Implications on Health Information Systems Success
Authors: Kanjo Chipo 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThe most fundamental issue for any information system is to produce information that is relevant to organisational goals. A number of research studies have reported failures in information systems, especially in health information systems (HIS) in developing countries. The challenges of success lie in the heterogeneity of the players, the requirements, the practices and some of the policies in place. In some cases, national policies affect the success of the information systems. This paper describes and analyses some of the factors that affect HIS success in developing countries. The aim of this research was to identify, within the environment where the information systems are implemented and used, issues that could be stumbling blocks to their success. Although the use of HIS is seen as a satisfactory outcome of health sector reform, there are certain social aspects, both internal and external to the organisation and system that influence its success or failure.We highlight the factors affecting HIS using a case study from Malawi. Specifically, we examine the extent to which Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) policy, which includes stopping traditional birth attendants from assisting in births, affects the maternal and child data flow from communities to health facilities and hence into HIS. The SRHR policy was introduced as a way of curbing maternal mortality in a bid to attain the fifth Millennium Development Goal. The findings from an interpretive study reveal that external factors, such as SRHR policy implementation, can affect the quality of data that is input into HIS. We recommend a more pragmatic approach when implementing SRHR policy and provide a new angle to value judgements of environmental context.
The Developmental Contribution From Mobile Phones Across the Agricultural Value Chain in Rural Africa
Authors: Furuholt Bjorn , Matotay Edmund 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThe most widespread information and communication technology (ICT) in developing countries today is the mobile phone. The majority of people in the least developed countries still live in rural areas and their livelihood depends on the primary industries. This study investigates the use of mobile phones among farmers in rural Tanzania in order to supply empirical data on the developmental role of this technology. The results show that the improved access to communication and information that mobile phones represent affects the entire cyclic farming life during the year and has resulted in considerable changes in the entire livelihood constructs, increased opportunities and reduced risks for rural farmers.
The Role of ICT Actors and Networks in Development: The Case Study of a Wireless Project in Nepal
Authors: Thapa Devinder 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThe role of ICT actors in the formation and extension of ICT4D projects is important. The actors through their extended network and aligned interest can enhance the effectiveness of the project which in turn enables socioeconomic development opportunities. However, few studies have been conducted to understand the role of these central players. The objective of this paper, therefore, is to address this knowledge gap by conducting a qualitative case study in the Myagdi district in the mountain region of Nepal. In this study we explored the Nepal Wireless Networking Project (NWNP) and examined how an activist started it from one mountain village and gradually extended across more than 150 villages. The formation and extension of information and communication technology for development (ICT4D) projects goes through different phases of identification of relevant ICT actors, roles, negotiations, and their interest alignment. To understand the various phases, we employed Actor‐Network Theory (ANT) and explored how a social activist, in the midst of challenges, initiates the wireless project to facilitate educational and healthcare services to the mountain regions. In continuum, the study found how the activist identified relevant actors and enrolled them to form a network of aligned interest. The study also identified several challenges such as high illiteracy rate, over dependency on focal actor, and poor physical infrastructure that may impede the network building process. Furthermore, we identify some implications for research and practice based on insights from the case study.
Examining the Impact of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) on Enterprise Practices: A Preliminary Perspective from Qatar
Authors: Manochehri Nick‐Naser , Al‐Esmail Rajab A. , Ashrafi Rafi 
Published: December 2017

AbstractInformation and Communication Technologies (ICT) are widely used by organizations to enhance enterprise competitiveness. This study provides an overview of the current state of affairs of the ICT adoption in SMEs in private and public organizations in Qatar. It investigates ICT infrastructure, productivity and business application software used, drivers for ICT investment, perceptions about business benefits of ICT, outsourcing trends and availability of help and advice on ICT adoption. The study also has investigated major barriers in ICT adoption with the findings of the study are being consistent with other similar studies. The study identified the need for more training facilities for adopting ICT in SMEs. Additionally, the study identified that there is a need for the Government to provide guidance on suitable ICT products and services at an affordable cost as well as provide incentives to promote ICT investment and usage e.g. soft loans, availability of professional advice and consulting at no/low cost to SMEs. This is the first study on the status of ICT adoption and usage by SMEs in Qatar. The findings of this research will provide a foundation for future research and will help policy makers in designing policies to further enhancing usage and ICT adoption in SMEs in Qatar resulting improved productivity and competiveness.
Mapping Local Solutions to Entrenched Transport Problems: Key Lessons Regarding the Use of Geographical Information Technologies in Community Mapping with Disadvantaged Communities
Authors: Grant‐Smith Deanna , Johnson Laurel 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThere is an increasing interest in the use of information technology as a participatory planning tool, particularly the use of geographical information technologies to support collaborative activities such as community mapping. However, despite their promise, the introduction of such technologies does not necessarily promote better participation nor improve collaboration. In part this can be attributed to a tendency for planners to focus on the technical considerations associated with these technologies at the expense of broader participation considerations.In this paper we draw on the experiences of a community mapping project with disadvantaged communities in suburban Australia to highlight the importance of selecting tools and techniques which support and enhance participatory planning. This community mapping project, designed to identify and document community‐generated transport issues and solutions, had originally intended to use cadastral maps extracted from the government's digital cadastral database as the foundation for its community mapping approach. It was quickly discovered that the local residents found the cadastral maps confusing as the maps lacked sufficient detail to orient them to their suburb (the study area). In response to these concerns and consistent with the project's participatory framework, a conceptual base map based on resident's views of landmarks of local importance was developed to support the community mapping process. Based on this community mapping experience we outline four key lessons learned regarding the process of community mapping and the place of geographical information technologies within this process.
Urbanization and 3D City Moelling for Developing Countries: A Comparative Study
Authors: Duncan Edward Eric , Eluwa Stephen Eyinnaya , Musibau Ajagbe Akintunde 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThe study examines urbanization and its associated effects in terms of infrastructure, planning and congestion in two West African cities: Ibadan in Nigeria and Accra in Ghana. A comparative planning scheme for Accra, Ibadan and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia is also analysed. Quantitative and qualitative approach in the form of orthophotos and satellite imagery, planning schemes and questionnaire were used for the study, 519 respondents were randomly sampled. Results from the study reveal that more than half of the respondents from Accra and Ibadan stated that the level of provision of sanitary facilities is not adequate or in most cases not present at all, while majority of respondents from Kuala Lumpur stated that sanitary facilities are adequate. Similarly, findings from the study show that majority of respondents from Accra and Ibadan stated that the provision of transport and recreational facilities is poor as compared to Kuala Lumpur. In the three cities more than half of the respondents claimed that they spent over 21 minutes to and from their work place. Overall impression about the physical infrastructure was poor in Accra and Ibadan. Also, it was observed from the findings that respondents incur both human and material losses due to traffic congestion in both cities. Some of the causes of traffic congestion identified especially in Accra and Ibadan in the study include: high number of vehicles plying the roads, narrow road networks, bad roads, lack of alternate routes, erection of structures near some major routes in the city and impatience on the part of some drivers. The cities of Ibadan and Accra are sprawling in a horizontal direction thereby taking a lot of land space with no effort being made by building and planning agencies to start building structures in the vertical direction above and below the city surface. The two cities therefore cannot boast of any significant landmarks in the category of the Twin Towers of Kuala Lumpur, hence the tourism potential of these cities cannot be maximally utilized. The study suggests the adoption of 3D city modelling and techniques in Accra in Ghana and Ibadan in Nigeria for spatial planning, also a generic framework is presented so as to overcome some of the transport and infrastructural problems to improve the quality of life as observed in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.
The Adoption and Use of ICT in Thailand and Vietnam
Authors: Winley Graham Kenneth , Lau Sim Kim 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThis exploratory study compares the adoption and use of ICT in the developing nations of Vietnam and Thailand by examining the nature and structure of the IT profession in medium to large size organizations. A theoretical framework is used with three related components: domains of IT professional expertise; the scope of the IT professional's knowledge, skills, and experience; and specific knowledge and skills associated with the domains of professional expertise. The findings provide insights that are not found in existing reports which address ICT issues at a national rather than an organizational level. In particular, findings concerned with the first two components of the framework for both nations are compared to predictions about the adoption and use of ICT in organizations in technologically developed nations.
Evaluating the Anti‐Corruption Capabilities of Public e‐Procurement in a Developing Country
Authors: Neupane Arjun , Soar Jeffrey , Vaidya Kishor 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThis paper reports on research undertaken in Nepal into perceptions of trust in public e‐procurement systems and of their anti‐corruption capabilities. The research set out to examine the relationships between factors including perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, trust, and intent to adopt anti‐corruption technology in public procurement. The research was guided by the Technology Acceptance model and Principal‐agent theory. The findings suggest that the intent‐to‐adopt public e‐procurement has a positive and significant relationship with concepts of usefulness, ease of use, and trust when democratic governments in developing countries attempt to combat corruption in public procurement.
Animated Videos as a Learning Tool in Developing Nations: A Pilot Study of Three Animations in Maradi and Surrounding Areas in Niger
Authors: Bello‐Bravo Julia , Baoua Ibrahim 
Published: December 2017

AbstractAccess to information and knowledge has always been a challenge for illiterate or low literate learners in developing nations. As a consequence, pedagogical advances, for low literate learners, have lagged behind, as compared to educational strategies for literate or highly literate learners. The technological revolution based on access to Internet and cell‐phones has brought new opportunities to one billion low literate learners in the planet. There is evidence that cell‐phones are becoming easily available for users in developing nations. “Scientific Animations Without Borders” (SAWBO) creates educational animations that can be watched on cell‐phones and other devices and can be transmitted from mobile phone to mobile phone through Bluetooth® technology. In this article we report the results of a short survey conducted by students from Maradi (Niger) with different groups; farmers, teachers in rural areas, informal entrepreneurs and women in which several 3 D animations were showed on mobile phones: cholera prevention, neem seed extract for insects pest control and triple bagging for storage to prevent post harvest looses. The objectives were to find out the perception of usefulness of the content and easiness of the technology used as a mode of transmission of information and knowledge.
Fearless Cards: A Low‐Tech Solution to Help Overcome Emotional Barriers to ICT Adoption Among Marginalized Populations
Authors: Gomez Ricardo , Bayo Ivette , Reed Philip , Wang Cherry (Cong) , Silva Marisol 
Published: December 2017

AbstractWe discuss access, skills, and emotional barriers to computer literacy among immigrant day laborers in the USA, and we prototype Fearless Cards (www.fearlesscards.org), a novel design to help these and other underserved communities overcome emotional barriers to computer and internet use. In addition to lacking technical skills, day laborers experience strong emotional barriers: fear, anxiety, lack of self‐confidence, and limited English language skills. Through an iterative process of design and testing in partnership with a non‐profit in Seattle, Washington, USA, we developed the Fearless Cards, a set of basic, easy‐to‐use instructions to help extremely underserved populations overcome their fears and lack of self‐confidence to learn to use computers and the internet in ways that help them improve their lives. Fearless Cards are important because they help reach the deep pockets of exclusion and allow people who are extremely marginalized to gain self‐confidence and break the emotional barriers that prevent them from starting to use computers and the internet.