Return on Investment (ROI) is one of the most popular performance measurement and evaluation metrics. ROI analysis (when applied correctly) is a powerful tool in comparing solutions and making informed decisions on the acquisitions of information systems. The purpose of this study is to provide a systematic research of the accuracy of the ROI evaluations in the context of information systems implementations. Measurements theory and error analysis, specifically propagation of uncertainties methods, were used to derive analytical expressions for ROI errors. Monte Carlo simulation methodology was used to design and deliver a quantitative experiment to model costs and returns estimating errors and calculate ROI accuracies. Spreadsheet simulation (Microsoft Excel spreadsheets enhanced with Visual Basic for Applications) was used to implement Monte Carlo simulations. The main contribution of the study is that this is the first systematic effort to evaluate ROI accuracy. Analytical expressions have been derived for estimating errors of the ROI evaluations. Results of the Monte Carlo simulation will help practitioners in making informed decisions based on explicitly stated factors influencing the ROI uncertainties.

This paper contributes to the limited research on roles ICT can play in impression-management strategies and is based on case studies done in the Swedish Police. It also gives a theoretical contribution by adopting a holistic approach to explain how ICT can contribute to giving a misleading picture of conditions. Output generated by ICT has nowadays a central role in follow-up activities and decision-making. Even if this type of output, often in colourful, presentable, graphical arrangements, gives the impression of being accurate and reliable there is a risk of defective data quality. The phenomena can be described as a process divided into five steps. The first step is about how the data is generated and/or collected. The second step is linked to how the data is registered. The third step is about the output generated from the ICT-systems. The fourth step is how the output of ICT is selected for presentation. The fifth step concerns how output generated by ICT is interpreted. This paper shows that ICT can easily be used in impression-management strategies. For example, that personnel take shortcuts to affect the statistics rather than applying methods that may give the desired effects.

Collaboration technologies enable people to communicate and use information to make organizational decisions. The United States Navy refers to this concept as information dominance. Various collaboration technologies are used by the Navy to achieve this mission. This qualitative descriptive study objectively examined how a matrix oriented Navy activity perceived an implemented collaboration technology. These insights were used to determine whether a specific collaboration technology achieved a mission of information dominance. The study used six collaboration themes as a foundation to include: (a) Cultural intelligence, (b) Communication, (c) Capability, (d) Coordination, (e) Cooperation, and (f) Convergence. It was concluded that collaboration technology was mostly perceived well and helped to achieve some levels of information dominance. Collaboration technology improvement areas included bringing greater awareness to the collaboration technology, revamping the look and feel of the user interface, centrally paying for user and storage fees, incorporating more process management tools, strategically considering a Continuity of Operations, and incorporating additional industry best practices for data structures. Emerging themes of collaboration were collected to examine common patterns identified in the collected data. Emerging themes included acceptance, awareness, search, scope, content, value, tools, system performance, implementation, training, support, usage, structure, complexity, approach, governance/configuration management/policy, and resourcing.

This study aims to examine the impact of organizational environment (top management support, company-wide support, business process reengineering, effective project management, and organizational culture) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) vendor environment (ERP vendor support) on ERP perceived benefits. In order to achieve the study’s aim, a questionnaire was developed based on the extant literature to collect relevant data from the research informants. The population for this research consisted of all users of Microsoft Dynamics Great Plains (a typical type of enterprise system), which is frequently used in Jordanian companies in Amman City. A random sample of 30% of the research population was selected. The results revealed that business process reengineering, effective project management, company-wide support, and organizational culture have a positive correlation with ERP perceived benefits, whereas top management support does not. In addition, there is a significant positive correlation between vendor support and ERP perceived benefits. Academic and practical recommendations are provided.

Knowledge management and knowledge assets have gained much prominence in recent years and are said to improve organizational performance. Knowledge capture and acquisition mechanisms enhance organizational memory and performance. However, knowledge capture and acquisition mechanisms in higher education institutions are not well known. The aim of this study was to investigate the knowledge capture and acquisition mechanisms at Kisii University. This was a case study in which data were collected through interviews and questionnaires. Purposive sampling was used to determine interview participants while questionnaire respondents were selected through stratified random sampling. Qualitative and quantitative data were analysed using SPSS® student version 14; it revealed that there were various knowledge capture and acquisition mechanisms at Kisii University. It was also established that the University encountered various challenges in knowledge capture and acquisition and lacked some essential knowledge capture and acquisition mechanisms. In this regard, this study proposed knowledge capture and acquisition guidelines that may be adopted by the University to enhance its organizational memory and performance.

The purpose of this paper was to explore the current and potential use of Facebook for learning purposes by Jordanian university students. The paper attempted to compare such use with other uses of Facebook. Further, the paper investigated Jordanian university students’ attitudes towards using Facebook as a formal academic tool, through the use of course-specific Facebook groups. To that end, quantitative data were collected from a sample of 451 students from three Jordanian public universities. Findings indicated that the vast majority of Jordanian students had Facebook accounts, which echoes its popularity amongst Jordanian youth compared to other types of online social networking sites. While both “social activities” and “entertainment” were the primary motivators for Jordanian students to create and use Facebook accounts, a growing number of them were using Facebook for academic purposes too. Further, Jordanian students had a positive attitude toward the use of “Facebook groups” as an educational tool for specific courses, and under specific conditions. Based on its findings, the paper provides suggestions for Jordanian higher institutions to invest in the application of Facebook as a formal academic tool.

It can be argued that public organizations, in order to provide the public with sufficient services in the current, highly competitive and continuously evolving environment, require changes. The changes that become necessary are often related to the implementation of information systems (IS). Moreover, when organizations are faced with changes, a change management (CM) process needs to be put in place. CM theories that are currently available to practitioners and academics are often contradictory; they mostly lack empirical evidence and are supported by unchallenged hypotheses concerning the nature of the contemporary CM. The aim of this paper is, therefore, to identify critical success factors (CFSs) for CM in IS projects. In order to reach this aim an explanation of changes in public organizations and the nature of CM are presented. Following this, a framework of CFSs for CM in IS projects are identified based on the literature review. The paper also examines two IS projects and uses them to demonstrate CFSs influencing CM in IS projects in Polish pubic organizations. A discussion of the research findings is provided and the paper concludes with a presentation of the study’s contributions and limitations as well as the stream of future work.

Health Data collection is one of the major components of public health systems. Decision makers, policy makers, and medical service providers need accurate and timely data in order to improve the quality of health services. The rapid growth and use of mobile technologies has exerted pressure on the demand for mobile-based data collection solutions to bridge the information gaps in the health sector. We propose a prototype using open source data collection frameworks to test its feasibility in improving the vaccination data collection in Kenya. KenVACS, the proposed prototype, offers ways of collecting vaccination data through mobile phones and visualizes the collected data in a web application; the system also sends reminder short messages service (SMS) to remind parents on the date of the next vaccination. Early evaluation demonstrates the benefits of such a system in supporting and improving vaccination of children. Finally, we conducted a qualitative study to assess challenges in remote health data collection and evaluated usability and functionality of KenVACS.

The purpose of the study is to identify influential factors in the use of collaborative networks within the context of manufacturing. The study aims to investigate factors that influence employees’ learning, and to bridge the gap between theory and praxis in collaborative networks in manufacturing. The study further extends the boundary of a collaborative network beyond enterprises to include suppliers, customers, and external stakeholders. It provides a holistic perspective of collaborative networks within the complexity of the manufacturing environment, based on empirical evidence from a questionnaire survey of 246 respondents from diverse manufacturing industries. Drawing upon the socio-technical systems (STS) theory, the study presents the theoretical context and interpretations through the lens of manufacturing. The results show significant influences of organizational support, promotive interactions, positive interdependence, internal-external learning, perceived effectiveness, and perceived usefulness on the use of collaborative networks among manufacturing employees. The study offers a basis of empirical validity for measuring collaborative networks in organizational learning and knowledge/information sharing in manufacturing.

Together, the fields of education and information technology have identified the need for an online solution to training. The introduction of e-learning has optimised the learning process, allowing organisations to realise the many advantages that e-learning offers. The importance of user involvement in the success of e-learning makes it imperative that the forces driving intention to use e-learning and satisfaction thereof be determined. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationships between the metrics influencing intention to use and the satisfaction of using e-learning in companies. The results of a survey distributed amongst a South African software development company’s customer base revealed that the 94 respondents have positive enjoyment and self-efficacy levels, and low computer anxiety levels. Correlation analysis revealed significant relationships between enjoyment and self-efficacy and between enjoyment and satisfaction. Companies should therefore ensure that users enjoy using e-learning as it can directly influence satisfaction and self-efficacy.

Efficient knowledge and information management is essential for companies to prosper in the rapidly changing global environment. This article presents challenges of a large Finnish multinational company relating to their current knowledge and information management practices and systems. The focus is on New Product Introduction (NPI) process. The study is based on interviews and facilitated workshops in the Research and Development (R&D) and Production departments. Furthermore, the identified challenges are reflected to the findings presented in knowledge and information management literature. The results gained from the company case study were well in line with the findings in the literature. Three main topics, which can be generalized to cause challenges for knowledge and information management in most companies, were recognized: 1) Issues related to human behavior, individual characteristics and capabilities, different backgrounds, and professional vocabulary; 2) Codifying tacit knowledge into explicit information, which can be saved to company information system; 3) Lack of interoperability between different information systems. The study provides the management of the case company, and other similar organizations, focus points while seeking for better knowledge and information management. From a scientific perspective, the main contribution of this article is to give practical examples of how the theoretical findings presented in literature manifest themselves in real industrial practices.

According to the different behavior characteristics of knowledge contribution of enterprise employees, a multi-task principal-agent relationship of knowledge contribution between enterprise and employees is established based on principal-agent theory, analyzing staff’s knowledge contribution behavior of knowledge creation and knowledge participation. Based on this, a multi-task principal agent model for knowledge contribution of enterprise staff is developed to formulate the asymmetry of information in knowledge contribution Then, a set of incentive measures are derived from the theoretic model, aiming to prompt the knowledge contribution in enterprise. The result shows that staff’s knowledge creation behavior and positive participation behavior can influence and further promote each other Enterprise should set up respective target levels of both knowledge creation contribution and knowledge participation contribution and make them irreplaceable to each other. This work contributes primarily to the development of the literature on knowledge management and principal-agent theory. In addition, the applicability of the findings will be improved by further empirical analysis.

Purpose: Innovation capability is a growing and significant area of academic research. However, there is little attempt to provide a cumulative overview of this phenomenon. The purpose of this systematic review is to synthesize peer reviewed articles published in the area to develop a conceptual framework and to aid future research. Design/Methodology/Approach: The paper adopted a systematic review of literature on innovation capability. The final screening generated 51 articles from 30 journals from 2000-2015. Findings: The examination and synthesis of the theoretical and the empirical articles show that (1) the authors applied narrow range of conceptual and theoretical foundations; (2) innovation capability is being investigated mostly at the firm level for about 90% of the articles, and marginally about 5% at network (supply) chain level; (3) the authors define innovation capability in different ways and use diverse set of dimensions to measure innovation capability; (4) there is potential for future research across firms in innovation management disciplines. Practical implications: The review contributes to theory development in organizational capability literature in general. Managers wishing to innovate need to examine critically and integrate some of the innovation capability dimensions proposed in this paper. Originality: The review is unique in the sense that it provides conceptualisation of innovation capability framework.

Analogical thinking is one of the most effective tools to generate innovative ideas. It enables us to develop new ideas by transferring information from well-known domains and utilizing them in a novel domain. However, using analogical thinking does not always yield appropriate ideas, and there is a lack of consensus among researchers regarding the evaluation methods for assessing new ideas. Here, we define the appropriateness of generated ideas as having high structural and low superficial similarities with their source ideas. This study investigates the relationship between thinking process and the appropriateness of ideas generated through analogical thinking. We conducted four workshops with 22 students in order to collect the data. All generated ideas were assessed based on the definition of appropriateness in this study. The results show that participants who deliberate more before reaching the creative leap stage and those who are engaged in more trial and error for deciding the final domain of a new idea have a greater possibility of generating appropriate ideas. The findings suggest new strategies of designing workshops to enhance the appropriateness of new ideas.

For more than two decades, knowledge management (KM) has been examined in the literature and considered a basic factor in business management. The purpose of this article is to explore the ability of knowledge management to achieve small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) innovation and business performance. Data analysis procedures of PLS-SEM was used to analyze the data based on responses from the owners of 903 companies in industry, construction, services, and trade in the Region of Murcia (Spain) through a self-directed survey. The results show that KM has a significant influence on innovation but the influence on the level of performance of SMEs is insignificant. However, training employees as part of KM showed no significant influence on innovation in SMEs. It is important for leaders and managers to have greater openness to changes in the implementation and proper execution of KM. This work contributes primarily to the development of the literature on knowledge management and its relationship with innovation and business performance.

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) encompassing computer and network hardware and software, and so on, as well as various services and applications associated with them, are assuming a growing presence within the modern homestead and have an indelible impact on the professional and everyday life of people. This research aims to explore factors influencing the successful adoption and usage of ICTs within Polish households. Based on prior literature and practical experiences, a framework of success factors is provided. The required data was collected from a survey questionnaire administered to a sample of Polish households to examine this framework and identifies which factors are of greatest importance for the adoption and usage of ICTs within households in Poland. Based on 751 questionnaires the paper indicates that the adoption of ICTs within households is mainly influenced by the economic status of households and cost of ICTs, perceived economic benefits from the usage of ICTs, technological availability and security of ICTs, ICT competences and awareness, as well as satisfaction with the adoption of ICTs. Furthermore, gender, education, and place of residence do not reflect significant differences on the factors. Yet, there are significant differences among the factors that could be attributed to age. Both, policy makers and ICT providers can benefit from the findings with regard to bridging the gap of ICT adoption and use in the Polish households.

Several studies extended the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) by examining the antecedents of perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use; the present study looks at demographic aspect of external variables in virtual library use among undergraduate students. The purpose of this study is to identify the demographic factors sex, level of study, cumulative grade point average, and computer knowledge that act as external factors that are antecedents of perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. The university management makes a large investment in the provision of a virtual library; investigation of the virtual library acceptance by students is important. TAM and theory of reasoned action (TRA) are utilised to theoretically test a model for the extension and to predict virtual library acceptance and usage. In a survey study, data was collected by using a structured questionnaire given to 394 randomly selected participants in a private university. Data were analysed by Pearson product moment correlation, multiple and hierarchical regression. The result of the study is consistent with TAM factors examined for explaining virtual library usage. The extension model accounts for 2.5% variance in perceived usefulness, 2.1% in perceived ease of use, 11.7% - 15.2% on intention to use and 7.2% on actual use of virtual library. Implications of the findings of the study on user’s virtual library training are discussed.

This paper reports on research with a broad objective to examine the relationship between two organizational entities, the formally structured organization and informal organizational structures, in a changing operational environment, more specifically during military deployments. The paper draws on organizational and complexity paradigms; based on empirical evidence obtained through qualitative techniques, it describes mechanisms that enable a symbiotic relationship between these two organizational structures in a complex operational landscape. Substantive findings provide insights into the dynamics of the interactions between these structures and illuminate the relationship between three enabling factors – accountability, responsible autonomy, and command and control arrangements – that need to be considered to fully exploit the strengths inherent in both formal and informal structures. Based on these findings, a model for enhancement of organizational agility in response to changes in a complex operational environment is described. The model is predicated on feedback and mutual adjustment of the organization, institution and individual through sensemaking; it illustrates the dynamic nature of interactions that are required for such a response.

A central premise for the creation of Electronic Health Records (EHR) is ensuring the portability of patient health records across various clinical, insurance, and regulatory entities. From portability standards such as International Classification of Diseases (ICD) to data sharing across institutions, a lack of portability of health data can jeopardize optimal care and reduce meaningful use. This research empirically investigates the relationship between health records availability and portability. Using data collected from 168 medical providers and patients, we confirm the positive relationship between user perceptions of expected satisfaction with EHR availability and the expected satisfaction with portability. Our findings contribute to more informed practice by understanding how ensuring the availability of patient data by virtue of enhanced data sharing standards, device independence, and better EHR data integration can subsequently drive perceptions of portability across a multitude of stakeholders.

Recently ERP implementation has seen increasing significance in different sectors. The research related to the implementation issues of ERP has also increased during the past decade. Particularly the behavioral aspects of ERP implementations have been researched in terms of identifying appropriate frameworks, critical success factors, perception and attitude of users and managers, the role of change agents, leadership, etc. This conceptual review summarizes some of the studies done on the above aspects and suggests further research areas. It is suggested that leadership competencies, learning attitude of the users, and organizational power dynamics can be potential areas of research in the context of ERP implementation.

Helping a company organize and capture the knowledge used by its employees and business processes is a daunting task. In this work we examine several proposed methodologies and synthesize them into a new methodology that we demonstrate through a case study of an electric power distribution company. This is a practical research study. First, the research approach for creating the knowledge map is process-oriented and the processes are considered as the main elements of the model. This research was done in four stages: literature review, model editing, model validation and case study. The Delphi method was used for the research model validation. Some of the important outputs of this research were mapping knowledge flows, determining the level of knowledge assets, expert-area knowledge map, preparing knowledge meta-model, and updating the knowledge map according to the company’s processes. Besides identifying, auditing and visualizing tacit and explicit knowledge, this knowledge mapping enables us to analyze the knowledge areas’ situation and subsequently help us to improve the processes and overall performance. So, a process map does knowledge mapping in a clear and accurate frame. Once the knowledge is used in processes, it creates value.

Aim/Purpose: This paper aims to present an example of the application of a Knowledge Man-agement (KM) framework to automotive original component manufacturers (OEMs). The objective is to explore KM according to the four pillars of a selected KM framework. Background: This research demonstrates how a framework, namely the George Washington University’s Four Pillar Framework, can be used to determine the KM status of the automotive OEM industry, where knowledge is complex and can influence the complexity of the KM system (KMS) used. Methodology: An empirical study was undertaken using a questionnaire to gather quantitative data. There were 38 respondents from the National Association of Automotive Component and Allied Manufacturers (NAACAM) and suppliers from three major automotive OEMs. The respondents were required to be familiar with the company’s KMS. Contribution: Currently there is a limited body of research available on the KM implementation frameworks for the automotive industry. This study presents a novel approach to the use of a KM framework to reveal the status of KM in automotive OEMs. At the time of writing, the relationship between the four pillars and the complexity of KMS had not yet been determined. Findings: The results indicate that there is a need to improve KM in the automotive OEM industry. According to the relationships investigated, the four pillars, namely leadership, organization, technology and learning, are considered important for KM, regardless of the level of KMS complexity, Recommendations for Practitioners: Automotive OEMs need to ensure that the KM aspects are established and should be periodically evaluated by using a KM framework such as the George Washington University’s Four Pillar Framework to identify KM weaknesses. Recommendation for Researchers: The establishment and upkeep of a successful KM environment is challenging due to the complexity involved with various influencing aspects. To ensure that all aspects are considered in KM environments, comprehensive KM frameworks, such as the George Washington University’s Four Pillar Framework, need to be applied. Impact on Society: The status of KM management and accessibility of knowledge in organizations needs to be periodically examined, in order to improve supplier and OEM knowledge sharing. Future Research: Although the framework used provides a process for KM status determination, this study could be extended by investigating a methodology that includes KMS best practice and tools. This study could be repeated at a national and international level to provide an indication of KM practice within the entire automotive industry.

Aim/Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the interrelationship among the quality measures of information system success, including system quality, information, quality, and service quality, that eventually influence accounting information systems effectiveness. Background: It is generally believed that investment in an information system offers opportunities to organizations for business process efficiency and effectiveness. Despite huge investments in accounting information systems, banks in Nigeria have not realized the full potential benefits of using these systems because of persistent failures. Few studies have been conducted to address the problem. Methodology: A survey research design was used to collect data, and a total of 287 questionnaires were retrieved from respondents in the Nigerian banking sector. Contribution: This study contributes to the understanding of the most important antecedent factors of the quality measures, the interrelationship among the quality measures, and the influence of these measures on the accounting information systems effectiveness. Findings: The result of the study revealed that security, ease of use, and efficiency are key features of system quality, while the information quality dimension includes accuracy, timeliness, and completeness. The result of the study further revealed that information quality and system quality have significant influences on accounting information systems effectiveness. Recommendations for Practitioners: This study provides practitioners with important measures for evaluation of AIS effectiveness in the context of Nigerian banks. Recommendation for Researchers: Future researchers may build on the findings of current study to conduct fur-ther research in the area of AIS effectiveness in different contexts. Future Research: This study examines only three quality measures of Delone and Mclean model and antecedents of information and system quality measures, neglecting contingency factor. Therefore, future study should include other factors to the AIS effectiveness model to help in developing more specific theory in AIS domain.

Aim/Purpose: This work aims to understand why a disparity between the popularity of smart phones and the limited adoption of m-banking exists. Accordingly, this study investigates factors that affect a person’s decision to adopt m-banking services. Such an investigation seeks to determine if and to what extent customers’ mobile phone experience as well as their awareness of m-banking services influence their intention to use such services? Background: This study developed a conceptual model to determine the influence that users’ mobile phone experience as well as users’ awareness of m-banking services had on users’ behavioral intention to use m-banking in Saudi Arabia. Methodology: The quantitative method used to collect data was a survey questionnaire tech-nique. A questionnaire with non-structured (close-ended) questions was formulated. A random sample, targeting banking customers in Saudi Arabia, was selected. This study collected data using a cross-sectional survey. Of those surveyed, 389 provided valid responses eligible for data analysis. SPSS v.22 was used to analyze the data. Contribution: This study produced helpful results and a new m-banking conceptual model. The developed conceptual model focused integrally on users’ awareness and experience as antecedents of m-banking adoption and highlighted the im-portance of differentiating between measuring the users’ characteristics in adopting e-banking in general and m-banking services in particular. In addition, this type of model has the ability to synthesize new control variables as well as to study technology acceptance in developing countries. This study, based on an extended UTAUT model, set out to discover what factors might affect customers’ intentions to use m-banking in Saudi Arabia. Findings: The results show that service awareness has a direct effect on performance and effort expectancy, but not on perceived risk. Moreover, mobile phone experience fails to impact the relationships in the same hypothesized direction. As anticipated, performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and perceived risk have direct and significant effects on behavioral intentions to use m-banking. However, customer awareness fails to impact the relationships of performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and perceived risk on behavioral intentions to use m-banking. Recommendations for Practitioners: Banks should target customers by distributing useful information and applying measures to increase acceptance. Banks need to introduce something imaginative to convince bank customers to abandon existing service channels and adopt m-banking services. Banks should make m-banking services the easiest service for conducting bank transactions and/or help customers conduct transactions that they cannot do any other way. Recommendation for Researchers: Other factors, such as trust, culture, and/or credibility should be investigated along with user’s awareness and experience factors in m-banking services. There is a need to focus on a specific type of m-banking. Thus, it may be fruitful to study the adoption of different systems of m-banking services. Impact on Society: This study suggests that m-banking services should be designed and built based on a deep understanding of customers’ needs using extensive testing to assure that applications and sites function well in a mobile setting. Future Research: Future researchers should apply the conceptual model developed in this study in different settings, different countries, and to different technologies.

Aim/Purpose: Facebook has made it possible for organisation to embrace social and network centric knowledge processes by creating opportunities to connect, interact, and collaborate with stakeholders. We have witnessed a significant increase in the popularity and use of this tool in many organisations, especially in the private sector. But the utilisation of Facebook in public organisations is at its infancy, with many also believing that the use of Facebook is not a common practice in many public organisations in Nigeria. In spite of this fact, our discernment on the implications of Facebook usage in public organisations in Nigeria, especially organisations at the local level, seem to be remarkably limited. This paper specifically sought to ascertain if Facebook usage influenced inward and outward knowledge sharing in the selected local government councils in Delta State, Nigeria Methodology: The qualitative method was adopted. The study used interview as the primary means of data gathering. The study purposively sampled thirty-six employees as interviewees, twenty from Oshimili South and sixteen from Oshimili North local government councils respectively. The thematic content analysis method was used to analyse interview transcripts. Contribution: This research made distinct contributions to the available literature in social knowledge management, specifically bringing to the fore the intricacies surrounding the use of Facebook for knowledge sharing purposes in the public sector. Findings: The local government councils were yet to appreciate and utilise the interactive and collaborative nature of Facebook in improving stakeholders’ engagement, feedback, and cooperation. Facebook was used for outward knowledge sharing but not for inward knowledge sharing. Recommendations for Practitioners: Local government councils should encourage interaction via Facebook, show willingness to capture knowledge from identifiable sources, and effectively manage critical knowledge assets in order to build trust, cooperation, and confidence in the system. To gain strategic benefits from the use of Facebook for synchronous communication of knowledge, local government councils should ensure that the use of such technology is aligned with strategic plans and that directional change is in line with the new knowledge economy, where interaction and collaboration through technology are seen as strategic imperatives for continued success and sustainability. In addition, local government councils need to train stakeholders on effective use of Facebook for knowledge sharing, with special emphasis on how, why, who, when, and where to use such tool for knowledge sharing activities.

Aim/Purpose: Unified Communications (UC) is touted as a technology that will transform business communication. While positive claims abound, the factors of UC attributable to its success have yet to be identified. By examining how users perceive UC impacts productivity, this study aids organizations in making better decisions regarding investments in and usage of communications technologies. Background: Unified Communications integrates disparate communications and information sharing applications into a single platform. The promise of UC is that it will revolutionize the workplace by providing a more synchronized fit between the way people communicate and the technology they use. Methodology: Through case study research conducted within a large multinational corporation (the Hewlett Packard Company), this study investigated the impact of UC on productivity. Interview narratives were examined using an open coding technique to capture individual perceptions of productivity. Further, to assess the role UC plays in facilitating relationship building and its connection to productivity, participant responses were mapped to the key factors of technology that influence relationships within an organization as identified by Dillon and Montano (2005). Contribution: This research contributes to studies on the impact of UC on productivity in the workplace. Findings UC was found to increase personal productivity, remove communication barriers, and create a more positive work environment. Recommendations for Practitioners : The findings of this study will aid organizations in making investment decisions as they evolve their business communications strategy. Impact on Society: Unified Communications will play an increasingly important role as people adapt to the evolving digital world through which they communicate and collaborate. Future Research: Little research exists that examines the impact of UC within an organization. Additional research investigating the use of UC in a variety of business sectors is needed.

Aim/Purpose: Countries today strategically pursue regional development and economic diversification to compete in the world market. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are at the crux of this political strategy. The paper reviews how HEIs can propel regional socio-economic growth and development by way of research innovation and entrepreneurship. Background: Offering an academic perspective about the role of HEIs using the Penta Helix innovation network for business and social innovation, the paper discusses opportunities and challenges in gestating an innovation culture. It likewise seeks, identifies and details strategies and workable programs. Methodology: Best-practice innovation campaigns initiated by Omani HEIs in collaboration with capstone programs organized by the government were parsed from selected local and international literature. The study includes a causal analysis of innovation information contained in 40 out of 44 published OAAA Quality Audit reports about HEIs from 2009 to 2016. The best-practice programs serve as success indicators and will be used as a field metric effect a Penta Helix blueprint for innovation. Contribution: The paper discusses how HEIs can engender, nurture, drive, and sustain innovation and entrepreneurial activity by using an innovation strategic blueprint like the Penta Helix model. It gathers together the recent historical attempts at promoting innovation by HEIs. It likewise suggests the creation of a network channel to allow key players in the innovation network to share innovation information and to collaborate with each other. Furthermore, it contributes to the development of innovation culture in HEIs. Findings: Expectations run high in academia. For one, universities believe that all innovations embryonically begin within their halls. Universities–too–believe it is naturally incumbent on them to stimulate and advance innovation despite that most innovation programs are initiated by the government in Oman. HEI engagement is perceivably still weak. HEIs have yet to come out as a strong leading force in promoting systems of innovation. There is clear awareness of the need to adopt leading-edge practices in innovation strategy and management, curriculum and assessment, staff support and reward systems, funding and ICT infrastructure, research commercialization and IP management, and community engagement. Recommendations for Practitioners: There is need to conduct more in-depth analyses about the synergy and partnerships between key players of the Penta Helix model. A large-scale survey will help completely reveal the status and impact of innovation practices in the region and among HEIs. Recommendation for Researchers: There is need to conduct more in-depth analyses about the synergy and partnerships between key players of the Penta Helix model. A large-scale survey will help completely reveal the status and impact of innovation practices in the region and among HEIs. Impact on Society: The paper hopes to influence policy. It fully intends to convince policymakers increase the adoption of strategic interventions. The paper is not a theoretical description of the problem. It suggests several concrete courses of action. Future Research: The paper has seen the need to measure the effectiveness of the current innovation practices among key players in the innovation network and how these practices advance Oman’s knowledge economy. We propose a Likert-based bottom-up engagement metric.

Aim/Purpose: The present study investigates the relationship between the five-factor model (FFM) of personality traits and sales performance in Pakistan. Background: Personality is a well-researched area in which numerous studies have examined the correlation between personality traits and job performance. In this study, a positive effect between the various dimensions of the five-factor model (extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability, and open to experience) and sales performance in Pakistan is investigated. Methodology: Pearson’s correlation values as well as analysis methodologies were employed to gather descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, correlation analysis, and use the analytical hierarchy process (AHP). Cronbach’s alpha value helped determine the internal consistency of the group items. Questionnaires were distributed among 600 salespersons in various cities of Pakistan from April 2015 to January 2016. Subsequently, 510 questionnaires were acquired for the sample. Contribution: The current study contributes to the literature on personality traits and sales performance by applying empirical evidence from sales managers in three industries of Pakistan: pharmaceutical, insurance, and electronics. Findings: The results affirmed a positive effect of the five-factor model on sales performance among various industries in Pakistan. The effect of each sub-factor from the five-factor model was examined autonomously. There is a favorable benefit to sales managers in considering FFM when making hiring decisions. Impact on Society: FFM offers important insights into personality traits that work well within Pakistani sales industry structure. Future Research: A broader rendering of the effects of FFM on sales organizations in other geographical locations around Pakistan should be considered. Additionally, an extended study should be conducted to investigate the effects of FFM on female sales employees involving religious and cultural forces within that country.

Aim/Purpose: This journal paper seeks to understand historical aspects of data management, leading to the current data issues faced by organizational executives in relation to big data and how best to present the information to circumvent big data challenges for executive strategic decision making. Background: This journal paper seeks to understand what executives value in data visualization, based on the literature published from prior data studies. Methodology: The qualitative methodology was used to understand the sentiments of executives and data analysts using semi-structured interview techniques. Contribution: The preliminary findings can provide practical knowledge for data visualization designers, but can also provide academics with knowledge to reflect on and use, specifically in relation to information systems (IS) that integrate human experience with technology in more valuable and productive ways. Findings: Preliminary results from interviews with executives and data analysts point to the relevance of understanding and effectively presenting the data source and the data journey, using the right data visualization technology to fit the nature of the data, creating an intuitive platform which enables collaboration and newness, the data presenter’s ability to convey the data message and the alignment of the visualization to core the objectives as key criteria to be applied for successful data visualizations Recommendations for Practitioners: Practitioners, specifically data analysts, should consider the results highlighted in the findings and adopt such recommendations when presenting data visualizations. These include data and premise understanding, ensuring alignment to the executive’s objective, possessing the ability to convey messages succinctly and clearly to the audience, having knowledge of the domain to answer questions effectively, and using the right technology to convey the message. Recommendation for Researchers: The importance of human cognitive and sensory processes and its impact in IS development is paramount. More focus can be placed on the psychological factors of technology acceptance. The current TAM model, used to describe use, identifies perceived usefulness and perceived ease-of-use as the primary considerations in technology adoption. However, factors that have been identified that impact on use do not express the importance of cognitive processes in technology adoption. Future Research: Future research requires further focus on intangible and psychological factors that could affect technology adoption and use, as well as understanding data visualization effectiveness in corporate environments, not only predominantly within the Health sector. Lessons from Health sector studies in data visualization should be used as a platform.

Aim/Purpose: A vital business activity within socio-technical enterprises is tacit knowledge externalization, which elicits and explicates tacit knowledge of enterprise employees as external knowledge. The aim of this paper is to integrate diverse aspects of externalization through the Enterprise Ontology model. Background: Across two decades, researchers have explored various aspects of tacit knowledge externalization. However, from the existing works, it is revealed that there is no uniform representation of the externalization process, which has resulted in divergent and contradictory interpretations across the literature. Methodology : The Enterprise Ontology model is constructed step-wise through the conceptual and measurement views. While the conceptual view encompasses three patterns that model the externalization process, the measurement view employs certainty-factor model to empirically measure the outcome of the externalization process. Contribution: The paper contributes towards knowledge management literature in two ways. The first contribution is the Enterprise Ontology model that integrates diverse aspects of externalization. The second contribution is a Web application that validates the model through a case study in banking. Findings: The findings show that the Enterprise Ontology model and the patterns are pragmatic in externalizing the tacit knowledge of experts in a problem-solving scenario within a banking enterprise. Recommendations for Practitioners : Consider the diverse aspects (what, where, when, why, and how) during the tacit knowledge externalization process. Future Research: To extend the Enterprise Ontology model to include externalization from partially automated enterprise systems.

Aim/Purpose: The topic of this study is the ICT-enabled transformation of car dealerships to regional providers of sustainable mobility (e.g., car sharing). Background: Car dealerships offer specific conditions that enable a sustainable mobility offer, based on individual motorized transport like car sharing. This is especially useful in small towns or rural areas where people’s mobility is strongly dominated by private cars, and public transport coverage is limited. However, these new mobility services are combined services with the need of a deep integration of information systems, and these services are not yet related to car dealerships and customer acquisition has to be supported. Methodology: An empirical study with an inductive approach was chosen. The study consists of interviews with three focus groups of different stakeholders of car dealerships. Within the frame of the research project, “ReCaB – Regional Car-Balancing” a qualitative research approach was chosen. Within a design science approach the existing SusCRM architecture was adapted based on the elaborated requirements. Contribution: A software architecture is proposed, where Customer Relationship Management (CRM) components to market new sustainable mobility offers are vital parts and existing information systems of car dealerships are integrated. Findings: The basic feasibility of the establishment and customer acceptance has been demonstrated, at least in the area of car sharing within ReCaB. The execution in the car sharing field has already started and a number of car dealerships are already bringing their own offers to market. Major findings for the SusCRM architecture have been elaborated in a design science approach in the national German research project “Showcase for electro mobility”. Recommendations for Practitioners: There is still no fully functional prototype developed for this specific use case and evaluated in the car dealership environment. An implementation only, based on own efforts, is difficult for car dealerships because of the dealership’s lack of know-how as well as tight IT budgets. However, this approach appears particularly successful in rural areas where public transport services are heavily declining. For full implementation, the presented ICT support is imperative. Recommendation for Researchers: The research on the retailer level, especially in combination with a digital trans-formation by the use of ICT systems, is still fragmentary. Research in this area that both addresses sustainability goals on a general level and supports economical goals on the company level of automotive retailers would be useful. Impact on Society: Creation of sustainable offers as a substitute or supplement for mobility based on their own car is a promising way to reduce negative effects of mobility. Enhancement of the mobility of the people in rural areas is leading to a more active lifestyle by reaching the leisure facilities, workplaces and educational institutions in a sustainable manner. Future Research: In terms of the fast changing mobility landscape, especially on a technical level with the development of autonomous vehicles and digitalization of entire businesses new solutions are becoming accessible, that have to be integrated in further research.

Aim/Purpose: This study uses a cosmetic virtual community (VC) as the research context and the UTAUT model as the theoretical structure aim to explore factors affecting the re-usage intentions of VC members. Background: The Internet use rate of VC was up to 50%, thereby implying that VC gained the attention of Internet users. Therefore, operating a VC will be an effective way to communicate with customers. However, to maintain an existing member is more efficient than creating a new one. As such, understanding determinants of VC members’ re-use intentions becomes important for firms. Methodology: Through an online survey, 276 valid responses were gathered. The collected data were examined by performing confirmatory factor analysis, structural equation modelling procedures, as well as the moderator analysis. Contribution: This study shows the importance in the context of online cosmetics-related VC, which was rarely explored before. We provide issues for future research, despite the accumulated academic literature related to UTAUT and VC. Findings: Results show that only performance expectancy and social influence significantly affecting re-usage intentions and only gender has moderating effects on the path from performance expectancy to VC re-use intention and from trust to VC re-use intention. Recommendations for Practitioners : This study found that users emphasized performance expectancy most of all. A cosmetic product-related VC should introduce products abundantly, offer useful information, and help people accomplish tasks quickly and productively. Recommendation for Researchers: Future researchers may use our findings to conduct further positivist research in the area of social influence using different subjects and research contexts.

Aim/Purpose: Violations of Information Systems (IS) security policies continue to generate great anxiety amongst many organizations that use information systems, partly because these violations are carried out by internal employees. This article addresses IS security policy violations in organizational settings, and conceptualizes and problematizes IS security violations by employees of organizations from a paradox perspective. Background: The paradox is that internal employees are increasingly being perceived as more of a threat to the security of organizational systems than outsiders. The notion of paradox is exemplified in four organizational contexts of belonging paradox, learning paradox, organizing paradox and performing paradox. Methodology : A qualitative conceptual framework exemplifying how IS security violations occur as paradoxes in context to these four areas is presented at the end of this article. Contribution: The article contributes to IS security management practice and suggests how IS security managers should be positioned to understand violations in light of this paradox perspective. Findings: The employee generally in the process of carrying out ordinary activities using computing technology exemplifies unique tensions (or paradoxes in belonging, learning, organizing and performing) and these tensions would generally tend to lead to policy violations when an imbalance occurs. Recommendations for Practitioners: IS security managers must be sensitive to employees tensions. Future Research: A quantitative study, where statistical analysis could be applied to generalize findings, could be useful.

Aim/Purpose: This study aims to investigate the relationship between the knowledge management (KM) process and the performance of construction companies. The ultimate goal is to promote better efficiency and competitive advantage in the construction industry by making the best use of knowledge. Background: While attention to KM is currently on the rise, as shown by the number of studies conducted, research on KM in the construction industry of Indonesia is still very rare. However, organizational learning as the implementation of KM provides an opportunity to improve the construction industry, and thus there is an urgency to conduct research on this topic. Methodology: This study lasted for three months and used the survey method, with 100 questionnaires distributed to contractors of grade 6 and 7 on the islands of Java and Borneo in Indonesia. A total of 54 returned questionnaires were deemed complete and eligible for further analysis. Data analysis was performed using the structural equation modeling method with partial least squares (SEM PLS). Contribution: This study helps to measure the relationship value of the KM process and company performance. Findings: The results of this study indicate that the process of KM has a significant and positive influence on company performance, and there is a positive interaction in the process of KM and company performance as well. Recommendations for Practitioners: Construction companies need to perceive that activities undertaken in a construction project should always be assumed to be a KM process in order to make strategic and effective decisions that can result in improvements to customers, finance, internal business, learning, and growth. Recommendation for Researchers: Research on the KM process and information technology needs to be developed more, so that construction companies can apply this knowledge to explore problems and create solutions, resulting in methods to facilitate efficiency and effectiveness. Impact on Society: This paper helps to understand that KM activities provide initial benefits and guidance for companies that want to apply KM. Future Research: Innovative and new ideas to cultivate the KM process in the construction industry need to be explored and developed to improve the implementation.

Aim/Purpose: This explanatory study aimed to determine the mediating role of ERP in the relation between the effect of a socio-technical approach and decision-making environment, and firms’ sustainable performance. Background: Although earlier studies have discussed the critical success factors of the failure or success of an ERP system and the extent to which it achieves its desired objectives, the current study focused on the significant impact of socio-technical elements and decision-making environment on the success of the ERP system (i.e., sustainable performance). In addition, the lack of research on ERP as a mediator in the above relationship motivated this study to bridge the literature gap. Methodology: The data was collected using questionnaires distributed to 233 randomly selected employees of three multinational companies (BP, LUKOIL, and Eni) operating in Iraq. The structural equation modeling was employed to test the hypothesized relationships. Contribution: The study contributes to the literature by examining the mediating role of the ERP system in the relationship between socio-technical elements and the decision-making environment, as well as, the moderating role of organizational culture in the relationship between socio-technical elements and ERP systems. Findings: The results showed that ERP is a significant mediator between the linkage of socio-technical elements and the decision-making environment while organizational culture has an insignificant moderating role in the relationship between socio-technical elements and ERP systems. Recommendations for Practitioners: In a developing country like Iraq, there is a need to implement ERP to achieve better sustainable performance through change management and organizational development that ultimately work towards enhancing individual capabilities, knowledge, and training. Recommendation for Researchers: The researchers are recommended to conduct an in-depth study of the phenomenon based on theoretical and empirical grounds, particularly in light of the relationship of socio-technical elements and decision-making environments. Impact on Society: This study provides a reference for organizations with similar cultural backgrounds in using ERP systems to minimize pollution in Iraqi context. Future Research: A more in-depth study can be performed using a bigger sample, which not only includes the oil industry but also the other industries.

Aim/Purpose: This paper identifies the antecedents that affect E-Banking (EB) adoption and investigates the relationship between the level of EB adoption and the performance of private banks. Background: Rapid technological advancement has transformed the business environment dramatically. These advancements particularly the Internet has reshaped the way businesses operate. Over the last decade, the banking industry has become highly complex and competitive and operates in a highly volatile and unpredictable global economy. With the increasing demand for electronic services, banks are harnessing EB technology to improve their products and services. Methodology: Quantitative research using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was carried out with a sample size of 211 by sending questionnaires to employees of six banks in Khartoum, Sudan. The study is based on different technology theories and models. Contribution: The study provides insights into the employees’ perception of EB adoption in their banking transactions. Findings: The results showed that four factors are significant in the adoption of EB in Sudan. However, training and user trust were insignificant in determining its adoption. Moreover, the level of adoption of EB significantly affected private bank performance. Recommendations for Practitioners: Private banks in Sudan that are interested in EB might find these findings helpful in guiding their technology adoption and application initiatives. Recommendation for Researchers: To validate the research model, cross data from different countries are encouraged to apply the model to capture the differences and similarities among them. In addition, a longitudinal research could be conducted to gather data for adoption process over a longer period rather than one point of time, to investigate antecedents and bank performance outcomes by the end of the study period. Other antecedents and outcomes could possibly be included to improve the power of the study model. Impact on Society: This study provides a reference for banks with similar developing country backgrounds in adopting EB to enhance their performance. Moreover, knowledge of antecedents and outcomes of EB adoption could be positively reflected in service quality performance. Future Research: This research is limited to the employees’ perspective, and future research could consider the perception of customers from a developing country towards EB adoption.

Aim/Purpose: In this research, we examined the influence of the information system (IS) quality dimensions proposed by Wixom and Todd on reading satisfaction of online newspaper readers in Bangladesh, especially the readers’ intention to revisit and recommendations through electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM). Background: We identified the top 50 most visited websites, of which 13 were online newspapers, although their ranking among Bangladesh online newspapers varies from month to month. The literature illustrates that, despite the wide availability of online news portals and the fluctuations in frequency of visits, little is known about the factors that affect the satisfaction, word-of-mouth, and frequency of visits of readers. An understanding of reader satisfaction will help to gain richer insights into the phenomenon of readers’ intention to revisit and recommendation by eWOM. Stakeholders of online newspapers can then focus on those factors to increase visits to their websites, which will help them attract online advertisements from different organisations. Methodology: Data were collected using a structured questionnaire, from 217 people who responded to the survey. We used SmartPLS 3 to analyze the data collected, as it is based on second-generation analysis, which in turn is based on structural equation modeling (SEM). Contribution: This research explores the impacts of technological dimensions on readers’ satisfaction, as most of the previous research has focused on cultural or social dimensions. Findings: The results supported all of the hypothesized relationships between technological dimensions and reader satisfaction with online newspapers, except for one. The first, information, was predicted with accuracy and completeness, while the second object-based belief, system quality, was predicted by its accessibility, flexibility, reliability, and timeliness. Overall, quality factors influencing readers’ satisfaction were shown to lead to word-of-mouth revisit intentions. Our proposed model was empirically tested and has contributed to a nascent body of knowledge about readers’ revisit intentions and eWOM recommendations regarding online newspapers. It was also shown that strong satisfaction leads to higher revisit intention and eWOM. Recommendations for Practitioners: To keep the users satisfied, online newspapers need to focus on improving information quality (IQ) and system quality (SQ). If they do this well, they will be rewarded with higher revisit intention and recommendations by eWOM. Recommendation for Researchers: This study extends Oh’s customer loyalty model by integrating the Wixom-Todd model. This study reinforces an alternative rationale of the construct satisfaction. Future Research: We ignored negative stimulus like technostress, which can have an impact on satisfaction. In future, we will test the relationship between technostress and its impact on online newspaper reading.

Aim/Purpose: The objective of this study was to assess the interrelationships among knowledge management infrastructure, knowledge management process, intellectual capital, and organization performance. Background: Although knowledge management capability is extensively used by organizations, reaching their maximum financial and non-financial performances has not been fully researched. Therefore, organizations need to optimize their performance by exploiting knowledge management capability through the accumulation of intellectual capital, where the new competitiveness is shifting from tangible to intangible resources. Methodology: This study adopted a positivist philosophy and deductive approach to accomplish the main goal of this research. Moreover, this research employed a quantitative approach since this study is concerned with causal relationship between variables. A questionnaire-based survey was designed to evaluate the research model using a convenience sample of 134 employees from the food industry sector in Jordan. Surveyed data was examined following the structural equation modeling procedures. Contribution: This study highlighted the potential benefits of applying the knowledge management capabilities, intellectual capital, and organizational performance to the food industrial sector in Jordan. Future research suggestions are also provided. Findings: Results indicated that knowledge management infrastructure had a positive effect on knowledge management process. In addition, knowledge management process impacted positively intellectual capital and organization performance and mediated the relationship between knowledge management infrastructure and intellectual capital. However, knowledge management infrastructure did not positively associate to organization performance. Recommendations for Practitioners: The current model is designed to help managers and decision makers to improve their management capabilities as well as their organization financial and non-financial performance through exploiting the organizational knowledge management infrastructure and intellectual capital approaches. Recommendation for Researchers: Our findings can be used as a base of knowledge to conduct further studies about knowledge management capabilities, intellectual capital, and organization performance following different criteria and research procedures. Impact on Society: The designed model highlights a significant organizational performance approach that can influence Jordanian food industrial sector positively. Future Research: The current designed research model can be applied and assessed further in other sectors including banking and industrial sectors across developed and developing countries. Also, we suggest that in addition to focusing on knowledge management process and intellectual capital as mediating variables, future research could test our findings in a longitudinal study and examine how to affect financial and non-financial performance.

Aim/Purpose: This study analyzes the mechanism of Internet capability (IC) driving knowledge creation performance (KCP). We consider the mediating role of strategic flexibility and the moderating role of informatization density. Background: The key to achieving KCP for firms is to transform knowledge created into new products or services and to realize the economic benefits. However, the research has not paid enough attention to firms’ KCP. Based on dynamic capability theory, this study empirically reveals how firms drive KCP through Internet capability. Methodology: The study uses survey data from 399 organizations in China. Through structural equation modeling, this study assesses the relationship between Internet capability, strategic flexibility, and KCP and uses hierarchical regression to test the moderating role of informatization density. Contribution: First, this study expands research on knowledge creation and focuses on the further achievement of knowledge creation performance. The study also enriches the exploration of KCP in the Internet context and deepens the research on the internal mechanism by which Internet capability influences KCP. Second, this study highlights the important role of informatization density in the Internet context and expands the research on the impact of external factors on the internal mechanism. Findings: First, Internet capability has a significantly positive effect on both strategic flexibility and KCP. Furthermore, Internet capability directly impacts strategic flexibility, yet it affects KCP both directly and indirectly through strategic flexibility, which confirms that strategic flexibility is a partial mediator in the relationship between Internet capability and KCP. Second, strategic flexibility positively influences KCP. Third, informatization density has a significant moderating effect on the relationship between Internet capability and KCP. Recommendations for Practitioners: The results indicate that firms should consider the importance of Internet capability and strategic flexibility for KCP in the Internet context. This study also provides a theoretical basis that could guide the Chinese government’s informatization construction of the industrial chain. Recommendation for Researchers: Researchers could further explore the role of other mediator variables (e.g., business process management, organizational agility) and consider the role of other moderator variables (e.g., resource commitment, learning orientation). Impact on Society: This study provides a reference for enterprises with similar cultural backgrounds in using Internet capability to enhance their competitive advantage. Future Research: Future research could collect data from various countries and regions to test the research model and conduct longitudinal studies to increase the robustness of the conclusions.

Aim/Purpose: This study aims at (1) extending an existing theoretical framework to gain a deeper understanding of the technology acceptance process, notably of the Facebook social network in an unexplored Middle East context, (2) investigating the influence of social support theory on Facebook adoption outside the work context, (3) validating the effectiveness of the proposed research model for enhancing Facebook adoption, and (4) determining the effect of individual differences (gender, age, experience, and educational level) amongst Facebook users on the associated path between the proposed model constructs. Background: Social networking sites (SNSs) are widely adopted to facilitate social interaction in the Web-based medium. As such, this present work contends that there is a gap in the existing literature, particularly in the Middle East context, as regards an empirical investigation of the relationship between the social, psychological, individual, and cognitive constructs potentially affecting users’ intention to accept SNSs. The present research, therefore, attempts to address this deficit. The relevance of this work is also considered in light of the scarcity of empirical evidence and lack of detailed research on the effect of social support theory with regard to SNS adoption in a non-work context. Methodology: A quantitative research approach was adopted for this study. The corresponding analysis was carried out based on structural equation modelling (SEM), more specifically, partial least squares (PLS), using SmartPLS software. Earlier research recommended the PLS approach for exploratory studies when extending an existing model or developing a new theory. PLS is also a superior method of complex causal modelling. Moreover, a multi-group analysis technique was adopted to investigate the moderating influence of individual differences. This method divides the dataset into two groups and then computes the cause and effect relationships between the research model variables for each set. The analysis of an in-person survey with a sample of Facebook users (N=369) subsequently suggested four significant predictors of continuous Facebook use. Contribution: This study contributes to the body of knowledge relating to SNSs by providing empirical evidence of constructs that influence Facebook acceptance in the case of a developing country. It raises awareness of antecedents of Facebook acceptance at a time when SNSs are widely used in Arab nations and worldwide. It also contributes to previous literature on the effectiveness of the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) in different cultural contexts. Another significant contribution of this study is that it has reported on the relevance of social support theory to Facebook adoption, with this theory demonstrating a significant and direct ability to predict Facebook acceptance. Finally, the present research identified the significant moderating effect of individual differences on the associated path between the proposed model constructs. This means that regardless of technological development, individual gaps still appeared to exist among users. Findings: The findings suggested four significant predictors of continuous Facebook use, namely, (a) performance expectancy, (b) peer support, (c) family support, and (d) perceived playfulness. Furthermore, behavioral intention and facilitating conditions were found to be significant determinants of actual Facebook use, while individual differences were shown to moderate the path strength between several variables in the proposed research model. Recommendations for Practitioners: The results of the present study make practical contributions to SNS organizations. For example, this research revealed that users do not adopt Facebook because of its usefulness alone; instead, users’ acceptance is developed through a sequence of variables such as individual differences, psychological factors, and social and organizational beliefs. Accordingly, social media organizations should not consider only strategies that apply to just one context, but also to other contexts characterized by different beliefs, perceptions, and cultures. Moreover, the evidence provided here is that social support theory has a significant influence on SNSs acceptance. This suggests that social media organizations should provide services to support this concept. Furthermore, the significant positive effect of perceived playfulness on the intention to use SNSs implied that designers and organizations should pay further attention to the entertainment services provided by social networks. Recommendation for Researchers: To validate the proposed conceptual framework, researchers from different countries and cultures are invited to apply the model. Moreover, a longitudinal research design could be implemented to gather data over a longer period, in order to investigate whether users have changed their attitudes, beliefs, perceptions, and intention by the end of the study period. Other constructs, such as individual experience, compatibility, and quality of working life could be included to improve the power of the proposed model. Impact on Society: Middle Eastern Facebook users regard the network as an important tool for interacting with others. The increasing number of Facebook users renders it a tool of universal communication and enjoyment, as well as a marketing network. However, knowledge of the constructs affecting the application of SNSs is valuable for ensuring that such sites have the various functions required to suit different types of user. Future Research: It is hoped that our future research will build on the results of this work and attempt to provide further explanation of why users accept SNSs. In this future research, the proposed research model could be adopted to explore SNSs acceptance in other developing countries. Researchers might also include other factors of potential influence on SNSs acceptance. The constructs influencing acceptance of other social networks could then be compared to the present research findings and thus, the differences and similarities would be highlighted.

Aim/Purpose: This study investigates the research profile of the papers published in Interdisciplinary Journal of Information, Knowledge, and Management (IJIKM) to provide silhouette information of the journal for the editorial team, researchers, and the audience of the journal. Background: Information and knowledge management is an interdisciplinary subject. IJIKM defines intersections of multiple disciplinary research communities for the interdisciplinary subject. Methodology: A quantitative study of categorical content analysis was used for a thematic analysis of IJIKM. One hundred fifty nine (159) papers published since the inauguration of the journal in 2006 were coded and analyzed. Contribution: The study provides synopsized information about the interdisciplinary research profile of IJIKM, and adds value to the literature of information and knowledge management. Findings: The analysis reveals that IJIKM disseminates research papers with a wide range of research themes. Among the research themes, Organizational issues of knowledge/information management, Knowledge management systems/tools, Information/knowledge sharing, Technology for knowledge/information management, Information/knowledge application represent the five main research streams of IJIKM. The total number of papers on organizational issues of knowledge/information management increased from 16% to 28% during the past 6 years. Statistical method was the most common research methodology, and summarization was the most common research design applied in the papers of IJIKM. The paper also presents other patterns of participant countries, keywords frequencies, and reference citations. Recommendations for Practitioners: Innovation is the key to information and knowledge management. Practitioners of information and knowledge management can share best practices with external sectors. Recommendation for Researchers: Researchers can identify opportunities of cross-disciplinary research projects that involve experts in business, education, government, healthcare, technology, and psychology to advance knowledge in information and knowledge management. Impact on Society: Information and knowledge management is still a developing field, and readers of this paper can gain more understanding of the dissemination of the literature of information and knowledge management involved in all relevant disciplines. Future Research: A longitudinal study could follow up in the future to provide updated and comparative information of the research profile of the journal.

Aim/Purpose: Two research objectives were addressed in this study. The first objective was to determine the effect of knowledge management orientation behaviour on business performance, and the second objective was to investigate the mediating effect of market orientation in the relationship between knowledge management orientation behaviour and business performance. Background: In business strategic perspective, the idea of knowledge management has been discussed widely. However, there is a lack of study exploring the notion of knowledge management orientation especially in the perspective of Indonesia’s creative economy sector. Methodology: One hundred and thirty one participants were involved in this study. They were economy creative practitioners in Indonesia. Data were analysed by using Partial Least Squares. Contribution: Upon the completion of the research objectives, this study contributes to both theoretical and practical perspectives. From a theoretical standpoint, this study proposes a conceptual model explaining the relationship among knowledge management orientation behaviour, market orientation, and business performance in Indonesia’s creative economy sector. As this study found a significant effect of knowledge sharing in market orientation and market orientation in business performance, the study showed the mediation role of market orientation in the relationship between knowledge sharing and business performance. From a practical perspective, this study implies a guideline for business practitioners in enhancing business through the application of knowledge management orientation behaviour. Findings: The results show that organizing memory, knowledge absorption, and knowledge receptivity has a direct significant effect on business performance. However, in affecting business performance, knowledge sharing must be mediated by market orientation. Recommendations for Practitioners: Based on the results of the study, practitioners should enhance their behaviour in implementing knowledge management in terms of increasing business performance. In addition, it is suggested that business practitioners must be market driven, as market orientation was found to have an important role in affecting business performance. Recommendation for Researchers: Future researchers might integrate other constructs such as innovation, marketing capabilities, or organizational learning with this current conceptual model to have more comprehensive insight about the relationship between knowledge management orientation and business performance. Impact on Society: This study suggests that business practitioners must have knowledge management driven behaviour as well as market orientation to enhance the performance of their business. Future Research: Future research might add other variables to make the conceptual model more comprehensive and also replicate this study into different industrial settings.

Aim/Purpose: This paper explored the factors (enablers and barriers) that affect Bitcoin adoption in South Africa, a Sub-Saharan country with the high potential for Bitcoin adoption. Background: In recent years, Bitcoin has seen a rapid growth as a virtual cryptocurrency throughout the world. Bitcoin is a protocol which allows value to be exchanged over the internet without a central bank or intermediary. Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin are technological tools that arguably can contribute to reducing transactions costs. This paper explored the factors that affect Bitcoin adoption in South Africa, a Sub-Saharan country with the high potential for Bitcoin adoption, as little is known about the factors that affect Bitcoin adoption and the barriers to adoption. Methodology: A quantitative questionnaire was distributed to South African virtual communities where Bitcoin is a topic of interest, and 237 quantitative responses were received, along with 212 open-ended comments. Contribution: This research contributes to the body of knowledge in information systems by providing insights into factors that affect Bitcoin adoption in South Africa. It raises awareness of incentives and barriers to Bitcoin adoption at a time when financial literacy is a crucial issue both in South Africa and worldwide. Findings: The results indicate that perceived benefit, attitude towards Bitcoin, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control directly affected the participants’ intentions to use Bitcoin. Perceived benefit, usefulness, ease of use, and trust-related risk were found to indirectly affect intention to use Bitcoin. Further, it emerges that the barriers to Bitcoin adoption in South Africa consist of the complex nature of Bitcoin and its high degree of volatility. Recommendations for Practitioners: Bitcoin can contribute to reducing transactions costs, but factors that affect adoption and the barriers to adoption should be taken into consideration. These findings can inform systems and software developers to develop applications that make managing Bitcoin keys and transacting using Bitcoin less complex and more intuitive for end users. Recommendation for Researchers: Bitcoin adoption in South Africa is a topic that has not been previously researched. Researchers could research similarities or differences in the various constructs that were used in this research model. Impact on Society: South African Bitcoin users consider it as a universal currency that makes cross-border payments cheaper. A large number of refugees and workers in South Africa make regular payments across borders. Bitcoin could reduce the costs of these transfers. Future Research: Future research could explore Bitcoin (and other cryptocurrencies) adoption in other developing countries. Researchers could look at factors that influence cryptocurrency adoption in general. The factors affecting adoption of other cryptocurrencies can be compared to the results of this study, and similarities and differences can thus be identified.

Aim/Purpose: The aim of this paper is to analyze various text classification techniques employed in practice, their strengths and weaknesses, to provide an improved awareness regarding various knowledge extraction possibilities in the field of data mining. Background: Artificial Intelligence is reshaping text classification techniques to better acquire knowledge. However, in spite of the growth and spread of AI in all fields of research, its role with respect to text mining is not well understood yet. Methodology: For this study, various articles written between 2010 and 2017 on “text classification techniques in AI”, selected from leading journals of computer science, were analyzed. Each article was completely read. The research problems related to text classification techniques in the field of AI were identified and techniques were grouped according to the algorithms involved. These algorithms were divided based on the learning procedure used. Finally, the findings were plotted as a tree structure for visualizing the relationship between learning procedures and algorithms. Contribution: This paper identifies the strengths, limitations, and current research trends in text classification in an advanced field like AI. This knowledge is crucial for data scientists. They could utilize the findings of this study to devise customized data models. It also helps the industry to understand the operational efficiency of text mining techniques. It further contributes to reducing the cost of the projects and supports effective decision making. Findings: It has been found more important to study and understand the nature of data before proceeding into mining. The automation of text classification process is required, with the increasing amount of data and need for accuracy. Another interesting research opportunity lies in building intricate text data models with deep learning systems. It has the ability to execute complex Natural Language Processing (NLP) tasks with semantic requirements. Recommendations for Practitioners: Frame analysis, deception detection, narrative science where data expresses a story, healthcare applications to diagnose illnesses and conversation analysis are some of the recommendations suggested for practitioners. Recommendation for Researchers: Developing simpler algorithms in terms of coding and implementation, better approaches for knowledge distillation, multilingual text refining, domain knowledge integration, subjectivity detection, and contrastive viewpoint summarization are some of the areas that could be explored by researchers. Impact on Society: Text classification forms the base of data analytics and acts as the engine behind knowledge discovery. It supports state-of-the-art decision making, for example, predicting an event before it actually occurs, classifying a transaction as ‘Fraudulent’ etc. The results of this study could be used for developing applications dedicated to assisting decision making processes. These informed decisions will help to optimize resources and maximize benefits to the mankind. Future Research: In the future, better methods for parameter optimization will be identified by selecting better parameters that reflects effective knowledge discovery. The role of streaming data processing is still rarely explored when it comes to text classification.