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This paper aims to examine the influence of culture on the adoption and use of social media platforms for corporate disclosures by firms in a cross-country setting.

It is contended that social media corporate disclosure (SMCD) is culturally influenced because the primary purpose of social media is to connect people in social settings, and social settings are distinguished by their cultures. Using a sample of 1,420 firms from 36 countries and Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, this study examines the direct effects of culture on SMCD and its moderating effects on the relationship between SMCD and the agency determinants of corporate disclosure.

It is found that cultural dimensions directly affect the adoption and use of SMCD. Additionally, the agency determinants of disclosure, size, leverage and growth are positively associated with the adoption, and use of SMCD, and these associations are moderated by the cultural dimensions.

The Hofstede cultural dimensions are broad country-level variables based on the culture of the majority in the population. However, larger countries have many cultures. This study does not cover within-country cultural effects on SMCD. It also does not cover firm-level culture and accounting culture because these factors are derived from national culture. This study adds culture as a country-level determinant of why companies adopt and use social media.

The study provides investors and policymakers with an understanding of the nature of SMCD adoption and use in different cultural settings. It also makes managers aware of which cultural settings are more amenable to SMCD.

Social media, by design, have social implications. Examining the role of culture in the use of social media provides societal reasons for the use of SMCD by companies.

Since social media are interactive in form rather than simply one-way disclosure devices, this study goes beyond the realm of corporate disclosure into the less researched area of corporate communication via social media.

While traditional theories of information and communication technology (ICT) adoption have been deployed to study ICT adoption in the past, these theories considers ICT adoption as static and rely on conceptualising factors as variables and predicting their levels of outcome at a single decision stage. Although much has been credited to these theories, they have continuously ignored the fact that as decisions to adopt are made and challenged along the adoption process, such decision can be influenced by the same, different or combination of factors at different stages of the adoption process. This paper aims to examine ICT adoption from a dynamic process perspective and to explore the key determinants and how these differ from one stage of the adoption process to another.

Qualitative method was adopted in this study. Both unstructured and semi-structured interviews were conducted in two separate stages using purposeful random sampling. Hybrid approach of thematic analysis was adopted in analysing the data.

This study develops a framework informed by actor network theory (ANT) concepts and finds that using ANT to examine the process of adoption helps to unveil the recursive nature of the process. The study reveals that the 14 determinants identified in this study influenced adoption at different stages. Factors such as ease of use, managerial time, customer focus and adoption influenced adoption at all the stages. This reveals that factors influencing ICT adoption are not static at one particular stage rather it may influence ICT adoption at different stages.

Qualitative research is often subjective and interpretive in nature, and one of the limitations is the sample used in this research. Considering the small number of interviews carried out in this study, the generalisation of finding and the framework remains to be established across a wider population. Therefore, the factors presented could be limited considering that a number of practitioners that are involved in establishing emerging ICT are numerous. Therefore, other factors are prevailing to other industries or sectors that may provide scholars another way of examining these factors. Also, the framework demonstrates that it is a valuable analytical tool for researchers to examine how and why different actors including small and medium enterprise (SME) managers act around emerging ICT.

This study develops a framework that revealed the interactive and recursive nature of ICT adoption and the determinants influencing the process of ICT adoption at different stages thereby advancing ICT adoption research. The study challenges researchers to always consider ICT adoption as dynamic and unpredictable instead of one-off action as factors influencing its adoption are not static rather; they vary from one stage to another.

The purpose of this paper is to study factors that affect adults' acceptance of instant messaging (IM) for social and entertainment purposes in an Arab country

An expanded version of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) was used to test the impact of four factors (subjective norms, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and perceived enjoyment) and a new construct, curiosity about other people, on the level of IM usage by 191 adults in Kuwait. Survey questions from prior studies were adopted and customized, and the model analyzing using Structural Equation Model with LISREL.

IM usage is a different type of technology usage than work‐related forms of ICT since it is employed for social and recreational usage. Unlike prior studies that employed TAM in a work‐related setting, perceived usefulness was not a significant antecedent of usage; however, perceived enjoyment, social norms, curiosity about other people, and perceived ease of use were all important antecedents of IM usage.

This study focused on IM usage outside the workplace for social purposes and was restricted to adults within one country (Kuwait). Additional studies across Arab countries are encouraged as well as comparatives studies about IM usage for different contexts (work‐related use of IM from home and IM usage in the workplace).

This study is useful for researchers willing to highlight the factors that motivate users' ICT adoption outside the workplace and for social purposes. It also has implications for managers and software vendors seeking to enhance the adoption of communication‐oriented forms of ICT in the Arab world

The study highlights motives of ICT usage among Arab adults, which has not been widely studied. It also describes Arab culture and shows how certain aspects of culture affect ICT usage.

Through an evaluation of the information technology (IT) adoption and diffusion models and the free and/or open source policy of the South African Government, the underlying assumption is that the developmental divide between those with and those without access to technology is purely technical. This paper aims to illustrate that if Free and/or Open Source Software is to be used as a building block to bridge the “digital divide” a more social and environmental perspective, which embraces the philosophy behind the software, needs to complement the technical perspective. The human environmental model is presented as a useful alternative which, if embraced, can inform more holistic information and communication technology (ICT) policies.

Through a review of diffusion of innovations models an alternative diffusion framework is described and applied to an interpretive open source case study in South Africa.

Contemporary diffusion and innovation models are narrowly focused on IT as a purely technological linear phenomenon. This perspective also underlies many ICT policies. A more socio‐technical adoption model can assist in providing a more holistic approach to ICT policy development.

The application of a new innovation model, the human environmental model, to ICT policy provides a holistic framework in which the complexity of the innovation process can be reflected in policy. Such an approach to ICT policy formulation will assist with broadening the perspective of policy makers from IT as a technical solution to IT as part of a socio‐technical solution and recognise the duality of the innovation process.

Theoretical perspectives from other fields are used to shed additional light on an individual's technology acceptance, due to the fact that it is frequently replicated with minor tweaks and extensions. The entrepreneurial event model (EEM) is an intentional model, which measures the volitional aspect of behaviours. The purpose of this paper is to seek to revise and validate this model in the context of technology acceptance, while also investigating information technology (IT) innovation adoption.

In order to test the proposed research model, data are collected using a questionnaire survey from 420 entrepreneurs involved in providing professional services in manufacturing, telecommunication, education, banking and finance, service, and agriculture in Malaysia. The structural equation modelling technique was used to evaluate the research model.

The results of the study confirmed that the model is robust enough to measure the individual dimensions of technology adoption. It also indicated that the propensity to use, perceived desirability and perceived feasibility are significantly and positively related to the intention to use IT innovation. EEM accounted for 82 per cent of the variance in usage intention, and it provided a useful tool for managers to gauge the likelihood of success for new technologies.

This paper highlights and expands upon positive implications for academic, managers and policy makers. Applying the EEM model on technology acceptance will serve to illuminate this area and reveal new knowledge perspectives. Policy makers could encourage early-adopter entrepreneurs to adopt and use IT innovation in their businesses, which will in turn encourage others to look up to these early adopter and emulate them, thus increasing the rate of adoption and the use of IT innovation.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether the adoption of information technology is associated with human resource management and organizational restructuring.

SMEs in Nova Scotia were visited and complete data from 130 firms were obtained.

The rate of IT adoption varies noticeably among SMEs in Nova Scotia, with less than 10 per cent being high adopters. IT adoption was strongly associated with employer size, organizational restructuring and investment in human resource management.

The data are cross‐sectional and the generalizability of the results may be limited. While it was found that HRM and IT were strongly related, it was whether they are associated with higher employer performance was not examined.

The results suggest that IT may play a role in enhancing the human resource function.

There has been little research exploring the link between HRM and IT adoption, particularly among small firms. This paper fills some of the gaps.

This paper investigates the effects of different uncertainties on Internet stock trading (IST) adoption intentions of individual investors in China and aims to determine the interaction effects of trust and perceived benefits in the relationship between uncertainty dimensions and IST adoption intentions.

Using a structured questionnaire, a survey of 353 experienced stock traders was conducted in China. The proposed uncertainty-trust-perceived benefits framework was examined through structural equation modelling using Smart PLS 3.0.

The study found significant negative effects of perceived technology uncertainty, perceived regulatory uncertainty and perceived information asymmetry on the IST adoption intentions of individual investors. Perceived service intangibility was found to have only insignificant effects on IST adoption intentions. In terms of interaction results, trust significantly moderates the relationship between IST adoption intentions and, respectively, perceived technology uncertainty and perceived information asymmetry. Similarly, perceived benefits significantly moderate the relationship between intentions to adopt IST and both perceived technology uncertainty and perceived regulatory uncertainty.

The regulators for IST development in China could utilise the results of this study as guidelines for strategies to increase the use of IST among existing and potential investors.

Using social cognitive theory, this research investigates the effects of various uncertainties on IST adoption intentions of individual investors in China; these effects have not been explored by previous literature. Furthermore, few studies other than this one have investigated the interaction effects of factors which counteract the negative effect of other factors.

Audit software and IT‐based auditing are widely used in developed countries and is an emerging trend in other parts of the world. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the adoption of audit software by Saudi industries. This research extends current knowledge by focusing on technology adoptions issues and comparing the results with the results of past adoptions in Western industries.

Demographic and psychometric factors related to adoption decision were identified and incorporated in the research model. A web‐based survey instrument was used to collect data. The reliability score of each construct was measured with Cronbach's alpha. Results from descriptive statistics, correlation, and regression were used to examine the influence of demographic and psychometric factors on adoption decision.

Contrary to existing literature, this study shows that external pressure has no impact on the adoption decision. In addition, similar to earlier findings, the results showed that Company Readiness and Perceived Benefits are reasonably good predictors of Adoption Intention of audit software.

Contrary to current evidence, this research points to the result that external pressure has no impact on the adoption decision. This leads to an interesting research avenue to explore the reasons why companies in Saudi Arabia do not see external pressure as a significant factor behind decision to adopt certain technology.

This article extends current technology adoption knowledge by providing a comparison of adoptions in the west and in Saudi Arabia. Results of this research can assist software adopters with adoption decisions and vendors in software implementation, sales, and service in Saudi Arabia.

Drawing on extant technology acceptance literature, the purpose of this paper is to critically examine the impact of mandatory enterprise technology adoption in Nigeria.

Data were gathered from a survey of stockbrokers operating on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange on two occasions over a four year period. Expert forecasting (TSModel) algorithms were employed to assess attitudinal changes of users on mandatory system adoption.

The results suggest that over time, users (stockbrokers) developed an increasingly negative perception of the technology, thus emphasising the need for managers to focus on subjective imperatives that might impact the adoption of mandated technology.

Africa remains neglected in relation to information systems/information technology (IS/IT) research. This has driven the authors’ interest in seeking to understand how contextual peculiarities specific to Africa could play a significant role in an understanding of well‐established IS/IT models.

To facilitate deeper explorations of the antecedents of user adoption of mandatory enterprise technology, the authors choose to lay the theoretical foundations of this study in social theories (specifically, voluntariness and subjective norm).

This study aims to propose an integrative conceptual framework of e‐learning adoption and assimilation that is adapted to the specific context of small to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs).

The literature on the state of e‐learning usage in SMEs and on the IT adoption and assimilation factors that can be specifically applied to e‐learning adoption and assimilation in this context are reviewed. These factors are then integrated within a research framework, and a set of 20 propositions formulated.

The paper identifies the technological, organizational and environmental factors that are likely to favor or hinder e‐learning adoption and assimilation in SMEs, as well as the interaction among these factors.

The integrative framework and the 20 propositions that emanate from it constitute the conceptual foundation for a research program and hypotheses on the adoption and assimilation of e‐learning in SMEs.

This study offers managers a frame of reference to analyze their firm's situation before initiating an e‐learning program by highlighting key adoption and assimilation factors in the specific context of SMEs.

This study proposes an integrative conceptual framework of e‐learning adoption and assimilation that is adapted to the specific context of SMEs.