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The purpose of this paper is to report on and evaluate focus groups and privacy diary/interview methods used in a qualitative study of on‐line privacy.

The paper is a discursive evaluation of two methods employed to study on‐line privacy, informed by and situated in interpretive and constructivist approaches to knowledge.

The paper argues for the value of qualitative research methods in study of on‐line privacy. It confronts the positivist paradigm that informs much of the work in the field by foregrounding the need for methodological plurality in the study of privacy as relational, situated, dynamic and contextual. It deals with the notion of “sensitivity” as well as introducing often neglected issue of logistical challenges in qualitative research.

The paper contributes to the existing debates about the value of employment of qualitative research methods broadly, as well as in the study of on‐line privacy more specifically. It demonstrates a range of advantages and challenges in use of the two methods, providing recommendations of how to supplement them. It opens up the discussion of process of sensitizing of the participants and thus the “co‐construction” of knowledge.

This article attempts to explain and analyse the nature and characteristic features of a person’s privacy in the on‐line environment in order to assess how these features shape the need for protection. Since the internet has invaded our everyday lives, individual privacy is exposed in different ways in cyberspace. It is important to note that the Internet lacks the traditional characteristics of a ‘physical’ space, but the interests and inherent values protected by privacy remain the same in cyberspace. The article discusses the factors that shape a different nature of online privacy compared to its off line counterpart. Online privacy may not be a novel right, but it is definitely one exposed to a whole new environment which has its own special need for protection.

The purpose of this paper is to identify and investigate the security issues an organisation operating in the “new” online environment is exposed to through Web 2.0 applications, with specific focus on unauthorised access (encompassing hackers). The study aims to recommend possible safeguards to mitigate these incremental risks to an acceptable level.

An extensive literature review was performed to obtain an understanding of the technologies driving Web 2.0 applications. Thereafter, the technologies were mapped against Control Objectives for Information and Related Technology (CobiT) and Trust Service Principles and Criteria and associated control objectives relating to security risks, specifically to hacker risks. These objectives were used to identify relevant risks and formulate appropriate internal control measures.

The findings show that every organisation, technology and application is unique and the safeguards depend on the nature of the organisation, information at stake, degree of vulnerability and risks. A comprehensive security program, including a multi‐layer technological, as well as an administrative component, should be implemented. User training on acceptable practices should also be conducted.

Obtaining an understanding of Web 2.0 and Web 2.0 security is important, as Web 2.0 is a new, poorly understood technology and with the growing mobility of users, the potential surface area of attack increases and should be managed. The paper will help organisations, information repository managers, information technology (IT) professionals, librarians and internal and external auditors to understand the “new” risks relating to unauthorised access, which previously did not exist in an on‐line environment, and will assist the development of a framework to limit the most significant risks.

Despite the widely varying estimates about the strength of the global Internet economy, there is general agreement among experts about the dramatic influence of this medium on consumers as well businesses. However, one area that has generated conflicting views is the issue of Internet privacy. As businesses develop more sophisticated technologies to collect, store and disseminate information on consumers, privacy and security of this information are raising concerns among consumers and public policy advocates. Anecdotal evidence seems to suggest that consumers in some European countries view privacy protection as a very important issue. Investigates consumer attitudes in the Federal Republic of Germany. The findings indicate that consumers in Germany have very strong views about protecting their privacy. They believe that both companies and governments are obligated to protect the information of their consumers and citizens. To this end, German consumers are willing to support stricter legislation. Results also suggest that German consumers’ views about Internet use and on‐line behaviors, are affected, among other things, by their views regarding privacy in general, their personal expertise in Internet technologies, and how they view the role of the government and the role of companies in protecting consumer privacy.

A model of the relationships between individuals' perceptions of internet use and internet usage behaviors is presented and tested. The purpose of this paper is to propose that a lack of perceived responsiveness to on‐line communication is positively related to individuals' general resistance to use the internet as a communication information exchange medium, termed general internet apprehensiveness (GIA). Perceptions of GIA are negatively associated with on‐line information‐seeking behavior, and positively associated with individuals' resistance to or fear of using the internet for on‐line retail transactions, termed transactional internet apprehensiveness (TIA).

College‐aged students reported their attitudes about on‐line information seeking, on‐line purchasing, and their on‐line information seeking and purchasing behaviors. The model presented is tested with path analysis to assess the variables' interrelationships.

Ultimately, lack of responsiveness is positively related to GIA, GIA is negatively related to information‐seeking behavior, and TIA is negatively related to consumers' on‐line purchasing of goods and services.

The student sample used in this study prevents us from making broad‐based generalizations. While students represent a large base of internet users and have been presented as a viable population to study in investigations for both academic audiences and marketing practitioners, future research will continue to benefit from more diverse samples of internet users.

This study offers hospitality professionals a better understanding of the elements that inhibit or encourage on‐line information seeking and purchasing behaviors.

This paper further defines the socio‐demographic factors that inhibit consumers from using the internet as both an information‐sharing tool and purchasing medium.

European law on data protection and marketing to children on‐line is one of the most challenging aspects of on‐line marketing and commerce. This paper covers EU regulations and helps to clear up misunderstandings in this complicated topic.

Many office workers use computers and the Internet not only to get their daily jobs done but also to deal with their personal businesses. Therefore employers nowadays monitor their employees electronically to prevent the misuse of the company resources. The use of electronic monitoring in organizations causes issues of trust and privacy. This study is dedicated to developing a conceptual model on the two issues under electronic monitoring. Control, considered as the essence of the definition of privacy as well as the foundation of the control model in the theory of procedural justice, plays an important role to people’s privacy concerns and trust. People’s perceived‐self, as essential in the group‐value model in the theory of procedural justice and in the cultural studies, also plays an important role to people’s privacy concerns and trust. This study presents research hypotheses on trust and privacy under electronic surveillance based on the two models of the theory of procedural justice, social identity theory, and cultural studies.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors that influence customer satisfaction among Chinese online shoppers. It applies the normative categories identified in the literature and tests them for effect in the emerging Chinese online consumer market.

Electronic survey instrument was used to obtain data from Chinese online shoppers. The survey covered 15 composite items that could potentially influence the level of customer satisfaction related to online shopping experience. These, in turn, were further decomposed to six driving factors (convenience, product performance, customer services, security concerns, web site interactions, and web site sensory stimulations).

It was possible to identify and classify the most critical moderators of online customer satisfaction (most of which are consistent with similar studies in the West). Paradoxically, the data also revealed the existence of some behavioral differences which are context‐specific.

As is usually the case with online surveys, there was limited scope for free‐response data to be generated. Also, the study concerned itself with the factors influencing customer satisfaction, but did not examine the relationship with online purchase intention and loyalty.

This paper provides some fascinating insights into the factors that moderate the level of customer satisfaction among Chinese online shoppers. These are likely to become the important determinants of success (or failure) of companies' customer satisfaction management programs related to online shopping in China and, therefore, of practical value to companies engaging in internet marketing.

In the last two decades application of E‐commerce is evolving from technology driven to more user driven. Thus E‐commerce has become synonymous with communication, strategy and business practices. E‐commerce aids to exchange information and execute transactions among enterprises and individuals. It facilitates electronic adaptation of communication for business process via EDI (Electronic Data Interchange). More often R&D intensive industries like the pharmaceutical industry implements innovative technologies to gain competitive advantage in the market. E‐commerce provides the pharmaceutical industry with better mode of transaction to achieve competitive advantage and sustained growth. E‐commerce has a considerable impact on the business‐to‐business application, when a diverse group of enterprises become involved in the decision making process particularly in the pharmaceutical industry. This enhances the value of the industry through key underlying processes such as, high value drug innovation, clinical development and trial, project and people management, marketing and sales. This synchronisation of E‐commerce and corporate strategy creates significant value for this industry. The achievement of real value through Ecommerce has three major impacts. First, it enhances the value of the latest clinical developments; second, it increases shareholders’ value and third, it successfully reduces the time‐cycle of research and application. These achievements add substantial value to the industry. Therefore, this article reviews the application of E‐commerce and discusses its significance in the pharmaceutical industry. The theoretical discussion used in previous studies is also presented and four major aspects are highlighted explaining the success of E‐commerce in the pharmaceutical industry.

The Internet presents many possibilities by which small firms can better identify and exploit marketing opportunities. A prerequisite to successful on‐line firm‐customer interactions is the existence of a trusting bond between the network players. This research study examines the extent to which key informants perceive on‐line trust‐mark branding as important in this trust generation process. Results from in‐depth interviews with government support agency staff and other key informants are reported. Findings indicate a general perception among respondents that the generation of on‐line trust is not an area of great importance and the use of trust‐mark brands is a longer‐term consideration.