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Smart card-based E-payment systems are receiving increasing attention as the number of implementations is witnessed on the rise globally. Understanding of user adoption behavior of E-payment systems that employ smart card technology becomes a research area that is of particular value and interest to both IS researchers and professionals. However, research interest focuses mostly on why a smart card-based E-payment system results in a failure or how the system could have grown into a success. This signals the fact that researchers have not had much opportunity to critically review a smart card-based E-payment system that has gained wide support and overcome the hurdle of critical mass adoption. The Octopus in Hong Kong has provided a rare opportunity for investigating smart card-based E-payment system because of its unprecedented success. This research seeks to thoroughly analyze the Octopus from technology adoption behavior perspectives.

Cultural impacts on adoption behavior are one of the key areas that this research posits to investigate. Since the present research is conducted in Hong Kong where a majority of population is Chinese ethnicity and yet is westernized in a number of aspects, assuming that users in Hong Kong are characterized by eastern or western culture is less useful. Explicit cultural characteristics at individual level are tapped into here instead of applying generalization of cultural beliefs to users to more accurately reflect cultural bias. In this vein, the technology acceptance model (TAM) is adapted, extended, and tested for its applicability cross-culturally in Hong Kong on the Octopus. Four cultural dimensions developed by Hofstede are included in this study, namely uncertainty avoidance, masculinity, individualism, and Confucian Dynamism (long-term orientation), to explore their influence on usage behavior through the mediation of perceived usefulness.

TAM is also integrated with the innovation diffusion theory (IDT) to borrow two constructs in relation to innovative characteristics, namely relative advantage and compatibility, in order to enhance the explanatory power of the proposed research model. Besides, the normative accountability of the research model is strengthened by embracing two social influences, namely subjective norm and image. As the last antecedent to perceived usefulness, prior experience serves to bring in the time variation factor to allow level of prior experience to exert both direct and moderating effects on perceived usefulness.

The resulting research model is analyzed by partial least squares (PLS)-based Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) approach. The research findings reveal that all cultural dimensions demonstrate direct effect on perceived usefulness though the influence of uncertainty avoidance is found marginally significant. Other constructs on innovative characteristics and social influences are validated to be significant as hypothesized. Prior experience does indeed significantly moderate the two influences that perceived usefulness receives from relative advantage and compatibility, respectively. The research model has demonstrated convincing explanatory power and so may be employed for further studies in other contexts. In particular, cultural effects play a key role in contributing to the uniqueness of the model, enabling it to be an effective tool to help critically understand increasingly internationalized IS system development and implementation efforts. This research also suggests several practical implications in view of the findings that could better inform managerial decisions for designing, implementing, or promoting smart card-based E-payment system.

Information and communications technology (ICT) offers enormous opportunities for individuals, businesses and society. The application of ICT is equally important to economic and non-economic activities. Researchers have increasingly focused on the adoption and use of ICT by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as the economic development of a country is largely dependent on them. Following the success of ICT utilisation in SMEs in developed countries, many developing countries are looking to utilise the potential of the technology to develop SMEs. Past studies have shown that the contribution of ICT to the performance of SMEs is not clear and certain. Thus, it is crucial to determine the effectiveness of ICT in generating firm performance since this has implications for SMEs’ expenditure on the technology. This research examines the diffusion of ICT among SMEs with respect to the typical stages from innovation adoption to post-adoption, by analysing the actual usage of ICT and value creation. The mediating effects of integration and utilisation on SME performance are also studied. Grounded in the innovation diffusion literature, institutional theory and resource-based theory, this study has developed a comprehensive integrated research model focused on the research objectives. Following a positivist research paradigm, this study employs a mixed-method research approach. A preliminary conceptual framework is developed through an extensive literature review and is refined by results from an in-depth field study. During the field study, a total of 11 SME owners or decision-makers were interviewed. The recorded interviews were transcribed and analysed using NVivo 10 to refine the model to develop the research hypotheses. The final research model is composed of 30 first-order and five higher-order constructs which involve both reflective and formative measures. Partial least squares-based structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) is employed to test the theoretical model with a cross-sectional data set of 282 SMEs in Bangladesh. Survey data were collected using a structured questionnaire issued to SMEs selected by applying a stratified random sampling technique. The structural equation modelling utilises a two-step procedure of data analysis. Prior to estimating the structural model, the measurement model is examined for construct validity of the study variables (i.e. convergent and discriminant validity).

The estimates show cognitive evaluation as an important antecedent for expectation which is shaped primarily by the entrepreneurs’ beliefs (perception) and also influenced by the owners’ innovativeness and culture. Culture further influences expectation. The study finds that facilitating condition, environmental pressure and country readiness are important antecedents of expectation and ICT use. The results also reveal that integration and the degree of ICT utilisation significantly affect SMEs’ performance. Surprisingly, the findings do not reveal any significant impact of ICT usage on performance which apparently suggests the possibility of the ICT productivity paradox. However, the analysis finally proves the non-existence of the paradox by demonstrating the mediating role of ICT integration and degree of utilisation explain the influence of information technology (IT) usage on firm performance which is consistent with the resource-based theory. The results suggest that the use of ICT can enhance SMEs’ performance if the technology is integrated and properly utilised. SME owners or managers, interested stakeholders and policy makers may follow the study’s outcomes and focus on ICT integration and degree of utilisation with a view to attaining superior organisational performance.

This study urges concerned business enterprises and government to look at the environmental and cultural factors with a view to achieving ICT usage success in terms of enhanced firm performance. In particular, improving organisational practices and procedures by eliminating the traditional power distance inside organisations and implementing necessary rules and regulations are important actions for managing environmental and cultural uncertainties. The application of a Bengali user interface may help to ensure the productivity of ICT use by SMEs in Bangladesh. Establishing a favourable national technology infrastructure and legal environment may contribute positively to improving the overall situation. This study also suggests some changes and modifications in the country’s existing policies and strategies. The government and policy makers should undertake mass promotional programs to disseminate information about the various uses of computers and their contribution in developing better organisational performance. Organising specialised training programs for SME capacity building may succeed in attaining the motivation for SMEs to use ICT. Ensuring easy access to the technology by providing loans, grants and subsidies is important. Various stakeholders, partners and related organisations should come forward to support government policies and priorities in order to ensure the productive use of ICT among SMEs which finally will help to foster Bangladesh’s economic development.

Limited use of Internet of Things (IoT) technology on construction sites has restricted its value in the construction industry. To propel its widespread application, this paper explores the influencing factors and action paths of construction companies' IoT technology adoption behavior.

First, literature research, technology adoption theories, and semi-structured expert interviews were employed to build the adoption model. Second, a questionnaire survey was conducted among Chinese construction contractors to collect empirical data. Third, the structural equation model method and regression analysis were used to test the adoption model. Finally, the findings were further validated with interviews, case studies, and field observations.

External environmental pressure (EEP), perceived benefit (PB), top management support (TMS), company resource readiness (CRR), adoption intention (AI), and perceived compatibility (PCA) have a direct positive impact on adoption behavior (AB). In contrast, perceived cost (PC) and perceived complexity (PCL) exert a direct negative impact on AB. The EEP, PB, and PC are critical factors affecting AB, whereas AI is strongly affected by CRR and TMS. Besides, AI plays a part mediating role in the relationship between seven factors and AB. Company size and nature positively moderate AI's positive effect on AB.

This paper contributes to the knowledge of IoT technology adoption behavior in the construction sector by applying the technology adoption theories. Exploring the implementation barriers and drivers of IoT technology in construction sites from the perspective of organizational technology adoption behavior and introducing moderating variables to explain adoption behavior are innovations of this paper. The findings can help professionals better understand the IoT technology adoption barriers and enhance construction companies' adoption awareness, demand, and ability. This work also provides a reference for understanding the impact mechanism of the adoption behavior of other innovative technologies in construction.

Based on the survey data of 1,152 households in three provinces of Shaanxi, Gansu and Ningxia on the Loess Plateau, this paper aims to empirically analyze the impact of aging and off-farm employment on farmers’ adoption behavior of soil and water conservation technology. This paper analyzes the moderating effect of social network and the mediating effect of technological cognition in this impact relationship.

Based on the above analysis, the second part of this paper is based on relevant theories and constructs a theoretical model of the relationship of aging, off-farm employment, social network, technology cognition and farmers’ adoption behavior of soil and water conservation technology. The third part introduces research methods, variable selection and descriptive statistics analysis of variables. The fourth part, based on the data of Shaanxi, Gansu and Ningxia provinces in the Loess Plateau in 2016, empirically analyzes the impact of aging, off-farm employment and social network on the farmers’ adoption behavior of soil and water conservation technology. This paper further examines the moderating effect of social network and the mediating effect of technology cognition in this influence relationship. Finally, based on the findings of the empirical study, this paper puts forward countermeasures and suggestions.

First, aging and off-farm employment have a significant negative impact on farmers’ adoption behavior of soil and water conservation technology, while social network has a significant positive effect. Second, social network has alleviated the effect of aging and off-farm employment on restraining farmers’ adoption behavior of soil and water conservation technology. Third, aging and off-farm employment have restrained farmers’ cognition of soil and water conservation technology. Social network has promoted farmers’ cognition of soil and water conservation technology. Social network plays a moderating role in the impact of aging and off-farm employment on farmers’ cognition of soil and water conservation technology. Technology cognition plays a mediating role in the impact of social network on farmers’ adoption behavior of soil and water conservation technology.

This paper integrates the aging, off-farm employment and social network into the same analytical framework and reveals their impact on farmers’ adoption behavior of soil and water conservation technology and its action mechanism, which enriches the impact of human capital and social network on farmers’ adoption behavior of soil and water conservation technology. Then taking the social network as a moderator variable, the paper verifies its moderating effect on the relationship of aging, off-farm employment and farmers’ adoption behavior of soil and water conservation technology. Farmers’ technology cognition should be included in the analysis framework to examine the impact of aging, off-farm employment and social network on farmers’ cognition of soil and water conservation technology. Taking the technology cognition as a mediator variable, the paper verifies its mediating effect on the relationship of aging, off-farm employment and farmers’ adoption behavior of soil and water conservation technology.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of mobile applications on investment decisions by retail investors in stocks and mutual funds. This study focuses on how mobile technologies are applied on mobile apps by retail investors for e-trading in emerging financial markets.

The study explored predictive relevance for the adoption behavior of retail investors under the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) framework. Further, goal contagion theory was applied to investigate the adoption behavior of investors towards e-trading. An adapted questionnaire was used to collect the date from April to June 2021 and data analysis was performed on 507 usable responses. The methodology adopted in this study is variance based partial least square structural equational modelling (PLS-SEM). Additionally, the study explains important and performing constructs based on the response of retail investors towards mobile app usage for investment decisions.

The study shows that effort expectancy, performance expectancy followed by perceived return were the primary determinants of behavioral intentions to use mobile applications by retail investors for e-trading. Further, habit of investors determined the adoption behavior of investors towards mobile apps. Additionally, the study revealed that perceived risk is not an important aspect for retail investors in comparison to perceived return.

The study in future can address to the aspect of personality traits of retail investors for technology adoption for investment decisions. Further investigation is required on addressing unobserved heterogeneity of retail investors towards technology adoption process in emerging financial markets.

The study provides theoretical and practical implications for retail investors, financial advisors and technology companies to understand the behavioral pattern and mobile apps adoption behavior of retail investors in emerging financial market. The findings in the study will help broking firms to sensitize their clients for effective use of their respective mobile apps for e-trading purposes. The study will strengthen the knowledge of financial advisors to understand investment behavior of retail investors in emerging financial markets.

This study unfolds a novel framework of research to understand the technology adoption pattern of retail investors for e-trading by mobile applications in emerging financial markets. The present study provides significant understanding in the domain of technology adoption by retail investors under behavioral finance environment.

While a substantial number of studies have examined information behaviour, most centred on choice of information source, student information behaviour, information behaviour of women, environmental uncertainty and scanning behaviour of top-level hotel executives. However, little is known about how the small and medium enterprise (SME) managers scan, seek, gather, document and use information relevant for emerging information and communication technology (EICT) adoption decision-making. This paper aims to examine the key success factors influencing SME manager’s information behaviour on EICT adoption decision-making.

This study deploys a qualitative approach to exploring 16 key success factors shaping SME managers’ information behaviour on EICT adoption decision-making. More specifically, the study adopted both unstructured and semi-structured interviews with 20 small business managers drawn purposeful from Crunch Database.

This study develops an extended technology, organisation and environment framework by incorporating the information context which helped to unravel 16 key success factors influencing small business managers’ information behaviour on EICT. From the technology context, uncertainty driven, compatibility, replacement of legacy technology, relative advantages, lack of technical know-how and perceived affordability fit for purpose influence SME managers’ information behaviour. Users’ acceptance information, efficiency driven, owner’s support shape the organisation context of perceived information need; competitor’s intelligence gathering, customer’s information gathering provider credibility and government policy influence the environmental context of perceived information need; and finally, perceived information sources credibility, herding event, testimonial and openness to other people’s ideas and experiences are shaped by the information context.

Qualitative research is normally subjective, interpretive and limited on the sample used. Because of the limited number of interviews, the generalisation of the framework and the finding is difficult. Therefore, the finding and the framework need to be established across broader population. The findings are vital considering the fact that small business managers are limited in knowledge and the study may improve the way and manner they go about seeking and gathering information relevant in adopting new ICT.

This research provides further insight into SME managers’ information behaviour by developing a framework and identifying main factors influencing SMEs information behaviours on EICT. Therefore, understanding such factors will enrich their knowledge on some of the factors that may shape their decisions during EICT adoption decision to make effective decision.

While the peer effects of technology adoption are well established, few studies have considered the variation in peer effects resulting from the mutual proximity between leaders and followers and the heterogeneity of farmers' learning technology. This study addresses the gap in the literature by analyzing the peer effects of technology adoption among Chinese farmers.

Drawing on a government-led soil testing and formulated fertilization program, this study uses survey data of farmers from three Chinese provinces to examine the peer effects of technology adoption. This study uses a probit model to examine how mutual proximity influences peer effects and their heterogeneity. Accordingly, farmers were divided into two groups, namely small- and large-scale farmers, and then into leaders or followers depending on whether they were selected by the government as model farmers.

Both small- and large-scale farmers are more likely to use formula fertilizer if their peers do so. However, a large-scale farmer is more likely to adopt formula fertilizer if the average adoption behavior of other large-scale model (leader) farmers is higher, while a small-scale farmer is more likely to adopt formula fertilizer if other small-scale non-model (follower) farmers have higher average adoption behavior. Moreover, the peer effect was weakened by geographic distance among small-scale farmers and by economic distance among large-scale farmers.

This study elucidates the means of optimizing social learning and technology adoption among farmers.

The purpose of this paper is to integrate the theory of planned behavior (TBP) and the technology acceptance model (TAM) in social marketing to predict and explain technology adoption (gym equipment use) in physical activity (PA) behavior among Ghanaian youth.

A quantitative approach was adopted for this study. The empirical data for this paper were drawn from 314 youth who are gym equipment users. The hypothesized relationships were analyzed using structural equation modeling.

This study found that the salient beliefs, namely, attitude, subjective norm and behavioral control toward gym equipment use, do not sufficiently explain PA adoption. However, a better result emerges when these salient beliefs are combined with perceived usefulness (PU) and ease of use (TAM).

This paper provides evidence for issues of potential research, policy and managerial interest. The study findings showed that PA adoption, not PEOU, was directly impacted by PU. Thus, policymakers and implementers of social marketing intervention programs should promote the positive attitude toward gym equipment technology use and the perceptions of usefulness (improve cardiorespiratory fitness, feeling healthy and building muscle strength) of using gym equipment technology instead of ease of use to increase PA technology adoption behavior.

Considering the uniqueness of this current study in the Ghanaian context, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first to integrate two influential theories, namely, the TPB and TAM, to examine the effects of the TPB and TAM variables on the adoption of technology (gym equipment use) in PA among the youth.

Successful digital transformation requires a change in organisational structures, processes, capabilities and competencies. Digital transformation research is more influenced by the technology adaptation model and hence focuses on people's attitudes, behaviour and abilities. Recently, employee agility has attracted attention in the context of technology adoption and Industry 4.0. The current research explores the relationship between employee agility and digital technology adoption in the context of digital transformation by adopting the systematic literature review method.

Following the attitude–ability-behaviour–outcome framework, the research explored the specific agile ability, attitude and behaviour characteristics useful for digital transformation. Following the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) framework consisting of (1) initiation, (2) screening, (3) evaluation and (4) confirming inclusion (Ambika et al., 2023), the study identified 19 papers from SCOPUS indexed journals.

The study result found that agile attitude characteristics such as collaborative mindset, computer self-efficacy, ambiguity aversiveness, etc. are influencing the digital transformation process. Agile abilities like basic computer knowledge, previous technical experience, cognitive abilities, innovation capability, digital competence training and supporting proper knowledge management practices also influence digital transformation. Finally, agile behaviour such as relationship building, knowledge-sharing behaviour, promoting values of learning, risk-taking and experimenting, rewarding innovativeness and customer-centric innovation and displaying adaptability, resilience and commitment to change, etc. are found to drive digital transformation.

Research on workforce agility and digital transformation is scarce. The current study contributes to benchmarking research by exploring specific agile attitudes, abilities and behaviour characteristics relevant to digital transformation, especially in the era of Industry 4.0.

Most studies in information behaviour have focussed on information behaviour aspects such as environmental uncertainty, scanning behaviour of top management executives, student and women information behaviour, information source and credibility, while little is known about the information behaviour of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) when the need for emerging information and communication technology (EICT) adoption decision-making arises. This paper, therefore, aims to explore the major determinants of perceived information need for EICT adoption by UK small service-oriented businesses.

The study adopted qualitative method to explore 13 key determinants of SME managers’ information behaviour for EICT adoption decision-making by using both unstructured and semi-structured interviews at two different stages with 20 participants drawn purposeful from Luton directories.

The study developed an extended technology, organisation and environment (TOE) framework by identifying and incorporating the information context which helped to unveil 13 key determinants of perceived information need and their impact on EICT adoption decision-making in SMEs. This further provided insight into understanding SMEs’ information behaviour. While the determinants associated with TOE and information contexts influence SMEs’ perceived information need for EICT adoption, the extent at which these four constructs shape SMEs’ perceived information need for EICT adoption decision-making differs.

The limitation of this study emerged because of the use of qualitative methodologies in relation to the research design, rigour in the collection and management of the large volume of the raw data, the data analysis and the credibility of the findings. This may lead to unforeseen respondent – and research – bias in the data analysis, which may lead to limited understanding of alternatives and insights into the key determinants of perceived information need for EICT adoption decision. Hence, other measures and approaches such as case study and mix-method could be deployed to further validate the findings. Also, one of the limitations of qualitative study has been the issue of theoretical generalizability of the framework. The generalizability of the formwork needs to be established across a wider range of population. Future studies may apply a confirmatory statistical techniques to test and ascertain the validity and reliability of the framework across a wider population. Such studies may be used as a benchmark for the theoretical constructs and the factors that may lead to success or failure of mobile marketing technology adoption.

The study has further enriched TOE framework and provided an analytical dimension for exploring key determinants of SMEs’ perceived information need for EICT adoption decision-making. It also demonstrates the capacity to provide a reliable explanation of the determinants and serves as a tool for evaluating the benefits or challenges of SMEs’ information behaviours when the need for EICT adoption arises.