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While the financial relief efforts are struggling to keep up with the COVID-19 outbreak, there is a need for the diffusion of e-Zakat initiatives and work with fintech if governments truly strive to ensure that most vulnerable do not fall behind. The newly launched e-system – popularly known as ZAKATY (e-portal and smartphone application) – in Saudi Arabia is an example worth attention and study on how well people can accept and use the system and Zakat payer-centric e-services, especially amid such uncertain times. The purpose of this study is to explore how an extended unified model of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) can induce users to adopt the ZAKATY e-services provided by the General Authority of Zakat and Tax during this unprecedented challenge to pay Zakat online in an easy, fast and reliable way.

Drawing on a quantitative approach through an online administered survey, a total of 479 usable responses from individual Zakat payers were obtained using snowball sampling and analyzed through smart partial least squares (SmartPLS) software.

This study confirms the suitability and utility of the UTAUT model used in predicting Zakat payers’ intention to adopt the e-Zakat system and its services, indicating that the model possesses 72% of the predictive capability to explain variance in intentions. It also shows that all UTAUT constructs (i.e. performance expectancy, social influence and facilitating conditions) were statistically significant, except for effort expectancy. Online trust exerted a significant moderating effect on the relationship between UTAUT constructs and users’ intentions to uptake the system’s online services amid COVID-19.

To keep pace with rapid digital transformations amid the pandemic, Zakat institutions, as governmental entities, are likely pursuing to identify the main determinants that influence people’s intentions to engage in adopting e-Zakat services. This could be eventually translated into maximizing the proceeds of Zakat funds by developing ICT-based infrastructure and introducing reliable and efficient e-services that can be adopted by users.

Given the scarce literature on the relevance of e-Zakat systems’ adoption, this work could serve as a building block and springboard for literature and future research by empirically examining an extended framework derived from the UTAUT theory in the Zakat context.

Despite the significant growth in Islamic economies and the increasing number of Muslim youths inclining digital services, empirical-based research addressing the adoption of digital Islamic services is still scarce. Particularly, as a new term in the Islamic finance industry, ZakaTech has recently emerged as a modern term describing novel technologies adopted by zakat (compulsory levy on all believing and practicing high-net-worth Muslims) institutions; yet, it has largely been neglected in the literature. Therefore, this paper aims to propose an integrated model that scrutinizes the factors of unified model of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) of ZakaTech, combined with social cognitive theory (SCT), especially in a time of COVID-19 social distancing.

The UTAUT–SCT model was validated via SmartPLS structural equation modeling by using a valid sample of 510 users (individual zakat payers) from Saudi Arabia.

The results demonstrated the suitability of the integrated UTAUT–SCT model in predicting zakat payers’ intention to use ZakaTech services. This proposed model has 70% explanatory power to explain variance in intention. All UTAUT constructs are statistically significant, except for effort expectancy. Social isolation caused by the pandemic and trust in e-zakat system exerted a significant influence on the inclination to uptake ZakaTech services.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this research is among the first research that studies Muslims’ adoption of ZakaTech during COVID-19. Particularly, this study could add value to FinTech acceptance literature by empirically examining an integrated framework of UTAUT–SCT in a context as modern and unique as ZakaTech.

The purpose of this study is to reveal both the adaptations of information computer technology (ICT) teachers teaching the information technologies and software (ITS) course online during the pandemic and the factors that affect this adaptation process. Teachers’ endeavours to conduct their courses online, the support they take during their endeavours, and their relationships with such basic components as the environment, content and students during this adaptation process will be revealed within the framework of unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT).

In this study, a sequential transformative mixed model was used in which firstly quantitative and then qualitative data were collected and analysed. The sample of this study consists of 307 ICT teachers employed and serving at public and private school in 2020–21. A proper sampling technique is used in the study. In this study, a sequential transformative mixed model was used in which firstly quantitative and then qualitative data were collected and analysed ( Creswell, 2009). The sample of this study consists of 307 ICT teachers employed and serving at public and private school in 2020–21. A proper sampling technique is used in the study.

The ICT teachers’ adaptations to the online courses have developed positively over the sub-dimensions of UTAUT, which are performance expectancy (PE), effort expectancy (EE), social influence (SE), facilitating conditions (FC) and behavioural intention (BI). The ICT teachers’ adaptations to the online instruction process have a significant effect on PE, FC and BI on the basis of gender, and on PE and EE on the basis of course content quality. In the process whereby the ICT teachers carry out the ITS course online, the sub-dimensions of PE, SE and FC are significantly predictive of the BI.

UTAUT has been taken as a guiding framework in explaining and discussing the adaptations. Similarly, in other studies focussing on adaptation, this model could be employed in planning the research process. In addition, this study has followed a method in which qualitative data are mostly used to explain the quantitative data. Further studies may adopt a process whereby qualitative data are largely used to describe the way ITS course is conducted in online environments and this process may be used to develop a model.

Examining the students’ BIs in online courses overlaps with the sub-dimension of PE in this study, which stresses that PE, EE and motivation are significantly and directly effective on the students’ intentions of using the online courses, while there is a difference between these two studies in terms of the dimension of EE. The factors such learning outcome, curriculum, attendance to the course, use of materials and tools, interaction and technological substructure appear to be affected by this dimension, so they could be taken as important in that they reveal the importance of the study.

This study may provide clues for the online instruction practices that it reveals teachers’ adaptations to online learning environments at secondary schools. On the other hand, software, hardware, coding and robotics take place in the subjects like product designing, developing and programming that are within the content of ITS course for secondary schools. Even though there is a curriculum prepared for these subjects, a lot of different instruction techniques can be used for the teaching of these subjects. This can allow some inferences about the environments and methods suitable for the online instruction of the related subjects.

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.

Today, e-government (electronic government) applications have extended to the frontiers of health-care delivery. E-Nabız contains personal health records of health services received, whether public or private. The use of the application by patients and physicians has provided efficiency and cost advantages. The success of e-Nabız depends on the level of technology acceptance of health-care service providers and recipients. While there is a large research literature on the technology acceptance of service recipients in health-care services, there is a limited number of studies on physicians providing services. This study aims to determine the level of influence of trust and privacy variables in addition to performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence and facilitating factors in the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model on the intention and behavior of using e-Nabız application.

The population of the study consisted of general practitioners and specialist physicians actively working in any health facility in Turkey. Data were collected cross-sectionally from 236 physicians on a voluntary basis through a questionnaire. The response rate of data collection was calculated as 47.20%. Data were collected cross-sectionally from 236 physicians through a questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis and structural equation modeling were used to analyze the data.

The study found that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, trust and perceived privacy had a significant effect on physicians’ behavioral intentions to adopt the e-Nabız system. In addition, facilitating conditions and behavioral intention were determinants of usage behavior (p < 0.05). However, no significant relationship was found between social influence and behavioral intention (p > 0.05).

This study confirms that the UTAUT model provides an appropriate framework for predicting factors influencing physicians’ behaviors and intention to use e-Nabız. In addition, the empirical findings show that trust and perceived privacy, which are additionally considered in the model, are also influential.

The delivery of information services in higher education is increasingly relying on Web-based systems. The low adoption and underutilization of information systems have been major problems for developing countries such as Pakistan in terms of realizing their full benefits. This study aims to investigate factors affecting student use of Allama Iqbal Open University’s (AIOU) Web-based services by using the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) from the perspective of Pakistani distance education.

This study has adopted quantitative research design with the UTAUT model as a theoretical framework. A self-completion structured questionnaire-based survey has been administered to 388 master’s level students, selected through systematic sampling from the target population. The response rate was 82 per cent (318). All statistical tests have been performed using IBM SPSS (version 20.0) and Process macro for SPSS.

Findings of the model’s hypotheses reveal that performance expectancy, effort expectancy and social influence are significant predictors of student behavioural intention to use AIOU Web-based services, whereas actual student use is dependent on facilitating conditions and student behavioural intention to use. The impact of moderating variables with respect to age, gender and experience did not influence the actual use of the Web services. However, the research model significantly measured (62.1 per cent) the actual use of AIOU Web-based services by the students.

This study is delimited to the UTAUT model to investigate the phenomena. Besides this, the context of the study is the voluntary instead of mandatory usage of Web services. A study conducted in mandatory settings, in which students are bound to use Web services, may have different results.

This is the first attempt to apply the UTAUT model to investigate the factors affecting student use of Web-based services from the perspective of distance education and the findings prove strong support for the model.

This study aims to explore the consumers’ choices of mobile payments (m-payments) using a comprehensive unified model. The financial technology for digital m-payment has been increasingly introduced in the market, yet their acceptance has remained low.

This study uses the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) with additional constructs of social influence, trust, anxiety, personal innovativeness and grievance redressal (GR). Structural equation modeling is used to evaluate the predictive model of attitudes toward m-payment. Individuals’ responses to questions regarding their attitude and intention to accept m-payment were gathered and examined through the lens of extended UTAUT model.

While the model supports TAM classical role, empirical examination of the model revealed that users’ attitudes and intentions are influenced by trust, personal innovativeness and social influence. Moreover, intention to use and GR are significant positive predictors of m-payment usage behavior.

M-payment provides customers with new digital payment platforms while providing businesses and marketing agents with more alternatives for online marketing. However, there is not much reported about m-payment adoption in Pakistan. This research introduces and evaluates new constructs that were not included in the original model. In Pakistan, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is a first of its kind of research which is purely based on the customers’ perspective of m-payment adoption.

Due to its ability to support well-informed decision-making, business intelligence (BI) has grown in popularity among executives across a range of industries. However, given the volume of data collected in health-care organizations, there is a lack of exploration concerning its implementation. Consequently, this research paper aims to investigate the key factors affecting the acceptance and use of BI in healthcare organizations.

Leveraging the theoretical lens of the “unified theory of acceptance and use of technology” (UTAUT), a study framework was proposed and integrated with three context-related factors, including “rational decision-making culture” (RDC), “perceived threat to professional autonomy” (PTA) and “medical–legal risk” (MLR). The variables in the study framework were categorized as follows: information systems (IS) perspective; organizational perspective; and user perspective. In Jordan, 434 healthcare professionals participated in a cross-sectional online survey that was used to collect data.

The findings of the “structural equation modeling” revealed that professionals’ behavioral intentions toward using BI systems were significantly affected by performance expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, MLR, RDC and PTA. Also, an insignificant effect of PTA on PE was found based on the results of statistical analysis. These variables explained 68% of the variance (R²) in the individuals’ intentions to use BI-based health-care systems.

To promote the acceptance and use of BI technology in health-care settings, developers, designers, service providers and decision-makers will find this study to have a number of practical implications. Additionally, it will support the development of effective strategies and BI-based health-care systems based on these study results, attracting the interest of many users.

To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is one of the first studies that integrates the UTAUT model with three contextual factors (RDC, PTA and MLR) in addition to examining the suggested framework in a developing nation (Jordan). This study is one of the few in which the users’ acceptance behavior of BI systems was investigated in a health-care setting. More specifically, to the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first study that reveals the critical antecedents of individuals’ intention to accept BI for health-care purposes in the Jordanian context.

The purpose of this paper is to propose a model that examines the relationships among the five dimensions of the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) toward the overall behavioral intentions (BIs); to use cashless payment systems in Thailand, which are practically based on the basic models and theories of consumer behavior such as the theory of reasoned action (TRA), theory of planned behavior (TPB) and technology acceptance model (TAM); and to explain the indirect effects between UTAUT and BIs to use cashless payment systems mediating by perceived risk and trust.

A total of 708 respondents, who have had an experience with a cashless payment system in Thailand, were selected using a stage sampling method. The data obtained from the participants were analyzed using a structural equation modelling approach.

The results of this paper reveal that UTAUT model, perceived risk and trust have all significant influences on BIs to use a cashless payment system. This suggests that consumers in Thailand adopt to specific financial technological innovation if they perceive that the risk is low and they can trust the system, especially if it is associated with a reliable online banking network.

The basic understanding of the UTAUT model that influences BIs to use cashless payment systems has been the focus of this current paper. This paper empirically examined the overall direct and indirect influences of UTAUT model and perceived risk, trust and BI to use. This current paper also expands the UTAUT theory by exploring several dimensions (i.e. performance expectancy, effort expectancy and social influence). Research findings reveal that effort expectancy can reduce perceived risk and increase trust in Thailand's cashless payment systems. This can generate more customer interest and engagement, as well as provide insights into customers' intentions in using a cashless payment system.

The purpose of this paper is to identify the factors influencing the adoption of mobile self-service retail banking technologies, and the degree of influence of each factors leading their usage. Having mobile banking (MB) as the reference service and drawing on previous studies in the field, an extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model is proposed and empirically validated to investigate the impact of technology, social, channel and personal factors on potential customers’ usage intentions.

On evidence drawn, through a dedicated research instrument, from 513 non-users in Greece, the effects of the extended UTAUT’s drivers on MB adoption intentions are assessed using partial least squares path methodology.

The results indicated that technology-related factors, expressing innovation expected performance, and social influence are the leading determinants of MB adoption intentions, followed by the two channel-related factors, expressing perceived risk and trust toward MB usage, and potential users’ inherent innovativeness. Furthermore, the consideration of service experience as a moderating variable has shown that there is a significant difference in the effects of social influence and perceived trust on adoption intention between potential users with high and limited service experience.

The sample is country specific and this may affect generalizability of findings. Also, the cross-sectional design adopted does not reflect the temporal changes.

From a practical point of view, the findings suggest that banks should consider, except of the technology-related factors of MB, the way that potential users perceive the channel-related factors as well as the individual differences in order to improve the MB acceptance level.

Although there are a few studies that use UTAUT to predict MB adoption, the proposed model is the first that combines four groups of MB adoption driving factors into a causal model in order to explain MB adoption intentions in a country which is facing severe financial crisis for the last eight years, Greece.