Browsing by Author "Zamani, Efpraxia D."
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Item Metadata only Adoption Behavior Differences for Mobile Data Services: M-Internet vs. M-Portals(Inderscience, 2014) Kourouthanassis, P. E.; Giaglis, G. M.; Karaiskos, D.; Zamani, Efpraxia D.This study attempts to investigate the potential differences among individual adoption patterns between mobile portal and mobile internet services usage. A theoretical model that reflects six unique predominant factors of IS usage is developed and is empirically tested using data collected from mobile data services (MDSs) users (116 mobile internet users and 178 mobile portal users). The results indicate that there are differences among the adoption behaviour of mobile portal users and mobile internet users. Specifically, mobile internet use is likely to be driven by utilitarian expectations and the perceived usefulness of accessing the web through this alternative medium. Conversely, mobile portals use is likely to be dependent on the users’ personal innovativeness and is not significantly affected by the utility of the mobile service itself. Moreover, we find indirect effects of performance expectancy, facilitating conditions and social influence to the behavioural intention to use mobile internet.Item Open Access Are Online Social Networks, Leading to a ‘better world In the Omani Public Sector? A Qualitative Study(2017-05) Zamani, Efpraxia D.; Choudrie, J.; Al-Bulushi, A.Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) penetration is growing at exponential rates and affecting societies, countries and organizations, which has led to a need for understanding whether they contribute to development. To ascertain whether ICT are contributing to development, the example of a current ICT, Twitter is used, along with the sim of this research: To understand and explain how public sector organizations are adopting and using online social networks; namely twitter, for the delivery of e-government services that will provide a better world to live in the Omani public sector. By considering this aim, we attempt to explain whether Twitter, contributes towards the creation of a ‘better world’ to live in, or leads to diverse outcomes in a developing country, Oman. To achieve the aim, we used two public sector organizations workforces’ experiences and applied the Choice Framework (CF) developed by Kleine [1]. For the research approach, we employed a qualitative approach & the data collection techniques, reference to archival documents, interviews, photographic evidence and observations. The analysis was completed using the lens of interpretivism, socio-materiality along with grounded theory concepts. The study reveals that ICT4D is providing a better world for most of the citizens, but for the providers of the improved e-government services, it implies aligning local practices to the technology, which affects their home/work life balance. The contributions of this research lie in emphasising largely how the use of Twitter in Oman will lead to development. The Choice Framework selected for our understanding was adapted & led to diverse results to those mentioned in previous ICT4D studies; therefore, our research makes a contribution of understanding ICT4D in an e-government context, which was amiss in the previous frameworks. For businesses, our findings inform practitioners on the ICT Technologies areas that need attention while implementing them within an environment similar to Oman’s public sector. For policymakers, this research informs of the areas that require policymakers’ attention when placing their efforts where they are best served.Item Metadata only Consumer Responses to SMS Advertising: Antecedents and Consequences(Taylor and Francis, 2013) Drossos, D. A.; Giaglis, G. M.; Vlachos, P.; Zamani, Efpraxia D.; Lekakos, G.Mobile phone advertisements, in the form of text messages (SMS, or short message service), have been recognized as an important form of product promotion. The purpose of this paper is to investigate factors that influence the effectiveness of SMS advertising by using a hierarchy of effects approach. We employ a simulated experiment with 736 respondents to examine how consumers react to SMS advertisements and identify factors that influence their attitude toward the ad, their attitude toward the brand, and their purchase intention. Perceived ad credibility, attitude toward mobile advertising, message appeal, argument quality, incentive, product involvement, and interactivity were found to be antecedents of the attitude toward the ad. Moreover, there is a clear link between attitude and behavioral intention. The study is among the first to provide an experimental based assessment and a unified model linking consumer attitudes toward mobile text ads with brand attitudes and purchase intentions.Item Metadata only “Dad Bought Another Toy”: Meaning Making and Emotions with Tablets(11th International Conference on Mobile Business (ICMB 2012), 2012) Zamani, Efpraxia D.; Giaglis, G. M.; Pouloudi, N.The paper examines the interplay between meaning and emotion during the interaction with tablets. Following the interpretive case study approach, we examine users’ meaning making as the context of use changes from the business context to the personal environment, trailing users’ interpretation of the tablet and their overall experience, in order to detect changes in their feeling states and understand their emotional experience with the IT artifact. Having examined mainly on-the-go professionals, our findings illustrate that the tablet is considered as a compelling device, being interpreted simultaneously as an extension of the office environment, while being mobile or at home, as a multimedia and content consumption station and as communal device, awarding or strengthening the social character of group activities. In addition, the findings suggest that users develop an attachment to the device, by either personalizing it and approaching it as a companion, or by attributing to it a symbolic significance, by recognizing a value in its expressive characteristics and assessing as a ‘possession to own’. Our findings demonstrate that, as the tablet moves from the business to the home environment, gradually losing its utilitarian purpose, changes in feeling states become more significant and the emotional experience intensifies.Item Open Access Developing e-services for Lagos State: Understanding the impact of cultural perceptions and working practices(2016-12) Zamani, Efpraxia D.; Choudrie, J.; Umeoji, E.; Emmanuel, A.The development of e-services is not only a technological phenomenon, but involves organizational and social complexities. In this paper, we build upon an interpretive case study, and examine Lagos State’s initiative, in order to showcase how the implementation of public sector e-services have been affected by organizational and cultural perceptions and the working practices of individuals in a developing country. This research provides insights for international organizations that determine the status of countries by providing online access, products and services to their citizens, and to Internet Service Providers who pursue new territories for the provision of new products and services. It also informs governments around the globe about cultural perceptions and working practices, thereby helping them determine their developmental progress and decide their future endeavors.Item Open Access Diffusion and Adoption of Bitcoins In Light of The Financial Crisis: The case of Greece(2017-10) Zamani, Efpraxia D.; Babatsikos, IoannisIn 2008, following the outbreak of the global financial crisis, a new trading system emerged that was made possible by cryptographically-produced currencies. Among them, the most popular digital cryp-tocurrency is undoubtedly the Bitcoin. This alternative way of trading quickly captured the interest of both businesses and consumers. Combined with a general lack of confidence towards financial institu-tions, central governments, and the effect of capital controls imposed across several countries, Bitcoins begun being used extensively for funds transfer across borders and general payments. How-ever, it is unclear whether the use of Bitcoins is extensive enough so as to lead to complete or partial disintermediation of monetary transactions, and whether users understand how the technology works and what are the inherit risks of this alternative payment mechanism. This paper addresses these ques-tions through a survey-based study, conducted within the Greek context, where capital controls are still active and awareness regarding cryptocurrencies seems to be on the rise. Our findings show that despite that end-users of Bitcoin are somewhat concerned with regards to security issues, they are nevertheless interested in its use for identifying new business opportunities and bypassing residency-based measures, such as capital controls.Item Metadata only Education and Learning in the Semantic Web(15th Panhellenic Conference on Informatics (PCI 2011), 2011) Kasimati, A. E.; Zamani, Efpraxia D.Web 3.0, also known as the Semantic Web, promises to revolutionize the way learning is delivered over the internet. In this paper, we discuss how the underlying technological elements of the semantic web combine to add intelligence to web-based, desktop or mobile, education and learning. We moreover present three types of semantic web applications for education, namely learning objects, learning object repositories and pedagogical agents, and critically appraise their contribution to learners and instructors like. Our work offers a systematic taxonomy of the current state-ofthe- art along with the relevant future research challenges in the field and an objective assessment of the critical aspects for the successful integration of semantic web applications in learning, aiming to assist researchers in positioning their future work and contribution in the area.Item Metadata only Enhancing the Tourism Experience through Mobile Augmented Reality: Challenges and Prospects(2nd Advances in Hospitality and Tourism Marketing & Management Conference (AHTMM 2012), 2012) Kounavis, C. D.; Kasimati, A. E.; Zamani, Efpraxia D.; Giaglis, G. M.The paper discusses the use of Augmented Reality (AR) applications for the needs of tourism. It describes the technology’s evolution from pilot applications into commercial mobile applications. We address the technical aspects of mobile AR applications development, emphasizing on the technologies that render the delivery of augmented reality content possible and experientially superior. We examine the state of the art, providing an analysis concerning the development and the objectives of each application. Acknowledging the various technological limitations hindering AR’s substantial end-user adoption, the paper proposes a model for developing AR mobile applications for the field of tourism, aiming to release AR’s full potential within the field.Item Metadata only Enhancing the Tourism Experience through Mobile Augmented Reality: Challenges and Prospects’(INTECH, 2012-07-25) Kounavis, C. D.; Kasimati, A. E.; Zamani, Efpraxia D.This paper discusses the use of Augmented Reality (AR) applications for the needs of tourism. It describes the technology’s evolution from pilot applications into commercial mobile applications. We address the technical aspects of mobile AR application development, emphasizing the technologies that render the delivery of augmented reality content possible and experientially superior. We examine the state of the art, providing an analysis concerning the development and the objectives of each application. Acknowledging the various technological limitations hindering AR’s substantial enduser adoption, the paper proposes a model for developing AR mobile applications for the field of tourism, aiming to release AR’s full potential within the field.Item Metadata only Entrepreneurship Education in the Digital Era: A Roadmap for Ubiquitous Game Based Learning in Entrepreneurship Education at Higher Education Institutions(8th annual International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation (ICERI 2015), 2015) Kasimati, A.; Zamani, Efpraxia D.; Manou, O.Entrepreneurship has gained a lot of attention over the recent years. New innovative ideas, as well as research outputs, may now be implemented and result into actual products and/or services, having a positive impact on a both economic and social level. However, a lot of work needs to be done in educating the entrepreneurs of tomorrow towards enabling them to effectively apply their managerial and decision-making skills within the current and future competitive environment. To this end, this paper proposes a theoretical framework for entrepreneurship education in Higher Education Institutions, based on the motivational aspects of Game Based Learning (GBL) elements, combined with the engagement and interaction opportunities offered by mobile devices. GBL has proven to be an effective mechanism when it comes to business skills development. The interactive interface included in all GBL applications provides learners with a chance to experiment with their entrepreneurial ideas and strategies in a simulated environment, where they can easily benefit and learn, drawing from hands-on experience rather than obtaining basic theoretical knowledge. Furthermore, mobile devices have evolved considerably and offer ubiquitous access to innovative broadband services and applications, engaging users in social interactions. As a result, Higher Education Institutions, who are considered as major enablers and adopters of new ideas and innovation, can benefit from mobile devices and use them as a complementary medium towards offering integrated and innovative learning material to their students, in the form of an exciting game based application. This paper builds upon the theories of Experiential and Digital Game Based learning and presents a Roadmap for the effective implementation and integration of Ubiquitous Game Based Learning in Entrepreneurship Education at Higher Education Institutions.Item Metadata only Explaining the Adoption of Mobile Internet Applications(9th International Conference on Mobile Business (ICMB 2010), 2010) Kourouthanassis, P.; Georgiadis, C. K.; Zamani, Efpraxia D.; Giaglis, G. M.This study aims at investigating the adoption behavior of mobile Internet users in Greece. An integrated model comprising of seven factors was developed and tested through the execution of a national telephone survey (N=139). The results of the survey suggest that the emotional state of individuals while using mobile Internet, social influence from their peers, and their personal innovativeness comprise the predictive factors of adoption behavior. Moreover, the study reveals that performance expectancy is a strong predictor of mobile Internet adoption mediated through individuals’ emotional state. The paper concludes with a critical discussion of the results comparing the study findings with past mobile data services studies.Item Metadata only Exploring the Adoption of Ubiquitous Information Systems within the Museum Context(6th Mediterranean Conference on Information Systems (MCIS 2011), 2011) Zamani, Efpraxia D.; Karaiskos, D.; Kourouthanassis, P. E.; Giaglis, G. M.Wireless and mobile technologies are gradually enabling the provision of innovative information services within almost all environments. This study explores the adoption of ubiquitous museum information systems that can significantly enhance and enrich the museum visit. We draw on traditional IS adoption theories and theories from Museum Studies to develop our theoretical model which is empirically tested through a survey addressed to museum visitors (n=118). Model hypotheses are tested through Partial Least Squares modelling. The results show that Performance Expectancy and Personal Innovativeness still represent the core predictors toward the adoption of museum information systems. However, we also report on the predictive strength of two context-related factors, Invisibility and Interaction, which appear to play a particular role toward the formulation of favourable user perceptions. The paper concludes with implications on the design of museum information systems and specific suggestions for future research.Item Metadata only From Bitcoin to Decentralized Autonomous Corporations: Extending the Application Scope of Decentralized Peer-to-Peer Networks and Blockchains(18th International Conference on Enterprise Information Systems (ICEIS 2015), 2015) Zamani, Efpraxia D.; Giaglis, G. M.; Kypriotaki, K. N.Inspired by the new technological advancements and the groundbreaking technology at the foundation of cryptocurrencies, organizational structures are expected to evolve and new corporate structures to emerge, based on full decentralization. We posit that the blockchain, i.e., the technology, system and protocol behind and beyond the most popular digital crypto-currencies, will introduce decentralization in many manifestations of our everyday life, especially in cases where an independent trusted third party is needed to ensure and verify operations and transactions. This paper builds upon the blockchain technology and discusses how it could enable fully decentralized forms of business structures to emerge; decentralized autonomous corporations (DACs) are business entities totally based on code; running on the cloud, providing certain services and creating value for their customers. Thus, we argue that DACs could prove a means of decentralizing and automating decision making in organizations.Item Metadata only From Spectator to User, From Viewer to (Act)or(Intelligent Users/Intelligent Environments Workshop (9th International Conference on Intelligent Environments (IE ’13)), 2013) Mitakou, E. N.; Fanou, P.; Zamani, Efpraxia D.Stephen Hawking, when introducing Krauss’ ‘The Physics of Star Trek’, wrote that “[s]cience fiction (…) is not only good fun but it also serves a serious purpose, that of expanding the human imagination.” In this paper, following a retrospective juxtaposition of the two last centuries’ filmic production, we show how imaginary worlds have become conventional and familiar, while viewers have transformed from mere spectators to users of intelligent technologies. We also exhibit how this led to the emergence of a new generation of users, that of intelligent users, who are now both transmitters and receivers of information, and who perceive urban reality very differently from previous generations.Item Metadata only Gravitating to "the new shiny thing": Meaning, emotions, and tablets(IEEE, 2013-06-05) Zamani, Efpraxia D.; Giaglis, G. M.; Pouloudi, N.Technology continuously revolutionizes the way people interact with information technology (IT). In this article we argue that, while extant literature has certainly provided rich insights into meaning making with IT artifacts, the tablet's proliferation calls for reassigning the significance these may hold for users. Approaching user experience as subjective, we seek to explore the relationship individuals develop with the tablet in their daily lives. We follow the case study research method, and build upon a paradigmatic case, that of the iPad, because it is considered as the exemplar in its class; even though tablets have existed for years, it is only with the launching of the iPad, that they became popular among the mass consumer market.Item Metadata only Human-computer interaction in ubiquitous information systems: the user experience with IT artefacts(16th IFIP WG8.3 International Conference on Decision Support Systems Doctoral Consortium (DSS 2012), 2012) Zamani, Efpraxia D.Item Open Access Implementing E-government in Lagos State: Understanding the impact of Cultural Perceptions and Working Practices(2017-11-23) Zamani, Efpraxia D.; Choudrie, J.; Umeoji, E.; Adebola, EmmanuelThe public sector’s adoption of Information and Communication Technologies is often seen as a way of increasing efficiency. However, developing public e-Services involves a series of organisational and social complexities. In this paper, we examine the organisational issues of implementing an ERP system, which was designed and developed within the context of Lagos State’s e-Services project. By doing so, we showcase the impact of organisational cultural perceptions and working practices of individuals. Our findings illustrate the strong role of cultural dimensions, particularly those pertaining to religion and multi-ethnicity. Our study provides insights to international organisations and governments alike toward project policy formulation within the context of ICT-based initiatives and reforms that aim to bring forward developmental progress.Item Metadata only An Innovative Conference Management Mobile Application (CoMMA)(10th International Conference on Mobile Business (ICMB 2011), 2011) Kounavis, C. D.; Zamani, Efpraxia D.; Giaglis, G. M.Managing a conference can be a frustrating process for both organizers and attendees. However, technological advances have made possible the development of mobile applications that can effectively support both parties; mobile applications are easily accessible through a smartphone and the user can effortlessly upload or retrieve any pertinent information. In this paper we present CoMMA, an innovative mobile application for conference management, which aims to support organisers and attendees. The paper discusses the functionality of the application by presenting common issues that may rise during a given event and the support CoMMA can provide toward tackling them. Next, it presents the front and back-end functionality, along with details on its first realtime implementation. The authors conclude by discussing possible contributions with regards to raising attendees’ satisfaction and presenting future steps toward enriching the application’s set of features and further improving its functionality.Item Metadata only Investigating the Adoption and Use of Smartphones in the UK: A Silver-Surfers Perspective(22nd European Conference on Information Systems (ECIS 2014), 2014) Pheeraphuttharangkoon, S.; Choudrie, J.; Zamani, Efpraxia D.; Giaglis, G. M.In this decade, smartphones are innovations that provide immense benefits and convenience to users in society. When considering users, Silver-surfers or older adults (50+) are one of the largest demographic groups that are overlooked by both the industry and academia. Currently, there is minimal knowledge of the reasons that older adults adopt and use smartphones. Bearing this in mind, this completed research study aims to investigate the adoption and usage behaviors of silver-surfers. For this purpose, the conceptual framework applied to this research draws factors from the theories of Unified theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), the Diffusion of Innovations theory (DoI) and TAM3. From the online survey of 204 completed replies it was found that observability, compatibility, social influence, facilitating conditions, effort expectancy and enjoyment are important to the adoption and use of smartphones within silver-surfers. The contributions of this research are an identification and understanding of the factors that encourage or inhibit smartphones use within the older adult population. Second, this research can inform the design of computing devices and applications used for silver-surfers. Finally, this research can enlighten policy makers when forming decisions that encourage adoption and use of smartphones within silver surfers.Item Metadata only The mediating role of Emotional State toward Pervasive IS adoption(9th International Conference on Mobile Business (ICMB 2010), 2010) Zamani, Efpraxia D.; Kourouthanassis, P. E.; Giaglis, G. M.Research in the field of adoption theories has been predominantly concerned with the work environment and cognitive factors affecting Behavioural Intention. However, the emerging class of Pervasive Information Systems develops within a much different context. The present study proposes a new approach for the examination of the individual user’s acceptance of technology, specifically for the class of Pervasive Information Systems. In particular, it examines the mediating role of Emotional State toward the individual acceptance of Pervasive Information Systems. The proposed research model was tested with data collected through an exploratory experiment (n=33) using a mobile Augmented Reality application. The results confirm the appropriateness of the developed instrument, the research model and that Performance Expectancy is the strongest predictor of user adoption, mediated through the user’s Emotional State as formed while interacting with the system.