Manas Somakumar Nair, Jessy Nair and Aarthy Chellasamy
The COVID-19 pandemic provided unprecedented impetus to the evolution of the e-learning learning ecosystem by compelling students to adopt e-learning systems. This paper aims to…
Abstract
Purpose
The COVID-19 pandemic provided unprecedented impetus to the evolution of the e-learning learning ecosystem by compelling students to adopt e-learning systems. This paper aims to use the UTAUT model to provide insight into the differences in factors influencing the adoption of e-learning systems before and after the pandemic.
Design/methodology/approach
This longitudinal study uses two surveys conducted among graduate students in the city of Bengaluru in India. One prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and a second in its aftermath. PLS-SEM is used to analyze both data sets to draw insights into the constructs that influence Behavioral intention to adopt e-learning systems. The moderating effect of gender is also analyzed.
Findings
Pre COVID-19, Facilitating Conditions, Performance Expectancy and Effort Expectancy (quadratic behavior) were dominant factors influencing the adoption of e-learning technologies. Post pandemic, Performance Expectancy and Social Influence are drivers of e-learning adoption. Effort Expectancy and Facilitating Conditions grouped as Ease of Use is a significant driver of e-learning adoption post pandemic. Gender is found to not have a moderating influence.
Originality/value
The unique longitudinal study of the differences in factors influencing students’ intention to adopt e-learning pre- and post-COVID-19 can prove useful to policy makers in the higher education sector. Academics can use the post-pandemic e-learning model’s findings in multiple contexts such as generational cohorts, educational contexts and social contexts.
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Jessy Nair and Mohith Kumar Jain
The purpose of this study is twofold: first, to develop a framework to implement electronic delivery systems for connecting federal government with rural citizens using banking…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is twofold: first, to develop a framework to implement electronic delivery systems for connecting federal government with rural citizens using banking infrastructure as a reintermediation platform; and second, to understand the challenges faced by banks in reintermediation for financial inclusion (FI).
Design/methodology/approach
This exploratory research adopts case study method to gain insights of the challenges faced by banks in e-government services for FI. In-depth structured interviews are conducted with key respondents: branch managers heading banks in rural areas.
Findings
Preliminary results based on in-depth interviews with branch managers of banks suggest that banks leverage facilitators called Bank Mitras (BM) (friends from bank as per the local language) to disseminate services offered by the banks to rural customers at each village. However, a key challenge faced by banks is the increased dependency on bank employees to complete the process of e-government transactions by the beneficiaries because of trust factor.
Research limitations/implications
This exploratory research builds on the case study approach using in-depth interviews with the branch managers of five banks as key respondents to develop the preliminary research framework for FI.
Practical implications
Policymakers can design banking systems to enhance transparency by implementing technologies and decentralizing routine transactions to citizens by enhancing the role of facilitators (BM).
Social implications
FI aims to reach out and empower citizens with banking facilities for disbursing e-government services. This process needs to be refined for the rural population of India to understand and better use the e-government services and schemes.
Originality/value
Insights from in-depth interviews with key respondents of the banks were collated and augmented with literature to enhance the rigor of the exploratory research.
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Jessy Nair, Aarthy Chellasamy and B.N. Balaji Singh
Extant literature regarding factors essential for successful information technologies (IT) implementation in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) does not significantly address…
Abstract
Purpose
Extant literature regarding factors essential for successful information technologies (IT) implementation in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) does not significantly address readiness factors for IT implementation in an Indian context. This exploratory research develops and tests a framework to analyse the antecedents to organisational preparedness for adoption of IT infrastructure in SMEs.
Design/methodology/approach
This exploratory research adopts a mixed-method approach to test the technology, organization and environment (TOE) framework. In-depth interviews with SME owners are conducted to develop the case study, and the measures obtained are tested through a survey at a small and medium business industrial cluster in Southern India in SMEs.
Findings
The case study indicates SME owners’ drive to initiate technology preparedness for organisational sustainability is a key factor, a measure not seen during the literature review. An empirical study tests the measures. Pressure from customers, owner’s age, sales of SME, owner’s attitude towards IT and owner’s knowledge of IT was confirmed, which indicates organisational factors have more impact compared to technological and environmental factors.
Research limitations/implications
The academic scope of this research paper can be extended to contexts such as readiness in IT infrastructure for digital transformation.
Practical implications
The validated research framework can be used by organisation stakeholders and SME IT practitioners for successful IT adoption.
Social implications
SMEs contribute significantly to gross domestic product (GDP) and provide employment opportunities. Hence, this research provides a tested model that SMEs owners/managers can adopt as a framework to augment competitiveness to implement IT.
Originality/value
The study adopts a mixed-method research design and is, perhaps, a first in the Indian context to explore variables through case study and validate identified measures through an empirical study. The model can be used by SME owners and practitioners to ascertain factors for organisational preparedness for IT adoption.