Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

An Investigation Into Student Approaches To Learning At A Multicultural University Using The Revised Study Process Questionnaire, L. Smith

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

This paper is an exploratory study into student approaches to learning at a multicultural university. It is particularly relevant to higher education today, which is taking on a more global perspective, especially in the developing world where this university is situated. The instrument used to measure student approaches to learning is the revised Study Process Questionnaire (SPQ) and the results are analysed using factor analysis. The SPQ was revised in 2001 to take into account the changing nature of students in higher education, with emphasis on students from diverse cultural backgrounds, and was therefore considered appropriate for this study. The …

Electronic Commerce Adoption And Strategic Alliance Membership: A Study Of Regional Smes In Sweden, Robert C. Macgregor, Lejla Vrazalic

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

The changes brought about by electronic commerce have had a profound effect on small to medium enterprises (SMEs). To manage these changes, SMEs have been encouraged to form strategic alliances. Yet despite the proclaimed advantages of such alliances, little research has been carried out to determine whether these structures have any impact on an SME’s decision to adopt e-commerce. There has also been a lack of research into comparing e-commerce adoption in those SMEs that are members of a strategic alliance to those that have opted to remain outside such arrangements. This paper aims to correct the situation by presenting …

Country-Of-Origin Influence On Quality Perception Of Products Sold In Gcc Countries: A Case Study, Mokhtar M. Metwally

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

This paper attempts to test the importance of country of origin in influencing the quality perception of products by GCC consumes.

Executive Information Systems And The Top-Officers' Roles: An Exploratory Study Of User-Behaviour Model And Lessons Learnt, Emmanuel Ikart

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

In recent years a number of organisations have implemented executive information systems (EIS) in order to improve the performance of their executives’ jobs. Although the use of EIS is important in executives’ work, the majority of executives are unwilling to use EIS applications because of their design flaws. By using social factors, habits and facilitation condition variables from Triandis’ framework, this paper extends the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to derive useful variables to address the problem of the low usage of EIS by executives. This paper reports on research in progress in Australia on the adoption and usage of EIS …

A Factor Analytic Study Of The Determinants Of Success In Manufacturing Smes, Hema Wijewardena, Anura De Zoysa

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

Although there has been a sizeable amount of literature on the causes of failure as well as the determinants of success in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in developed countries, empirical investigation into such factors in developing countries is extremely sparse. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine, through an empirical investigation, factors that would contribute to the success or growth of SMEs in a developing country. The data for the study were obtained from a questionnaire survey conducted on a sample of manufacturing SMEs in Sri Lanka.

Enhancing User Acceptance Of Mandated Technology Implementation In A Mobile Healthcare Setting: A Case Study, Carole Alcock, Lois Burgess, Joan Cooper, Damien Ryan, Jason P. Sargent

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

A paradigm shift is underway towards the acceptance and utility of Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) systems within mobile-based healthcare environments. This paper contends that intervening to address user concerns as they arise throughout the system development lifecycle will lead to greater levels of user acceptance, while ultimately enhancing the deliverability of a system that provides a ‘best fit’ with end user needs. It is envisaged this research will lead to the development of a framework based on an agile approach to user acceptance measurement. The results of an ongoing study of user perceptions towards a proposed mandated electronic point-of-care (ePOC) …

An Exploratory Study Into The Giving Behaviour Of Small To Medium Enterprises (Smes): An Australian Experience, Gary I. Noble

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

A constant growth in the number of non-profit organisations (NPOs) over the past decade has also meant an increase in competition between NPOs for ongoing support. In this environment and without the marketing resources of their national and international counterparts many smaller NPOs do not attract the same level of individual or corporate support as their larger NPO rivals. Evidence suggests an alternative source of support for these smaller NPOs is often small to medium enterprises (SMEs).

This paper argues that although there is a considerable body of literature on the giving behaviour of individuals, and to a lesser extent …

A Grounded Study Of Erp Adoption And Vendor Selection In Thailand, Santipat Aruthari, Helen M. Hasan

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

This paper contributes to the literature of the adoption of ERP systems and other existing and new IT-based innovation in developing countries. There is an imperative for a framework to explain the decision-making processes in ERP system adoption and vendor selection in general but particularly in developing Asian countries where knowledge on ERP systems is limited. The authors conducted interviews with IT managers and end-users to identify factors affecting ERP system adoption and ERP system vendor selection by Thai-owned and
multinational companies (MNCs) in Thailand. The findings from the study have led to the development of a research model of …

Is A Reduction In Government Expenditure A Good Strategy To Reduce Budget Deficits?: A Case Study From The Middle East, Ali Salman Saleh, Charles Harvie

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

This paper explores the macroeconomic implications arising from the Lebanese governments approach to dealing with its budget deficit, which has become one of the highest amongst in the Middle East.

The Causal Ordering Of Key Cross-Functional Relationship Dimensions: A Replication Study Using The Marketing/R&D Relationship, Elias Kyriazis, Graham Massey

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

How do working relationships between functional managers develop, and how are they maintained? Does interpersonal trust drive communication, or is communication the building block of interpersonal trust? Massey and Dawes (2002) examined the causal ordering of three key behavioural constructs - communication behaviours, interpersonal trust, and interpersonal conflict in cross-functional relationships between Marketing Managers and Sales Managers. By using three competing models they found evidence that CFRs are built on a foundation of effective communication, specifically, bidirectional communication. This current paper is a replication of their study in the context of the Marketing/R&D relationship during 184 Australian new product development …

An Exploratory Study Of Internationalization Strategies Of Malaysian And Taiwanese Firms, Ah Ba Sim, J Rajendran Pandian

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

There is as yet limited empirical research on the internationalization processes, strategies and operations of Asian MNEs from countries at different levels of development. Drawing on primary data from matched case studies of emergin Taiwanese and Malaysian MNEs in the textiile and electronics industries, this paper examines and analyses their internationalization characteristics and strategies within the IDP perspective. The findings indicate that the emerging Taiwanese and Malaysian MNEs, while exhibiting characteristics such as that described in extant theories also suggest some differences. The empirical findings, limitations and areas fro further research are discussed.

A Metaphorical Study Of Information Seeking Using Q Methodology, Joseph A. Meloche, Kate Crawford

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

This brief paper examines a metaphorical perspective for information science. Metaphorical understanding, like learning itself, is a fundamental component in the movement from the known to the unknown. Adopting this perspective has the potential to inform and further advance the study of characteristics ofinformation and.how it relates to emerging knowledge. This will be demonstrated by an examination ofthe metaphors used by theorists to describe how users approach information.