Nor Zairah Ab. Rahim

Bio: Nor Zairah Ab. Rahim is an academic researcher from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. The author has contributed to research in topics: Government & Public sector. The author has an hindex of 12, co-authored 56 publications receiving 445 citations.

A multifaceted framework for adoption of cloud computing in Malaysian SMEs

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to develop a model to understand the relationships among technology, organizational and environmental (TOE) contexts, intention to adopt cloud computing (IACC) and actual usage of cloud computing (AUCC) in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Malaysia as a developing country. More specifically, this paper seeks to explore the mediation effect of IACC on the relationship between TOE context and AUCC.,A positivist research approach was selected for this study. Drawing largely upon the TOE framework, this study uses survey data from 209 Malaysian SMEs. Structural equation modelling (SEM) based on partial least squares (PLS) was used to assess the structural relations of the research model.,The results of the structural model show that data security, technology readiness, top management support, competitive pressure and innovativeness are the most significant factors in predicting the adoption of cloud computing in Malaysian SMEs. Further, the results indicate that intention to adopt cloud computing can play a mediating role between TOE factors and the actual usage of cloud computing.,The focus upon Malaysian SMEs may diminish the generalizability of the findings. This study provides profound insight into the management and foundation of cloud computing, different types of cloud services and deployment models that could facilitate the management of enterprise strategic resources and contribute to the performance improvement. This study also provides another important implication for practitioners regarding the absolute necessity of value drivers’ identification within enterprise and understand the causal relationships, which are vital in driving those values.,This study provides several practical guidance for practitioners in deploying cloud services which are most suitable option for their specific technology requirement in their enterprise to enjoy the full benefits of their intangible assets. Another significant implication of this study lies in the fact that it may require a different emphasis on nature and adoption design when there is a higher level of stress on technology-related and cloud computing resources.,This study contributes to the extant literature by developing an integrative model to identify how a wide set of contextual factors can determine the intention to adopt cloud computing and, in turn, influence the actual usage of cloud computing in SMEs in Malaysia as a developing country.

Acceptance and usage of ICT by university academicians using UTAUT model: a case study of University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Abstract: The role of information and communication technology acceptance and usage in universities has been the focus of IS researches. Universities in Nigeria require adequate ICT facilities to augment face to face teaching. Acceptance has its models, and the most current is UTAUT. This study investigates the acceptance and usage of ICT by the University of Port Harcourt (Unipart) academic staff, using Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model and other TAM constructs. One hundred questionnaires were administered and collected. The data collected was runned by SPSS version 17. The UTAUT model theory was verified using regression analysis to understand the behavioral intention of the university academic staff towards acceptance and use of ICT in their workplace. The objectives are to examine the factors associated with ICT acceptance and usage and to measure the most influential factors. Five null hypotheses were stated. The result shows that the most influential UTAUT construct is Effort expectancy (EE), which is related to perceived ease of use (PEOU). The most influential construct outside UTAUT model is Attitudes towards use of technology (ATUT). The paper certifies that anxiety about ICT does have an impact on the academicians. The study confirms the validity of the UTAUT model in the field situation of a developing country’s educational system. The knowledge obtained from the research is beneficial to university administrators, university academicians and the Nigerian ICT policy makers.

Model of perceived influence of academic performance using social networking

Abstract: Social networking sites have created a new social dimension where individuals can increase their social awareness by keeping in touch with old friends, making new friends, getting new data or products and gathering information in other aspects of everyday life. This helps individuals become more knowledgeable, which is very beneficial for students. Based on this, the paper proposed a model of perceived influence of academic performance using social networking. The proposed model was interpreted based on the academic performance of FSKSM (Faculty of computer Science and Information systems) students using SNSs in UTM. The study confirmed that majority of students agreed the social networking media have positive influence on their academic performance. Hence there is need for FSKSM policy makers to evolve strategies to guide and ensure that social networking sites are adopted mostly for academic purposes especially among the undergraduate students of the faculty.

I and i

Abstract: There is, I think, something ethereal about i —the square root of minus one. I remember first hearing about it at school. It seemed an odd beast at that time—an intruder hovering on the edge of reality. Usually familiarity dulls this sense of the bizarre, but in the case of i it was the reverse: over the years the sense of its surreal nature intensified. It seemed that it was impossible to write mathematics that described the real world in …

Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology: A Synthesis and the Road Ahead

Abstract: The unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) is a little over a decade old and has been used extensively in information systems (IS) and other fields, as the large number of citations to the original paper that introduced the theory evidences. In this paper, we review and synthesize the IS literature on UTAUT from September 2003 until December 2014, perform a theoretical analysis of UTAUT and its extensions, and chart an agenda for research going forward. Based on Weber’s (2012) framework of theory evaluation, we examined UTAUT and its extensions along two sets of quality dimensions; namely, the parts of a theory and the theory as a whole. While our review identifies many merits to UTAUT, we also found that the progress related to this theory has hampered further theoretical development in research into technology acceptance and use. To chart an agenda for research that will enable significant future work, we analyze the theoretical contributions of UTAUT using Whetten’s (2009) notion of cross-context theorizing. Our analysis reveals several limitations that lead us to propose a multi-level framework that can serve as the theoretical foundation for future research. Specifically, this framework integrates the notion of research context and cross-context theorizing with the theory evaluation framework to: (1) synthesize the existing UTAUT extensions across both the dimensions and the levels of the research context and (2) highlight promising research directions. We conclude with recommendations for future UTAUT-related research using the proposed framework.

Understanding the Blockchain technology adoption in supply chains-Indian context

Abstract: Blockchain technology (BT) is expected to bring a revolutionary paradigm shift in the manner the transactions are carried in the supply chains. BT provides better visibility and transparency by rem...