Showing papers in "Technology in Society in 2021"

Abstract: Sustainability through information and communication technologies is a complex matter, raising interesting debate among researchers. Pursuing the same, this research investigates the impact of information and communication technologies, economic growth, and financial development on carbon dioxide emissions by simultaneously testing the Environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis in BRICS countries. In doing so, this study employs Methods of Moments - Quantile Regression, which confirms that the effects of the explanatory variables vary across different quantiles of carbon dioxide emissions. The overall results indicate that economic growth and financial development contribute to carbon dioxide emissions across all quantiles, while information and communication technologies significantly mitigate the level of carbon dioxide emissions only at lower emissions quantiles. Moreover, the results confirm the presence of the EKC hypothesis. Interestingly, the effect of economic growth and information and communication technologies on carbon dioxide emissions is lowest in magnitude at lower quantiles and highest at higher quantiles of carbon dioxide emissions. The empirical findings of DH panel heterogenous causality test confirm bidirectional causality between the model parameters, indicating that any policy intervention concerning explanatory variables significantly causes carbon dioxide emissions and vice versa. The results set out the foundation for policymakers to devise a policy framework to attain the objectives of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Abstract: The banking industry is rapidly developing to utilize e-banking as an efficient and suitable tool to satisfy customers. Online banking service is the general service suggested by customary banks to provide faster and more reliable services for customers. With fast technology improvement, e-banking has been utilized to absorb subscribers and conduct banking transactions. Still, the major problem with e-banking is satisfying customers who are now using Internet banking. Customer satisfaction is a significant factor in helping banks to keep their competitive advantage. Therefore, the present investigation aims to examine the factors influencing the satisfaction of customer with e-banking services. Four factors that can drive customer satisfaction towards e-banking are cloud services, security, e-learning, and service quality. This study has utilized the structural equation modeling method to evaluate the causal model with the measurement model's validity and reliability. The research model is analyzed based on the data which are collected from the questionnaires using SMART PLS 3.2. The results have shown that cloud services, security, e-learning, and service quality are four significant factors influencing customer satisfaction in using Internet banking services.

Abstract: The objective of this study was to identify what competencies are identified in the literature as necessary for Industry 4.0 by conducting a survey of the literature and a scientific mapping of the evolution of the issues related to the qualification of professionals for Industry 4.0 and possible paths for research and education. A search was conducted on the Scopus, Web of Science and Science Direct databases for the interval from 2010 to 2018. This systematic review revealed topics and authors currently specialized in the field and allowed mapping the field of study. The identification of journals and keywords useful in future studies was also an object of this study. SciMAT software was used for the systematic literature review. The results are highlighted by the set of competencies (knowledge and skills) that must be developed in professional education to accompany the new industrial revolution, as well as the importance of integrating efforts by companies, governments and universities. These efforts should focus on creating “learning factories”, which are understood to be environments that provide practical experiences to these professionals, preparing them in the best way possible for the requirements of Industry 4.0. This conceptual map showed that the main competencies needed include skills: (leadership, strategic vision of knowledge, self-organization, giving and receiving feedback, pro-activity, creativity, problem solving, interdisciplinarity, teamwork, collaborative work, initiative, communication, innovation, adaptability, flexibility and self-management) and knowledge of contemporary fields (information and communication technology, algorithms, automation, software development and security, data analysis, general systems theory and sustainable development theory).

Abstract: Information and communication technology (ICT) has played an important role in the socio-economic development of human societies but, this development has come with some potential hazards to the environment. However, the experts are divided over this issue, some consider that ICT has exerted a favorable impact on environmental quality whereas; others think that ICT has posed serious threats to the environment. Hence, this study is another effort in exploring the impacts of ICT on CO2 emissions in 9 selected Asian economies which are the top contributors in polluting the environment in the Asian continent for the period of 1990–2018. All previous studies have one thing in common that the impact of ICT on CO2 emissions is symmetric. Whereas, in this study, we have not only relied on the symmetry assumption but also tested the asymmetric impact of ICT on CO2 emissions. The number of countries in which ICT significantly affects the CO2 releases has not changed much in our linear and non-linear models. However, the short-run impact asymmetry in the effects of increased and decreased use of ICT is approved in almost half of the countries, and in long run, these asymmetric impacts further strengthened and observed in more than half of the countries.

Abstract: Knowledge management evaluation is an important and complex problem in Peruvian universities. An efficient policy in knowledge management is a critical success factor and will also advance teaching and research. Likewise, innovation is a key resource for the well-being of national economies and international competitive advantage, especially with COVID-19 9 restrictions. This research article has demonstrated that an assessment of knowledge management (KM) capability in two private universities could be used for an efficient policy, in order to obtain the best result in knowledge management maturity. Having discussed how to construct a model for KM, the final section of this paper addresses ways of the incorporation of this technology in the society. The case study has been developed in Lima, associated to two universities with 271 teachers and 5928 students; with this model could be used for KM assessment in all university in Peru. This study uses the “Intellectus Model, Mejia model organizational knowledge capability areas and Knowledge Management Capability Assessment (KMCA) model for the assessment, before and during COVID-19. Our findings have demonstrated the university performance and challenges associated to knowledge management during COVID-19, the new policy for virtual instructions and digital transformation of the educational process have improved the cost efficiencies. However, this system also has a number of serious drawbacks and challenges in innovation, researching, connections with industry and academy; this 2021 requires a new perspective in innovation with a knowledge management scheme in Peruvian universities.

Abstract: It is known that discrete events causing extreme societal and economic pressures as well as technological opportunity are major driving factors of innovation. Due to the presence of both of these factors during the COVID-19 pandemic it was hypothesized that there would be significant on-going innovation throughout society during the pandemic, with many of the innovations having the ability to have long-term societal impact. Analysis of literature and patent databases determined sectors of accelerated innovation to include manufacturing, personal protective equipment and digital technologies. The ability of flexible and advanced manufacturing technologies to provide more adaptable production capabilities that are less susceptible to disruption, make it likely that these technologies will be incorporated further, changing the way many manufacturing firms operate. Collaboration has increased, demonstrating increases in problem-solving efficiency; however, concerns around intellectual property is likely to reduce the long-term impact of these procedural changes. Advancements in personal protective equipment and disinfection technologies may have the long-term impact of reducing waste production and triggering changes in cleaning protocols throughout society. Digital technologies such as telemedicine, data collection, artificial intelligence and communication technologies were found to have undergone significant innovation, with possible impacts such as large-scale systemic shifts, and changes in how governments, corporations, the scientific community and the public interact.

Abstract: Web 2.0 applications and social media have transformed e-commerce into a new business paradigm, which is called social commerce. This development has changed the customers’ role and has empowered them by placing them in a unique position for influencing other buyers and providing guidance in purchasing decisions. Although a substantial amount of research has been conducted on customer behaviour, the understanding of the factors that influence customer engagement behaviour is limited, particularly in the social commerce context. This limitation is due to a lack of theoretical models for explaining such behaviour. In this study, the important factors that drive customer engagement on social commerce platforms are extracted from the literature. Drawing from social support theory, social presence theory, uses and gratifications theory, and the information system success model, we propose a new model for social commerce customer engagement. A survey-based empirical study with 203 respondents was conducted. The results demonstrated that customer engagement behaviour is strongly determined by social interaction, technological factors (interactivity and system quality), and motivational factors (hedonic and utilitarian motivations and perceived value). Among these factors, perceived value and social interaction had the most significant impacts on customer engagement behaviour on social commerce platforms. The theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.

Abstract: The role of reliable Carbon emission measures and relevant climate policy is imperative in realizing Sustainable Development Goals. A large extent of the literature concludes the emissions-mitigating effect of green innovations in a linear framework and ignored structural changes, technological revolutions, and socio-economic reforms that create non-linearity. Apart from that, there is a murky relationship between emissions and green innovation, where two-way links exist between both variables. Therefore, this study draws the inter-linkages between green technology innovation (GI) and carbon emissions (consumption-based and terrestrial emissions) in BRICS countries using monthly data from 1990 to 2017. Our preliminary findings strictly reject the preposition of data normality and highlight that the observed relationship is quantile-dependent. Therefore, a complete set of non-linear modeling is employed that included; Quantile unit root, Quantile cointegration, Quantile causality, and Quantile on Quantile regression to unveil hidden unit root, cointegration, causality, and association between variables. The results exhibit that the emissions-mitigating effect of GI is only pronounced at higher emissions quantiles in Brazil, China, India, and Russia, whereas at lower emissions quantile, GI is weekly or positively linked with carbon emissions. On the flipside, higher carbon emissions instigate GI across medium to higher emissions quantiles in Brazil, China, and India. Unlike them, Russia produces different outcomes, where higher emissions are associated with lower GI across all quantiles. The overall results suggest that GI (carbon emissions) mitigate (instigate) carbon emissions (GI) when a country is embodied with higher level of emissions.

Abstract: Purpose Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can adopt and use social media (SM) for communicating information with stakeholders with minimal cost. The ability to access and share information influences the SMEs' performance, but there is little scholarship on the association between the adoption of social media and SMEs' performance. This research aims to investigate the effects of technology-organizational-environmental (TOE) factors on the adoption of SM and SMEs’ performance in developing countries. Design/methodology/approach This study employed the TOE framework as determinants affecting the adoption of social media and SMEs' performance. The paper used a closed-ended questionnaire to gather data, through an online survey, from randomly selected respondents from SMEs operating in Pakistan. Partial-least-squares-structural-equation-modeling (PLS-SEM) was used for the path analysis of 423 responses from SMEs' owners, executives, and managers. The present study also explores the mediating role of SM between TOE characteristics and SMEs’ performance. Findings The findings revealed a direct positive relationship between TOE constructs, the adoption of SM, and SMEs' performance. Full mediation was found between technological factors and SMEs performance, and partial mediation was found between organizational and environmental factors and SMEs’ performance. Complementary mediation among the variables was also examined. Originality/value This paper has implications for practitioners and researchers interested in investigating social media adoption in SMEs. It builds an empirical, multi-dimensional hypothesized model, including several determinants that may influence the adoption of social media.

Abstract: Trust is a major concern that develops citizens' willingness to use social media as a technology platform for e-government services. However, despite its importance, there is lack of prior investigation about the factors that can generate citizens' trust to use such services, particularly in a developing country like Pakistan. To address this research gap, this study aims to develop a model that identifies antecedents of citizens' trust to use social media for e-government services. A total of 615 responses were collected from Pakistani citizens having familiarity with e-government and social media services. Partial least squares (PLS-SEM) method was employed to test the proposed relationships in the model. The findings show a significant relationship of trust with citizens intention to use government social media services. Information quality, structural assurances, perceived security, perceived privacy and perceived ease of use are identified as antecedents of trust. The proposed model of this study explains 56.4% of the variance in trust. The implications, limitations and suggestions for future research have also been discussed. These findings can assist government organizations and policy makers in making decisions to increase citizens participation by facilitating their trust on social media-based services of e-government.

Abstract: This study aims to explore how frugal innovations (FIs) emerge at the grassroots level of developing countries and employ novel business models to contribute to sustainable development. It explores various business model elements, mainly viewed through the lens of value proposition, value creation, and value capture. FIs transform underserved customers at the grassroots level into novel consumer groups. By exploring three FI cases, this study contributes to the literature about FI business models. It shows how individuals with limited education, funds, and resources can bring affordable products to market using outside the box thinking to meet the needs of underserved customers in developing countries.

Abstract: Technological progress has influenced the way we acquire knowledge and learn On the other hand, the Internet provides fast access to information technology in different fields and thus, improves efficiency and saves time The importance of online technology is especially emphasized in new methods for learning and education This is particularly important among Generation Z (“Gen Z″), which derives knowledge from the Internet and is focused on a quick search of information The aim of this paper is to determine how technology and the Internet affect the acquisition of knowledge by Generation Z, and which forms of knowledge acquisition this generation prefers In our paper, the problem concerns various forms of learning and acquiring knowledge Research was conducted among 498 young people actively using an online peer-to-peer knowledge-sharing community The results of ANOVA analysis showed the respondents being more partial towards learning via mobile applications and video content over the traditional form It also discovered that the students tended to emulate their teachers who integrated modern technologies into their curriculum and used it outside classroom hours for learning The results of this research make several important theoretical contributions to the gap in knowledge acquisition by Gen Z, and provide several important practical recommendations for educators

Abstract: The rapid innovation in artificial intelligence (AI) is raising concerns regarding human autonomy, agency, fairness, and justice. While responsible stewardship of innovation calls for public engagement, inclusiveness, and informed discourse, AI seemingly challenges such informed discourse by way of its opacity (poor transparency, explainability, and accountability). We apply a deliberative approach to propose a framework for responsible innovation in AI. This framework foregrounds discourse principles geared to help offset these opacity challenges. To support better public governance, we consider the mutual roles and dependencies of organizations that develop and apply AI, as well as civil society actors, and investigative media in exploring pathways for responsible AI innovation.

Abstract: Industry 4.0 revolution has brought rapid technological growth and development in manufacturing industries. Technological development enables efficient manufacturing processes and brings changes in human work, which may cause new threats to employee well-being and challenge their existing skills and knowledge. Human factors and ergonomics (HF/E) is a scientific discipline to optimize simultaneously overall system performance and human well-being in different work contexts. The aim of this scoping review is to describe the state-of-the-art of the HF/E research related to the industry 4.0 context in manufacturing. A systematic search found 336 research articles, of which 37 were analysed utilizing a human-centric work system framework presented in the HF/E literature. Challenges related to technological development were analysed in micro- and macroergonomics work system frameworks. Based on the review we frame characteristics of an organisation level maturity model to optimize overall sociotechnical work system performance in the context of rapid technological development in manufacturing industries.

Abstract: Based on social cognitive theory (SCT), the present study aimed to investigate the impact of social media addiction (SMA) on employee strain and task performance through work-technology conflict and self-esteem. Furthermore, this study hypothesizes that the moderating influence of self-regulation may buffer the impact of SMA on work-technology conflict and self-esteem. The final sample of this study was 282 employees of Chinese information technology companies from southwest China's Guizhou province. Results demonstrated that SMA significantly affects task performance via work-technology conflict and self-esteem. This study presents some distinctive results by showing that the mediating role of self-esteem is found to be insignificant in the association between SMA and strain. Self-regulation reduces the increased impact of SMA on work-technology conflict and self-esteem. Moreover, this study provides useful insights for practitioners, managers, and future researchers to understand the impact of SMA on employees' mental health and task performance.

Abstract: Smartphone addiction and its negative effects on academic performance have received attention from both scholars and practitioners. The gist of this study is to explore the impact of the type of content use on smartphone addiction and academic performance by considering physical activity as a potential moderator. The data were gathered from 250 undergraduate students and statistically analysed using the partial least squares structural equation modelling technique. The results show that entertainment, social networking sites, and game-related use have positive effects on smartphone addiction. Although study-related use has a positive effect on academic performance, game-related use has a negative effect. Furthermore, physical activity moderates negatively the impact of game-related use on academic performance. The results extend the literature on smartphone addiction by introducing physical activity as a preventive factor and will be useful for policymakers and parents to understand the importance of developing and promoting physical activity among young adults.

Abstract: Accessibility of public health websites allows important information to reach as many audiences as possible. This is vital during a public health crisis such as the current COVID-19 pandemic. This paper reviews public health information portals provided by the Australian Capital Territory local government against the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.

Abstract: The study aims to identify and prioritize the criteria and sub-criteria dimensions essentials for green strategic sourcing. Data were taken from the experts working in the automobile industry. By applying the novel Grey-DEMATEL-ANP (GDANP) approach, we identified the technology and environmental management system as the key sub-criteria dimensions to be considered while selecting the supplier. Besides, we also found quality and delivery time as the important factors to be considered while selecting a supplier for green supply chain management (GSCM). To present the useful application of our findings, we conducted an empirical study by taking the automobile industry of an emerging market as the case. The major contribution of the study is the application of variant D-ANP in identifying the important dimensions of supplier selection.

Abstract: Information and communication technology (ICT) is a key driver of urbanization but can also create the digital divide that hinders urbanization. The study aims to explore the dynamic relationship among ICT, the digital divide and urbanization in China. Employing data collected from prefecture-level cities in 2017, this study first constructs a composite urbanization index through principal component analysis (PCA), then applies a geographically-weighted regression (GWR) model and partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to probe the effects of ICT on overall urbanization. The results suggest that ICT positively affects urbanization and directly improves urbanization levels and efficiency. The application of mobile phones is an indispensable tool for future urban development. However, there are digital divides among areas. Less-developed cities lag behind well-developed ones due to their poor basic conditions and low-levels of ICT perception among residents. Therefore, knowing how to boost ICT development, narrow the digital divide and promote urbanization is of great importance. The essential role of the government in urbanization and technological progress is emphasized, and it is believed that government-led ICT-based urbanization can alleviate the digital divide and achieve balanced regional development.

Abstract: This study aims to investigate the travellers' choice behaviour towards green hotels through existing online travel reviews on TripAdvisor. Accordingly, a method combining segmentation and the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) techniques was developed to segment travellers based on their provided reviews and to prioritize green hotel attributes based on their level of importance in each segment. The data were taken from travellers' online reviews of Malaysian eco-friendly hotels on TripAdvisor. The results showed that the sleep quality was one of the most imporant factors for eco-hotel selection in the majority of segments. The developed method in this study was able to analyse travellers’ reviews and ratings on eco-friendly hotels to identify the future choice behaviour and aid travellers in their decision-making process. The study provides new insights for hotel managers and green policy makers on developing environmental-friendly practices.

Abstract: This paper examined the drivers of blockchain technology adoption and carbon performance using the theory of technology-organization-environment (TOE) as the basis for the development of a technology adoption framework. Blockchain technology has passed the proof testing phase and is attracting early adopters who can gain benefits from it. Manufacturing firms that had adopted the blockchain technology and voluntary reported the carbon emission were targeted as the sample and survey data were collected from manufacturing firms that were registered with the Association of Malaysian Manufacturers. Unfavourable support of top management and the lack of technology competence were the main barriers to the adoption of blockchain technology among manufacturing firms. The results indicate that firms did not achieve low carbon performance and that a lack of pressure from competitors and technical competency to undertake blockchain technology were factors. No evidence existed demonstrating a linkage of early adopters of blockchain technology with and low carbon performance. Recommendations of this study include that firms should take the initiative to record the energy consumption, engage in the transfer of carbon credits, and monitor carbon performance using reliable technology to improve business transparency and sustainability.

Abstract: Context In this rapidly changing business environment, innovation is the key requirement to gain a sustained advantage over competitors. Innovation helps firms grow more quickly than others grow, survive in the harsh & highly competitive business environment, and eventually become a market leader. Purpose India is an emerging market, and many companies are entering here and making it highly competitive. The limited study is available to measure the effect of innovation in Indian Business. Thus, the study establishes a relationship between innovation and firm performance in the Indian setting. Design/methodology/approach This is a perception-based study and used established subjective scales to measure innovation and firm performance. I validated the scale using the measurement model in AMOS. The survey used to collect around 250 cross-sectional data from middle & higher management executives of Indian firms. Structural equation modeling in AMOS was used to test the hypothesis. Findings The results showed that product and marketing innovation has a significant and positive impact on the dimensions of firm performance. In contrast, Process innovation showed an indirect effect mediated through marketing innovation. These outcomes will be beneficial for the industries for taking proactive measures. Originality/value The examination of mediation relationships between Marketing innovation and Product & Process innovation is limited. Novelty also lies in analyzing the impact of multiple innovation types on multiple dimensions of firm performance in Indian firms to verify dynamic capability and mediating effect of marketing innovation in Indian demography to validate the signaling theory perspective. Rigor in research methods like Scale and sampling method verification test, i.e., CMB. Heteroscedasticity and Endogeneity test for applicability of OLS and verifying exogenous variables.

Abstract: Drawing on human capital and upper echelons theories, this study analyses how CEO's financial literacy influences a firm's technological innovation and investigates the mediating role of alleviating financial constraints of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in the former relationship. We develop and test hypotheses applying a Structural Equation Model to a sample of 310 Spanish SMEs. The results show that CEO's financial literacy exerts both a direct and an indirect impact, through alleviating financial constraints, on a firm's technological innovation.

Abstract: This paper presents a narrative literature review that addresses the issue of how disabled and aging people access the arts through technology. Our review synthesized 56 studies about disabled and aging people's experiences of access through technology, with a focus on methods used and accounts of user experiences/stories to inform a Canadian research and development initiative called Accessing the Arts. We urge designers and developers to consider the complex, multimodal sociotechnical relationships surrounding technology and access—or TechnoAccess—as they develop technology with disability, aging and access in mind. Although existing evidence offers ways to improve everyone's access to the arts, recommendations are provided for research around access and technology as an inherently politicized topic that must be informed by disabled and aging people's intersectional cultural experiences, including how they wish to use technology to access the arts.

Abstract: Substantial population growth, increasing urbanization, overloaded infrastructure, more energy consumption, environmental impacts, and investment in technological developments are major challenges in city management and development. Municipalities seek to improve their citizens’ wellbeing and quality of life, but the need to find a balance between these complex factors makes decision-making processes more difficult. Experts must analyze the determinants of smart cities, which are urban centers intended to be socially involved, habitable, and economically and environmentally sustainable, and that rely strongly on technology and innovation. Based on multiple-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) principles, this study combines cognitive mapping techniques and the decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) method to develop a multicriteria model that can help managers analyze smart city determinants in a collaborative manner. The research included identifying these determinants and their respective cause-and-effect relationships using an expert panel’s experience and knowledge related to the subject under analysis. The results were validated by both the panel and the city councilor responsible for mobility and municipal projects within Evora City Council, Portugal, which has implemented smart city strategies. The latter specialist verified that the proposed evaluation system can be used as a tool to facilitate smart city collaborative decision-making processes. The study’s main advantages and limitations are also analyzed and discussed.

Abstract: Smart technology is increasingly integrated in our ethical decision making. This raises questions as to how we should morally program technology. Deciding on moral programming depends on the moral intensity of the ethical issue. A moral intensity dashboard for engineers can help allocate the most suitable moral authority for a particular moral programming. Technology is not capable of ‘doing’ ethics the way humans do. This leaves forms of consequentialism and deontology as the most reasonable programming alternatives, using deontic logic as a starting point. Furthermore, it is very likely that in the more complicated settings, technology should have elements of meta ethics in its moral programming to adequately deal with scenarios that lead to conflicts in moral programming. We propose to use the calculation methods that stem from a comparative approach or the Expected Moral Value approach. All this has considerable consequences in how we should see moral programming in technology-driven ethical decision-making processes. We will therefore propose a roadmap for the moral programming of smart technology.

Abstract: Challenged by climate change and severe damage of the ecological environment caused by carbon emissions, the process of green transformation in the world has to be urgently accelerated. This study adopted the super-efficiency DEA method to calculate the green transformation efficiency (GTE) of 30 provinces of China (except for Tibet) from 2009 to 2018. From the perspective of the technological innovation process, a spatial Durbin model is further proposed to investigate the impacts of technology research and development (TERD) and technology commercialization (TECO) on GTEs. The results showed that: (1) both TERD and TECO exerted significant positive effects on GTEs in local provinces, while the TERD coefficient was higher than that of TECO. (2) The spillover effect of TERD on GTEs in neighboring provinces was significantly negative, while the spillover effect of TERD was significantly positive. (3) Although the interaction between TERD and TECO positively affected GTEs, it also exerted a negative spillover effect on GTE. These findings indicate that the government should include the spatial spillover effects of TERD and TECO on GTEs when designing policies in support of technological innovation activities that contribute to green transformation.

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic amplified the influence of information reporting on human behavior, as people were forced to quickly adapt to a new health threatening situation by relying on new information. Drawing from protection-motivation and cognitive load theories, we formulated a structural model eliciting the impact of the three online information sources: (1) social media, (2) official websites, and (3) other online news sources; on motivation to adopt recommended COVID-19 preventive measures. The model was tested with the data collected from university employees and students (n = 225) in March 2020 through an online survey and analyzed using partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). We observed that social media and other online news sources increased information overload amongst the online information sources. This, in turn, negatively affected individuals' self-isolation intention by increasing perceived response costs and decreasing response efficacy. The study highlights the role of online information sources on preventive behaviors during pandemics.

Abstract: Transformations in the institutional environment and advances in technological infrastructures have led to a rise in remote work with implications for local environments. While there is significant literature on the social and spatial effects of telecommuting, the growth of remote work warrants a holistic analysis of its specific implications for local economic and community life. Drawing on interviews with representatives of 22 firms in one state, this exploratory study examines how locational factors drive firms' remote work utilization. Together with an analysis of interviews with 12 remote employees, it also examines how remote work arrangements are modifying firms' and employees’ connections to the local environment. The firm interviews indicate that remote work is increasingly utilized as a strategy to overcome regional talent acquisition challenges. The analysis reveals that remote work utilization can rework or attenuate the local economic and social linkages of remote-utilizing firms and remote employees. These findings suggest that the dynamics of remote work in local environments entail processes of disembedding and reeembedding, moderated by organizational and contextual factors. By situating questions and findings in relation to local contexts, this study details how firm dynamics and work-life patterns associated with remote work introduce opportunities and challenges for community and economic development efforts.

Abstract: This paper identifies the attitudes and key determinants of Millennials’ online shopping behavior in Montenegro. An empirical survey was conducted in Montenegro on the sample of 813 millennial consumers by using Structural Equation Modeling and the analysis of the variance (ANOVA) test. The results revealed that Millennials are satisfied with previous experience in online shopping. They perceive it beneficial compared to purchase in traditional shops, but also perceive it as very risky, which is why they buy online mostly inexpensive products. The results also suggested that behavior of millennial consumers in the online purchase significantly depends on their demographic characteristics. While the frequency of online shopping is the same for both genders, male consumers spend more money on it compared to women. Also, men to a greater extent prefer doing the online shopping using more famous websites, than women do. The amount spent in online shopping does not depend on age of consumers, but younger Millennials do this type of purchase more often compared to older Millennials. Based on the results, this paper provides implications for managers important for building the trust of consumers and increase of online sales.