Understanding AI ecosystems in the Global South: The cases of Senegal and Cambodia

2022 | International Journal of Information Management | Citations: 0

Authors: Heng, Samedi; Tsilionis, Konstantinos; Scharff, Christelle; Wautelet, Yves

Abstract: The Global South (GS) refers to a block of countries in the process of rapidly c ... Expand

Abstract: The Global South (GS) refers to a block of countries in the process of rapidly catching up with the industriali­ zation of their economies. GS countries are trying to leverage their growing demand for innovative products and services to negotiate the uptake of novel technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI). The latter can help such countries further stimulate their economic growth and become influential in dictating policies that could advance global development. However, a misaligned AI-adoption strategy entails the risk of alienating the social, economic, and even cultural requirements of such countries, ultimately leading to the incorporation of tech­ nologies not serving the needs of their users. Subsequently, we conduct a study whose goal is to provide guidelines on how to perform a comprehensive analysis of the AI ecosystems in GS countries, to determine their readiness to adopt and utilize beneficially these technologies. For this, we performed a qualitative case study of two GS countries, namely Senegal and Cambodia. The depiction of their AI ecosystems unveiled the need to stimulate their societies (i.e., by media exposure, education, etc.) in discerning the practical effects of AI. However, an impactful AI implementation requires a reciprocated satisfaction of the needs of multiple contributing actors. Finally, particular recommendations are offered at the level of these countries’ academic, industrial, and governmental constitutions, suggesting to focalize their resources in order to better energize (and optimally disperse) their research and entrepreneurial capabilities that could help identify the ways in which AI solutions can be of added-value within the premises of these two countries. Collapse

Topics: artificial intelligence digital transformation innovation management IS economics privacy

Methods: qualitative interview computational algorithm survey case study theoretical contribution

Theories: socio technical theory theory of economic growth

Multiple objective metaheuristics for feature selection based on stakeholder requirements in credit scoring

2022 | Decision Support Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Simumba, Naomi; Okami, Suguru; Kodaka, Akira; Kohtake, Naohiko

Abstract: Alternative data is increasingly utilized for credit evaluation of financially e ... Expand

Abstract: Alternative data is increasingly utilized for credit evaluation of financially excluded persons. However, re­ quirements, such as reliability, which gain new importance when alternative data is employed for credit eval­ uation, have not been considered as part of the credit scoring process. This research proposes an approach for incorporating context-specific stakeholder requirements in the credit scoring process. Two hybrid heuristics are proposed for a feature selection process that simultaneously optimizes all requirements. The first is a multiple objective, non-dominated sorting, binary Grasshopper Optimization Algorithm. The second incorporates the selection, crossover, and mutation techniques of genetic algorithms for greater diversity. Both algorithms are fitted with objective functions obtained from stakeholder requirements for multiple objective feature selection. Empirical evaluation is conducted with stakeholder requirements and alternative data features collected from mobile, public geospatial, and satellite data sources. Their performance is compared against several existing algorithms, and they offer improved performance on specific metrics. The first algorithm outperforms the existing many-objective non dominated sorting genetic algorithm, NSGA-III, in terms of computational time, convergence, and spacing. Meanwhile, the second method results in greater spread for the same population size but has a lengthy computational time. Thus, stakeholder requirements are successfully incorporated into the feature selection process. This results in a better balance between objectives. These findings extend the research on hybrid metaheuristics for feature selection, as well as alternative data for credit scoring. Collapse

Topics: logistics management workstation user behavior

Methods: computational algorithm regression analysis method lasso regression logistic regression machine learning

Designing financial education applications for development: applying action design research in Cambodian countryside

2022 | European Journal of Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Zaitsev, Anna; Mankinen, Salla

Abstract: Combining financial literacy education with technology literacy is a logical ste ... Expand

Abstract: Combining financial literacy education with technology literacy is a logical step for organisations focusing on finance-education programsin developing countries. Our study sought to foster and improve this process by exploring how design science, specifically the Action Design Research (ADR) method, could be effectively used in developing such technology. The study describes an IT development project where a small NGO-based team designed and developed a tablet application that assisted rural Cambodians in understanding and managing simple financial matters. We describe how the project applied ADR from the problem formulation to the formalisation of learning in the form of design principles that can be applied to IT projects in rural and remote locations in any developing country. We conclude our study by recommending the further use of information systems in conjunction with more traditional teaching methods, and encourage the further application of ADR and Agile methods when considering software development in the context of developing countries. This study fills a gap in the literature by combining a theoretical model with practical application for more effective learning. Collapse

Topics: mobile application systems design smartphone information and communication technology for development systems development

Methods: qualitative interview design science design principle field study action design research

E-Commerce and Social Media Use in Cambodia

2018 | Americas Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Luo, Margaret Meiling; Chea, Sophea

Abstract: We adopt Media system dependency theory (MSD) to examine e-commerce and social m ... Expand

Abstract: We adopt Media system dependency theory (MSD) to examine e-commerce and social media use in Cambodia. A field study was conducted by performing semi-structured interviews with three major ecommerce website owners: Little Fashion, Khmer24.com, and Comptech.com. Through the lens of MSD, we observe how these e-commerce websites were established by using a grass-root approach. Furthermore, we interview local business owners who are using social media—Facebook and YouTube—as tools of marketing and customer services. We found that 1) e-commerce activities are fully depends on social media and that 2) from a media perspective Facebook plays the role of fulfilling user’s needs of getting information and services and that 3) e-commerce activities are highly depend on big players such as Facebook and Google. We also found that the environment is yet mature for e-commerce activities but opportunities exist for business ventures. The social background of Cambodia is unique, as such, the online activities and social media use behavior is completely different from what is observed in western countries and we conclude few unintended consequences of social media use which go beyond the scope of our knowledge. Collapse

Topics: electronic commerce social media Facebook website internet technology

Methods: qualitative interview personal interview qualitative content analysis case study field study

Drivers of Durable Peace: The Role of Justice in Negotiating Civil War Termination

2017 | Group Decision and Negotiation | Citations: 0

Authors: Wagner, Lynn; Druckman, Daniel

Abstract: Attaining durable peace after a civil war has become a major challenge, as many ... Expand

Abstract: Attaining durable peace after a civil war has become a major challenge, as many negotiated settlements relapse into violence. How can civil war negotiations be conducted and peace agreements formulated so as to contribute to lasting, durable peace? Previous research has focused on the durability of peace agreements, measured as the absence of violence. This study develops an index to measure durable peace for a period of 8 years after the agreement had been reached, and evaluates the new measure using an existing data set. We ask whether impacts on durable peace are similar or different to those found for the durability of agreements. This question suggests a number of hypotheses that are evaluated with 16 cases of peace agreements. Stable agreements are shown to mediate the relationship between equality provisions in peace agreements and durable peace, and to also mediate the relationship between procedural justice and the reconciliation component of durable peace. Interestingly, economic stability is not a dividend of peace agreements. Collapse

Topics: armed conflict

Methods: mediation analysis descriptive statistic path analysis correlation analysis longitudinal research

Theories: distributive justice theory theory of economic development

Online Prosocial Microlending Decision Making: A Natural Experiment of Ebola Outbreak

2016 | International Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Ding, Yi; Xu, Haifeng; Yang, Lusi; Tan, Bernard C Y

Abstract: In 2014, a devastating Ebola virus epidemic burst in West Africa, which tremendo ... Expand

Abstract: In 2014, a devastating Ebola virus epidemic burst in West Africa, which tremendously impaired the economies in the affected areas. During this crisis, in addition to traditional donations, some new forms of prosocial behaviors, such as online prosocial microlending, were adopted to help people in and near the affected areas. In this study, we extend the spotlight and gradient model to investigate people’s online prosocial microlending decision making after natural disasters, which is both financial (rational) and prosocial (irrational) in nature. By leveraging the Ebola outbreak in 2014, we design a natural experiment to compare lender’s online prosocial microlending behavior before and after the disaster. We find that the average amount of online prosocial microlending in unaffected areas increases after the natural disaster and the increase is negatively related to the distance between the borrower and the affected areas. Collapse

Topics: natural hazard decision making website

Methods: experimental group Student's t-test parametric test natural experiment difference in differences

Theories: cognitive attention theory

Dynamic Capability Link with Firm Performance: Evidence from a Vietnamese IT Company

2016 | Americas Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Kien, Dao Trung; Tapanainen, Tommi J; Hai, Nguyen Thi Thanh; Tuyen, Bui Quang

Abstract: Dynamic capabilities are particularly important for companies in the information ... Expand

Abstract: Dynamic capabilities are particularly important for companies in the information technology (IT) industry. A large amount of work has been done to define capabilities, but less effort has been invested in examining the interlinkages of these capabilities, or their relative importance in different market situations. These two areas are crucial, because the very nature of dynamic capabilities is in the changes that they cause to other capabilities in the company in adapting to market movements. Our paper reports the results of a survey on a Vietnamese ICT company that addresses this twin gap, and shows how the dynamic capability of innovation capability is linked to the firm performance when working together with other capabilities and resources different markets. The results also have practical implications that are described at the end of the paper. Collapse

Topics: organizational productivity innovation management marketing management anonymity human resource management

Methods: survey factor analysis data transformation structural equation modeling confirmatory factor analysis

Theories: dynamic capabilities theory resource based view of the firm

Social innovations in outsourcing: An empirical investigation of impact sourcing companies in India

2015 | Journal of Strategic Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Sandeep, M. S.; Ravishankar, M. N.

Abstract: Impact sourcing – the practice of bringing digitally-enabled outsourcing jobs to ... Expand

Abstract: Impact sourcing – the practice of bringing digitally-enabled outsourcing jobs to marginalized individuals – is an important emerging social innovation in the outsourcing industry. The impact sourcing model of delivering Information Technology and Business Process Outsourcing (IT–BPO) services not only seeks to deliver business value for clients, but is also driven by an explicit social mission to help marginalized communities enjoy the benefits of globalization. This dual focus has led to the ambitious claim that social value creation can be integral to (and not always by-products of) innovative IT–BPO models. Given the relative newness of the impact sourcing business model there is scarce research about how impact sourcing companies emerge and the process through which entrepreneurs build and operate such companies. This paper draws on a qualitative study of seven Indian impact sourcing companies and develops a process model of the individual-level motivational triggers of impact sourcing entrepreneurship, the entrepreneurial actions underpinning different phases of venture creation and the positive institutional-level influences on impact sourcing. The paper argues that since deeply personalized values are central to the creation and development of impact sourcing companies, the business model may not be easy to replicate. The analysis highlights an intensive period of embedding and robust alliances with local partners as crucial for the scalability and sustainability of the impact sourcing business model. It also emphasizes the role of ‘social’ encoding and mimicry in determining the extent to which impact sourcing companies are able to retain their commitment to marginalized communities. Collapse

Topics: entrepreneurship innovation management business model outsourcing business process management

Methods: qualitative interview case study business process modeling cross sectional research multiple case study

Breadth and Depth:The Impact of ICT Adoption on Outreach Capabilities of Microfinance Institutions

2012 | Americas Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Weber, David; Kulkarni, Uday; Riggins, Frederick

Abstract: REQUIRED) A decade ago, the microfinance industry prided itself on its trends to ... Expand

Abstract: REQUIRED) A decade ago, the microfinance industry prided itself on its trends toward financial and operational sustainability. Recently, investors, donors, lenders, regulators, and microfinance institutions have been more concerned with social and outreach performance. Transactions cost and distance theories inform a new ICT-enabled microfinance institution (MFI) outreach theory positing that information and communication technology (ICT) adoption among MFIs will result in direct improvements to MFI operations and a greater capacity for poverty and geographic outreach. These propositions are modeled using a case study methodology with primary research materials collected from 14 microfinance institutions in 8 countries. Using a pattern-matching mode of analysis, we find that different ICTs impact two types of outreach: geographic and poverty. Policy, database, and software-related ICT adoption activities impact poverty outreach due to their support of flexibility and information. Infrastructure, networking, hardware, and telephony ICT adoption activities impact geographic outreach since these areas support connectivity. Collapse

Topics: technology adoption electronic mail IS impact database system financial performance

Methods: case study qualitative interview personal interview theory development field study

Theories: semiotic theory

Conceptualizing and Testing a Social Cognitive Model of the Digital Divide

2011 | Information Systems Research | Citations: 128

Authors: Kwok-Kee Wei; Hock-Hai Teo; Hock Chuan Chan; Tan, Bernard C. Y.

Abstract: The digital divide has loomed as a public policy issue for over a decade. Yet, a ... Expand

Abstract: The digital divide has loomed as a public policy issue for over a decade. Yet, a theoretical account for the effects of the digital divide is currently lacking. This study examines three levels of the digital divide. The digital access divide (the first-level digital divide) is the inequality of access to information technology (IT) in homes and schools. The digital capability divide (the second-level digital divide) is the inequality of the capability to exploit IT arising from the first-level digital divide and other contextual factors. The digital outcome divide (the third-level digital divide) is the inequality of outcomes (e.g., learning and productivity) of exploiting IT arising from the second-level digital divide and other contextual factors. Drawing on social cognitive theory and computer self-efficacy literature, we developed a model to show how the digital access divide affects the digital capability divide and the digital outcome divide among students. The digital access divide focuses on computer ownership and usage in homes and schools. The digital capability divide and the digital outcome divide focus on computer self-efficacy and learning outcomes, respectively. This model was tested using data collected from over 4,000 students in Singapore. The results generate insights into the relationships among the three levels of the digital divide and provide a theoretical account for the effects of the digital divide. While school computing environments help to increase computer self-efficacy for all students, these factors do not eliminate knowledge the gap between students with and without home computers. Implications for theory and practice are discussed. Collapse

Topics: home computer digital divide information system use information technology capability online learning system

Methods: survey regression analysis method Chow test cross sectional research theoretical contribution

Theories: social cognitive theory