The term metaverse is described as the next iteration of the Internet. Metaverse is a virtual platform that uses extended reality technologies, i.e. augmented reality, virtual reality, mixed reality, 3D graphics, and other emerging technologies to allow real-time interactions and experiences in ways that are not possible in the physical world. Companies have begun to notice the impact of the metaverse and how it may help maximize profits. The purpose of this paper is to offer perspectives on several important areas, i.e. marketing, tourism, manufacturing, operations management, education, the retailing industry, banking services, healthcare, and human resource management that are likely to be impacted by the adoption and use of a metaverse. Each includes an overview, opportunities, challenges, and a potential research agenda.

The rapid development of Fintech (financial technology) urges Fintech platforms to better understand users’ perceptions and behaviors toward Fintech use. Based on the theoretical framework of trust, risk perception, platform governance, and information system continuous use theories, we construct a model to explore how users’ different trust perceptions on Fintech platforms affect their risk perception, platform governance perception, and continuance intention of using Fintech. Our findings indicate users’ institutional trust, technology trust, and interpersonal trust all impact their risk perception, perception of Fintech platform governance, and continuance intention to use Fintech in different ways and magnitudes. Furthermore, platform governance perception mediates between institutional trust, interpersonal trust, and continuance intention. Our research helps the practitioners of Fintech platforms attract and retain users in the highly competitive market and provides a reference for the governance of their platforms.

The purpose of this study is to build on the ISP compliance literature by creating a prediction model that includes four predictor variables, namely, leadership, supportive organizational culture, engagement, and role values with one dependent variable – ISP compliance. We then seek to find out which of the predictor variables are most influential in predicting ISP compliance. An instrument with 5 constructs was administered electronically to a diverse set of employees in the U.S.A. ranging in work experience from new hires to CEOs and from many industries. Collected data were analyzed using multiple regression analysis. The results showed that all predictor variables in the model were significant. Supportive organizational culture followed by role values offered the largest explanatory power of the four predictor variables. We discuss the implications of the findings and offer suggestions for future research opportunities.

This paper builds a research model with four constructs, i.e., competencies, knowledge-oriented leadership, innovation, and performance within manufacturing companies to find out, through path modeling, 1) the effect of competencies on innovation, 2) the effect of knowledge-oriented leadership on innovation, and 3) the effect of innovation on performance. The survey instrument included four constructs – Competencies (COMP), Knowledge-oriented Leadership (LEAD), Innovation (INNO), and Performance (PERF). A marketing research company administered the instrument via computer-assisted telephone interviewing to subjects (N = 377) from 10 different high-tech manufacturing companies in Poland. Collected data were analyzed through partial least square structural equation modeling. The findings revealed that competencies and knowledge-oriented leadership positively and significantly influence innovation and innovation positively and significantly influence performance. Moreover, innovation was found to be a mediating variable between competencies and performance and knowledge-oriented leadership and performance. The theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed, followed by addressing the study’s limitations and future research directions.

The purpose of this study was to explore and compare women’s perceptions of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), empowerment, and success among respondents in eight countries. The research sample consisted of 969 participants (137 from Georgia, 105 from Poland, 130 from Romania, 152 from Slovenia, 102 from Spain, 123 from Taiwan, 120 from Turkey, and 100 from the United States). Qualitative data analysis was used for exploring participants’ perspectives among different cultures. The results showed that there were numerous differences among the respondents regarding their perceptions of Information and Communication Technologies, empowerment, and success. Positive experiences of ICTs were primarily related to simplifying communication and enabling easy access to information and methods for sharing it, while negative experiences were typically associated with privacy issues. The success of using ICTs was similarly related to the ability to increase awareness and simplify communication, both of which are necessary for women to reach specified goals and achieve success in the workplace.

The purpose of this paper was to first examine the reliability, validity, and strength of a unified model for information security policy compliance that includes eight constructs explaining information security policy compliance. Second, seven hypotheses were developed and tested based on the constructs in the model. An instrument with eight constructs was used to reflect the traditional survey statements method that measures current or retrospective behavior for the items of each construct. A sample of 187 faculty and staff from a mid-sized university in the USA participated in the study. Data were collected electronically and analyzed through SmartPLS 3.0, a partial least square structural equation modeling software. The results indicated strong support for the models’ reliability, validity, and strength. The results also showed support for five hypotheses. Two hypotheses were rejected. The findings with implications are discussed. Recommendations for future research are made.

The purpose of this study was to find out which one of the four selected predictor variables, i.e., leadership, trusting beliefs, role values, and information security policy awareness are most influential in predicting employees’ intention to comply with organizational information security policy. An instrument with five constructs was administered to subjects from a higher-education university in the USA. Collected data were methodically examined through multiple regression analysis. Results indicated that all four predictor variables were influential in predicting employees’ intention to comply with organizational information security policy requirements. Implications of the findings are discussed and recommendations for future research are made.

Social technologies have rapidly become part of the workplace culture with companies using social platforms to communicate, for customer service, to gain exposure and create awareness, to gain new customers, to increase revenue and profits, for marketing purposes, to network and build relationships, and for recruiting purposes. This paper reports the results of a study of the usage of social technologies by working women in Spain to determine the purposes for using these platforms in a business environment. Furthermore, statistical analyses of the data reveal whether the age of the respondents make a difference in social media preferences. Based on these results, organizations will have a better grasp of how to optimize the use of social technologies in business and which age groups are better suited for managing specific platforms based on the purposes studied, thus adding to the literature in the field.

Information and communications technologies (ICTs) provide global connections, communication, and empowerment. Empowerment drives social and economic development. This study, part of an ongoing global study, investigated the use of social technologies including the purposes used and benefits realized in Italy as a means of empowerment for women. Women throughout the world are faced with technological and economic challenges. Italian women are no exception. Women in the workplace were surveyed to determine how technologies are used for business purposes. The results are applicable to entrepreneurs and others in developed and developing countries. Through awareness, education, and the use of social technologies, gender income equality may be achieved as a result of social and economic development.

This paper replicates a previous study that used an active learning for knowledge construction in the e-learning model with three stages of underpinning, ownership, and engaging hypothesizing that the underpinning and ownership stages positively and significantly contribute to the engaging stage where the actual knowledge construction takes place. The findings of the present study have ensured the validity and the generalizability of the previous study results. Also, the findings reiterated the efficacy of the model for active learning for knowledge construction in e-learning. The paper concludes with implications and recommendations for future research.

The number of individuals engaging in social technologies for both personal and business reasons is staggering. This phenomenon is growing exponentially and fast becoming an integrated, cross platform experience which will impact every individual online. Social technologies used specifically by organizations for business support, the purposes and the benefits realized are addressed in this paper. Based on research results and a review of related literature, two issues are addressed: 1) How organizations can rethink their social strategy to gain competitive advantage; and 2) How social technologies education should be incorporated into the curriculum so students are prepared for life beyond graduation.

Data quality issues have become increasingly critical for information systems applications in organizations of all sizes. This paper presents results from a large-scale Australian survey of Australian CPA members. The research investigates major stakeholders’ opinions on the importance of critical success factors affecting data quality and the actual performance on each of those factors. The results reveal whether dissimilarly-sized organizations differ in the way they measure the importance and performance of critical success factors for data quality in accounting information systems.