Kiran Desai

Computer attitude as a moderator in the relationship between computer anxiety, satisfaction, and stress

The present study empirically examines the relationship between computer anxiety, job satisfaction, career satisfaction, and stress. Based on self-efficacy theory and self-worth theory of achievement-motivation, it is hypothesized that the relationship between computer anxiety and job satisfaction is curvilinear and attitude towards computer moderates such relationship. The relationship between computer anxiety and career satisfaction and job stress were empirically examined in this study. Two hundred and thirty undergraduate students (125 female and 105 male students) at a university in south-western part of Louisiana completed computer anxiety, computer attitude, job satisfaction, career satisfaction and stress surveys. Hierarchical moderated regression results support that the attitude towards computer acts as a moderator in the relationship between (i) computer anxiety and stress, (ii) computer anxiety and job satisfaction, and (iii) computer anxiety and career satisfaction. Implications for management are discussed.

E‐commerce policies and customer privacy

The rapid growth of the Internet and the number of online consumers have resulted in increased fears from privacy advocates, legislators and consumer groups regarding the guarantees of privacy when using e‐commerce and the Internet. Some companies collect marketing information on consumers’ Internet habits without their knowledge or consent. This study looks at stated policies appearing on the Web sites of a number of major e‐commerce companies regarding Internet privacy. This was accomplished by the examination of information related to current Internet policies posted on these firms’ Web sites. Also examined was whether these policies have been changed over a three‐year time period. Five policy categories were examined over this three‐year period using a consistent rating scale. These categories were privacy, returns, shipping, warranty, and security.

E‐commerce policies and customer privacy: a longitudinal study (2000‐2010)

Purpose – The present research is an updated and expanded continuation of an article by Parayitam et al. from 2008. The purpose of this study is to examine several internet policies and whether the communication of these policies to the customer has significantly changed during a ten year period.Design/methodology/approach – The study defines published policies of how a company operates with respect to different factors. The policies examined are privacy, security, shipping, returns, and warranty. Each of the policies described above were then rated as per the rating scale defined by the authors. The 525 e‐commerce sites studied were divided into service and product sites, respectively. The e‐commerce sites were also separated into 28 industry groups. The data were also collected on some of the other factors that were important in this study.Findings – E‐commerce companies do not fully inform their customers. The results showed no significant relationships between the policy ratings and any of the other f...

A global information technology model: business applications in developing economies (case studies)

This paper develops a global information technology model that captures the main drivers of a firms IT applications in multiple markets with two illustrative company cases. The paper develops a global information technology model by drawing from consulting experience and the relevant literature. The bases for the model are – a firms environment, level of technological diffusion within a firm, and prospective technology applications based on the existing inventory of IT applications that support the firms operations. The paper provides a description of the model dimensions and furnishes an illustrative mapping on an Indian firm and an American firms operations.

Global outsourcing - USTC's entry into India: HR issues

Subject area The case primarily deals with the HR issues confronted by a US telecom company entering India for software development. Study level/applicability The case can be used of MBA and BA level courses in human resource management and international management. Case overview The focus of the case is on the international HR issues that emerge and how this company goes about solving its challenges of charting an international course. The telecom company establishes an Indian subsidiary, USTC-I, for this purpose and recruits fresh graduates and experienced professionals for USTC-I. The case describes the human resources challenges faced by Todd Johns, an HR Manager with the US company as the company attempts to recruit professional for USTC-I. This case deals with specific HR tools and techniques that can, and perhaps, should be used in identifying, recruiting, hiring and retaining employees. Expected learning outcomes Students should be able to: evaluate the current situation of the organization and offer possible remedies and solutions for improving future human resource practices in a global context, identify and analyze the effectiveness of how HR tools (recruiting methods, interviews, selection methods, orientation programs, reward systems) are implemented, develop a plan for improvement of HR recruiting and selection in an international context, explain the factors and problems that can undermine an interviews usefulness, and techniques for eliminating these problems in an international context, explain the pros and cons of background investigations, reference checks, and pre-employment information services in an international context. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

Implications of an internet startup entering in a market with low level of technological adoption: case study

Recent writers on innovation diffusion and adoption describe why some technologies are successful while others fail. The successful technologies have been unique, exclusive and compatible with the values of the users. Users also seem to find these technologies beneficial. Furthermore, the key to successful adoption has also been the development of ‘rational relationships’ between the technology introducers and users of these technologies. We explore the prerequisites for successful technology diffusion and its subsequent adoption in Chile. The case shows how an internet startup faced a market that was not ready to adopt its service, from a technological perspective, and the challenges this created for its market entry strategy.