Management and Information Technology in the Digital Era: Volume 29

Management of information technology (IT) will continue to be an essential endeavour for organisations as we experience the increasing advancement of technology across different spectres of life. Managers will need to understand how technology is changing their business operations and the emergence of digital consumers who demand more innovative and technologically driven experiences. This book was conceptualised to provide theoretical insight for managers and researchers to understand where we are and where technology is taking us. This book has presented different chapters, highlighting management and practical implications across other technology, sector and countries. These selected chapters provide a wide variety of stimulating insights into the varying challenges and perspectives of management and IT in the digital era. Significantly, we recognise the growing prospects of Artificial intelligence (AI) and how it is revolutionising different sectors, further presenting critical challenges for managers on how to harness the opportunities of this technology for their business prospects.

The last few years have witnessed massive artificial intelligence (AI) and gaming adoption that has navigated the emerging markets. Moreover, according to the WOG summit (world government summit report, by Nielsen) 2020 reports, AI with gaming mechanisms are expected to enrich marketing services in the coming future in the emerging markets. Countries such as India, China and South Korea contribute significantly to this area, and recent forecasting allows the need to increase in emerging markets. Similarly, these countries have a maximum number of youth gamers and AI-driven technology adopters. The adoption of AI-driven technologies and amplification of gamification in marketing services are new phenomena. Moreover, gaming and AI dynamics are relatively new in emerging countries and need greater attention. Thus, this book chapter proposes a dyad model that would explain users' and companies' perspectives to understand the role of AI and gamification for the emerging markets. The chapter will explain how AI-driven gamification helps the users of emerging markets. The chapter will also illustrate how companies in emerging markets use AI for gamification. Therefore, the dyad model would also comprehend the gap, opportunities and challenges in this area and the subsequent strategies to help all the stakeholders.

Recent socio-economic trends have made Artificial intelligence (AI) a vital institutional force driving development among countries with optimal opportunities and costs. Among researchers in this domain, the benefit of AI is highly espoused, having been underexplored in Africa. However, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to strengthen the education sector, given that many schools have migrated their teaching and learning online. While face-to-face teaching was the norm, the transition to online teaching has brought about the need to rethink the use of Information Technology to strengthen teaching and learning. To proffer solutions for the implementation of AI in Africa, there is the need to understand the challenges. Therefore, in this chapter, we explore the possible challenges that hinder the implementation of AI in Africa. Further, we propose solutions for the implementation of AI in the education sector, especially in this era of the COVID-19 pandemic. The solutions stem from rethinking the role of AI in the education sector. Finally, a conceptual framework that synthesises the problems and the proposed solution is developed. We envision that the proffered solutions can mitigate the deepening misconceptions and challenges bedevilling AI implementation in Africa.

Changing ecosystems with digitalisation, the value of information affects all sub-ecosystems, and due to societal changes, management approaches have started to be implemented. This new administration digitalisation, which is the basis of their strategy, made it mandatory for them to adapt to technology. This article details the theoretical basis of the business ecosystem to investigate the integration of human-computer interaction (HCI) technology and platform business ecosystem into the artificial intelligence (AI) environment and to create practicality for the intellectual development of platform business strategy ecosystem management. Then, in the context of textile e-commerce, the intelligent clothing ecosystem is recommended, and the structure of the smart clothing ecosystem is created. A flexible production planning model with multiple constraints and maximum cost savings has been developed within system constraints and objective function scope. The standard genetic algorithm after optimisation was used to solve the aim of model function (based on double-layer integer coding). In the context of the parameters of the algorithm and textile layout, the algorithm was calculated with the MATLAB simulation tool, and then a textile experiment was carried out to solve the problem of system management. Finally, the audio, interactive customer survey results were analysed with structural equation modelling, and a human-computer interactive customer trust model was proposed. The results indicate that the calculation results of the objective function with 6 order sizes and 40 order sizes tend to be good and that the 6th order, respectively, tends to be good. The Gantt chart, calculated by the optimisation algorithm, can show the equipment selection strategy, start time and end time of each order in different workshops. The combination of each operation planning strategy is the production planning chart that corresponds to the order. It is thought that this study, AI-oriented HCI technology for future studies, can solve the strategic management problem of the platform business ecosystem, realise the efficient ecological functioning of the system and benefit businesses in this context.

The purpose of the study is to measure the mediating relationship of online buying intentions between narcissism, materialism and brand experience and their effect on luxury purchase behaviour of luxury items by Phuket, Thailand customers. The study has used primary data collection techniques to gather data and used purposive sampling to analyse the data. The study's sample size is 250 respondents who prefer to buy luxury items. The research has used Smart PLS software to measure the relationship through bootstrapping and algorithms. The study has found significant positive mediation of online buying intentions between narcissism, materialism and brand experience and their effect on luxury purchase behaviour of luxury items. This study suggests the theoretical and practical implications for purchasing luxury behaviour from managerial, policymakers and researched perspectives. This study also discusses the future directions and limitations.

This chapter critically evaluates the opportunities and challenges in adopting information technology for enhancing transportation in developing countries. The conception framework emerging from this study highlights four key stakeholders and the country context in developing and integrating information technology for improving transportation in developing countries – Tech developers, Transporters, Transport Tech start-ups and Travellers. This study makes cogent theoretical contributions to the growing body of works around technological innovation, smart mobility and intelligent transport systems, albeit from a developing country perspective. This study has also emerged from managerial implications for stakeholders, especially the tech developers, transporters and transport tech start-ups. There is a need for innovative ideas to address the inherent transportation challenges in Africa, and the customers are counting on these stakeholders to make the technology readily available and accessible.

On the one hand, there are traditional banks with high street branches; on the other hand, there are neobanks that do not operate physical branches. The ongoing lockdown has placed restrictions on the movement of people. This study aims to extend knowledge on new trends to provide financial services amid the COVID-19 global pandemic. The study also explores social media's impact on banking in the United Kingdom from the total relationship marketing (TRM) theory (Gummesson, 2017). Tweets from 12 banks in the United Kingdom were thematically analysed to understand the challenges and issues banks face due to the pandemic and how they use Twitter to communicate and engage customers since they provide financial services through mobile applications. The location, which influences service delivery, is crucial for delivering financial services to their customers. The analysis presents three key themes: service update, preparation and delivery. Banks use Twitter to highlight updates about their services, provide information on measures to support the ongoing transition to online banking and communicate changes implemented to improve service delivery. This study provides theoretical and managerial implications for stakeholders interested in financial services management, information technology management and customer behaviour.

This research paper aims to empirically analyse the impact of digital technologies and government support on the resilience of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) during the COVID-19 pandemic; in other words, how SMEs survive and manage the negative impact of the health situation with the support of digital technologies and government policy. A questionnaire survey was employed based on a sample of 96 SMEs and was divided into three parts, which comprised 28 questions. The SPSS software was used to analyse the results. The significant findings indicate that digital technologies positively affect SMEs' resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic, combined with public support. This implies that digital technologies help SMEs be resilient and ensure their survival in a unique and challenging environment. This study has practical implications for different stakeholders to evaluate risks in health emergencies, filling a significant research gap in the literature. Furthermore, this research paper can provide empirical results on the potential impact of digital technologies used by SMEs and the availability of government support to survive during the COVID-19 crisis.

This study aims to study the reality and prospects of the digital economy in Algeria through annual reports and statistics that present the usefulness of digitalisation in Algerian economic sectors. Using an analytical study, we conclude that the economic sector had not experienced remarkable development in terms of digitalisation, except for a few activities in a few sectors such as health, industry and services that have experienced a gradual evolution to new information and communication technologies, which have brought added value in Algeria.

In the twenty-first century, as the D3 technological revolutions of jobs, which include digitalisation, decarbonisation and decentralisation, is running in most businesses, we are faced with a new generation of fast processing, including decision-making of machines instead of humans. This matter opens a new gate of new and upgraded business infrastructure, especially for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), to replace artificial intelligence (AI) and neural networks instead of human employees. Incorporating the Internet of Things (IoT) into business processes is essential for SME growth. Big data analytics may use big data to communicate with their markets and consumers, enhance efficiency, cut costs, validate choices and spot trends by retrieving, analysing and managing data. So, in this regard, it seems simultaneous with the rise of intelligent networks that AI appears in human communities more tangible and efficient.

In this chapter, we have focused on system processing through incoming data and big data and system analysis after data processing and clustering and then intelligent decision-making that can be driven and done entirely through an Internet of Thing (IoT), AI, BI and the future of fourth technologies, so this new and fast processing has direct effect in consumers choices. Based on the 5th wave and i-Sustainability Plus and DCT (Doost Cultural Theroy) theories, SME 5.0/Hybrid SMEs/Tomorrow's SMEs concept, seven pillars of sustainability (7PS) model, nine pillars of sustainable governance (9PSG) model, 3D soci-eco-environment SME model and the related theories, models and concepts which has been invented, introduced and developed by Hamid Doost Mohammadian 2010–2017, to name examples, a new idea of tomorrow's SMEs, the associated theories, models and concepts, it can be assumed that a thriving Industry 4.0 implementation can take place with this comprehensive tool and method kit. The next technical-technological level represents a barrier, whether in the 5th wave theory simply called ‘Industry 5.0’ or made hardly more tangible with artificial intelligence and hyper-networking. Hybrid forms of work, with known forms of online/offline communication, are expanded with communication interfaces that support people not involved but directly and indirectly affected.

Focusing on the development of the craft sector seems to be a good alternative to compensate for the effects of economic crises. Indeed, the handicraft sector is characterised by considerable growth in job creation and wealth production, bringing together ancestral know-how and adaptation to new technologies. Only not all innovations are necessarily adopted. The insertion of technological innovations in the artisanal cluster may face resistance from some artisans or rejection from all of them. This work aims to measure and understand the impacts that the individualistic or collectivist culture could have on the communication and the willingness of the artisans to share their knowledge and, therefore, the capacity of the cluster to disseminate the innovation. The methodology adopted in this research is analytical, materialised by quantitative-qualitative field surveys. This will allow us a better understanding of our research object.

Digital technologies have changed the way we work and live since their advent; they affect individuals, businesses and society, especially the business world. Digital transformation has become a significant concern for all companies now, and it is hard to find a company that has not embarked on a digital transformation project. The main question of our study is to understand the most significant digital transformation challenges companies are facing and how they can overcome these challenges.

The research contains an analytical study of some recent studies on this topic. Findings indicate that technology is not a huge barrier to companies, but digital skills, digital culture and digital strategy are the biggest. Furthermore, we present several practical solutions to overcome these challenges at the end of this research.

Digital transformation allows organisations to increase the efficiency of their operations, respond faster and make more accurate decisions, adapt quickly to a new reality, and improve the customer experience; however, many companies still face several obstacles and challenges on its path to digital transformation, including organisational culture, a lack of IT resources and management, a lack of a clear budget for digital transformation, a challenge with digital security and artificial intelligence (AI). This chapter concludes the edited book focusing on management and information technology in the digital era. We acknowledge there are still many areas that need to be explored regarding technological adoption. However, we hope we have captured some theoretical insights that are available at this point. We hope readers will find the chapters in this book both enriching and thought-provoking and that the insights provided in the collection of research materials will enhance the understanding in this area, inspire further interest in management and information technology in the digital era, and provide a basis for sound management decisions and stimulate new ideas for future research.