Recent advances in technology have made truly open and accessible government significantly more realisable. One of the ways in which governments are using this technology is in the implementation of online portals that allow open (i.e., public and unrestricted) access to data and use of data. Such portals can be used by citizens and professionals to facilitate improved decision-making across a wide range of areas, from car-parking to promoting entrepreneurialism. However, the existence of portals per se is not enough. To maximise their potential, users must also feel that they are both accessible and usable. To gain insights into the current state of usability of OGD portals for professionals working in data-related areas, a comparative study of the portals of the G7 group was carried out, using a mixed methodology. This is the first specific comparison of these portals for such users, as well as the first study to add a user-centred qualitative dimension to the research. The study’s findings showed that the G7 countries are not maximising the potential of their portals or collaborating effectively. Addressing these issues, and building better cross-national consistency, would help to improve the value delivered by investment in OGD portals. The study also further supported an existing user-centred, heuristic evaluation framework for application to a more specific user group, as well as more generally.

Over recent years, social commerce has evolved into a powerful segment of e-commerce, creating new opportunities for brands of all types and sizes. However, if social commerce is to continue to grow and deliver the many benefits it promises, it must address a number of key challenges, including privacy, trust, and ethical concerns. This paper explores the extent to which privacy issues affect the attitudes and behaviours of social media platform (SMP) users towards social commerce, and investigates whether these attitudes and behaviours are a function of cultural context. The approach adopted for the research is a two-stage method, which initially uses semi-structured interviews of social-commerce users to identify their key privacy concerns. These concerns are then used to develop, using the theory of reasoned action (TRA), a structural model that facilitates the formation of hypotheses which relate users’ attitudes to privacy to subsequent behaviour. This model is assessed by analysing the responses to a questionnaire from a large sample of participants. This allows us to evaluate the general accuracy of the model and to compare culturally distinct subgroups (Saudi vs. Chinese) using partial least-squares analysis. Results show good support for all of our hypotheses and indicate that there are clear cultural effects. One of these effects is the inadequacy of privacy policies implemented by SMP providers, regarding culturally specific ethical concerns.

Background: Lack of social support during and after miscarriage can greatly affect mental wellbeing. With miscarriages being a common experience, there remains a discrepancy in the social support received after a pregnancy is lost. Method: 42 people who had experienced at least one miscarriage took part in an Asynchronous Remote Community (ARC) study. The study involved 16 activities (discussions, creative tasks, and surveys) in two closed, secret Facebook groups over eight weeks. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse quantitative data, and content analysis was used for qualitative data. Results: There were two main miscarriage care networks, formal (health care providers) and informal (friends, family, work colleagues). The formal care network was the most trusted informational support source, while the informal care network was the main source of tangible support. However, often, participants’ care networks were unable to provide sufficient informational, emotional, esteem, and network support. Peers who also had experienced miscarriage played a crucial role in addressing these gaps in social support. Technology use varied greatly, with smartphone use as the only common denominator. While there was a range of online support sources, participants tended to focus on only a few, and there was no single common preferred source. Discussion: We propose a Miscarriage Circle of Care Model (MCCM), with peer advisors playing a central role in improving communication channels and social support provision. We show how the MCCM can be used to identify gaps in service provision and opportunities where technology can be leveraged to fill those gaps.

Today, social commerce is one of the most rapidly growing subsectors of e-commerce, creating new opportunities for brands of all types and sizes. However, despite its popularity and potential, social commerce faces significant challenges, including issues of privacy, trust and ethics. This paper sets out to identify key aspects of privacy which influence ongoing user engagement with social commerce, so that social media, and other social commerce, platforms can more effectively address the issue. In particular, the paper seeks to determine the extent to which these aspects of privacy are a function of gender and, therefore, to increase our understanding of the role of gender in determining a user’s likelihood of sustainable engagement with s-commerce. To explore these issues, the study deploys a mixed methodology (semi-structured interviews and questionnaires) to examine the views of a broad demographic of s-commerce users in Saudi Arabia. The results allowed us to identify three distinct aspects of online privacy that significantly influence the likelihood of engaging in s-commerce and also demonstrated that the relative importance of these aspects is a function of gender. The study enhances current understanding of the role of gender in intention to use s-commerce and provides a framework for further research. The findings of the study will be of interest to all parties involved in the design and provision of s-commerce services, including social media platforms.

The concept of Society 5.0, first introduced by Japan in 2016, has become a widely accepted model for the development of social infrastructures across the world. It is a model which is expected to take root globally over the next few years. It is also a model which has smart cities, which are connected and inclusive, at its core. The role of open data is critical to smart cities, and the ability to design and implement strategies for its use is a crucial element in their growth and success. This requires a leadership and organisational culture that embraces the concept of open government data (OGD) and understands its key role in the development of smart cities. In this paper, we examine how the leadership and organisational culture in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Countries has impacted the progress of OGD initiatives and, therefore, the transition to smart cities. This is approached via a re-analysis of data from an earlier study in which semi-structured interviews were used to understand the views and attitudes of a range of senior government department personnel in OGD-related roles, where here a new thematic analysis seeks to identify clearer pointers to attitudes and practices directly relating to smart cities and Society 5.0. The focus on internal factors, such as leadership attitudes and organisational culture, as opposed to external factors, such as technology and resources, differentiates this research from previous studies and adds to our current knowledge. The findings lead to a discussion that identifies a likely gap in the leadership provided by more senior figures. A pilot study of a group of these leaders suggests a generalised problem with communication of policy, objectives and strategies, which is crucial to overcoming cultural impediments to smart city development. While further research is required, a need clearly emerges for significant changes in attitude and application at senior managerial and leadership levels if strategic goals are to be achieved. The paper also makes a number of specific recommendations for activities that could improve progress and indicate areas where more research would be beneficial.

A number of recent studies have shown that wastage and inefficiency are a significant problem in all global healthcare systems. One initiative that could radically improve the operational efficiency of health systems is to make a paradigm shift in data ownership—that is, to transition such systems to a patient-centric model of data management by deploying blockchain technology. Such a development would not only make an economic impact, by radically cutting wastage, but would deliver significant social benefits by improving patient outcomes and satisfaction. However, a blockchain-based solution presents considerable challenges. This research seeks to understand the principal factors, which act as barriers to the acceptance of a blockchain-based patient-centric data management infrastructure, in the healthcare systems of the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries. The study represents an addition to the current literature by examining the perspectives and views of healthcare professionals and users. This approach is rare within this subject area, and is identified in existing systematic reviews as a research gap: a qualitative investigation of motivations and attitudes among these groups is a critical need. The results of the study identified 12 key barriers to the acceptance of blockchain infrastructures, thereby adding to our understanding of the challenges that need to be overcome in order to benefit from this relatively recent technology. The research is expected to be of use to healthcare authorities in planning a way forward for system improvement, particularly in terms of successfully introducing patient-centric systems.