E-governance using mobile applications: A case study of India during the COVID-19 pandemic, Australasian Journal of Information Systems (2021), Vol. 25 (co-authored with Sandeep Goyal and Sumedha Chauhan)
Abstract
Healthcare initiatives backed by electronic-governance (e-governance) principles have contributed well to the extant literature and practice. Governments and healthcare systems across the world were taken aback by the swamping impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, they reacted quickly by developing contact-tracing mobile applications (apps) for creating awareness, providing information about various healthcare initiatives, and helping citizens to use the required information in case of emergency. The major challenge was to develop such e-governance interventions in a short time and ensure their quick adoption among the masses. Hence, it is worthwhile to investigate the factors leading to the adoption of such e-governance initiatives, especially in the context of a widespread pandemic situation. The present study is an attempt to analyze the factors driving the intention to use contact tracing mobile apps launched by governments globally during the COVID-19 pandemic. We have conducted the study in the context of India, where the government launched a community-driven contact tracing mobile app for its citizens during the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020. The study adopted an empirical approach to test how epistemic value, convenience value, conditional value, functional value, and privacy concerns influenced the intention to use this approach. The study found that intention to use such an app was positively influenced by functional value, which in turn was positively influenced by convenience and conditional values. It suggests that the convenience of using the app, perceived seriousness of the pandemic (i.e., conditional value), and utilitarian benefits (i.e., functional value) of the contact-tracing mobile app enhanced its acceptance. However, its novelty (i.e., epistemic value) and privacy concerns are not significant predictors of intention to use. The study recommends that the government should place more emphasis on improving the functional value which is driven by convenience and context-specific features to push the use of an e-governance initiative during the crisis.
Nuances of Media Planning in New Media Age, Chapter 9, Book Chapter in Application of Gaming in New Media Marketing, 2019.
A Netnographic Analysis of Facebook Content Strategy of World’s Top 10 Management Institutes, International Journal of E-business Research (2015), Vol. 11, Issue.3, 1-17. (co-authored with Kalpana Chauhan)
Abstract
This research paper analyzes the content strategy of World’s top 10 management institutes that they followed on Facebook to understand the importance of content strategy in building brand communities. It uses the Netnographic approach to analyse the content strategy and establishes that the content context i.e. its relevance to the community matters the most in building strong community. This research would fill the gap that existed in the brand community literature where researchers hardly discussed about relevance of content strategy in brand’s social media strategy.
Role of content strategy in social media brand communities: a case of higher education institutes in India, Journal of Product & Brand Management (2013), Vol. 22, No. 1, 40-51. (co-authored with Kalpana Chauhan)
Abstract
The aim of this study was to understand the role of content strategy followed by leading higher education institutes in India that have created brand community on social media websites to initiate and enhance customer engagement. The impact of content strategy variables – content type, posting agility, posting day and content context on number of likes and number of comments, which were manifest variables for customer engagement was assessed here.
Modeling the emerging market online social network adoption behavior: Evidence from India, Management of Change (2012), Vol. 16, No. 1 & 2, 149 – 167. (co-authored with Prof. Jaydeep Mukherjee)
Abstract
In this paper a comprehensive model of Online Social Network (OSN) Adoption Behavior which includes technical, individual, collective and social aspects of decision making has been developed. The results have validated that the OSN adoption drives the perception of perceived enjoyment, social influence and usefulness, and flow experience which lead to the formation of the intention to use OSN.
User acceptance of social networking websites in India: Orkut vs. Facebook, International Journal of Indian Culture and Business Management (2012), Vol. 5, No. 4, 405-414.
Abstract
Social media penetration is revolutionising the business context, next to the internet revolution. Social networking website (SNW), which is a part of social media domain, is gaining prominence among not only individual users but also among marketers present in the emerging economies. Orkut was the first SNW that became popular in India, followed by the recent entry of Facebook in India. This research paper analyses and compares the impact of ease of use, trust and playfulness on the individual user’s intention to use these fiercely competing SNWs in India. It was found that perceived playfulness was the key predictor in either cases, and perceived trust was not a significant predictor in case of Facebook while it was significant in case of Orkut.
Corporate branding literature: A research paradigm review, Journal of Brand Management (2012), 19, 331-343, doi:10.1057/bm.2011.43
Abstract
This research article attempts to highlight the state of research paradigm applied to corporate branding (CB) literature. CB has been gaining increased importance in the marketing literature, as organizations consider it a vital strategy for various benefits such as talent pool generation, building brand image in customers’ minds, combating competition, increasing stakeholder value and so on. The research paradigm review of CB literature was conducted with reference to the Meredith et al (1989) framework. It has been noticed that the interpretive paradigm has been predominant, whereas logical positivist/empiricist paradigm has received less attention from the academicians and researchers. The paradigmatic gaps have been identified, and future recommendations have been suggested to guide future studies.
User acceptance of hedonic versus utilitarian social networking websites, Journal of Indian Business Research (2011), Vol. 3, Issue 3, pp. 180-191 (co-authored with Prof. Jaydeep Mukherjee)
Abstract
The technology acceptance model (TAM) was developed by Davies et al. to understand the utilitarian benefits of web sites. In recent times, scholars have extended TAM as theoretical underpinning to understand user acceptance of social networking web sites (SNWs) that were hedonic in nature, which seemed inappropriate. The purpose of this paper is to examine the differences in the user acceptance phenomenon of hedonic versus utilitarian SNWs, and highlight that it is essential to provide justice to varying value propositions offered by SNWs.
Differential Impact of Advertising and Distribution Expenditure on Tobin’s Q: A Perspective from Listed Firms in India, Journal of Indian Business Research (2009), Vol. 1, No. 2/3, pp. 77 – 94. (co-authored with Prof. Arvind Sahay)
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to understand the impact of components of marketing expenditures, i.e. advertising and distribution expenditures on intangible value of firm (measured in terms of Tobin’s Q). The relationship is studied in the context of branding approaches (corporate and house of brands) that various firms follow. Advertising expenditure has a positive impact on the intangible value of the firm and this relationship is stronger for firms following corporate branding than for firms that follow house of brands strategy. Distribution expenditure has negative impact on the intangible value of the firm and this relationship is stronger for firms following corporate branding than for firms that follow house of brands strategy.