The new generation of the web is characterized by decentralization, transparency, greater user autonomy, and privacy on one hand, while providing marketing professionals with increased opportunities and space for creativity, with a focus on user experience, and the establishment of relationships and communities before, during, and after product sales. This paper explores the opportunities offered by the new web generation in the field of marketing, identifies new tools that have been developed based on Web3 technologies, and analyzes their use for marketing purposes. The goal of the research presented in this paper is to enhance the theoretical framework of marketing strategies and techniques by analyzing the existing practical applications of Web3 technologies in this field and examining the awareness of potential users regarding key concepts, as well as assessing their prior exposure and the effects of Web3 marketing. Based on the literature review, an analysis of successful case studies, and the conducted research, conclusions were made on the current market penetration of Web3 and guidelines have been defined for planning marketing activities carried out within the Web3 environment.
This paper presents a conceptual model for analyzing the adoption of Web3 technologies within competitive gaming ecosystems. Web3, encompassing decentralization, blockchain, NFTs, and smart contracts, offers transformative opportunities for both game developers and players by enabling true digital ownership, new economic incentives, and decentralized governance structures. However, the adoption of Web3 in gaming raises various challenges, including technological readiness, user trust, economic incentives, and the potential for social and ethical concerns. The proposed model integrates these factors and examines their interconnected relationships, providing a framework that can guide the successful integration of Web3 technologies into gaming platforms. The model's application holds significant implications for developers, offering insights into how to align technological advancements with player expectations while creating sustainable, player-driven economies. Additionally, the paper addresses the broader implications of Web3 adoption, exploring the ethical and regulatory considerations that stakeholders must navigate. While the model offers valuable theoretical insights, further empirical research is needed to validate its applicability and refine its components in response to evolving trends in both Web3 technology and the gaming industry.
Blockchain, or Web3 technology has the potential to disrupt the everyday use of the Internet. The polarised discussion around blockchain technology is notoriously difficult to navigate between the opposing narratives of blockchain evangelists and skeptics. This article focuses on blockchain domain names, a rapidly growing trend using blockchain technology that is currently non-interoperable with the Domain Name System (DNS) and therefore, out of scope of traditional Internet governance. Alternative DNS roots are not new and have previously not become popular due to the lack of supporting browsers. On one view, blockchain domain names are nothing more than another alternative root, insignificant and undeserving of attention. Other narratives regard them as offering an exciting prospect of a decentralised and novel way for managing online naming and addressing. This study explores the burgeoning growth, assesses the challenges of blockchain domain names and provides five recommendations to address them. Although many in traditional Internet communities may be hostile or ignore the blockchain alternative for naming and addressing, we argue that a pragmatic response should be adopted. Even if it is not clear that blockchain domain names solve any problems not currently solved by the DNS, the increase in registrations continues to rise and diverse Internet communities must keep ahead of the trends to understand them and integrate policy implications. Furthermore, the technologies will continue to advance and due to the decentralised nature of the blockchain, developments or changes can be more rapidly implemented than within the DNS.
Blockchain technology is being applied worldwide. Although a large body of blockchain research has been conducted in various fields, little is known about press perspectives on adopting blockchain in journalism. This study explores the determinants of applying blockchain in journalism activities in Vietnam. Based on Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and previous research, we surveyed 287 people working at press agencies in Vietnam. The results from testing nine research hypotheses show that five factors, namely Technology Affinity, Effort Expectancy, Facilitating Condition, Technology Readiness, and Regulatory Support, positively impact the intention of applying Blockchain in journalism activities in Vietnam. Two factors, namely Performance Expectancy and Trust, were not positively strongly correlated to the use of blockchain. Besides, Regulatory Support is found to have a moderating effect on the relationship between Facilitating Condition and Behavioral Intention.
Luke Kowalski, William H. Green, Simon Lilley, Nikiforos S. Panourgias
Cryptocurrencies were supposed to replace traditional payment methods when they were invented over 13 years ago, but adoption by the general consumer is still lacking, at least in the United States. Instead, crypto is often used as a speculative investment, by illicit actors, or for use cases unrelated to everyday purchases. A literature review on general adoption barriers and interviews with experts has only unearthed factors like usability, performance, and political drivers, among other barriers. Brand as an adoption barrier is mostly missing from literature, at least for cryptocurrencies. This led to the formation of a hypothesis related to crypto’s lack of adoption as a payment method. A framework is being designed based on the technology adoption model to find out if “brand” has an impact on cryptocurrency adoption, which was paradoxically designed to be brandless and not needing any institutional trust. The intent is to focus on what “Bitcoin 2.0” might look like, and to also delve further and gauge perceptions about various types of brands getting involved in the next generation of cryptocurrencies, including traditional banks, governments, technology companies, and also some of the decentralized and hybrid consortia currently vying to get consumers to use stablecoins, nation-issued cryptocurrencies, and other forms of digital instruments. While other studies had focused on trust, early adopter usability, or performance of blockchain networks, this work intends to focus on the general consumer’s perceptions about digital money, and the types of brands and evolution of this instrument liable to increase uptake.
Trust is the concept that lies amidst the rhetoric on empowering users with blockchain. Bitcoin's eminence hyped as “trust-free,” poignantly made trust an indispensable central element associated with the complexities and uncertainties of online transactions abound in the use and development of blockchain - leaving many users unacquainted with the use of it. Studies focusing on assessing the trustworthiness of the trustee using various characteristics are scant in this context. Mapping the characteristics which constitute the basis of the formation of trust from the viewpoint of the trustor, this study explores the characteristics of blockchain. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 individuals (aged 20–40 years, from the technical and/or business prospect), using blockchain. Three overlapping procedures; data reduction; data display; and conclusion drawing and verification, were used to identify categories and themes. The findings show that the characteristics of blockchain which influence trust were Reliability, Integrity, Tamper-proofing & Immutability, Versatility, Transparency and Privacy. The blockchain is a functionally versatile, tamper-proof, immutable, asset database on a decentralised network. Its reliable technical features that ensure data integrity, and provide a transparent privacy protected environment, have meant that users are willing to trust it, to generate value.
The rapid growth in the number of cryptocurrency investors is a phenomenon that occurs during a pandemic.Investing in the capital market and cryptocurrency sectors has become a new lifestyle among young people in Indonesia.The majority are beginner investors or just joining the investment for the first time.They are chasing high profits from this newborn trading trend.A vast increase in the number of investors emerged in Indonesia.The high gain achieved from trading cryptocurrencies appeals to novice investors.Many young people are starting to invest in cryptocurrencies.The phenomenon is using funds for investment, even from borrowed money or debt.This study tries to develop a model regarding what factors influence behavioral intention to invest in cryptocurrencies.Factors that affect awareness, belief and attitude toward cryptocurrencies are assumed to influence.The study then examines whether attitudes toward cryptocurrencies mediate behavioral intentions to invest.The population in this study is students who know about cryptocurrencies.The sample in this study was 100 students in Yogyakarta.The method used is Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analysis based on variance, i.e., Partial Least Square (PLS).The attitude variable partially mediates the behavioral intention to invest in cryptocurrencies based on the study results.
The unique features of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFT) are becoming increasingly appealing as we spend more of our time online. This increased popularity is nevertheless not free of controversies, and there is a lack of clarity over the final form this digital asset will take. While there are some early adopters, the whole NFT ecosystem will have to be clarified for wider adoption, particularly the purchasing process. This research evaluates a model of the purchasing process of NFTs and the role of trust in this process. The validated model identified that the purchasing process of NFTs has four stages and each stage is affected by trust: (1) Trust in the cryptocurrency wallet, (2) trust in the cryptocurrency purchase, (3) trust in the NFT marketplace, and (4) trust in aftersales services.
eCommerce merchants anticipate adoption of cryptocurrencies in a vast scale in the coming years. While the concepts of Web3 are being adopted, business leaders and decision makers need to understand key the elements of Web3 and technological constructs behind the evolution of Web3. This study focuses on defining these constructs of Web3 and explain technological differences as compared to Web 2.0. Using extensive academic, industry, and online information, the study defines major characteristics of Web3, show cases early adopters, use cases, and opportunities in the area. Web3 is still evolving and there are many challenges which needs to be addressed. eCommerce businesses who are going to sustainably change the business models or disrupt with a new Web3 business is likely to succeed in the coming years. The findings of this study are also validated with an expert interview.
Linking Consumer Innovativeness to the Cryptocurrency Intention: Moderating Effect of the LOHAS (Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability) Lifestyle by Sooyeon Choi1,* , Richard A. Feinberg 2 1 Assistant Professor, Marketing, Loras College, IA, 52001, U.S.2 Emeritus Professor, Consumer Sciences and Retailing, Purdue University, IN, 47907, U.S. * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. Journal of
Certificates in either hard or soft copies are common documents in our day-to-day activities. However, they are vulnerable to be tampered and inefficiencies exist in the current verification systems. Blockchain technology is considered a feasible solution to protect certificates from being forged and simplify the current verification systems. As an attempt to understand the potential of blockchain for digital certificates in a holistic view, this research aims to conduct a deep analysis of the benefits of blockchain for digital certificates using a multiple case study approach. A benefits analysis model is developed for mapping the benefits of an information system comprehensively and systematically covering benefits in technical, individual, organisational and societal dimensions. Although contextual variations exist, some common benefits are identified such as reduced costs of verification, improved decision making and planning, attracting new customers and supporting business growth. Lastly, future research opportunities in this research field are identified.
The Internet of Things (IoT) has become essential for business. The adoption rate of IoT has dropped recently and this could be due to security, privacy, and trust issues. Blockchain (BC) has the potential to mitigate the risk of security, privacy, and trust. However, few studies examined the integration between IoT and BC in the context of developing countries. The purpose of this study is to examine the predictors of IoT adoption by telecommunication companies in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). In addition, the study aims to examine the moderating role of BC as well as the effect of using IoT and BC on the competitive advantage of companies. Based on technology acceptance model, social exchange theory, and resource-based view, the study proposed that security, privacy, trust, communication quality, perceived ease of use (PEOU), and perceived usefulness (PU) affect positively the adoption of IoT. BC is proposed as a moderating variable and expected with IoT to affect the competitive advantage of companies. The population includes all the telecommunication companies in GCC. Data was collected using purposive sampling from IT professionals. The results of data analysis using SmartPLS showed that security, privacy, trust, PU, and PEOU positively affected the adoption of IoT. BC and IoT adoption have a positive effect on competitive advantage. Further, BC moderated only the effect of security and privacy on the adoption of IoT. Services providers must enhance the security, privacy, and trust of IoT services by deploying BC technology. Effective integration of IoT and BC will lead to the achievement of competitive advantages.
Blockchain, which is spotlighted as one of the core technologies in the Web 3.0 era, is being used as a tool for high security and decentralization. In addition, blockchain has been positioned as a core technology for services such as cryptocurrency, NFT, De-Fi, and metaverse, and has already provided high-quality services. In particular, cryptocurrency has shown rapid growth and has been receiving worldwide attention. Cryptocurrency is a web technology and has the property that it can be an investment target, and it is expected to develop further in the future. In this research, we analyzed factors influencing the intention to use cryptocurrency and structural causalities among the factors. We considered personal characteristics, characteristics of cryptocurrency itself, and social characteristic, and a research model has been established for an empirical study. In addition, a multi-group analysis was performed to identify differences between users and non-users. As a result of the analysis, it was found that some of the personal characteristics and cryptocurrency characteristics affect the intention to use. And in the case of non-users, it was found that not only personal and cryptocurrency characteristics, but also social characteristic influence their intention to use. The results of this research are expected to provide implications for cryptocurrency service providers and users, as well as institutions that establish related policies.
The primary objective of this research is to explore the literature on blockchain technology and its investment opportunity in the education sector. Studies on the investment opportunities of blockchain technology in education have remained limited and little is known about the existing state of knowledge and practice of blockchain technology in the education sector of Saudi Arabia, especially for its sustainable development. In this study, the author tried to synthesise literature on blockchain technology to understand the difficulties and prospects of this technology in Saudi Arabia. A total of 15 empirical studies from 2017 to 2020 were reviewed. The descriptive and thematic analysis identified four types of challenges of blockchain technology in the education sector. They include leaking privacy and security, processing cost, setting the boundaries, and weakening school credentials. The review also revealed several opportunities for adopting blockchain technology such as certifying identity authentication, improving learning assessment, maintaining student records, enhancing trust, and reducing costs. Implications and recommendations related to education for sustainable development are provided accordingly.
Iikka Paajala, Jesse Nyyssölä, Juho Mattila, Pasi Karppinen
The blockchain is an emerging technology that has the potential to revolutionize the gaming industry among a wide range of different business fields. So far, only a few studies have been conducted about blockchain gaming. This study introduces a mobile game utilizing blockchain asset tokens and smart contracts. It was developed for research purposes and used to demonstrate blockchain-based games using semi-structured interviews. This study follows the exploratory research paradigm, which aims to map research of little-known areas. This study focuses on how participants perceived blockchain attributes such as trust, transparency, and user-generated content and how this affected engagement and their willingness to play the game again. Based on our evaluation, generating blockchain assets positively impacted player retention. According to the results, providing genuine asset ownership through the blockchain contributes to environmental engagement and self-engagement, as well as player retention. Another positive blockchain feature discovered from the interview data is user-generated content implementation into games.
Blockchain has great potential for facilitating the development of the construction industry but has not been widely used to this end. The objective of this study was to identify the factors affecting the adoption of blockchain in the construction industry from the technical, organizational, and environmental dimensions with the help of theories related to technology adoption. Empirical results showed that relative advantage, compatibility, competitive pressure, technological maturity, organizational readiness, and policy have an impact on intention to adopt blockchain in the construction industry through perceived usefulness or perceived ease of use. Competitive pressure has the greatest impact on the internal variables of the technology acceptance model (TAM) (0.696). Perceived cost of adoption does not have a significant effect on blockchain adoption behavior. However, in contrast to previous research, organizational readiness has a negative effect (−0.03) on perceived usefulness. The research results provide inspiration for further research on the impact mechanisms of blockchain adoption in the construction industry, as well as guidance for governments to formulate blockchain adoption policies and guidance for the widespread application of blockchain in construction.
Technology innovation has dramatically transformed banks over time. Digital innovation in the banking sector began with the introduction of money to replace barter systems, and then gradually replaced wax seals with digital signatures. One such disruptive innovation that is transforming the banking sector around the world is blockchain technology (BCT). The banking sector in India has also started adopting blockchain technology in various financial transactions. However, they are encountering some difficulties in adapting to and implementing this new technology. The successful and speedy adoption of blockchain in banking largely depends on the users’ intention to use the services. Therefore, this study extended “the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology” (UTAUT) to understand the significant predictors of the bankers’ intention to use blockchain technology. The data was collected from leading banking institutions and FinTech firms in the country to empirically test and validate the extended model. The results found that facilitating conditions, performance expectancy, and initial trust, are the significant antecedents to predicting the bankers’ intention to use blockchain in banking transactions. The study also established the significant mediating role of initial trust in predicting usage intention to use blockchain. This study’s results would help government authorities, decision-makers, and technocrats to improve banking instructions for the speedy and smooth adoption of blockchain technology. The study suggested an extended UTAUT model that incorporates contextual factors based on the scope and usage of blockchain in Indian banking activities. The study helped to identify the key factors influencing blockchain adoption among Indian bankers. The proposed model and the findings make more sense in promoting the adoption of blockchain in the Indian banking sector.
This study examines how blockchain-based smart contracts for government financial and nonfinancial events can enable the real-time, continuous auditing of integrated data and provide government auditors with a higher level of transparency. The proposed model uses a combination of blockchain technology and a continuous auditing methodology that may improve the auditing effectiveness and efficiency of governmental agencies. This study’s approach comprises three steps. First, we describe the current governmental auditing practices and the core concepts and features of the blockchain. Second, we discuss the payment process used by government agencies. Third, we examine the implementation of a blockchain-based smart-contracts framework for government auditing using the government procurement process.
Cryptocurrency has gained in popularity in emerging markets, however the knowledge accumulation pertaining to factors contributing to intention to use cryptocurrency has been limited. To address this gap, we meta-analyzed 42 samples from multiple theoretical approaches. Seven common antecedents to intention to use cryptocurrency were assessed, as well as six moderators via meta-regression. A regression model to explain the intention to use cryptocurrency was calculated, and relative importance analysis determined the weight of each variable in predicting cryptocurrency use intention. The findings highlight factors influencing intention to use cryptocurrency in emerging markets and refine theoretical models for future research.
Sep 11, 2022·15th International Baltic Conference on Digital Business and Intelligent Systems (DB&IS), July 03-06, 2022, University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia
Web 3.0 is considered as future of Internet where decentralization, user personalization and privacy protection would be the main aspects of Internet. Aim of this research work is to elucidate the adoption behavior of Web 3.0through a multi-analytical approach based on Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) and Twitter sentiment analysis. A theoretical framework centered on Performance Expectancy (PE), Electronic Word-of-Mouth (eWOM) and Digital Dexterity (DD), was hypothesized towards Behavioral Intention (INT) of the Web 3.0 adoption. Surveyed data were collected through online questionnaires and 167 responses were analyzed through PLS-SEM. While 3,989 tweets of Web3 were analyzed by VADER sentiment analysis tool in RapidMiner. PLS-SEM results showed that DD and eWOM had significant impact while PE had no effect on INT. Moreover, these results were also validated by PLS-Predict method. While sentiment analysis explored that 56% tweets on Web 3.0 were positive in sense and 7% depicted negative sentiment while remaining were neutral. Such inferences are novel in nature and an innovative addition to web informatics and could support the stakeholders towards web technology integration
Blockchain games introduce unique gameplay and incentive mechanisms by allowing players to be rewarded with in-game assets or tokens through financial activities. However, most blockchain games are not comparable to traditional games in terms of lifespan and player engagement. In this paper, we try to see the big picture in a small way to explore and determine the impact of gameplay and financial factors on player behavior in blockchain games. Taking Aavegotchi as an example, we collect one year of operation data to build player profiles. We perform an in-depth analysis of player behavior from the macroscopic data and apply an unsupervised clustering method to distinguish the attraction of the gameplay and incentives. Our results reveal that the whole game is held up by a small number of players with high-frequent interaction or vast amounts of funds invested. Financial incentives are indispensable for blockchain games for they provide attraction and optional ways for players to engage with the game. However, financial services are tightly linked to the free market. The game will face an irreversible loss of players when the market experiences depression. For blockchain games, well-designed gameplay should be the fundamental basis for the long-lasting retention of players.
While blockchain is considered to have many unprecedented characteristics, and its application is recognized as another new opportunity for the development of e-commerce, there is limited evidence on the factors affecting the adoption of blockchain in the commercial e-commerce sector. This study aims to identify determinants influencing consumers' intention to adopt blockchain technology in e-commerce. /methodology/approachDrawing on the classic technology acceptance model (TAM), a conceptual framework is developed and empirically assessed to present the relationships between the core characteristics of blockchain and consumers' adoption intention. Survey data were collected from 228 users of the blockchain e-commerce system in China. The structural equation modeling (SEM) approach is used to test the hypotheses. The results indicate that cost saving and traceability have a positive effect on perceived usefulness while insignificant associations are found between data privacy security and perceived usefulness, and perceived ease of use and consumers' adoption intention. The research only examined Chinese users, which may affect the generalizability of the findings. Future research is encouraged to conduct comparative studies beyond this region, e.g., emerging markets versus developed economies. It would also be useful to explore mediating and moderating effects of other new technologies that complement the application and adoption of blockchain. The research results also bring managerial implications with the ways of attracting customers via blockchain technology, including improving system ability to reduce cost and enhance traceability. This paper is one of the early empirical endeavors that examines determinant factors affecting individual users towards the adoption of blockchain technology in e-commerce that is absent in the extant research. This study further contributes to the development of the knowledge bank of blockchain via the conceptual framework of its adoption under the e-commerce context, in particular considering its technical features.