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Abstract
Women form a very important part of Emirati society. The days when women were expected to sit and wait to be provided with basic needs by their husbands are long gone. Currently, women have asserted their authority in various sectors of the economy. They are part of the driving force in most of the companies around the country and in society in general. They form the largest percentage of shoppers in this country and they hold very influential position in various firms in the United Arabs Emirates. The world is first embracing technology and one of the best technological inventions in the business world is e-business. E-business is very important both to the customers and to the business units. As women are gainfully employed in various firms unlike before, many families find that they lack time to spend going to the shopping centers. The invention of e-markets, therefore, comes in handy in enabling them to get access to what they need with just a click of the button. To the business unit, e-commerce has broken the geographical barrier. It is now easy to trade in various locations without the need to have a physical facility in that area.
Despite the obvious advantages e-commerce promises to bring to firms willing to embrace it, some challenges are associated with this firm. Emirati women are associated with some of these challenges. Their role in the perception of barriers to e-commerce in this country is critically analyzed in this research. This research specifically focuses on the actions of women that may be seen as a hindrance to e-commerce. The research takes the quantitative approach to address this issue.
Introduction
Technology has completely transformed the face of the earth. The emerging technologies have brought new approaches to doing business. Communication has greatly been improved, following the invention of new communication tools. E-commerce came into existence, thanks to the improved technologies in the world. Many businesses have embraced e-commerce as a way of reaching out to their customers. The brick-and-mortar markets are still popular. However, the current trend indicates that this will change very soon. Electronic commerce is gaining popularity at a very rapid rate (Nelson, 2006). The current working class has very little time to spend shopping around. For this reason, they prefer shopping online in the comfort of their offices or at home. This saves their time and provides them with enough time to visit various stores online and compare their prices. As such, many businesses have therefore gone online. E-commerce is growing at an unprecedented rate and as things stand currently, no business can afford to operate without it.
The United Arabs Emirates is one of the leading business hubs in the world. Dubai is one of the leading business cities and is very popular in the emerging economies. It has actually displaced the United States as the leading exporter of various manufactured goods to Africa and other emerging economies. Firms in this country have been keen to ensure that they embrace e-commerce in order to be in a position to manage market competition (Rodgers & Maryanne 2003). However, research shows that when implementing this technology, there is always a difference in the way men and women act. Women tend to be conservatives when it comes to the implementation of emerging technologies. They are slow to adapt the emerging technologies.
E-commerce has experienced some barriers in this country, some of which have been associated with women. It is therefore very important to analyze the role of Emirati women in perception of barriers to e-commerce in the United Arabs Emirates. The fact that women are slow to adopt new technologies plays a big role in creating challenges for smooth implementation of e-commerce in various businesses in the country. This is specifically so because there has been a consistent increase in the percentage of women in the corporate sector of the country. With their increased number, it becomes a big challenge if they cannot adopt technology at a rate that is required (Akhter, 2008). The cost associated with e-commerce is another factor that has made some firms not move with speed to embrace e-learning. However, this study will focus on the role of women in the perception of barriers to e-commerce in this country. The paper seeks to investigate the role of gender in the perception of barriers to e-commerce in the United Arabs Emirates.
Literature Review and Research Question
Introduction
In every research, the researcher needs to formulate questions that would help in guiding the steps towards data collection and analysis. In this research, literature review was very important in guiding the process of data collection. The research question was developed at this stage because it was important to guide the kind of literature that the researcher would be exploring. It would help the researchers determine which secondary sources were relevant and which were not. This is very important as it helps in eliminating irrelevant works of literature. The following question was formulated to help guide the research.
What is the general perception of women towards adoption of e-commerce in various firms within which they work?
The association between e-commerce barriers and gender has not been explored in-depth, even though it has implications for the adoption of this technology (Kolsaker & Payne, 2002). As evident from many developed nations, the role of women in issues that affect the economy cannot be ignored. The difference between the way men and women perceive issues needs to be addressed effectively to allow consistency.
A study carried out by MacGregor & Vrazalic (2008) reveals that men and women face different challenges as business managers and entrepreneurs. Addition findings from the study reveal a greater differentiation of barriers within male owned/managed SMEs, which suggests the need for more customized e-commerce adoption program in these organizations (MacGregor & Vrazalic, 2008). Differing levels of appreciation for e-commerce between men and women could slow down the level of growth in its application. It is important that women develop the same level of appreciation for e-commerce as men to allow its development.
Issues that concern men in business management further differ from those which women would be concerned about (Whitehead & Roy, 1999). While women are more concerned about details, men tend to pay attention to cumulative progress. Their management styles further differ as explained by Hersey, Kenneth, & Dewey (2008) who point out female managers of small business are more comfortable with giving instructions to staff through informal conversation than are their male counterparts . Communication and problem-solving strategies further differ. While men will stress the role of power, female managers stressed the importance of interpersonal communications.
Gender differences in the perception of e-commerce
Gender plays a significant role when it comes to adoption of new technologies and business practices. The differences arise from the way men and women perceive the importance of a certain technology, its benefits and challenges. A study conducted in Australia by (MacGregor & Vrazalic, 2008) reveals that there is no major difference between the way women and men view e-commerce, but reveals a difference in the way men and women react to technological problems facing their businesses. In a study conducted on small business owners, the results reveal that men are less concerned about new technologies for their businesses and felt they do not need them. Women on the other hand are more receptive as far as new technologies are concerned. They are keen on understanding how the technologies could benefit their businesses and how easily the technologies can be integrated into their businesses.
In the UEA, differences in gender arise from many other factors. The level of literacy among women is lower compared to that of men. This makes it more difficult for a larger number of women to appreciate and use new technologies in the market such as e-commerce. It may not be easy to shop online if one does not understand the technical language associated with some parameters of an online transaction.
Managerial differences between men and women
As Carter (2000) explains, studies conducted in the past on the role of gender in business management have revealed that women and men have very different management approaches. Studies in Europe, Scandinavia, and the US show that females saw the small business sector as a means of circumventing the glass ceiling . The studies further reveal that growth of females in the sector in Australia is over four times that of males (Rodgers & Maryanne, 2003). Even in this situation, the reality is still to catch up with an environment where men and women should enjoy equal chances in business management. The successful managerial stereotype remains masculine-self confident, dominating, competitive, decisive, aggressive, and independent.
Cultural conditioning and gender stereotyping further create big differences in the way women approach technical issues and solutions at work, as well as how they develop teams to manage challenges at work. Women are more likely to use their positions to create an environment where people are supported and nurtured. Men on the other hand use senior positions to create hierarchal environment where nothing short of obedience is expected. The environment supports issuing and receiving orders, as well as authority. Women grow up knowing how to be responsible and handle easy things that have well-defined futures. As a result, technical issues, which can be hard to predict, become hard to manage.
Further differences arise from the way men, women perceive issues, and at what level of priority they place them. According to Carlin (2009), Females perceive technical issues to be a more important barrier than organizational issues. Men on the other hand are more concerned with the development of a plan on how a new aspect will help develop the plan. MacGregor & Vrazalic (2007) explains, By contrast, male SME owners/managers are more concerned with the sustainability and of e-commerce in the organization, implying the need for a different focus in e-commerce initiatives , echo this.
Men and women adopt different strategies in the way they handle business-related issues. Furthermore, they have different preferences and strategies as consumers. These differences are widespread and revolve around adaptability, attitude regarding new business paradigms, and the perception of risks (Akhter, 2008).In the Middle East, there are few economic and political opportunities for women as compared to what is available for men. This has been the trend for long as men and women continue to assume different roles in the society. This trend is explained in the gender role theory which explains that boys and girls assumed roles that were assigned to them as they grew up, roles that they have to keep up with even as men and women. In the Middle East, women are considered homemakers while men are considered as the providers. This means that men are constantly involved in different economic activities to earn a living for themselves as well as for their families.
Because of their strong physical features, men are considered the stronger sex. The more economic responsibility is placed on them leaving them in a position where they are constantly interacting with social and economic activities. Women were and still are considered in some parts of societies as the weaker gender and are assigned less aggressive duties such as taking care of children. In the UAE, the situation is slowly changing and women have access to more economic activities. Women today have access to education, formal employment; they have rights to entitlement and have legal representation when need be. As a result, they are more involved in economic activities and can easily relate to different economic paradigms.
E-commerce and gender in the UAE
E-commerce is increasingly becoming a popular aspect of many businesses. This is so in both developing and developed worlds as businesses try to reach global markets. In the last decade, there has been increased rate at which businesses adopt e-commerce as a strategy in improving their level of performance in the contemporary competitive market. However, several barriers have delayed the adoption of e-commerce. One of the main barriers to e-commerce is gender.
However, it remains that the role of gender in the perception of issues affecting e-commerce has not been investigated comprehensively. This is despite the fact that gender influence is a formidable force in many aspects of life and even technology. This paper seeks to understand the differences between mens and womens perceptions of challenges facing e-commerce and significant barriers in UAE. The country is considered the pioneer of gender empowerment in the Middle East and therefore, a study carried out in the region can be used to come up with significant recommendations even for the other countries in the region. In the past, researchers have put more interest in the differences between men and women in social issues, making it difficult to access literature on gender differences where technical matters are concerned.
There is a significant difference in the perception of barriers to e-commerce between men and women. In order to eliminate the barriers to e-commerce, there is a need to have a clear understanding of various perceptions of these barriers in order to come up with necessary solutions. Gender has a major role in the perception of these barriers, which are encountered in the adoption of e-commerce in the UAE. This part of the paper will analyze the role of gender in the perception of barriers to e-commerce in the UAE. The research methodology will be designed in a way that allows men and women to share their views on different aspects of e-commerce. The differences in their views will then be used to formulate arguments, conclusions, and recommendations for the paper.
Since the introduction of the internet, e-commerce has become very common in conducting various business activities all over the world. E-commerce has brought significant changes in the community in various aspects. It has also brought changes in the social environment. Adoption of e-commerce has helped in elimination of various barriers in international trade. Organizations can now use various information and communication technologies in different business activities. However, e-commerce has not yet achieved its potential in the international market. In Arab countries, e-commerce is still far away from reaching its potential level. This is despite the significance of its impact on the global market.
A number of barriers have faced the adoption of e-commerce by many businesses in UAE. One of the main barriers is the cost. The adoption of the current technology usually requires a significant amount of capital in its implementation. Many organizations are however not ready to incur such expenses. Another barrier in adoption of e-commerce is complexity involved in its implementation. This kind of technology requires an organization to adopt several changes in its operations. For instance, it may face resistance in an attempt to implement these changes. When resistance takes place in an organization, it usually has a significant implication in various business operations. Some organizations may also not be in a position to access the necessary resources required for the adoption of this kind of technology. In addition, security concerns are also a major barrier in the adoption of e-commerce among others. As a result, adoption of e-commerce in the UAE has not been successful as expected.
As already noted, there are a number of barriers to E-commerce in the UAE. These barriers have obstructed the adoption of E-commerce. Although there have been several studies carried out on the possible barriers to E-commerce, there has not been adequate effort made to examine the association between e-commerce and gender in the UAE. This is despite the fact that it has a significant implication in adoption of technology in day-to-day operations in UAE.
As seen earlier, there is a significant difference in perception of the barriers to e-commerce from both mens and womens perspectives. According to previous studies, it has been revealed that women perceive technical issues to be more important than the organizational issues (Schniederjans & Cao, 2002). This implies that women take the technical problems with more seriousness than organizational issues. For instance, they perceived the compatibility of the technology to have a major impact on e-commerce and its application in an organization. On the other hand, men emphasize more the suitability as well as the fitness of the e-commerce in an organization. This calls for having a more modified approach in the adoption of e-commerce in an organization.
The issue of gender has many implications in todays business world. A number of questions are raised because of gender-related differences. Several aspects in the workplace are to some extent affected by the gender differences. For instance, the ability to use mathematics as well as fight stress in the workplace is usually different across the gender. In the traditional way of production, the men (Marchall, Michael & Elnora, 2006) dominated the business. Things have however changed. Women are now actively involved in day-to-day business operations in the UAE. In the traditional economy, the main economic activities were manufacturing oriented which was more dominated by men (MacGregor & Vrazalic, 2007b). This has been modified to a more retail and service-based economy that has encouraged more participation of the female gender.
There are several reasons that can be the possible causes of the differences in perception of these barriers from different people of a different gender. For instance, females are seen to be more comfortable when giving instructions through informal instructions than their male counterparts (Schniederjans & Cao 2002) are. Most of the male managers for instance are seen to stress the use of power in management. On the other hand, the female managers are seen to stress the importance of interpersonal communication in day-to-day operations in an organization (Kolsaker & Payne, 2002). Because of these differences, varying perceptions have also emanated from these differences.
It has also been realized that women are more reluctant to accommodate social business networks than their male counterparts (Gebler, 2011) are. As a result, women are not in a better position to attract investment partners or even partners who will be in a position to use such networks to attract technical assistance. This is despite the importance of such partnerships in the contemporary business world. As already noted, women are more concerned with technical difficulties. They take technical difficulties with more weight. On the other hand, male managers do not consider technical difficulties as a major intricacy.
Despite these barriers, several attempts have been made in an effort to mitigate these barriers. For instance, the technical barriers involving compatibility are expected to be minimal after the adoption of extensive markup language (Carter, 2000). By adopting this strategy, the problem associated with interoperability setbacks, which have been a major barrier, will be eliminated. This will promote the adoption of e-commerce in an organization largely.
From the above discussion, it is clear that there are significant gender differences in perception of the barriers of e-commerce. Women are more concerned about the technical barriers to e-commerce. They view the factors that are related to technology to pose a significant barrier in the attempt to adapt to e-commerce. On the other hand, men are more concerned about the suitability of the e-commerce as well as its fitness in an organization. However, both perceptions are significant in promoting e-commerce.
This section of the research will address the following question: does gender play a role in the perception of barriers to e-commerce in the UAE?
Conclusion
Modern economic roles and social status reflect both change continuity for women (Powell, 2010). This is evident from the number of girls and women who have access to education today. As Rodgers & Maryanne (2003) observes schools and universities are segregated, and levels of enrollment of girls and their performance are impressive. Gender plays a significant role when it comes to the adoption of new technologies and business practices. The differences arise from the way men and women perceive the importance of a certain technology, its benefits and challenges. A study conducted in Australia by (MacGregor & Vrazalic, 2008) reveals that there is no major difference between the way women and men view e-commerce, but reveals a difference in the way men and women react to technological problems facing their businesses.
Furthermore, it is evident that women are more reluctant to accommodate social business networks than their male counterparts (Gebler, 2011) are. As a result, women are not in a better position to attract investment partners or even partners who will be in a position to use such networks to attract technical assistance. This is unfortunate considering the importance of such partnerships in the contemporary business world. The fact that women are more concerned with technical difficulties and take technical difficulties with more weight should be used to support them develop and adopting e-commerce as entrepreneurs and as consumers.
Despite all the challenges and issues arising, one of the biggest strengths possessed by women is the capacity to multitask. They are capable of managing various social and financial activities at the same time. Furthermore, women adapt to challenges easily and are able to move on. These strengths should be used for the development of e-commerce in the UAE. Previously, women were considered as homemakers with little involvement in matters that affect the economy of a country. The situation has changed in the UAE and women are increasingly finding themselves on the frontline on economical matters. As evident from developed nations such as the European region, it is evident that involving women equally had significant benefits to the development of business paradigms in a country.
Data Collection
Introduction
This chapter focuses on various aspects of research development. It includes methods of data collection, analysis and presentation procedures. Every research project applies a certain research method to achieve its objectives depending on its goals. The methods used to conduct research in this project are compared closely with the methods proposed in the project proposal (Anderson, 2004). This was so because the project proposal had been proven to be workable. In research, design deals primarily with aims, uses, purposes, intentions, and plans within the practical constraints of time, location, money, and availability of staff (Hakim, 2000).
In this study, the researcher randomly picked a sample population from various firms in Dubai. The respondents were briefed in advance. This was necessary to ensure that respondents were prepared psychologically for the task ahead. This would also help in ensuring that response was given in time to allow timely analysis. The study population was also amicably informed in order to get prepared for the study. Briefing was important because it could enhance reliability of the study. It is also ethical to inform people before researching them (Badenhorst, 2007). The findings were also made public to the researcher as one way of ensuring morality in the study.
Furthermore, the researcher observed researcher-researched ethics by keeping away from criticism. This chapter also focuses on the literature review as one of the methods used in collection of secondary sources of information. It gives the reason why literature review was used as a method to collect data. The chapter gives an overview of the purpose of collecting and analyzing data and the basic questions used to gather the desired responses.
The chapter brings back the research hypotheses. This is important because it is at this stage that the researcher goes into the field to gather information. It is therefore necessary that the research hypotheses are brought to focus because they would be the guiding light in the process of gathering data (Baily, 1996). The researcher would be trying to confirm the hypotheses. In order to eliminate criticism, this chapter clearly states the scope of the study. There are limits beyond which this research may not hold because of the method used in data collection and analysis. It is therefore important that limitations are clearly stated to make it clear to readers of this material how far this research reveals what it purports to.
Since the main method of data collection was primary source, the questionnaire was the main instrument used to collect data. This chapter brings out the questionnaire format, reasons for choosing this format, its advantages and disadvantages. In a research process, sampling is very important because a certain population can be too big to facilitate a study of the whole population (Bell, 2001). This chapter discusses research design and methods of sampling, giving their advantages and disadvantages, and the determination of the sample size. Also discussed in this chapter is the data analysis technique. In so doing, the researcher hopes to bring to focus the channel through which data would be collected. This is not only meant to bring clarity to this research but also help young researchers who will be interested in furthering research in this field to know the steps necessary to reach the desired results in a given research. The researcher has ensured that the methodology is not only important to the professionals in the financial sector, but also other related sectors such as insurance, marketing, and procurement.
Quantitative research method
Quantitative research is a kind of study that utilizes figures to arrive at certain conclusions (Hakim, 2000). In this regard, the research will take the form of a survey, whereby the researcher identifies the sample and posts questionnaires to them. In this research, there was need to compare the relationship between variables in order to establish cause and effect
The researcher was interested in knowing how different factors (independent variables) had effect on the role of Emirati women in the perception of barriers to e-commerce in the country (dependent variables). This demanded a method that would be objective and able statistically to generalize the findings. The quantitative method was found to be the most appropriate method to use in this research.
Quantitative research involves systematic empirical study of a phenomenon by use of statistical tools. Its main objective is always to employ mathematical theories and models in developing its generalization (Anderson, 2004). Therefore, the quantitative method would help in this research. It would enable the researcher to test the hypotheses put forth for validity and allow the use of a sample as a representation of the entire population. It would help the researcher to determine the role women play in various firms they are in within this country in enabling businesses to embrace e-commerce. The quantitative method would also help in knowing if there is any relationship between the performances of the two genders in embracing technology.
Although qualitative methods were traditionally used in social science and would have been appropriate in this research, it is not able to give empirical support for research hypothesis. Qualitative methods explain why a given pattern of events has taken place the way they have (Vogt, 2007). On the other hand, quantitative methods explain what and when of phenomena. Ethnographic research and phenomenology as approaches to qualitative research would have been appropriate.
Scope of Data Collection
Primary data for this research was collected from various customers and employees of various mid-sized firms within Dubai. This data was collected with the help of a questionnaire. The scope of data collection was limited to the two categories of individuals. This was because of the time that was available for the research. Because most of the employees and customers were Emirati nationals, they clearly understood the social structure of the Emirati society and therefore were in a position to respond appropriately to questions regarding the society of the United Arabs Emirates. The research model below shows the stages that the researcher followed in collection of data, its analysis, the discussion, and then conclusion.
Research Model
This research utilized quantitative research methods in conducting the study and collecting data. Quantitative research was used because it aims at summarizing data mathematically. In this regard, the research took the form of a survey, whereby the researcher identified some individuals and posted questionnaires to them. The sampled population was selected randomly in order to eliminate biases. The researcher made follow-ups by conducting respondents on phone. Interviewing is another method of data collection that was used in this research. The researcher extracted more information from respondents by calling them.
The researcher developed the model below to help demonstrate the relationship between the dependent variables and independent variables. The independent variables have impacts on the dependent variables. The four independent variables, though related to some extent, will finally influence the successful implementation of e-commerce.
Technological inventions require technical knowledge for there to be compatibility. It also requires a good perception by the involved parties for it to be embraced in the firm. With a positive perception towards technological inventions and presence of technical knowledge in the firm, it would only require proper administrative strategies by the management to ensure success in the implementation of e-commerce. The variables are interrelated. For instance, technological invention will influence perception of the concerned individuals, but at the same time, it depends on the perception of this individual to prosper. The above variables help demonstrate factors that affect perception of women towards e-commerce, and how this perception would influence their managerial strategies. Finally, they would have an impact on how successful the firm would be in implementing e-commerce strategies. The research was done on a sample of the entire population. From this sample, the researcher generated data by formulating questions that would lead to the desired answers. To help focus this research, hypotheses were developed in order to create a vision of the research. Questions were therefore designed to respond to them. The questions were meant to generate answers that would either confirm or reject the hypotheses. The questionnaire was designed to reflect on this requirement.
Questionnaire design
There were two key methods used to gather information in this dissertation. The first one was through a questionnaire, which was electronically delivered to the sample population in Dubai. The questionnaire sought to capture various attitudes of the sample population regarding their opinions on the difference in perception of barriers to e-commerce between Emirati men and women. The second source of information used fo
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