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Several economic, institutional, technical and socio-cultural barriers hinder countries from moving from the high to the low emission pathway. The objective of this research is to find out the impacts of social, economic, technological and regulatory barriers in the deployment of renewable energy. Data were collected through an online questionnaire responded to by 223 professionals working in the energy sector all over the globe. This research shows that social, technological and regulatory barriers have a strong influence on the deployment of renewable energy, while economic barriers significantly influence it indirectly. By breaking research and development-related barriers, organizations will be able to invest greatly in developing advanced technologies that can optimize usage of renewable energy and make renewable energy appear more lucrative. With less polluting and lower tariff energy solutions being made available to local people, and higher profits for manufacturers, this will create an atmosphere where all stakeholders are satisfied.

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In an era of technology advancement when the entire world is talking about the "Internet of Things" whereby we are expected to have connectivity between anything and everything, Currency cannot be left behind. Paper currency is bound to be a thing of past, as virtual currencies will start taking over and Bitcoin is well poised to achieve this feat. Not only it will revolutionize the way payments are made, but also have potential to impact the future of world currencies like USD, which is already facing challenges from EURO or Chinese Yuan Renminbi (CNY). The rise of crypto-currencies will add a new dimension to this challenge for US Dollar (USD)The focus of this study is to understand multiple factors which are translating Bitcoin (BTC) that is gaining momentum in various fields of global finance and how disruptive it can be, including replacing main fiat currencies in the financial system impacting mainly USD. The key variables studied are Regulation or lack of it around Bitcoin, Bitcoin Technology, Bitcoin Economy and the usage of Bitcoin as a Currency. This research used the latest statistical tool ADANCO 1.1.1 by Henseler and Dijkstra (2015) to analyze the data collected by building a partial least squares structural equation model (PLS-SEM). The observations of this study will help understand the future of global finance from multiple standpoints, especially Regulation, Cryptocurrencies and the fiat currencies.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss how the rush of technological change will consolidate the worldwide reach of the internet with more capacity, specifically to control the physical world, including the machines, industrial facilities and frameworks that characterize cutting-edge technology. Design/methodology/approach The data were collected from 203 respondents predominantly from emerging economies, specifically India and SEA. Most of the participants are working professionals. Structural equation modelling was used to analyze data, as it is a popular statistical technique because of its ability to model selected independent variables and take into account all possible forms of measurement error to test an entire theory. Findings The Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT) platform comprises four fundamental capabilities: connectivity, big data, advanced analytics and application development. The IIOT has the potential to provide a high level of synergies between the 4 Ms of manufacturing, namely, man, machine, material and method. Research limitations/implications The collected data are predominately from India and SEA (close to 75 per cent), while contributions from other regions are comparatively less, so the findings cannot be generalized to the global context. Practical implications It is in the interest of service providers to collaborate and provide a universal solution to retain legacy systems to minimize the investment and reduce the security threat, which could boost IIOT adoption while ensuring that manufacturers are able to leverage this new technology efficiently. Originality/value The framework obtained has good quality of validity and reliability indicators. Thus, an alternative framework has been added to customer expectation which is currently a popular topic in the technological changes.

PurposeIn the current business environment, more uncertain than ever before, understanding consumer behavior is an integral part of an organization's strategic planning and execution process. It is the key driver for becoming a market leader. Therefore, it is important that all processes in business are customer centric. Marketers need to harness big data by engaging in data driven-marketing (DDM) to help organizations choose the “right” customers, to “keep” and “grow” them and to sustain “growth” and “profitability”. This research examines DDM adoption practices and how companies can aim to enhance shareholder value by bringing about “customer centricity”.Design/methodology/approachAn online survey conducted in 2016 received 180 responses from junior, middle and senior executives. Of the total responses, 26% were from senior management, 39% from middle management and the remaining 35% from junior management. Industries represented in the survey included retail, BFSI, healthcare and government, automobile, telecommunication, transport and logistics and IT. Other industries represented were aviation, marketing research and consulting, hospitality, advertising and media and human resource.FindingsSuccess of DDM depends upon how well an organization embraces the practice. The first and foremost indicator of an organization's commitment is the extent of resources invested for DDM. Respondents were divided into four categories; Laggards, Dabblers, Contenders and Leaders based on their “current level of investments” and “willingness to enhance investments” soon.Research limitations/implicationsWith storming digital age and the development of analytics, the process of decision-making has gained significant importance. Judgment and intuition too are critical to the process. Choosing an appropriate action cannot be done strictly on a rational basis.Practical implicationsThe results of the study offer interesting implications for managing the growing sea of data. An iterative and incremental approach is the need of the hour, even if it has to start with baby steps, to invest in and reap the fruits of DDM. The intention to use any system is always dependent on two primary belief factors: perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use; however, attitudes and social factors are equally important.Originality/valueThere is a dearth of knowledge with regards to who is and is not adopting DDM, and how best big data can be harnessed for enhancing effectiveness and efficiency of marketing budget. It is, therefore, imperative to build a knowledge base on DDM practices, challenges and opportunities. Better use of data can help companies enhance shareholder value by bringing about “customer centricity”.

Singapore being an island economy and a financial hub with residents from diverse backgrounds, huge ethnic diversity, coming from different part of the world. This study aims to gain insights and information into the factors that affect investment planners, financial advisers and individuals need to consider improving their choice of the portfolio and its performance. People’s investment decisions and hence their portfolio, which hitherto has not been tested. Furthermore, it intends to identify the factors that drive investors to choose one investment over another and determine how they make their investment portfolios. The survey was modelled using the smart-pls statistical package (PLS-SEM), which is partial least squares structural equation modelling.

Purpose-Social media has fundamentally changed the leisure travel behavior of Singapore residents. The purpose of this paper is to focus on Facebook and its impact on travel behavior. The study focuses on Singapore residents. Design/methodology/approach-A total of 16 input and five output variables were tested, with a sample of 203 Facebook users residing in Singapore. Primary data modeling was done using ADANCO, a structural equation modeling tool that uses composite modeling approach for hypothesis testing. The analysis performed an estimated structural model and then determined the best model fit by measuring reliability, validity and path analysis and estimating model parameters. Findings-Research findings indicate that Facebook has had a strong behavioral influence on the frequency of travel, itinerary planning and social sharing, while it had no impact during the destination-selection stage of travel planning. Originality/value-Facebook's influence on leisure travel behavior confirms the theory of planned behavior proposed by Icek Ajzen. From Facebook's perspective, the outcome of this study is helpful in recommending the best use of the platform for destination providers.