Search Results (159)

The Gahai wetland in Gansu, China, is a key wetland for nationally and globally threatened bird species. This research aims to quantify the economic value of wetland birds by the method of contingent valuation questionnaire, thereby providing a foundation for conservation of avian species. The result indicated that residents were willing to pay between 208 and 230 CNY (29–32 USD $) annually for bird protection, a total annual value of wetland birds in Luqu County ranging from 7.9 M to 8.8 M CNY (1.1–1.3 M USD $). Men, locals, and older individuals were more inclined to contribute and offered higher payments, albeit non-significant correlation between education level and annual income with the willingness to pay. While the depth of understanding of wetland pressures did not significantly influence the willingness to pay, it did show a positive correlation; those with more profound understanding tended to be more generous in their payments. Tibetan male residents were more likely to prioritize ecological and environmental protection due to their religious beliefs and cultural customs, which emphasize the reverence for and compassion towards birds. This research not only complemented and validated the applicability of the contingent valuation method in China but also underscores the considerations that should be taken into account when employing this method. Full article

Quickly designing digital circuits that are both correct and efficient poses significant challenges. Electronics, especially those incorporating sequential logic circuits, are complex to design and test. While Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools aid designers, they do not fully automate the creation of synthesisable circuits that can be directly translated into hardware. This paper introduces a system that employs Grammatical Evolution (GE) to automatically generate synthesisable Hardware Description Language (HDL) code for the Finite State Machine (FSM) of a Multi-Sequence Detector (MSD). This MSD differs significantly from prior work as it can detect multiple sequences in contrast to the single-sequence detectors discussed in existing literature. Sequence Detectors (SDs) are essential in circuits that detect sequences of specific events to produce timely alerts. The proposed MSD applies to a real-time vending machine scenario, enabling customer selections upon successful payment. However, this technique can evolve any MSD, such as a traffic light control system or a robot navigation system. We examine two parent selection techniques, Tournament Selection (TS) and Lexicase Selection (LS), demonstrating that LS performs better than TS, although both techniques successfully produce synthesisable hardware solutions. Both hand-crafted “Gold” and evolved circuits are synthesised using Generic Process Design Kit (GPDK) technologies at 45 nm, 90 nm, and 180 nm scales, demonstrating their efficacy. Full article

As consumer behavior increasingly shifts toward hyperlocal, digitally mediated retail journeys, community unmanned stores have emerged as a transformative model that integrates smart technologies with community proximity services. These fully automated stores offer convenient, contactless shopping and hybrid digital–physical interactions, playing an increasingly important role within broader omnichannel digital retail ecosystems. However, there remains a lack of validated instruments to assess customer experience in such autonomous and locally embedded retail formats. This study develops and validates an ECUS-scale (an experience in community unmanned store scale), a multidimensional measurement tool grounded in qualitative research and refined through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. The scale identifies nine key dimensions—convenient service, smooth transaction, preferential price, good quality, safe environment, secure payment, comfortable space, comfortable interaction, and friendly image—across 36 items. These dimensions reflect the technological, spatial, and emotional–social aspects of customer experience in unmanned retail settings. The findings demonstrate that the ECUS-scale offers a robust framework for evaluating consumer experience in low-staffed, tech-enabled community stores, with strong relevance to omnichannel digital retail strategies. Theoretically, it advances the literature on smart retail experience by capturing underexplored dimensions such as emotional engagement with technology and perceptions of safety in staff-free environments. Practically, it serves as a diagnostic tool for businesses to enhance experience design and optimize customer engagement across digital and physical touchpoints. Full article

The proliferation of digital platforms and interactive technologies has transformed the way service providers engage with their customers, particularly in emerging economies, where digital inclusion is an ongoing process. This study explores the relationship between omnichannel strategies and customer satisfaction, conceptualized here as a proxy for Quality of Experience (QoE), within a smart service station located in a digitally underserved region. Grounded in customer journey theory and the expectancy–disconfirmation paradigm, the study investigates how data integration, digital payment systems, and logistical flexibility—key components of intelligent e-service systems—influence user perceptions and satisfaction. Based on a correlational design with a non-probabilistic sample of 108 customers, the findings reveal a moderate association between overall omnichannel integration and satisfaction (ρ = 0.555, p < 0.01). However, a multiple regression analysis indicates that no individual dimension significantly predicts satisfaction (adjusted R² = 0.002). These results suggest that while users value system integration and interaction flexibility, no single technical feature drives satisfaction independently. The study contributes to the growing field of intelligent human-centric service systems by contextualizing QoE and digital inclusion within emerging markets and by emphasizing the importance of perceptual factors in ICT-enabled environments. Full article

Mobile payment systems have rapidly expanded globally, especially in developing countries like Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Technological advances, public acceptance, and increased adoption during the COVID-19 pandemic drive this growth. Mobile payments involve key stakeholders: technology providers, end-users, government regulators, and merchants, each contributing to the adoption ecosystem. Users prefer mobile payments for their speed and convenience over traditional cash transactions. This study explores the driver and barrier factors influencing mobile payment QR adoption among merchants, particularly from the MSME perspective, using existing frameworks based on previous research adapted to MSME conditions. Conducted in Indonesia with 418 MSME business respondents, this study employs a quantitative, cross-sectional methodology with a 95% confidence level and an SEM analysis. The findings reveal that perceived ease of use does not significantly impact perceived experience, while perceived usefulness does. Perceived risk, convenience, experience, and word-of-mouth learning statistically significantly influence merchants’ intention to use mobile payments. However, customer engagement, cost, trust, and complexity appear less influential. Overall, this research advances understanding of the key factors affecting merchants’ adoption of mobile payment and provides insights relevant to MSME economic growth. Full article

In the context of rapid advancements in financial technologies and the evolving demand of the digital economy, this study explores the transformative impact of FinTech and artificial intelligence (AI) on the banking sector, with a particular focus on payment systems. By examining innovative financial instruments and AI-driven solutions, this research investigates how these technologies enhance efficiency, security, and customer experience in banking operations. This study evaluates the integration of AI in payment systems, including its role in predictive analytics, fraud detection, and personalization, while aligning with global trends in digital transformation and sustainability. Adopting an interdisciplinary approach, this analysis highlights scalable and resilient strategies that address emerging challenges in the financial ecosystem. The findings provide a comprehensive framework for leveraging AI and FinTech to drive the evolution of banking services, supporting the transition toward a more innovative, digitalized, and sustainable financial future. Full article

Blockchain is a secure, digital ledger that enables faster transactions, reduces fraud, lowers costs, and enhances transparency. The blockchain is capable of changing the face of digital payments by providing greater opportunities for transformation. Consumer acceptance in emerging markets such as Bhutan depends on a number of key factors. This paper explores the impact of performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions on consumer acceptance of blockchain-based digital payment systems in Bhutan. Sustained by the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), the study uses PLS-SEM to analyze survey data from 302 respondents. The results show that performance expectancy, the expectation of blockchain’s usefulness, is the most influential factor determining customer acceptance. Effort expectancy and facilitating conditions are equally important. Social influences, although rather marginal, play an important role in Bhutan’s collectivist culture. The paper sheds light on factors for consumer acceptance of blockchain adoption. The findings add to the literature on blockchain adoption in burgeoning economies and provide the foundation for further research on blockchain adoption in multi-cultural contexts. Full article

Despite the spread of digital payment systems, banknotes still play a vital role in the lives of people, financial institutions, and businesses. Automation is crucial in all cases where a large number of deposits/withdrawals need to be handled. In spite of the large number of cash recyclers worldwide and their continuous evolution, one of the most significant parts of their design, i.e., the interaction with banknotes, is still predominantly based on a lengthy iterative process that includes testing. This has detrimental effects not only on time-to-market but also on the costs and on the willingness to explore multiple design solutions, thus potentially reducing the quality of the final product. The testing phase is made necessary by the lack of an effective and predictive model for the banknote and of its contact with the components of the cash recycler. The purpose of this work is to bridge this gap in the literature by introducing and validating an original multibody model of the banknote-cash recycler system. The proposed approach includes the possibility of including the nonlinear orthotropic paper material curves and of customizing quantities such as paper thickness and friction coefficients at specific locations, with potential applications in optimizing banknote validation, reducing wear in cash handling systems, and improving the design of next-generation cash recyclers. Full article

Motorcycles are widely used vehicles in Indonesia, not only as private vehicles but also for public transportation. Currently, there are many applications that help customers to use motorbikes as public transportation and are known as “online ojek” applications. Although there have been many online ojek applications used by the public, there is no online ojek application specifically for women. This study uses the conjoint method to determine the attributes of female consumer preferences for online ojek applications so that further studies the result of this study as a reference for developing female online ojek applications. With a sample size of 130 respondents, the combination of attributes is formed using fractional factorial design. This study produces eight attributes and levels that are most desired by consumers: (1) colourless, 3D supporting icons with, (2) a primary application colour of pink, (3) button shapes with blunt rectangles, (4) bold text for the level selected in the thick and thin text design, (5) application menu containing homepage, promo, order, chat, profile, thick and thin text, (6) Indonesian application language, (7) payment menu containing accumulated prices and accumulated minutes and (8) 3D and colourful icons. Full article

Hospital and health system bankruptcies and closures continue to rise in the United States. They are troubling news not only for patients and communities but also for insurance companies. Hospital closures often lead to higher costs for insurers due to increased claim denials, delayed payments, reduced provider network and access to care, higher out-of-network costs, and a disruption of our healthcare system. These factors ultimately impact the health insurance companies’ bottom lines as well as their ability to manage patient care effectively with the risk of causing customer/patient dissatisfaction. Insurance companies can help prevent hospital closures, especially in rural areas, by implementing some of the following mechanisms: timely and adequate payments; improved patient-centric payment systems; and standby capacity payments to cover minimum fixed costs. Such early strategic investments have the potential to offset the higher costs for insurance companies associated with hospital closures and improve the sustainability of the U.S. healthcare system. Full article

Adopting advanced e-commerce practices is essential for enhancing user engagement and business performance, particularly in tourism. This study evaluates the e-commerce adoption of Kazakhstan’s tourism websites using an innovative Integrated Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (IMCDA) methodology. Traditional evaluation methods overlook the interplay between website functionality, user experience, and strategic objectives. To address this gap, the IMCDA framework integrates qualitative and quantitative approaches by combining advanced Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) techniques, including SPOTIS, ESP-COMET, RANCOM, and SITW, with content analysis and logistic regression. The study assessed 77 tourism websites, categorized into Online Travel Agencies (OTAs), Official Tourism Websites (OTWs), and Attraction Websites (AWs), based on 34 e-commerce features grouped into dimensions such as product information, functionality, reservations, payment systems, and customer relationship management (CRM). The findings reveal that OTAs significantly outperform OTWs and AWs in most dimensions, especially in online booking and CRM functionalities. At the same time, AWs lag in key e-commerce features like reservations and payment systems. This research highlights critical gaps in Kazakhstan’s tourism e-commerce ecosystem. It provides actionable recommendations, including enhancing CRM tools, integrating advanced booking systems, and leveraging collaborations with local financial technology providers like Kaspi Pay. The IMCDA framework offers a robust, adaptable evaluation model with practical implications for digital transformation and competitiveness in the tourism industry. This study contributes to advancing digital maturity in Kazakhstan’s tourism sector by addressing these gaps. It sets the foundation for future research to explore innovative strategies in e-commerce adoption across various regions and industries. Full article

Today, many businesses use near-field communications (NFC) payment solutions, which allow them to receive payments from customers quickly and smoothly. However, this technology comes with cyber security risks which must be analyzed and mitigated. This study explores the cyber risks associated with NFC transactions and examines strategies for mitigating these risks, focusing on payment devices. This paper provides an overview of NFC technology, related security vulnerabilities, privacy concerns, and fraudulent activities. It then investigates payment devices such as smartphones, contactless cards, and wearables, highlighting their features and vulnerabilities. The study also examines encryption, authentication, tokenization, biometric authentication, and fraud detection methods as risk mitigation strategies. The paper synthesizes theoretical frameworks to provide insights into NFC transaction security and offers stakeholder recommendations. Full article

The paper explores the impact of digital payment systems, blockchain technology, and AI/machine learning on innovation and sustainability in financial organizations. As part of the analysis, the study has adopted an explanatory research design and has used SmartPLS in order to analyze the data collected from 230 professionals of different fields through a structured questionnaire. The results show positive effects of digital payment systems and blockchain technology on organizations’ innovations with the impact of digital payments being the most pronounced. Empirical results suggest that these technologies are important to improve sustainability performance, depending on measures of internal consistency and discriminant validity among the proposed constructs. Al, also machine learning, has the highest relevance with environmental sustainability, thereby underlining the importance and work of such measures. Based on the Resource-Based View (RBV) theory, the study also explains the need for the organization to assimilate these innovations to enhance the organizational operations, customer satisfaction, and compliance with the laws. The study highlights fintech’s potential to address environmental issues and enhance societal goals, but geographical limitations may obstruct its transportability. Full article

Financial technologies metamorphose economies with customer-focused innovation. In this way, financial inclusion is fostered and economic growth is increased. However, risks, trust issues, and ethical concerns stem from the faster advancement of digital technologies and expanding financial innovation. Thus, this paper aims to understand the risks and barriers associated with FinTech and consumer adoption, focussing on the impact of digitalization on financial products/services’ acceptance. The research investigates the impact of digitalization on financial services and the recognition of the role played in the global economy by FinTech. For this reason, the regression analysis was used to explore the influence and correlation of various variables on FinTech in Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries, such as Internet usage, online shopping, paying bills via the Internet, and making and receiving digital payments. The results show differences between three clusters of CEEs in terms of FinTech adoption. While several past studies have explored the advantages of FinTech, few studies have investigated the risks associated with its adoption, trust, and barriers to its usage in different country contexts. The present paper fills the gap by analysing the data on Internet usage, online shopping, paying bills via Internet, and sending or receiving digital payments in CEE countries. The study recommends that FinTech companies share information online not only to present their offerings to users, but also to promote financial education through clear and straightforward communication about the features of their services. This approach can indirectly benefit society by contributing to financial development, inclusion, social stability, and, consequently, sustainable development. Full article

The article presents an innovative approach for secure authentication in internet banking transactions, utilizing an Out-of-Band visual two-factor authorization protocol. With the increasing rise of cyber attacks and fraud, new security models are needed that ensure the integrity, authenticity, and confidentiality of financial transactions. The identified gap lies in the inability of traditional authentication methods, such as TANs and tokens, to provide security in untrusted terminals. The proposed solution is the Dynamic Authorization Protocol (DAP), which uses mobile devices to validate transactions through visual codes, such as QR codes. Each transaction is assigned a unique associated code, and the challenge must be responded to within 120 s. The customer initiates the transaction on a computer and independently validates it on their mobile device using an out-of-band channel to prevent attacks such as phishing and man-in-the-middle. The methodology involves implementing a prototype in Java ME for Android devices and a Java application server, creating a practical, low-computational-cost system, accessible for use across different operating systems and devices. The protocol was tested in real-world scenarios, focusing on ensuring transaction integrity and authenticity. The results show a successful implementation at Banco do Brasil, with 3.6 million active users, demonstrating the efficiency of the model over 12 years of use without significant vulnerabilities. The DAP protocol provides a robust and effective solution for securing banking transactions and can be extended to other authentication environments, such as payment terminals and point of sale devices. Full article