Different Sets Of Determinants Research Articles

Inflation prediction in emerging economies: Machine learning and FX reserves integration for enhanced forecasting

The present study makes two significant contributions to the extended body of literature in the context of International Finance. First, it forecasts the inflation in an emerging economy by employing a combination of traditional forecasting and Machine Learning models to test whether machine learning models outperform traditional forecasting models. Second, it explicitly includes an often-neglected variable i.e. foreign exchange reserves into the forecasting models to ascertain whether its inclusion enhances predictive accuracy. The outcomes of the study revealed interesting findings. It is observed that machine learning models consistently outperform traditional models, with Random Forest and Gradient Boosting are the top performers across different sets of determinants. Moreover, the study unveils that the inclusion of foreign exchange reserves into the models as a determinant has a positive impact on the predictive effectiveness of both traditional and machine learning-based inflation forecasting models.

Revisiting fruit and vegetable determinants: Evidence from Latin America

IntroductionIn the past decade, the public health discussion regarding fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption has been dominated by economic and physical accessibility.MethodsUsing an online survey in four Latin American countries, we applied a set of tobit models to compare the determinants of desirable and current consumption of FV levels for satisfied and unsatisfied respondents.ResultsWe found that, even when consuming less than five FV portions a day, most of the respondents were satisfied with their current FV consumption level. Satisfied respondents consumed significantly more FV than unsatisfied ones. In general, the desirable and current consumption of FV levels were associated with different sets of determinants, while years of education were relevant in both cases. Finally, in a hypothetical case where unsatisfied respondents would not face any physical or economic access restrictions, unsatisfied respondents would not reach the goal of five FV portions a day.DiscussionAssuming that physical and economic access improved, this would automatically increase FV to reach the five-a-day recommendation may be inaccurate in some cases. We also need to take mental access into account. We may ask how to improve the desirable level of FVs and then how to close the gap between the current and desirable FV levels.

Broaden the Pathway to Inclusive Entrepreneurship: A Transaction Cost Proposition

Abstract Since entrepreneurship was conceptualised as a panacea for achieving inclusive growth in the “base of the pyramid” (BoP) regions, various ways have been explored to leverage this powerful tool, such as helping potential entrepreneurs build the resource base and capabilities. However, given the severe resources constraints in the BoP regions, such a goal is difficult to achieve. Besides, due to the high demands on personal competence, only a few people can benefit from this method, which fails to solve the problem of social exclusion in the BoP regions. Therefore, we aim to find a better way to leverage entrepreneurship to tackle the problem of the BoP regions by calling for more attention to the inclusiveness of entrepreneurship. Based on data of inclusive entrepreneurs in Zhejiang, China, we construct a three-stage model for inclusive entrepreneurship. We also apply Transaction Cost Economics to look for determinants that foster inclusive entrepreneurship and validate our main assertion that decreasing transaction cost significantly helps to increase the inclusiveness of entrepreneurship, and different phases of inclusive entrepreneurship (i.e., opportunity inclusiveness, participation inclusiveness, and sharing inclusiveness) are influenced by different sets of determinants of transaction costs.

Destination vs event attributes: Enduring spectators’ loyalty

Endurance athletes need social and emotional support from family and friends, who act as spectators at the event in which they participate. Although spectators fulfill a supportive role, does their loyalty lie with the event, the event destination or a combination of both? The case study was the Ironman Triathlon hosted in South African cities. Questionnaires were distributed to spectators on the race days, and 748 completed questionnaires were obtained. Three factor analyses were performed on the spectators’ travel motives, perception of destination attributes and perception of sport event attributes. Linear regression analyses were performed with event loyalty as the dependent variable, whereas the remaining motives, dimensions and attributes were the independent variables. The results revealed that a combination of factors was statistically significant and that a different set of determinants were observed for the two events. The results revealed that sport event organizers and destination management organizations should make use of both the event and the host destination attributes as drawing cards and act with local tourism and travel organizations to offer spectators a reduced fee for tourism offerings at the destination.

Participation in Social Roles of Adolescents With Cerebral Palsy: Exploring Accomplishment and Satisfaction

ObjectiveTo explore participation in social roles of adolescents (aged 12-18y) with cerebral palsy (CP), in terms of satisfaction compared with accomplishment. DesignCohort study as part of a prospective longitudinal research program. SettingClinic. ParticipantsParticipants were adolescents (N=45; 58% male, mean age 15y 6mo) with CP at levels I-II (88%) and III-IV-V (12%) of the Gross Motor Function Classification System. InterventionsNot applicable. Main Outcome MeasuresAccomplishment (0-9 scale; with score <8 “having difficulties”) and satisfaction (1-5 scale; with score 3 “neutral”) were assessed using the Life-Habits questionnaire, on 6 domains (Responsibilities, Interpersonal relationships, Community life, Education, Employment, Recreation). Per domain, we analyzed scatterplots of accomplishment vs satisfaction. Additionally, we compared determinant-models (including factors of CP, activity, person, and environment) using regression analysis. ResultsFor accomplishment, mean scores were <8.00 except for Interpersonal relationships. For satisfaction, mean scores varied between 3.85 and 4.34. Overall, individuals with similar levels of accomplishment showed large ranges in their levels of satisfaction, which was expressed by low explained variances, especially on Education (6%). Furthermore, different sets of determinants were found for accomplishment (predominantly CP factors) compared with satisfaction (predominantly environment factors). ConclusionsThis study revealed a dissociation between participation accomplishment and satisfaction with participation among adolescents with CP. For practice and research, we recommend not only to focus on accomplishment but also, if not mainly, on satisfaction.

Determinants of 21st-century digital skills: A large-scale survey among working professionals

The current workplace increasingly asks for workers with highly digitally skilled knowledge who produce and distribute ideas and information. As such, understanding the factors behind differences in the level of various 21st-century digital skills is of decisive importance. This study aims to examine (1) the level of 21st-century digital skills among knowledge workers, and (2) the determinants contributing to the level of these skills. The following digital skills are investigated: information, communication, collaboration, critical thinking, creativity, and problem solving. Potential determinants that can be influenced by stakeholders are also included, such as social support and training. A large-scale online survey was conducted among professionals (N = 1,222) who work within knowledge-intensive creative industries. The results show that the level of 21st-century digital skills varies considerably. Furthermore, each 21st-century digital skill is explained by a different set of determinants, thereby requiring unique approaches for the development of each skill.

External and internal determinants of performances of Shariah and non-Shariah compliant firms

PurposeThis study aims to provide comprehensive models that investigate the combination of both external fundamentals and internal characteristics on firm performance and if there is any difference between Shariah and non-Shariah compliant firms. The objective of this paper therefore is to analyze the significant relation between external fundamentals, internal characteristics and firm performance.Design/methodology/approachPanel data regression analyses are applied to determine significant results. It helps to control for unobserved factors of firm heterogeneity, which may result in spurious regression.FindingsMost internal firm characteristics are found to be significant, but the same cannot be said for external fundamentals. Firm size is found to be very significant in driving both sets of firm performances. Financial distress in term of higher level of leverage is found to be a negative driver of non-Shariah-compliant firms’ performance in terms of return on asset but not for Shariah firms consistent with Islamic finance understanding. Shariah-compliant firms with higher liquidity tend to perform much better than less liquid firms, but the same is not found for non-Shariah-compliant ones.Research limitations/implicationsThis study is limited to the industrial production sector and compares both Shariah and non-Shariah compliant firms.Practical implicationsThis study adds new findings to clarify the roles of external macroeconomic fundamentals and internal characteristics determinants on firm performance. Findings from this study combine relevant information on different sets of determinants on firm performance and produce empirical evidence beneficial to both sets of Shariah and non-Shariah compliant firms in the industry.Originality/valueThis paper fulfills the need for firms to understand the external and internal environment for continuous survival and performance. It is therefore important for firms to recognize the possible factors which may influence their performance and mechanisms to sustain their performance for long-term survival.

Understanding growth slowdown dynamics in India’s sub-national economies

Purpose The paper offers the first systematic and comprehensive analysis of dynamics of economic growth slowdown for India at the sub-national level covering the period 1993–2013. In light of India’s regional diversity and variation in terms of gross regional domestic product (GRDP) per capita, the purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate the growth dynamics at the sub-national level. The paper aims to answer two questions: first, are determinants of economic slowdown likely to differ across income groups? Second, what are the probabilities that the sub-national economies in India will experience a growth slowdown in the near future? Design/methodology/approach The paper undertakes a comprehensive analysis of growth slowdown for 106 Asian developing economies encompassing the national economies in ASEAN and the sub-national economies in Greater China, Indonesia and India. To be sure, the authors are not making any direct comparison to countries at different stages of economic development; rather, the comparison is between economies/sub-national economies that fall in the same income category. The authors construct income group-specific logistic model to identify the relevant determinants of growth slowdown and use Bayesian model averaging techniques as a robustness check. The authors also compute economy-specific predictive probabilities of growth slowdown over the period 2012–2017. Findings The empirical results show that a growth slowdown in various income groups tends to be associated with different sets of determinants, although broadly, across all income groups, the occurrence of growth slowdown is positively associated with higher GRDP per capita. The average predictive probability of growth slowdown for India’s sub-national economies is 0.43, indicating that, on average, India’s sub-national economies have a 43 per cent chance of experiencing growth slowdown in the 2012–2017 period. Overall, the prospects of the sub-national economies of India are less worrying than that of Greater Chinese economies but bleaker than the outlook for economies in ASEAN and Indonesia. Originality/value The research contributes to the understandings of growth dynamics, especially the issue of growth slowdown, in India. This paper differs from the existing literature on growth dynamics by being India centric and analysing the issue of growth slowdown at the sub-national level. Despite a steady increase in the level of GRDP per capita for the sub-national economies of India since 1993, significant disparities still exist across economies. Identifying determinants of growth slowdown and subsequently computing predictive probabilities serves as early warning signs for policy-makers and generates insights on how development policy can be shaped.

A random effects multinomial logit model for the determinants of exit modes

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the factors associated with three modes of firms’ exit (voluntary liquidation, involuntary liquidation and acquisition) in a mutually exclusive environment. In particular, three modes of exit are treated as independent events given that different causes and consequences exist for each exit mode. The data set is a panel of 4,408 US manufacturing firms spanning over the period 1976–1995.Design/methodology/approachThe discrete choice model is used to establish a relationship between modes of exit and a set of explanatory variables, which are specific to the firm, industry and macroeconomic conditions. Use of panel data encourages us to estimate a random effects multinomial logistic regression model, which allows exit modes as mutually exclusive events and at the same time controls the firm-specific unobserved heterogeneity in the sample.FindingsThe analysis suggests that the determinants of voluntary liquidation are age, size, profitability, technology intensity and inflation level. The determinants of involuntary liquidation are size, leverage, profitability and inflation level. For acquisition, determinants are age, size, advertising intensity, Tobin’s q, GDP growth, inflation level and interest rate. The findings suggest that exit modes have a different set of determinants and the scale of effects of some common determinants such as age, size and profitability differs between exit modes.Research limitations/implicationsThe analysis presented in this study relies on data from US manufacturing firms only. Thus, there is a need to explore the determinants of exit modes in other countries as well using the proposed econometric model.Practical implicationsThe findings presented in this paper are useful for managers and policymakers to design strategies/actions for avoiding particular mode of exit.Originality/valueThis study provides empirical evidence on the differences in factors associated with exit modes and confirms the existence of mutually exclusive nature of exit modes. Findings suggest that for future empirical studies on firm exit, the exit modes must be treated as a heterogeneous event.

Analyzing solar auctions in India: Identifying key determinants

Solar technology has been identified as a key tool to fight climate change. The sector, promoted by several policy enablers, has seen a rapid growth in terms of deployment, with the global capacity reaching 390 GW at the end of 2017. In recent years, an increasing number of countries are adopting auctions to award solar contracts, resulting in steep tariff reductions. Researchers, while analyzing solar auctions, focused on ground level deployment, without capturing other factors influencing the investors' decisions. India, with its ambitious solar plan, has seen numerous contracts being awarded under auction schemes run by its federal and state agencies. We regressed eleven variables across thirty-two solar tenders issued in India between 2014 and 2017. Analysis of these auctions brought out a different set of determinants for federal and state programmes. On an overall basis, factors like solar targets, utilities' credentials and the level of subscription came out as strong determinants. Additionally, cost of funds and module price figured as drivers in the federal bids. Possible recommendations include spatial and temporal spacing of bids, sale to multiple off-takers and provision of risk guarantee funds. These factors may be taken into consideration by Indian Policy makers while designing solar tenders.

Examining the Personal and Institutional Determinants of Research Productivity in Hospitality and Tourism Management

ABSTRACTThe transition toward a post-capitalist knowledge-oriented economy has resulted in an increasingly competitive academic environment, where the success of faculty is dependent on their research productivity. This study examines the personal and institutional determinants of the quantity and quality of the research productivity of hospitality and tourism management faculty in US institutions. A survey of 98 faculty found that a different set of determinants impact the quantity and quality aspects of research productivity. Also, institutional determinants were found to play a larger role, indicating the need for administrators to strive for a culture that is supportive of and an infrastructure that is conducive to their faculty’s research success. The authors use the field of hospitality and tourism management as a case study to develop a holistic and cohesive framework for knowledge worker productivity that can guide the evaluation, hiring, and development of researchers.

Structural equation modeling for decomposing rank-dependent indicators of socioeconomic inequality of health: an empirical study.

We present a flexible structural equation modeling (SEM) framework for the regression-based decomposition of rank-dependent indicators of socioeconomic inequality of health and compare it with simple ordinary least squares (OLS) regression. The SEM framework forms the basis for a proper use of the most prominent one- and two-dimensional decompositions and provides an argument for using the bivariate multiple regression model for two-dimensional decomposition. Within the SEM framework, the two-dimensional decomposition integrates the feedback mechanism between health and socioeconomic status and allows for different sets of determinants of these variables. We illustrate the SEM approach and its outperformance of OLS using data from the 2011 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey.

Policy simulation of firms’ cooperation in innovation

This study utilizes results from an agent-based simulation model to conduct public policy simulation of firms’ networking and cooperation in innovation. The simulation game investigates the differences in sector responses to internal and external changes, including cross-sector spillovers, when applying three different policy strategies to promote cooperation in innovation. The public policy strategies include clustering to develop certain industries, incentives to encourage cooperative R&D and spin-off policies to foster entrepreneurship among R&D personnel. These policies are compared with the no-policy alternative evolving from the initial state serving as a benchmark to verify the gains (or loses) in the number of firms cooperating and networking. Firms’ behavior Is defined according to empirical findings from analysis of determinants of firms’ participation in cooperation in innovation with other organizations using the Korean Innovation Survey. The analysis based on manufacturing sector data shows that firms’ decision to cooperate with partners is primarily affected positively by firm’s size and the share of employees involved in R&D activities. Then, each cooperative partnership is affected by a different set of determinants. The agent-based models are found to have a great potential to be used in decision support systems for policy makers. The findings indicate possible appropriate policy strategies to be applied depending on the target industries. We have applied few examples and showed how the results may be interpreted. Guidelines are provided on how to generalize the model to include a number of extensions that can serve as an optimal direction for future research in this area.

Determinants of frailty: the added value of assessing medication.

This study aims to analyze which determinants predict frailty in general and each frailty domain (physical, psychological, and social), considering the integral conceptual model of frailty, and particularly to examine the contribution of medication in this prediction. A cross-sectional study was designed using a non-probabilistic sample of 252 community-dwelling elderly from three Portuguese cities. Frailty and determinants of frailty were assessed with the Tilburg Frailty Indicator. The amount and type of different daily-consumed medication were also examined. Hierarchical regression analysis were conducted. The mean age of the participants was 79.2 years (±7.3), and most of them were women (75.8%), widowed (55.6%) and with a low educational level (0–4 years: 63.9%). In this study, determinants explained 46% of the variance of total frailty, and 39.8, 25.3, and 27.7% of physical, psychological, and social frailty respectively. Age, gender, income, death of a loved one in the past year, lifestyle, satisfaction with living environment and self-reported comorbidity predicted total frailty, while each frailty domain was associated with a different set of determinants. The number of daily-consumed drugs was independently associated with physical frailty, and the consumption of medication for the cardiovascular system and for the blood and blood-forming organs explained part of the variance of total and physical frailty. The adverse effects of polymedication and its direct link with the level of comorbidities could explain the independent contribution of the amount of prescribed drugs to frailty prediction. On the other hand, findings in regard to medication type provide further evidence of the association of frailty with cardiovascular risk. In the present study, a significant part of frailty was predicted, and the different contributions of each determinant to frailty domains highlight the relevance of the integral model of frailty. The added value of a simple assessment of medication was considerable, and it should be taken into account for effective identification of frailty.

Prevalence, sociodemographic factors, psychological distress, and coping strategies related to compulsive buying: a cross sectional study in Galicia, Spain.

BackgroundCompulsive buying has become a serious problem affecting a growing number of people in contemporary consumer societies. Nevertheless, research examining its prevalence in representative samples from the general population is still scarce and mainly focused on the exploration of sociodemographic factors, neglecting other aspects like psychological distress and coping styles. Therefore, this study intends to contribute to the cumulative knowledge by assessing compulsive buying prevalence in a representative sample from the general population in the region of Galicia, in Spain. Sociodemographic determinants, psychological symptoms, and coping strategies are also analyzed to clarify their role in this phenomenon.MethodsA random routes procedure was employed in the recruitment of the sample which was comprised of 2159 participants who were classified as either compulsive buyers or non-compulsive buyers. Both groups were compared regarding sociodemographic determinants, symptoms, and coping strategies through chi-square tests or analyses of variance. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine which of these determinants might play a part in the make up of a risk profile for compulsive buying.ResultsEstimated prevalence of compulsive buying was 7.1%. Compulsive buyers and non-compulsive buyers differed significantly in sex and age, with women and younger people showing a higher propensity for this phenomenon. Individuals with compulsive buying presented significantly higher scores on all the psychological symptoms considered. They also employed passive-avoidance coping strategies much more frequently and active strategies of problem solving and cognitive restructuring much less frequently. The logistic regression analysis results confirmed that being female, experiencing symptoms of anxiety, depression, and obsession-compulsion, and employing the passive-avoidance coping strategies of problem avoidance, wishful thinking, and self-criticism, all constituted risk factors for compulsive buying, whilst the increased age and the use of the active coping strategies of problem solving and cognitive restructuring were protection factors.ConclusionsOur findings revealed a substantial prevalence of compulsive buying. Additionally, the relevance of sociodemographic determinants, psychological distress, and coping strategies in this problem was confirmed. The establishment of a risk profile for compulsive buying based on these different sets of determinants would likely contribute to the development of more effective intervention programs.

Development of daily activities in school-age children with cerebral palsy

The purpose of this study was to describe the course of capabilities in self-care, mobility, and social function in school-age children with cerebral palsy (CP) and to investigate associations with CP-, child-, and family-characteristics. A clinic-based sample of children with CP ( n = 116; 76 males, 40 females; mean age 6 y 3 mo, SD 12 mo) was followed longitudinally in three yearly measurements. Children's capabilities were assessed with the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory Functional Skills Scale (PEDI-FSS). Averaged for the total group, significant increases over time were shown in PEDI-FSS scores in all three domains. For self-care, the course was best predicted by a model including level of gross motor function (measured by the Gross Motor Function Classification System) and intellectual capacity (measured by Raven's Coloured Progressive Matrices). For mobility, the course was best predicted by a model containing only level of gross motor function. For social function, the course was best predicted by a model comprising level of bimanual function (measured by the Manual Ability Classification System) and paternal educational level. Generally, the increase in capabilities was greater if level of functioning was higher, except for level of paternal education. The findings indicate that there are different sets of determinants for the course of different domains of daily activities. Such different sets of determinants may help to set realistic expectations and to create appropriate treatment plans for different domains of daily activities in school-age children with CP.

Toward a Fuller Understanding of Nonresident Father Involvement: An Examination of Child Support, In-Kind Support, and Visitation

The majority of studies of nonresident father involvement focus on either child support payments or visitation. However, nearly 60% of custodial parents receive in-kind (i.e., noncash) support of some form. Using data from a nationally representative sample of children with nonresident fathers (the Child Development Supplement of the Panel Study of Income Dynamics), we simulta- neously investigate via a trivariate probit model the relationships among three aspects of father involvement: child support, in-kind support, and visitation. We find that these dimensions of involvement are positively related and highly intertwined with the strongest positive relationship being between in-kind support and visitation. Additionally, these aspects of involvement have different sets of determinants. Economic characteristics of the resident household are more frequently associated with the receipt of child support, while demographic characteristics of the child, mother, father and resident household are related to all three aspects of nonresident father involvement. Generally speaking, when differences in impacts of determi- nants vary for lower and higher income resident families, the differences are related to the receipt of child support. Fewer differences are observed with regard to in-kind support receipt or with visitation. Our model also measures how unobserved factors are related to these facets of involvement. Most notable across income groups is that unobserved factors are positively related for child support and in-kind support

How do socio-demographic and psychological factors relate to households’ direct and indirect energy use and savings?

Households constitute an important target group for energy conservation. They not only use energy in a direct way (gas, electricity and fuel) but also in an indirect way (embedded in the production, consumption and disposal of goods). During a period of five months (viz., October 2002–March 2003), direct and indirect energy use and direct and indirect energy savings of 189 Dutch households were monitored. The study examined the relative importance of socio-demographic variables and psychological variables in relation to household energy use and changes in energy use (viz., energy savings). For this purpose, variables from the theory of planned behavior [Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50, 179–211] and the norm activation model [Schwartz, S. H. (1977). Normative influences on altruism. In L. Berkowitz (Ed.). Advances in experimental social psychology (Vol. 10, pp. 221–279). New York: Academic Press] were used. Results indicate that energy use is determined by socio-demographic variables, whereas changes in energy use, which may require some form of (cognitive) effort, appear to be related to psychological variables. The variables from the norm activation model were able to significantly add to the explanation of energy savings, over and above the variables from the theory of planned behavior. Also, different types of energy use and energy savings appeared to be related to different sets of determinants.

Merger and acquisition related determinants of executive compensation arrangements' adoption

Previous research has investigated the links between Mergers and Acquisitions (M&As) and the monetary magnitude of executive compensation, but failed to inquire how the adoption of specific attributes of compensation contacts relates to M&A activities. We address this gap in the literature by examining the impacts of some M&A characteristics and acquirers' features on the adoption of executive compensation protection provisions and new Long-Term Incentive Plans (LTIPs). The study adopts a longitudinal design before?after M&A deals for 80 Canadian acquiring companies that engaged in M&A activities between 1995 and 2001. Our findings suggest that both transactional and organisational characteristics significantly explain the executive compensation arrangements' adoption around M&A transactions, but that the adoption of new LTIPs is subjected to a different set of determinants than the adoption of compensation protection provisions. We interpret these results in the light of the agency, political and institutional perspectives.

Using a Technology Acceptance Model to Investigate Academic Acceptance of the Internet

Information Technology has long been a well-known research area, but this changed considerably when the Internet became prominent just over a decade ago. Many researchers have studied and proposed theories and models of Technology Acceptance in order to predict and explain user behaviour with technology to account for rapid change in both technologies themselves and their environments. Each theory or model has been proposed with different sets of determinants and moderators. More importantly, most of the research has been conducted in the U.S. Therefore, it is questioned whether the technology acceptance models and theories that have been developed, modified, and extended in the U.S. can be used in other regions such as South East Asia and more specifically in Thailand. It is questioned whether there might be other determinants and moderators that also play important roles in this specific environment. This research study has seven objectives, of which five have already been achieved. From the findings, despite the fact that academics hardly used the Internet (used a few times a month) for teaching in class and providing a personal Web-Base for facilitating teaching, they intended to use it more (a few times a week) in the future. On the contrary, at the time of the survey, they used the Internet rather often (five to six times a week) for enhancing teaching knowledge, searching information for their research, personal tasks, enhancing personal knowledge, and using email for personal contact. Significantly, no matter how often they currently used the Internet, they all intended to use the Internet more often in all type of tasks in the future. With respect to motivation to make full use of the Internet in their work, they not only ‘quite agree’ that if good facilities were available to support usage (e.g. good computer hardware and software, good communication network etc.) this would motivate them, but they also thought that their strong intentions for providing student contacts, the university’ policy to be Research Oriented and become an e-University in the future, also play an important role in motivating them to make full use of the Internet in their work. On the contrary, the availability of technicians and Internet training motivated them less. They also thought that using the Internet helped improve their professional practice (such as teaching in class, preparing teaching materials, research, and administrative tasks), and helped improve personal developments (such as improving their academic and personal knowledge) and helped improve their quality of working life (such as saving their expense e.g. searching Information from e-Journal and Websites and using email in communication with others). Nevertheless, in respect of improving quality of working life and helping them have more time for leisure and creative thinking, they simply ‘slightly agreed’. With these findings, it is interesting to investigate deeply about academics ’behaviour and intention. Five core constructs (determinants) were examined including perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, social influence, self-efficacy, and facilitating conditions together with moderators such as gender, age, experience, and some cultural aspects of whether these constructs influenced academic’s behaviour. Survey research methodology (questionnaire and semi-structured interviews) were used to collect primary data from Business Schools in Thailand, and the survey yielded 455 usable questionnaires. Structural Equation Modelling with AMOS is also being used to analyse data and is expected to provide evidence to generate the Technology Acceptance Model that is both substantively meaningful and statistically well-fitting(Byrne 2001, 2006) . By generating the Technology Acceptance Model in accordance with the main research objectives, it is expected that the generated research model will have the power to explain/predict Internet acceptance and usage behaviour. A thorough understanding of the model may help practitioners to analyse the reasons for resistance toward the technology and would also help to take efficient measures to improve user acceptance and usage of the technology (Davis, 1989).