Research Themes

Our work explores all aspects of e-business and its applications in different sectors and domains. We are particularly interested in the impact of Internet related technologies and e-business on emerging strategies and ebusiness models, and the resulting organisational, and product and service innovations. Our research covers a wide range of markets and sectors, with a particular focus on innovative applications and new ways of creating and capturing value for users and organisations alike.

Ebusiness @ Newcastle

Ebusiness

Digital Innovation/Transformation: We are not only interested in the development of novel systems and applications, but also in the role of ICTs when it comes to underpinning and facilitating existing interactions within open and closed innovation systems.

Acceptance, Adoption and Diffusion of Technology: Understanding the underlying change processes can affect information system management and behaviour which can have significant impact on how technologies (cloud computing, blockchain, artificial intelligence, mobile apps etc) are adopted, deployed and used over time.

New business models: Business models describe the value a company offers to customers and the architecture of the firm and its network of partners for creating, marketing and delivering this value, to generate profitable and sustainable revenue streams. ICTs can be play a key role in all business blocks making it possible to innovate beyond the design of the products/service itself.

Smart Technologies, Artificial Intelligence and Big Data: Internet of Things will make it possible for people and things to be connected any time, any place, with anything and anyone, using any network and any service. The ubiquitous presence of technology and its manifestation through smart homes, workplaces, manufacturing, and cities will redefine how we live and work. On one hand it will afford new capabilities and opportunities, but on the other it will pose significant challenges and risks.


Emarketing

Online communications and social media: The Internet has significantly altered the way consumers and companies communicate and interact, introducing not just benefits, but also many challenges. To this end, our work aims to contribute to our understanding of how online channels can be utilised for personal and commercial applications. We are especially interested in how social media, i.e. interactive platforms used to share, co-create, discuss, and modify user-generated content.

Branding: Perceptions of an organisations brand characteristics such as image, identity, and meaning, can influence attachment stakeholders have, which in turn can affect relationship building with stakeholders. Our work aims to inform our understanding as to how brands can be created, developed and communicated online and provide sustainable competitive advantages.

Co-creation/destruction of value: Ebusiness technologies have significantly impacted value chains, making it possible for organisations and consumers to both create and consume value in novel ways. Our work examines how multiple forces interact, learn and share information to create or destroy value.


Ecommerce

Online consumer behaviour: We are particularly interested in how consumers use digital technologies and platforms in their day to day activities and on the transition from the traditional consumption behaviour to online consumption within both the context of online consumption experience and their online interaction with their peers in the context of sharing economy and the effect that the new forms of consumption have on consumers’ well-being.

E-retailing & Consumer Journeys: We are interested in the different retail approaches, specifically multi-channel, cross-channel and omni-channel strategies. Specifically, we are interested in the transition from the multi-channel to the omni-channel strategy and in particular the complimentary role of the different available channels and customer touchpoints in order to enhance and optimize customer experience.

Virtual and augmented reality: Organisations use augmented and virtual reality as a means to engage consumers as due to their immersive nature, augmented and virtual reality can attract attention and present content more vividly. We are interested in how virtual and augmented reality can be used in marketing communication in order to influence consumer attitudes and decision making.