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This article examines the regulation of labor in the context of artificial intelligence (AI) in Eastern and Southern Africa, with a focus on South Africa and Kenya. It identifies two main concerns: the regulation of labor for African workers engaged in low-end AI work and the sharing of information in authoritarian states and its impact on organized labor and civil society. The article also discusses the lack of regulation for low-end AI work, such as data janitorial work, and the potential biases and negative effects of AI on women in sectors like fintech. It provides country-specific examples, including the use of AI in South Africa's healthcare and transportation systems, as well as the limited attention given to AI by established unions. The article concludes by emphasizing the importance of responsible AI practices and addressing regulatory concerns while harnessing the economic potential of AI. In South Africa, the call center industry is at risk of job loss due to AI, and the lack of AI policy and regulation exacerbates this issue. In Kenya, the development of a strong Fintech sector based on AI technologies has led to financial inclusion but also raises concerns about data privacy and protection. The article also highlights the emergence of union-like organizations in Kenya to represent workers in the digital platform economy. Overall, AI regulation in Africa is incomplete, and progress towards informal regulation has been uneven. [Extracted from the article]

We study how consumer spending responds to digital payments, using the differential switch to digital payments across consumers induced by the sudden 2016 Indian Demonetization for identification. Digital payment use rose by 2.94 percentage points and monthly spending increased by 2.38% for an additional 10 percentage points in prior cash dependence. Spending remained elevated even when cash availability recovered. Robustness analyses show that the spending response is not driven by purchase substitution, income shocks, credit supply, or price changes. We provide causal evidence that digital payments increase consumer spending due to subdued endowment effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electronic energy transfer in molecular wires is usually theoretically investigated with a harmonic bath to model the environment. The present study is a continuation of our previous work [A. Sindhu and A. Jain, Chem. Phys. Chem. 23, e2022003 (2022)] on studying the dynamics of molecular wires using surface hopping simulations. We extend our study to a 7-site model Hamiltonian and investigate the effects of an anharmonic bath on coherent energy transfer in molecular wires. We show that oscillatory and coherent population dynamics remain intact even in the presence of the anharmonic bath and further highlight the multiple channels available for energy flow in molecular wires. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrothermal instability and its effect on the uniformity of discharge channels during underwater electrical wire explosions at different energy deposition rates have been investigated. According to the liquid–vapor transition mechanism, we classified underwater electrical explosion into "phase explosion mode" and "supercritical mode." Two sets of experiments corresponding to the two modes were conducted, and the exploding wires were observed by a shadow imaging system. Results showed that a bamboo-shaped discharge channel was formed in the phase explosion mode, whereas the discharge channel in the supercritical mode was a uniform cylinder. Self-consistent magnetohydrodynamic simulation results indicated that exploding wires transfer into liquid–vapor coexistence phase in the phase explosion mode, accompanied by a rapid increase in the density perturbation and the formation of bamboo-shaped structures. Moreover, a small perturbation model was derived to analyze the electrothermal instability in different thermodynamic states. It was indicated that the density perturbation is easier to grow in the liquid–vapor coexistence state than the supercritical state, which provides a theoretical explanation for the differences between the two electrical explosion modes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid spread of the COVID-19 virus and the massive influx of patients exceeded the intensive care units capacity limit. Hospitals have engaged community partners to request resources or transfer patients to facilities with available resources. This setting fosters the need for rationing decisions to allocate scarce resources consistently, rather than basing decisions on clinicians' intuition in the heat of the moment. In this paper, we identify the inter-hospital COVID-19 patients' transfer criteria, and we apply a multi-criteria decision-making methodology to classify and rank these criteria in order to determine the transfer priority scores between hospitals. We then develop an optimisation model for patient systematic referral from saturated to recipient hospitals with contingency capacity expansion and a ventilator donation scheme. To deal with the uncertainty related to the number of ill patients requesting beds in hospitals, a two-stage stochastic model is presented and solved using the sample average approximation. A case with real data related to the COVID-19 French context is presented, which allows us to assess the resilience of the hospital network under the proposed solutions. The results show how local and regional coalitions can avert the saturation of the hospital system and reduce the number of rejected patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the article the author examines the acts which are considered to be fraudulent in the field of banking. The purpose of the study is to define the concept of fraud in the field of banking, the acts which are related to it, and to formulate proposals to the Criminal Code of Ukraine based on a thorough analysis of the provisions of current criminal law and scientific sources. The author notes that fraud in banking poses a threat to banking in particular and the economy in general, since their commission entails rather serious negative consequences and affects the entire financial and economic security of the State. To ensure the efficient operation of banking institutions and their financial security, it is necessary to develop and implement an effective fraud detection and prevention system. This includes the use of advanced software solutions and compliance with security standards when working with electronic payment systems, identifying potential threats and using appropriate measures to prevent and deter fraud in the banking sector. The article notes that in order to effectively prevent fraud in the banking sector, it is necessary to first understand its essence, define the definition of this concept and generally characterize the actions which are the objective side of criminal offenses related to the commission of the analyzed types of fraud. On the basis of a thorough legislative, regulatory and scientific study and harmonization of the very definition of «fraud in the field of banking», the author proposes amendments and proposals to the Criminal Code of Ukraine. Based on the scientific analysis of the definition of the concept under study, it can be concluded that frauds committed in the banking sector include the following acts: frauds with bank accounts, frauds with credit cards, frauds related to forgery of documents for obtaining loans, as well as illegal actions by bank employees which result in fraudulent actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital payment gateways have become an essential part of the modern economy, facilitating online transactions and enabling e-commerce activities. The centralization of these gateways has led to a lack of transparency, long processing time, high fees, a central point of failure and a significant risk of fraud. Blockchain technology has the potential to address these problems and revolutionize the way to handle digital transactions. In this paper, a blockchain-based solution, named EasyPay, is proposed to create a simple, easy-to-use, decentralized, secured and transparent digital payment gateway with a good user-friendly interface. In EasyPay, a MetaMask account is used as a crypto wallet that interacts with the Ethereum blockchain network, and a smart contract is designed using Solidity to validate transactions. The accessibility and security of the proposed payment gateway are increased by integrating a QR code with EasyPay. Experimental results show 95% performance and 100% accessibility with an SEO score of 80% of the proposed EasyPay system from GooglePageInsights. The proposed EasyPay system offers a superior market segment and accessibility, according to comparison data between it and other cryptocurrency platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Do coordination failures constrain financial technology adoption? Exploiting the Mexican government's rollout of 1 million debit cards to poor households from 2009 to 2012, I examine responses on both sides of the market and find important spillovers and distributional impacts. On the supply side, small retail firms adopted point-of-sale terminals to accept card payments. On the demand side, this led to a 21 percent increase in other consumers' card adoption. The supply-side technology adoption response had positive effects on both richer consumers and small retail firms: richer consumers shifted 13 percent of their supermarket consumption to small retailers, whose sales and profits increased. (JEL E42, L25, L81, O14, O33) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the mediating effect of the primary type of news source used by audiences on the relationship between interest in news and media trust. In addition, this study explored the moderating role of payments for digital news. Based on 12,252 respondents from six countries (the United Kingdom, the United States, France, Spain, Germany, and Finland), the study confirms that the type of news source chosen by audiences significantly mediates the relationship between interest and media trust. This mediation is not moderated by the payments for digital news. Furthermore, there is no direct association between payment and media trust, although data shows that direct effect of interest in media trust is slightly moderated by payment for digital news. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the emerging trend in e-commerce, an increasing number of people have adopted cashless payment methods, especially credit cards for buying products online. However, this ever-rising usage of credit cards has also led to an increase in the malicious users attempting to gain financial profits by committing fraudulent activities resulting in huge losses to the card issuer as well as the customer. Credit Card Frauds (CCFs) are pervasive worldwide, and so efficient methods are required to detect CCFs to minimize financial losses. This research presents an efficient CCF Detection (CCFD) approach based on Deep Learning. In this work, CCFD is performed based on the features obtained from the credit card fused based on Wave Hedge distance, and the Wave Hedge coefficient utilized for fusion is estimated using the Deep Neuro-Fuzzy Network. Further, detection is performed using the Zeiler and Fergus Network (ZFNet), whose trainable factors are adjusted using the Dwarf Mongoose–Shuffled Shepherd Political Optimization (DMSSPO) algorithm. Moreover, the DMSSPO_ZFNet is analyzed based on accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity, and the experimental outcomes reveal that the values attained are 0.961, 0.961, and 0.951. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers the design of the Bitcoin protocol from a monetary perspective. To this end, it relies heavily on the publications of the creator(s) of Bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto, on different mailing lists and forums. It first expounds the political and economic motives which led Nakamoto to build an electronic system of payment based on ‘proof’ rather than on ‘trust’. Then, it considers the predetermined nature of the issue of bitcoins and support the view that one consequence of this issuing rule is that the bitcoin has no ‘monetary standard’ in any of the senses that have been attributed to this term in the literature. Finally, it deals with the concept of ‘synthetic commodity money’ and the widespread comparison of bitcoin to the Iraqi Swiss dinar. The conception of the monetary standard as a measure of the appreciation or depreciation of money is then used to distinguish the bitcoin from the Iraqi Swiss dinar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the factors affecting the acceptance of Fin-tech payment services by urban women of Tier-2 cities in India. The study extends the well-known theory, UTAUT-2, with perceived credibility and explores the moderating role of risk in understanding the adoption behaviour of Fin-tech payment by urban women of Tier-2 cities. The research model was empirically tested on 604 respondents. The structural equation modelling (SEM) technique was employed to test the proposed model in the study. Facilitating conditions emerged to be the strongest determinant followed by perceived credibility. Lack of trust or credibility in the service as well service provider was also found to be a crucial determinant in framing the attitude of an individual and affecting the behavioural intentions of the female customer. The results of our study also revealed that perceived credibility/trust is also an important determinant of technology adoption in urban women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the promising growth of digital payments in India, this study aims to identify motivational factors influencing digital payment acceptance among Indian consumers and how consumers perceive these services when segregated by demographic profiles of gender, age, education and income levels. An online survey targeting 386 respondents was targeted to study the key determinants of digital payments adoption. The study reveals that trust, subjective norm, perceived risk, ease of use, and usefulness are key predictors of digital payment adoption. In addition, invariance analysis provides empirical evidence of scale non-invariance when consumers are segregated by gender and education. The study is pioneering in digital payments as useful insights are gained, which can help policymakers and service providers design future strategies for wider acceptance of digital payments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Despite evidence that cashless payment modes influence spending behavior, researchers have yet to explain the underlying mechanism. Cash serves as a store of value, and transactions involve the transference of ownership in circulation. This study aims to unpack why the physical and visceral nature of cash embodies psychological ownership and how the physicality of cash attenuates the awareness of spending, curtailing instinctive and unnecessary spending. Design/methodology/approach: Drawing on data collected in 2013 in New Zealand, the authors conducted another study in the quite different context of China in September 2023, using identical semistructured discussion protocols. The data from 2013 involved five focus group sessions containing at least six participants, involving 31 adults who also completed an open-ended questionnaire immediately before the group discussion commenced. The data collection in 2023 used the same open-ended and semistructured discussion protocol used in 2013, resulting in 180 adult open-ended responses – a nonprobability criterion-based purposive sampling guided participant selection in the 2013 and 2023 studies. Findings: Findings reveal that psychological ownership does manifest in the app more than in the ownership of money itself. People felt happy, confident, safe and secure while using apps that stored their money. Physical attributes of cash result from sensory perceptions of handling, counting and touching cash and coins. A sense of psychological ownership heightens spending awareness and ramifies spending behavior. The research found sadness and guilt as negative emotions when parting with money. Originality/value: This study offers empirical support to explain why psychological ownership of cash regulates spending and why the psychological processes that underlie "owned" money interrupt the spending with cash. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transition from traditional to digital payment platforms is reshaping domestic revenue mobilization, with significant impacts on sectors like agriculture, health, business, education and economy. This transition, while presenting both challenges and opportunities, has the potential to foster economic growth and boost revenue mobilization. This paper investigates how digital taxation or electronic levy (e‐levy) has shaped mobile money (MoMo) adoption in Ghana since the introduction of e‐levy on digital financial transactions. The underlying theories supporting this study include the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Social Norm Theory (SNT), and Expectancy‐Confirmation Theory (ECT). A cross‐sectional design was employed, and data was collected from 206 participants (mobile network subscribers) through a self‐administered online survey conducted and applied a partial least square structural equation modeling technique. The findings indicate that inherent innovativeness, the structure of the tax, and social tax compliance norms significantly influence citizens' compliance attitudes towards e‐levy in the context of a developing country. Conversely, the study found that potential taxpayers' attitudes towards e‐levy do not determine their intention to pay (actual use) e‐levy. In this respect, recommendations to drive the digital taxation agenda among government revenue agencies in developing countries are (i) continuous inherent innovativeness on the part of the government, (ii) ensuring compliance attitudes towards e‐levy, (iii) proper structuring of the tax components and (iv) ensuring ease of use of the system. These findings provide governments and revenue agencies, particularly those in developing countries, with valuable insights into citizens' behavioral change towards digital taxation on MoMo transactions. An effective convergence of the determinants discussed in this research would expedite government mobilization efforts for electronic levies and promote development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the problems of overload and excessive thermal insulation associated with building electrical fires caused by wires, a theoretical model of wire heat transfer is established, and the pyrolysis and combustion phenomena of the insulation layer are analyzed. The results showed that the temperature evolution of the wire underwent three stages: constant temperature, insulation heating, and high‐temperature pyrolysis. The insulation layer experiences bulging, exhausting, carbonization, dripping, and burning in sequence, and insulation layer dripping requires at least 160 A of current. As the current increases, the temperature increase rate of the wire increases gradually, and the fusing time of the wire gradually decreases. Under the same current, 160°C is the turning point at which the temperature increases. The temperature increase rate of the copper wire is greater than that of the aluminum alloy wire, and the temperature increase rate of the bare wire is greater than that of the insulated wire. The fusing time of an aluminum alloy wire is less than that of a copper wire, and the fusing time of a bare wire is less than that of an insulated wire. The research results provide theoretical guidance for the prevention and investigation of building electrical fires. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The behavioral literature suggests that minor frictions can elicit desirable behavior without obvious coercion. Using closures of ATMs in a densely populated city as an instrument for small frictions to physical banking access, we find that customers affected by ATM closures increase their usage of the bank's digital platform. Other spillover effects of this adoption of financial technology include increases in point-of-sale transactions, electronic funds transfers, automatic bill payments and savings, and a reduction in cash usage. Our results show that minor frictions can help overcome the status quo bias and facilitate significant behavior change. This paper was accepted by David Sraer, finance. Supplemental Material: Data and the online appendix are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2023.4972. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Introduction Methods Results Conclusions This paper examines the experiences of people with learning disabilities in the United Kingdom as society transitions towards cashless transactions and services. It is a significant study because it highlights the need to understand their digital financial experiences.This study employed an inclusive, interpretivist approach, focusing on participatory methods. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse data from focus groups including 40 people with learning disabilities across 3 day services. This original study included co‐researchers with lived experience of learning disabilities who assisted in data collection and analysis.Four key themes emerged: heterogeneity of preferences for cash versus digital payments; the urgent need for support and training in digital financial literacy; balancing safeguarding and fostering independence; and accessibility challenges in physical and online banking environments.The shift to a cashless society poses significant challenges for people with learning disabilities, requiring tailored support and training in digital finance. Financial institutions should be cognisant of these needs, suggesting that systemic changes are required for improved financial inclusion. The study highlights the importance of including people with learning disabilities in the design of digital financial tools and policies, to support their financial autonomy and independence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies provides conclusions regarding the relationship between digital payments and banking stability in a particular country. Therefore, this research wants to see how the growth of digital payments impacts banking stability in 110 countries in the world from 2017 – 2022. This study explores the relationship between digital payments and banking stability using a panel data regression model. Digital payment transactions are proxied by the payment penetration ratio (PPR) while banking stability is proxied by the country's Zscore. This research found a negative correlation between digital payment transactions and banking stability in data from 110 countries. This is possible because of the risks arising from digital payment transactions. Overall, these findings support policies to increase secure payment transactions for banking stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous international development targets aim to encourage and formalize remittances, because they can support development efforts while controlling and monitoring illicit capital flows. Despite continued efforts to promote formal remittance channels, informal remittances flourish among specific population groups. This study uses data from the Canadian Study on International Money Transfers to analyze the determinants of remittance modality or channel choice. Previous empirical work tends to classify remittances as either formal or informal. In contrast, this article considers a variety of channels. It shows that the dichotomization of formal versus informal remittances masks crucial differences across remittance channels. Due to Canada's unique geographical positionality, cash transfers operate distinctly from informal methods despite often being treated as a homogenous group in other studies. Interestingly, remitters are also more likely to use formal money transfer operators (most of which offer cash pickup options to recipients) than informal channels to send funds to countries with larger informal sectors. Within the context of Canadian remittance outflows, this invalidates the frequent assumption that more informal destination country economies push remitters to opt for informal transfer methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of wire electrical discharge machining (WEDM), determining the fraction of thermal energy transferred to the workpiece (fc) is crucial for numerical modelling. This information is necessary to anticipate material removal mechanisms and understand thermal behaviour. In this study, two metaphor-less Rao algorithms are modified to solve the inverse heat conduction problem (IHCP) for the estimation of fc during the WEDM process without knowing any prior information on the transient functional form of fc. These two algorithms are compared in terms of accuracy and convergence speed. The Rao-1 algorithm stands out with high accuracy and rapid convergence. To evaluate the algorithm applicability in estimating fc, the following cases are considered: (1) a numerical investigation with artificial Gaussian error in simulated temperature readings and (2) a real-time experiment on WEDM setup with varying discharge currents. The RMS error between the actual and estimated value of fc with SS-304 material during numerical investigation is found to be 562 W/m which is just 0.008 times of heat source. Real-time experiments reveal that the discharge current is directly proportional to the total energy supplied by the wire as well as fc. The fc values estimated by the proposed inverse algorithm with various discharge currents fall within the range of 15–18%, aligning with the existing literature. This shows the proposed methodology is accurate and can be extended to incorporate other machining processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last seven to eight years, there have been three disruptions at once: Digital Disruption, Millennial Disruption, and Pandemic Disruption. Relevant to the three disruptions which are also accompanied by changes in consumer behavior, the freight forwarding industry in Indonesia needs to transform from services product to services ecosystem. This can provide value to stakeholders in the freight forwarding industry in particular and the logistics industry in general, including transportation service providers (land, sea, air, train), warehousing, stevedoring, heavy equipment rental, custom clearance handling, banking, digital payment services, quarantine services, and the customers themselves. This study aims to gain a deeper and more understanding of Service Quality, Brand Image, and Price, in the creation of a services ecosystem in Indonesian Freight Forwarding Companies to build an orchestration of the stakeholders in the Logistics Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The technological revolution, fueled by the sweeping changes of the information age, has profoundly impacted all spheres of life. This transformation has revolutionized the realms of inventions and communications, setting the stage for the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI has evolved into a formidable force that rivals human intellect, increasingly becoming a focal point of research aimed at integrating it across all aspects of daily life. Its capacity to address individual needs and provide tailored solutions has made it an indispensable tool in today's digital world. This rapid scientific progression and the burgeoning interest in AI have established it as a critical necessity, offering significant benefits in various fields. These advancements have transformed traditional, human-controlled mechanisms into intelligent systems that emulate human reasoning and decision-making processes. This shift is particularly evident in the realm of electronic transactions, where AI has played a pivotal role in advancing these technologies and has been instrumental in the development of smart electronic contracts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital payments are the most popular financial service in Africa, having been adopted by half of all adults. Nevertheless, there remain significant barriers to access in Africa's digital payment sector, stymieing growth. Cost and distance to a branch or agent are chief among them, exacerbated by the fact that many economies in Africa have small financial services markets, with payment sectors dominated by private sector financial service and payment system providers that have invested in proprietary, closed-loop digital payments processing infrastructure. These closed-loop systems can be inefficient and therefore expensive to operate, leaving payment services out of reach for millions of end users. With the goal of calling out fruitful approaches for expanding and maturing Africa's payments market, this paper highlights lessons from four public or public–private instant payment systems (IPS) initiatives that aimed to build affordable and inclusive digital public infrastructure to enable broader access and therefore growth in Africa's digital payments sector. Using case studies from Ghana, Malawi, Zambia and the Central African Economic and Monetary Community, this paper highlights lessons from these initiatives, including the need for enabling regulations, the need to craft a compelling business case for incumbent payment service providers, central bank involvement to ensure a focus on inclusive access, and customer-centricity to ensure the IPS can process high-demand payment types through the channels that end users prefer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper discusses the huge and rarely acknowledged, much less addressed, issue of government payment systems competing with private sector payment systems that serve consumers, businesses and banks. This paper's discussion of government payment systems, however, does not include central banks' real-time gross settlement systems. It discusses a range of public and private sector payment systems, payment-network innovation, accountability and value, why governments develop and run payment systems, and why they should not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As digital content increasingly moves away from free access, microtransactions may provide an alternative. There is a need for research on microtransactions as a general digital content payment mechanism. Businesses can capitalize on this technological advancement by expanding their paid digital content offerings without resorting to subscription-based services. This study examines a taxonomy for microtransactions based on consumer buying behavior, presents business models for microtransaction payment processing, and examines issues with its implementation. Data collected from 180 consumers were analyzed using quantitative and qualitative analyses to assess the receptiveness and perception of microtransactions. The results indicate that consumers are receptive to the concept of microtransactions and are willing to spend on five distinct digital content categories. This study concludes with a discussion of issues that consumers foresee with digital content microtransactions and implications for interested businesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advanced technologies pave the way for a variety of technology-based inventions, especially economic integrations. The idea of mobile commerce has been under consideration for the past decade. Mobile users are gradually shifting from traditional modes of payment to cashless mobile applications. After COVID-19, the use of e-modes for payments in our daily routine lives increased significantly, which requires further investigation of the factors affecting the adoption of mobile payment (M-payment) applications. Given that, this study aims to investigate the adoption of M-payment through the application of UTAUT-2 theory while extending it with monetary benefit. The data were collected from 302 respondents who were the current users of JazzCash and Easypaisa. Furthermore, this study furnishes a deeper understanding of the proposed model by utilizing the partial least squares–structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and fsQCA approach. The findings of this research highlight that performance expectancy, price value, habit, and monetary benefit are the major and more effective motives that influence the adoption of M-payment in Pakistan. Further, the findings of this study provide an in-depth insight into consumer perspective about the major indicators that influence the adoption of M-payment and can also help practitioners deploy an appropriate strategy for their M-payment application. This study is the pioneer in evaluating the adoption of M-payment in the developing economy of Pakistan through UTAUT-2 theory with additional variable of monetary benefit offered by JazzCash and Easypaisa in terms of cashback, discounts, and perks that drive the adoption intention for M-payment. More importantly, this study also extends the prior studies by utilizing the asymmetrical approach with symmetrical findings to explore the causal configurations (i.e., the combination of UTAUT2 antecedents) predicting the adoption of M-payment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exponential rise of Information and Communication Technology in recent years has brought e-payment systems to the forefront of businesses. Hence, several e-payment options have emerged for consumer and commercial transactions perspective. However, it has led to few challenges for consumer's decision making with respect to the adoption of e-payment system. Therefore, we developed and tested a model of e-payment adoption with respect to consumer empowerment theory. The study also examined the mediating role of consumer empowerment on the relationship between consumer digital awareness (CDA), consumer digital literacy (CDL), consumer digital engagement (CDE) and adoption of e-payment systems. We used a purposive sampling method to collect data from 390 techno savvy respondents from India who used digital payment services. The study found that CDA, CDL and CDE have positive effects on consumer empowerment. This result further partially mediated the relationship between its determinants and adoption intention of the e-payment systems. The findings contributed to the understanding of the dynamics of e-payment system adoption of consumers for developing countries, especially Indian consumers. The empirical results would provide a guideline for decision makers to develop suitable measures that can encourage the adoption of e-payment systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: M-wallets have emerged as one of the most important financial innovations of the 21st century, enabling users to carry digital cash by securely storing payment methods on their mobile devices. However, the continued use of m-wallets varies among people for several reasons. This study used the technology continuation theory (TCT), gamification and trust factors to examine the variables affecting consumers' intentions to continue using mobile wallets. Design/methodology/approach: The SmartPLS partial least squares software was used to analyze data from 431 m-wallet users in Vietnam using the structural equation modeling technique. Findings: The data revealed that the research model can predict users' intentions to continue using mobile wallets. TCT constructs demonstrated strong exploratory power in explaining consumer satisfaction and attitudes towards m-wallets. Furthermore, the study confirmed the direct effect of the perceived effectiveness of gamification on perceived ease of use and attitude, as well as its indirect effect on consumers' continued use intentions of mobile wallets via attitude. In addition, the trust negatively influenced consumers' intentions to continue using m-wallets. Practical implications: The findings of this study can help researchers, practitioners and policymakers improve m-wallet design, development and adoption, as well as advance financial technology and define the future of digital payments in terms of consumer attraction, engagement and financial inclusion. Originality/value: Based on TCT theory, this study enriches m-wallet research by examining two important factors, gamification and trust, and thus provides insights into how to improve consumers' intentions to continue using m-wallets in developing countries. This study offers timely insights into theory and practice regarding these factors. It therefore paves the way for researchers and practitioners to learn how easy, enjoyable and secure the end-user experience should be to keep users engaged with m-wallets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Payment clearing is important to ensure that the payment is transferred or the cash from one bank account moves to the other bank. The banking system in Iraq follows two sorts of clearance systems which are the IBCS (Inter Bank Clearing System) and C-ACH (Check Automated Clearing House System). Though the Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) has already modernized the payment clearing systems, the country's banks still use the interbank clearing systems. In this background, the current study is a first-of-its-kind attempt to compare and contrast the IBCS and C-ACH systems so as to understand the benefits and disadvantages associated with these two clearance systems and identify the optimal one. For this study, the researcher used secondary data available from the CBI for the study period between 2O18 and 2O22. The collected data was analyzed for descriptive statistics and correlation to validate the hypotheses. The Mann Whitney U test and independent sample T-test were conducted in the study. From the study outcomes, it is clear that there exists a significant difference between the systems' performance in terms of number of transfers in dollars and Iraqi dinars as well as the distribution of bank transfers through checks in dollars and Iraqi dinars. Between the systems (IBCS and C-ACH) under study, the C-ACH system gained prominence with the highest number of transfers and the distribution of bank transfers through checks. The study results confirm the increasing penetration of the electronic clearing system while the policy makers in the government and decision makers at the CBI must devise strategies to bring all the participant banks in the country under a unified clearing system so that the end consumer gains benefits in terms of cost, time, data security, ease and so on. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This study investigates the intricate connection between digital financial literacy (DFL) components and financial skills (FSK) in relation to financial goals (FG) while considering the moderating role of financial experience (FE) and financial awareness (FA) within the rapidly developing digital payment environment in Indonesia. Utilizing a quantitative approach and structural equation model (SEM) analysis of survey data from 633 participants. The results indicated that all aspects of DFL have a substantial impact on FSK and FG. FSKs are crucial in enhancing FG, as they play a key role in mediating the effect of all DFL components on FG. Although FE strengthens the moderating role, it is not significant. Conversely, FA weakens the relationship, but this is not statistically significant. The research presents undeniable evidence that the fundamental aspects of DFL comprising knowledge of digital financial services (KDFS), awareness of digital finance risk (ADFR), and digital finance risk control (DFRC) have a direct impact on FSK. These skills are essential for attaining FG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Whereas digital payments have been identified as a solution to health payment challenges, evidence on their adoptability among Community Health Workers (CHWs) is limited. Understanding their adoptability is crucial for sustainability. This study assessed the adoptability of digital payments for CHWs in Wakiso district, Uganda. Methods: A convergent parallel mixed-methods study was conducted between November and December 2022, in Wakiso district, Uganda. We surveyed a random sample of 150 CHWs using a structured questionnaire and conducted key informant interviews among three purposively selected Digital payment coordinators. The study utilized the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) framework to assess the adoptability of digital payments among CHWs. Factor analysis was performed to extract composite variables from the original constituting variables. Using the median, the outcome was converted to a binary variable and logistic regression was conducted to assess the association between the TAM constructs and adoptability of digital payments by CHWs. Quantitative data was analyzed using STATA 14, while qualitative data was transcribed verbatim and analyzed using ATLAS.ti 22. Results: Nearly all participants (98.0%; n = 49) had previously received payments through mobile money, a digital payment method. (52%; n = 78) of CHWs said they intend to use digital payment modalities. Perceived risk of digital payments was associated with 83% lower odds of adoptability of digital payment modalities (OR = 0.17;95%CI:0.052, 0.54), while perceived trust had nearly three times higher odds of adoptability of digital payment modalities (OR = 2.82;95%CI:1.41, 5.67). Qualitative interviews showed that most CHWs reported positive experiences with digital health payments, including effectiveness and completeness of payments except for delays associated with mobile money payments across payment providers. Mobile money was reported to be easy to use, in addition to fostering financial responsibility compared to cash. Conclusion: CHWs in Wakiso district intend to use digital payment modalities, particularly mobile money/e-cash. Perceived risk of the payment method and trust are key determinants of adoptability. Synergized efforts by both payment providers to manage payment delays and mitigate risks associated with digital payments could attenuate perceived risk and build trust in digital payment modalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fabrication of Mg alloys using the additive manufacturing process is quite challenging owing to high oxidation and volatile nature at high temperatures. The present study investigates the effect of wire feed speed (WFS) and travel speed (TS) on single tracks of AZ31 Mg alloy fabricated using the cold metal transfer wire arc additive Manufacturing (CMT-WAAM) process. The WFS and TS of CMT-WAAM are optimized to achieve better deposition quality. An increase in WFS increased the width, height, penetration depth, and heat-affected zone of single tracks. In addition, increasing TS decreased the deposited tracks' contact angle and height. The average grain size at the interface zone, center and top portion of single tracks are 35, 42, and 60 μm. The x-ray diffraction results show only the presence of primary phase α-Mg; interestingly, the β-Mg17Al12 and η-Al8Mn5 secondary phases are identified by SEM + EDS and TEM images. The microhardness increased from the substrate to the top section of single tracks due to the increased volume fraction of secondary-phase particles. Based on the best-chosen process parameters obtained from single-track deposition, a multilayer AZ31 Mg thin wall is deposited. The UTS, YS, and % EL of the deposited thin wall in travel direction (TD) are 222 MPa, 102 MPa, and 18%, while in build direction are 202 MPa, 110 MPa, and 14%, respectively. The tensile strength and elongation % of TD and BD samples exhibited comparable properties and were higher than cast AZ31 Mg alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pakistani's health services delivery system has been rarely evaluated regarding patient satisfaction. This study examined the performance of the Pakistani health system from the perspective of doctor services (DS), digital payment system (DPS), nurses' services (NS), laboratory services (LS), pharmacy services (PHS), registration services (RS), physical services (environmentally and tangible) and doctor-patient communication (DPC) about patient satisfaction. A random sampling technique was adopted for data collection. Methodology: The Social Science Statistical Package (SPSS), analysis of moment structures (AMOS), and structural equation modeling were used to analyze the data for reliability, validity, correlations, and descriptive findings. The 879 responses were used for study analysis. Results: The study revealed that patient satisfaction was found to be significantly affected positively by LS, PHS, DS, NS, and DPS, while DPC, RS, and PF were impacted non-significantly. Consequently, there is a considerable communication gap in the doctor-patient interaction, and Pakistan's healthcare system is confronted with a shortage of physical infrastructure and challenges in the digital system. Conclusion: Furthermore, the insufficient emphasis on registration services necessitates immediate action to improve the entire patient experience and satisfaction. Identifying these shortcomings has the potential to result in a healthcare system that is more efficient and focused on the needs of the patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wire thermal spraying, one of the significant coating preparation technologies in the field of thermal spraying, has the advantages of low cost, high material utilization rate and fast coating deposition. Powder-cored wires, with easily controllable compositions, are used as spraying materials to prepare functional coatings with special properties. Coatings prepared by traditional wire thermal spraying technologies, mainly including wire flame spraying (WFS), wire arc spraying (WAS) and plasma wire spraying, have some defects, such as weak bonding strength and high porosity. In this paper, the plasma transferred wire arc spraying (PTWAS) technology was innovatively proposed, by which Al/SiC powder-cored wires were successfully sprayed to deposit the aluminum (Al)/Nicalon (SiC) composite coating. Furthermore, the influences of spraying current (I), argon (Ar) flow rate (LAr), hydrogen (H2) flow rate (LH2) and other factors on Al/Sic powder-cored wires prepared by PTWAS and the optimization of the coating preparation process were mainly studied via the single factor method and the response surface methodology. After experimental exploration and analysis, the optimized process parameters were finally determined as follows: LAr was 120 L min−1, I was 160 A, LH2 was 5 L min−1, the spraying distance was 100 mm, the wire feeding speed (V) was 0.18 m s−1, and the distance between the wire and nozzle (d) was 10 mm. It was found in the test that the porosity of the optimized Al/SiC composite coating was only 1.6%, the average microhardness was 102 HV0.1, and the average bonding strength was 36.5 MPa. The comprehensive properties of this coating were better than those of the Al/SiC composite coatings prepared by WFS and WAS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poor payment practices continue to plague not only the private construction industry but also the government construction sector. According to recent studies, conditions and instructions can be encoded into smart contracts to allow automatic payments. The construction industry in the Philippines is slow to adapt to new technologies. This research proposes the adoption of smart contracts for implementing Philippine government infrastructure projects. By analyzing datasets from the Cordillera Administrative Region, this study determined the willingness of government employees and contractors to adopt smart contracts for government projects and identified factors causing doubt among contractors and government employees about its implementation. A total of 218 professionals responded to a Google Form questionnaire, and 20 participants were involved in unstructured interviews, which supported the data and results from the questionnaire. To interpret and validate the data gathered, a twotailed t-test analysis was used. The study revealed that the Philippine government construction industry, specifically in the CAR region, is not yet ready to adopt smart contracts. It was also found that smart contracts will only be effective with proper introduction through seminars and training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aims to explore the current state and challenges of managing electronic quick payment methods within the financial settlement processes of general hospitals, specifically in the context of sports medicine departments. Additionally, it proposes specific optimization strategies to enhance efficiency and security. Methods: The study analyzed the advantages of electronic payment systems within the financial operations of sports medicine services in general hospitals, clarifying the value of quick payment methods in this specialized field. It then delved into the application status, existing problems, and challenges associated with electronic quick payments, focusing on issues pertinent to sports medicine. Based on these insights, targeted optimization paths were developed. Results: The implementation of electronic payment methods in sports medicine departments of general hospitals revealed several issues, including departmental information silos, mismatches between settlement processes and electronic payment systems, and security risks. Moreover, the study identified challenges such as the need for higher levels of hospital information management and robust internal controls. The proposed optimization strategies include enhancing the functionality of hospital medical cards to enable a seamless "one-card" system, optimizing settlement processes within sports medicine departments, strengthening electronic payment security, improving hospital information systems, and reinforcing internal controls. Conclusion: Despite the benefits of electronic quick payments, there are still significant risks and challenges in their application within the financial settlements of sports medicine departments in general hospitals. Strengthening the management of these systems can facilitate their effective use and ensure the financial security of hospital operations, particularly in the specialized area of sports medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]