EDINBURGH NAPIER UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF COMPUTING

MSc RESEARCH PROPOSAL

1. Student detai!
Last (family) name Munir
First name Imad
Napier matriculation number 4012850
". Detai! #$ %#u& '&#(&a))e #$ !tud%
M!c "ro#ramme title M!c $omputin#
%ear t&at you started your diploma modules
Mont& t&at you started your diploma modules !eptember
Mode of study of diploma modules Full'time
(ate t&at you completed)*ill complete your diploma
modules at Napier
*. P&#+ect #utine detai!
"lease su##est a title for your proposed pro+ect, If you &a-e *or.ed *it& a super-isor on t&is
proposal/ please pro-ide t&e name, N0 you are stron#ly ad-ised to *or. *it& a member of staff
*&en puttin# your proposal to#et&er,
1itle of t&e proposed pro+ect 1&e Importance of t&e percei-ed benefits of 2'$ommerce
3doption in "a.istan
Name of super-isor 1om Mc2*an
I do not &a-e a member of staff lined up to
super-ise my *or.
,. B&ie$ de!c&i'ti#n #$ t-e &e!ea&c- a&ea . /ac0(&#und
"lease pro-ide bac.#round information on t&e broad research area of your pro+ect in t&e bo4 belo*,
%ou s&ould *rite in narrati-e (not bullet points), 1&e academic)t&eoretical basis of your description
of t&e researc& area s&ould be e-ident t&rou#& t&e use of references, %our description s&ould be
bet*een &alf and one pa#e in len#t&,
O1e& t-e a!t t2# decade! t-e&e -a! /een a d&a!tic inc&ea!e in t-e u!e inte&net /a!ed
tec-n##(ie! $#& t-e 'u&'#!e #$ /u!ine!!. N#t #n% -a! t-i! !-a'ed e3i!tin( /u!ine!!e!
/ut it -a! a!# c&eated an a&&a% #$ #''#&tunit% $#& ne2 ente&'&i!e!. O&(ani!ati#n! -a1e
utii!ed inte&net./a!ed t##! in a 2ide &an(e #$ !ect#&! incudin( ad1e&ti!in( and
!-#''in( a)#n(!t #t-e&!. Inc&ea!in(%4 /u!ine!!e! a&e !'endin( a&(e a)#unt! #n EC in
t-e -#'e t# (ain a c#)'etiti1e ed(e #1e& t-ei& c#)'etiti#n. T-e inc&ea!e in u!e& /a!e
$&#) US5,6 /ii#n t#ta inte&net &e1enue #$ (##d! and !e&1ice! in 1778 t# #1e& US5 1
t&ii#n /% t-e end #$ "66* 9F#&&e!te& Re!ea&c- "66": -a! '&#1ided i)ite!! #''#&tunitie!
$#& EC t# ad1ance in t-e (#/a )a&0et.
In additi#n4 t-e &a'id de1e#')ent #$ teec#))unicati#n in$&a!t&uctu&e! in &ecent %ea&!
-a! '&#1ided inte&net '&#1i!i#n t# a (&eate& nu)/e& #$ u!e&!. T-i! -a! $aciitated t-e
de1e#')ent #$ /u!ine!! t-&#u(- t-e u!e #$ inte&net./a!ed tec-n##(ie! and -a!
'&e!ented ne2 t&end! $#& !)a t# )ediu) !i;ed /u!ine!!e! t# enc#u&a(e (&eate&
c#nt&i/uti#n t# nati#na ec#n#)ie!.
H#2e1e& 2-ie EC i! an i)'#&tant i!!ue 2it-in t-e (&#2t- #$ t-e inte&net4 t-e&e -a1e /een
in!u$$icient !tudie! $#cu!in( #n it! ad#'ti#n a)#n(!t /u!ine!!e! and cu!t#)e&! in
e)e&(in( )a&0et!. Re!ea&c- -a! !-#2n a !#2e& &ate #$ EC ad#'ti#n ac&#!! 1a&i#u!
'a&t! t-e 2#&d4 na)e% de1e#'in( nati#n!4 due &ea!#n! !uc- a! ac0 #$ $inancia
&e!#u&ce! and !u''#&t 9P##n and S2at)an 177<:
Re!ea&c- c#nducted /% Se%a4 A4 A2ai!4M4 S-a)ai4 S and A//a!4 A. 9"66,: !u((e!t t-at
!)a /u!ine!!e! &e!#u&ce! a&e n#t !u$$icient at ad#'tin( EC in Pa0i!tan and a&(ue!
t-at t-e&e i! a !t&#n( need $#& )ana(e)ent t# de'#% !uc- &e!#u&ce!.
T-i! &e!ea&c- 2i /e c#nducted #n B"C EC ad#'ti#n in Pa0i!tan and #t-e& c#)'a&a/e
c#unt&ie!4 t-e $act#&! in$uencin( it and t-e i)'#&tance #$ t-e 'e&cei1ed /ene$it! in te&)!
#$ /#t- t-e SME=! and t-ei& cu!t#)e&!.
T-e &e!ea&c- 2i $#cu! #n #ne #$ t-e 0e% $act#&! !u&&#undin( B"C EC ad#'ti#n4 t-e
'e&cei1ed /ene$it! and t-e $act#&!4 2-ic- in$uence t-e). T-e i)'act #$ a -i(-e& EC
ad#'ti#n &ate in Pa0i!tan in te&)! #$ inte&na >uait% #$ i$e and GDP 2i /e ana%!ed
t-&#u(- a c#)'a&i!#n /et2een 'e&cei1ed and actua /ene$it!.
A >uaitati1e &e!ea&c- )et-#d##(% 2i /e utii!ed t# (au(e in!i(-t int# t-e 'e&cei1ed
/ene$it! #$ EC ad#'ti#n /% SME=! and t-ei& cu!t#)e&! and t-e $act#&! in$uencin( t-e) in
e)e&(in( )a&0et! !uc- a! Pa0i!tan4 $#cu!in( #n t-e c#nte3t #$ ne2 !ta&t u' c#)'anie!
and educated )idde ca!! c#n!u)e&!.
T-e &e!ea&c- ai)! t# '&#1ide a $unda)enta c#nce'tua t-e#&etica $&a)e2#&0 $#&
ad#'ti#n #$ EC a)#n(!t c#n!u)e&! and SME=! in #&de& t# add&e!! t-e #&(ani!ati#na4
tec-n##(ica4 cutu&a4 t&u!t4 /e-a1i#u&a and )ana(e&ia i!!ue! !u&&#undin( t-e #2
ad#'ti#n #$ EC.
?. P&#+ect #utine $#& t-e 2#&0 t-at %#u '&#'#!e t# c#)'ete
"lease complete t&e pro+ect outline in t&e bo4 belo*, %ou s&ould use t&e emboldened te4t as a
frame*or., %our pro+ect outline s&ould be bet*een &alf and one pa#e in len#t&,
T-e idea $#& t-i! &e!ea&c- a&#!e $&#)@
5a-in# successfully co'founded a start'up online retailer in "a.istan/ many c&allen#es *ere encountered alon#
t&e *ay/ *&ic& my team and I attributed to t&e lo* adoption of 2$ amon#st !M26s as *ell as t&eir customers,
7it& t&at in mind I decided to pursue t&is researc& topic to e4plore t&e factors influencin# 2$ adoption in
"a.istan and ot&er comparable countries/ *it& a particular focus on t&e importance t&e percei-ed benefits of
2$ play in its adoption,
T-e ai)! #$ t-e '&#+ect a&e a! $##2!@
1o carry out literature researc& on 2'commerce in "a.istan and comparable countries
Identify factors influencin# percei-ed benefits of 2$ adoption by !M26s and t&eir customers
"ro-ide a conceptual frame*or. for t&e adoption of 2$ by educated middle class consumers as *ell
as t&e !M26s,
T-e )ain &e!ea&c- >ue!ti#n! t-at t-i! 2#&0 2i add&e!! incude@
1. Why is adoption of ecommerce by SME business owners and their customers in Pakistan lagging behind
other comparable nations?
2. What are the factors that shape perceptions of benefits of e-ommerce amidst the educated middle
classes in Pakistan?
!. What would be the benefits to Pakistan of increased e-ommerce " in terms of the internal #uality of life
and the $%P?
&. What should the go'ernment of Pakistan do to impro'e adoption of e-ommerce?
(. What factors influence E adoption by new start up businesses?
T-e !#$t2a&e de1e#')entAde!i(n 2#&0A#t-e& dei1e&a/e #$ t-e '&#+ect 2i /e@
T-e '&#+ect 2i in1#1e t-e $##2in( &e!ea&c-A$ied 2#&0Ae3'e&i)entati#nAe1auati#n@
8esearc& *ill be conducted on t&e percei-ed benefits of 2$ adoption to businesses and t&eir customers in
"a.istan t&rou#& a 9uestionnaire sent out to a sample of educated middle class consumers and a 9uestionnaire
sent out to local !M26s/ includin# start ups from a ran#e of sectors in one of "a.istan6s lar#est cities,
T-i! 2#&0 2i &e>ui&e t-e u!e #$ !'eciai!t !#$t2a&e@
T-i! 2#&0 2i &e>ui&e t-e u!e #$ !'eciai!t -a&d2a&e@
T-e '&#+ect i! /ein( unde&ta0en in c#a/#&ati#n 2it-@
8. Re$e&ence!
"lease supply details of all t&e material t&at you &a-e referenced in sections : and ; abo-e, %ou
s&ould include at least t&ree references/ and t&ese s&ould be to &i#& 9uality sources suc& as
refereed +ournal and conference papers/ standards or *&ite papers, "lease ensure t&at you use a
standardised referencin# style for t&e presentation of your references/ e,#, 3"3/ as outlined in t&e
yello* boo.let a-ailable from t&e !c&ool of $omputin# office and
&ttp<))***,soc,napier,ac,u.)=cs104)mscdiss)moodlemirror)d2)2005>&all>referencin#,pdf
Forrester 8esearc& (2002) ?2lectronic $ommerce 2stimates for 20016/ New Media Magazine @une,
3bstract retrie-ed May 0/ 2014/ from &ttp<)) ***,forrester,com)28)"ress)8elease)
"oon/ !, and !*atman/ ", (1AA5) ?1&e Internet for !mall 0usiness< 3n enablin# Infrastructure for
$ompetiti-eness6/ 3bstract retrie-ed May 0/ 2014/ from &ttp<))***,inet,nttam,com)
!eyal/ 3/ 3*ais/M/ !&amail/ ! and 3bbas/ 3, (2004) B(eterminants of 2lectronic $ommerce in "a.istan<
"reliminary 2-idence from !mall and Medium 2nterprisesC 2lectronic mar.ets -olume 14 (4)< ;2'8;,
3bstract retrie-ed @une 1/ 2014/ from &ttp<))a*s,i*i,uni'
leipDi#,de)em)fileadmin)user>upload)doc)Issues)Eolume>14)Issue>04)E14I4>(eterminants>of>2lectronic>
$ommerce>in>"a.istan>>"reliminary>2-idence>from>!mall>and>Medium>2nterprises,pdf
!ulaiman/ 3/ Mo&eDar/ ! and 8as&eed/ 3, (200;) B3 1rust Model for 2'$ommerce in "a.istan< 3n 2mpirical
8esearc&C 3sian @ournal of Information 1ec&nolo#y : (2)< 1A2'1AA/200;/ Med*elL @ournals/ 200;, 3bstract
retrie-ed @une 1/ 2014 from &ttp<))docsdri-e,com)pdfs)med*ell+ournals)a+it)200;)1A2'1AA,pdf
B. Et-ic!
If your researc& in-ol-es ot&er people/ pri-acy or contro-ersial researc& t&ere may be et&ical issues
to consider (please see t&e information on t&e module *ebsite), If t&e ans*er belo* is %2! t&en
you need to complete a researc& 2t&ics and Fo-ernance 3ppro-al form (a-ailable on t&e *ebsite<
&ttp<))***,et&ics,napier,ac,u.),
(oes t&is pro+ect &a-e any et&ical or #o-ernance
issues related to *or.in# *it&/ studyin# or obser-in#
ot&er peopleG (%2!)NH)
NO
<. Su'e&1i!i#n ti)e!cae
"lease indicate t&e mode of super-ision t&at you are anticipatin#, If you e4pect to be a*ay from
t&e uni-ersity durin# t&e super-ision period and may need remote super-ision please indicate,
7ee.ly meetin#s o-er 1 trimester %2!
Meetin#s e-ery ot&er *ee. o-er 2 trimesters
Ht&er
7. Su/)ittin( %#u& '&#'#!a
"lease sa-e t&is file usin# your surname/ e,#, macdonald>proposal,doc/ and e'mail it to t&e
module leader in time for t&e ne4t proposal deadline,