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PACIS 2016 Proceedings Pacific Asia Conference on Information Systems (PACIS)
Summer 6-27-2016
THE DEVELOPMENT OF E-HAJJ:
INFLUENCE OF DIVERSITY ISSUES
Monirah Sehli
RMIT University, [email protected]
Pradip Sarkar
RMIT University,, [email protected]
Leslie Young
RMIT University,, [email protected]
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Recommended Citation
Sehli, Monirah; Sarkar, Pradip; and Young, Leslie, "THE DEVELOPMENT OF E-HAJJ: INFLUENCE OF DIVERSITY ISSUES"
(2016).PACIS 2016 Proceedings. 340.
http://aisel.aisnet.org/pacis2016/340
THE DEVELOPMENT OF E-HAJJ: INFLUENCE OF DIVERSITY ISSUES
Monirah Sehli, School of Business Information Technology and Logistics, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia, [email protected]
Pradip Sarkar, School of Business Information Technology and Logistics, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia, [email protected]
Leslie Young, School of Business Information Technology and Logistics, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia, [email protected]
Abstract
Major tourism events pose challenges to administrators, including the development of electronic government (e-Gov) services that offer assistance to tourists. Although technological solutions have frequently been proposed in past research on such e-Gov services, the diversity aspects associated with tourists have received scant attention, an issue that is compounded by the sheer size and variety of tourist groups. Thus, this research paper aims, through the theoretical lenses of Contextualism, the Social Shaping of Technology, and the Structurationist View of Technology, to build a conceptual framework to examine and explain how the diversity of tourists can influence the development of e- Gov initiatives for major tourism events. The Hajj, an important religious event in Islam held in the Holy City of Makkah, is used as an in-depth case study to examine diversity phenomena through this conceptual framework. This paper reveals the interrelations between diversity aspects and technological frames as well as identifying key developmental findings that can guide implementation of the e-Gov system for Hajj. The main finding of this research suggested that there is an issue with the process of negotiations mainly in the requirements translation to be addressed in the development process of the electronic Hajj system.
Keywords: Hajj, e-Government, Tourism, Diversity
1 INTRODUCTION
Tourism can be seen as a service industry as it does not produce goods but provide services to different people (Al-Hassan et al. 2010). The importance and the impact of events within tourism have been well documented (Getz 2008). Though it was only a few decades ago that ‘event tourism’
became established in both the tourism industry and in the research community, the subsequent growth of this sector can only be described as impressive (Al-Hassan et al. 2010; Getz 2008). ICT’s impact on the tourism industry cannot be underestimated as it offers new tools and facilitates new distribution channels, which create a better business environment by networking with business partners, distributing services and providing information to users all around the world. Thus, ICT plays a key role in nearly all features of tourism and associated industries (Shanker 2008).
The religious tourism industry is complex, and its effectiveness can only be enhanced by the integration of technology into business models; this would also improve the services offered to pilgrims (Brdesee et al. 2013). Hajj is one of the highly-attended events in the world and the sites of the yearly pilgrimage are considered major tourist destinations (Dozier’s 2013). Hajj is the annual six- day Muslim pilgrimage to the holy city of Makkah in Saudi Arabia, and is considered a religious duty by people of Islamic faith across the world. Given the magnitude of the pilgrimage and scale of operations, Hajj is viewed as a major tourism event, with diversity in pilgrim demographics. A major tourism event presents significant economic, social, and cultural challenges to a country by attracting large numbers of international and local tourists (Henderson 2011). In both temporal and spatial aspects, such events are characterised by the interactions between the different social groups (Getz 2008). The Hajj, a major Muslim pilgrimage, can certainly be categorized as a major tourism event, of a massive scale and diversity, drawing pilgrims who vary in ethnicity, nationality, sect and gender (Mohammadi et al. 2007; Waghmode & Jamsandekar 2013). Over 3 million of the world’s 1.5 billion Muslims visit Makkah every year to perform Hajj (Desilver 2013; Hameed 2010). The number of pilgrims is expected to increase ten-fold in the next five years due to the completion of expansion work within the holy places, though restrictions have been placed on the number of pilgrims permitted (Arab-News 2015).
To address the challenges posed by the expected rise in Hajj pilgrims, the Saudi Arabian government launched an e-Government service for tourism infrastructure in 2013 (The Ministry of Hajj 2013). Still under development, this platform provides only informational services for pilgrims, while manual processes are still being used for transactions between the Ministry of Hajj and associated parties (The Ministry of Hajj 2013). In late 2013, the Ministry introduced e-Hajj to targeted users for testing by accessing it at www.ehaj.haj.gov.sa. Conceived as a major initiative to integrate and streamline the procedures of the arrival and departure of pilgrims, as well as their progress through the Hajj session requirements, e-Hajj is designed to support electronic information exchanges between different stakeholders (Hajj Requirements 2014).
The electronic Hajj system provides an interface between, various government and business entities that organize services for Hajj pilgrims and the international visitors themselves (E-Haj 2015). The range of these organizational participants is quite broad. Although the Ministry of Hajj oversees Hajj transactions, most services are actually provided to pilgrims by other entities under licence to the Ministry and under its supervision. Some 40,000 employees are involved at this level, working for various domestic and international service providers. These service providers range from service agents (six Tawafa Establishments, the United Agents Office in entry ports, and the National Guides Establishment which is affiliated with 450 field service groups) to transportation providers (General Syndicate of Vehicles and 17 transportation companies for pilgrims, running nearly 20,000 buses), housing and food providers, and official Hajj missions and other travel agencies (more than 70 missions, in addition to more than 2,300 external travel companies and agents) (E-Haj 2015).
However, the current phase of the e-Hajj system does not interface directly with the pilgrims, being aimed at Hajj agents and third party services providers instead (Ghamri 2011; The Ministry of Hajj
2013). The system does include online resources for visas and accommodation, as well as information about Hajj events.
The concept behind the e-Hajj is of course not new: governments around the world have been using IT to develop and manage tourism services (Waghmode & Jamsandekar 2013). E-Gov for tourism can be defined as the potential to deliver governmental tourism services electronically to citizens and overseas visitors (Al-Hassan et al. 2010). The aims of such projects are to improve the quality of the services for tourists and associated parties (Kalbaska et al. 2016). Past experience in many countries reveals that simply building an e-Gov system without considering user issues may not result in a system that will offer satisfactory experiences (Ko et al. 2013). The literature identifies three key areas posing challenges for e-Gov projects: technical, economic, and social perspectives (AlAwadhi &
Morris 2009; Barbosa et al. 2013; Heeks & Bailur 2007; Lofstedt 2012; Olaitan 2015). Of these, the first two have been widely addressed. Social context, however, plays a significant role in the adoption of technology, and an integrated socio-technical view is desired to avoid the disconnection between these aspects (Ali et al. 2009; Lofstedt 2012; Olaitan 2015). When social and behavioural concerns are ignored, users’ intentions to access or use electronic services are significantly affected. While studies have identified a relationship between a country’s national culture and ICT adoption (Al-Mamari et al.
2013; Evans & Yen 2005; Hofstede & Bond 1984), the diversity aspects within e-Tourism have not been explored adequately. Consistently with this trend, the Saudi Government’s e-Gov initiatives to date do not address the complex needs of the diverse groups participating in Hajj (Alfarraj et al. 2010, 2012; Drew & AlGhamdi 2012).
Therefore, In seeking to answer the question “How do diversity aspects associated with Hajj influence the development of relevant e-Gov services?” and using the e-Hajj system as a case study, this research project first identifies the diversity aspects associated with this major tourism event. It then explores the influences that these complex diversity aspects have on relevant e-Hajj services, and how they can be considered in the process of development of such services. Ultimately, it is expected that this work can contribute to the eventual development of a framework to guide the development of e- Gov services related to major tourism events worldwide.
2 E-GOVERNMENT AND DIVERSITY
Diversity is a subjective phenomenon created by the group members based on similar and different social identities: “a group is diverse if it is composed of individuals who differ on a characteristic on which they base their own social identity” (O’Reilly et al. 1998, p. 186). Diversity differentiates one group of people from another along primary and secondary dimensions. Primary dimensions incorporate gender, ethnicity, race, age, mental or physical abilities and characteristics. These dimensions shape our self-image and worldviews (Loden & Rosener 1991). Secondary dimensions incorporate other differentiators, including educational background, location, religion, language, and work style; these impose a more variable influence on personal identity (Mazur 2010).
The relationship among the concept of tourism and government is complex and has continually been formed by a diversity of regulations and conditions (Adukaite et al. 2014). As a major tourism event that forms a nexus for diverse international groups of travellers (in this case pilgrims), government and religious bodies, local providers of services, and intermediary travel planners all in the process of transition into the digital age, Hajj provides a prime example of the need for careful consideration of complex diversity factors in designing an e-Gov system. In the context of tourism, diversity is related to multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, and multi-racial aspects (Thomas 1996). Such diversity dimensions affect how different social groups interact with e-Gov in the Hajj context. This research refers to this interaction as the negotiation process, where negotiation is defined as: “the deliberate interaction of two or more complex social units which are attempting to define or redefine the terms of their interdependence” (Walton & McKersie 1965, p. 3).
Adopting any form of technology is the result of a series of individual decisions, with attitudes and values influencing and determining the needs that arise from everyday experiences (Orlikowski 1992).
When needs are not met, an individual looks towards technology and innovation to address these requirements (Silverstone & Haddon 1996). Therefore, diversity plays a significant role in ICT’s development and use, and exploring the dimensions and technological views that a person has regarding a specific technology is extremely important (Davidson 2002). Studies reveal that, in order to create better e-Gov services for tourism, they need to be delivered in a user-centric way (Al-Hassan et al. 2010; Waghmode & Jamsandekar 2013). Therefore, to ensure that the users’ diverse needs are met, e-Gov systems must be developed and modified based on individual users’ requirements (Al- Hassan et al. 2010). However, recent e-Gov services for smart tourism mostly concern the distribution of online information, but they have not been modified to suit the various needs of different tourists, such as having multiple languages, or creating active communication channels between different associated parties (Accenture 2004; Al-Hassan et al. 2010). The next section will discuss the most appropriate theories and framework applied in this study.
3 SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIVIST PERSPECTIVE: THEORETICAL UNDERPINNINGS
Seeking to address the diversity aspects affecting e-Gov adoption in the context of a tourist-type gathering, this study extends the framework introduced by (Pozzebon et al. 2009) and subsequently developed by diverse groups of scholars examining the significance of ICT and the social issues or the analysis of the community or society level (Barbosa et al. 2013; Diniz et al. 2008, 2012; Lavoie et al.
2011; Wright et al. 2009). The framework arises from close examination of the technology–society relationship from a non-deterministic perspective, in which social changes can be viewed as both cause and effect of how technology is developed and used. One of the limitations of the framework is the need to consider the relationship between technology and people in wider contexts, rather than only a particular organizational setting (Pozzebon et al. 2009). Therefore, this study will evaluate and refine the original framework by using it in a different context, extending it to cover tourist events such as the Hajj. The framework draws from the following three theoretical approaches. Theory Of Contextualism (TOC) (Pettigrew 1985), Social Shaping Of Technology (SST) (MacKenzie &
Wajcman 1985) and Structurationist View of Technology (SVT) (Orlikowski 1992), this framework will potentially shed light on the socio-cultural context in which technology functions, and the role of the social groups who form the technological structure.
3.1 Theory of Contextualism (TOC)
The role of TOC (Pettigrew 1985) is paramount because studies of information systems change according to the context in which they operate, the process, and the content—which is the technology of change (Avgerou 2001). Studies have examined the process of ICT implementation in the context of diversity aspects at different levels of analysis and agree on the importance of the contextual approach in information systems studies (Avgerou 2001). TOC is valuable in this study as it’s creates relationships between a particular context, process and the content as the outcome. In addition, it’s offering a frame in which to organize and structure the selected concepts of the framework in terms of its three dimensions (Pettigrew 1985).
3.2 Social Shaping of Technology (SST)
Social shaping of technology suggests that political, economic, social, cultural and organisational factors influence the design and use of technology (MacKenzie & Wajcman 1985), which “does not develop according to an inner technical logic but is instead a social product, patterned by the conditions of its creation and use” (Williams & Edge 1996, p. 866). Since 1985, a key development in the social studies of the technology field has been the theoretical study of the relationship between technology and society (MacKenzie & Wajcman 1985).
SST has been used for a better macro level analysis and its capability of broadening the scope of research. In this study is expected that SST will help to investigate the diverse point of views of the
relevant social groups associated with Hajj as a major tourism event and the use of e-Gov, and how the negotiation process influences e-Gov development. The main SST concepts (as shown below in Table1) include relevant social groups, technological frames, and the negotiation process. Relevant social groups include actors who share a set of assumptions including interpretative standards, meanings, and actions regarding the use of technology. Technological frames refer to a set of assumptions, expectations, and beliefs that a person has regarding a technology (Davidson 2002), and the negotiation process comes from interpretations, societal interests, cultural meanings, and conflicts from interactions between the relevant social groups.
One problem with using SST in research is that it does not take into account the user’s role in shaping technology and the intention behind the development (Mackay & Gillespie 1992). Another problem with SST is that to consider technology and society as separate spheres influencing each other, as technology and society are mutually constitutive. However, this paper aims to explore the user’s points of view as one social group of this study. While the purpose of this paper is to carefully assess the technology–society association, the following section will examine another theory that may satisfy the study objective.
3.3 Structurationist View of Technology (SVT)
SVT is based on structuration, a social method that engages the mutual interaction of human actors with the structural characteristics of organizations (Orlikowski 1992). It considers the interpretive flexibility of technology as the continuing and active interaction between people and given technology during and after implementation. This study focuses on the concept of Technology-in-practice as the key concept which places technology into practice or uses continuous connections among people and technology (Orlikowski 2000).
One of the key limitations of SVT is its dominant focus on the organizational level without broadening the scope of ICT research and exploring wider social developments (Jones & Karsten 2008).Moreover, the literature shows that it is more advantageous for potential research studies to take the analysis to a more advanced level, rather than basically applying it in another empirical setting (Jones et al. 2004).
Social shaping of technology and structurationist view of technology shares some similarities as well as differences. The similarities include strong influence by constructivism and the concept of technological frames. One of the key contributions of social shaping studies when bonded with SVT is their familiarity with macro level analysis and their ability of broadening the scope of IS research.
Therefore, this study is applying SVT to a wider context of e-Gov for tourism, from its earlier applications within an organisational scenario.
3.4 Proposed Conceptual Framework
This study thus uses the three dimensions (context, process and content) of TOC as the frame in which the four concepts governing the SST and the SVT are incorporated: relevant social groups, technological frames, negotiation process, and technology-in-practice (as shown below in Figure 1).
As these three dimensions do not comment on diversity, a diversity dimension (Mazur 2010) has been incorporated into the below framework. In integrating these theories, this framework will potentially shed light on the socio-cultural context in which technology functions, and the role of the diverse social groups who form the technological structure.
Figure 1 sets out the framework to be used in examining the development of e-Government for the major tourism event of the Hajj. Under this framework, diversity aspects and technological frames are players in the process of negotiation that reshapes e-Government as technology-in-practice, and their relevance for inclusion can be assessed by investigating whether in fact they do work to influence the developing technological system. Thus, this case study investigation of e-Government in a specific major tourism event context identifies relevant social groups interacting in a given social and cultural
setting, and explores how their diversity aspects work within technological frames to shape the provision of e-Services.
Figure 1. Framework guiding the research
In regard to information technology in a diverse tourism context such as Hajj, there are generally relevant social groups significant to the development of the technology
Certainly some categories of every group may share or ov groups are considered in regards to the e
(decision makers and system developers), international Hajj agents and missions (main users represents pilgrims as gateways for them to be able to pursue Hajj
of the services but not the users themselves). The of investigating diverse viewpoints regarding the e
the process of understanding and incorporating the diverse viewpoints into the development of e services (i.e. e-Hajj system). This concept will help to explore how the diversity aspects and the technological frames of each social group influence
In this study, technological frames perceptions, expectations and
regulations) and the technological aspects with regard to the technology
to the relevant social groups and technological frame dimensions, such group frames are unlikely to shared across the different Hajj social groups. For example, technologists may be expected to have a different perspective on technology, treating it as a tool to be designed and to complete a particular task (Orlikowski 1992). In contrast, Hajj offici
technology, expecting it to facilitate certain ways of doing things and providing public services, while Hajj agents and Hajj missions may have a more focused or instrumental view of technology, expecting direct and task-specific benefits from its use to complete the Hajj requirements and procedures for their clients (pilgrims). This study examined how the content is reflected in technology
e-Gov (specifically the e-Hajj system)
process of negotiation through different viewpoints according to (diversity aspects and associated technological frames) from diverse relevant social groups in a given context (tourism event of Hajj);
and how, in turn, e-Gov (the e
technology-in-practice explores how e
setting, and explores how their diversity aspects work within technological frames to shape the
Framework guiding the research
In regard to information technology in a diverse tourism context such as Hajj, there are generally relevant social groups significant to the development of the technology-in-practice (e
Certainly some categories of every group may share or overlap several viewpoints. The
are considered in regards to the e-Hajj system, including Hajj officials and IT professionals (decision makers and system developers), international Hajj agents and missions (main users
as gateways for them to be able to pursue Hajj ), and pilgrims (final beneficiaries of the services but not the users themselves). The process of negotiation, which refers to the process of investigating diverse viewpoints regarding the e-Hajj services (IT-enabled), in addition to
of understanding and incorporating the diverse viewpoints into the development of e Hajj system). This concept will help to explore how the diversity aspects and the
of each social group influence (e-Hajj) development.
technological frames refer to how the relevant Hajj social groups have different perceptions, expectations and requirements concerning both the business
regulations) and the technological aspects with regard to the technology-in-practice (e
to the relevant social groups and technological frame dimensions, such group frames are unlikely to shared across the different Hajj social groups. For example, technologists may be expected to have a different perspective on technology, treating it as a tool to be designed and to complete a particular task (Orlikowski 1992). In contrast, Hajj officials may have a more strategic understanding of technology, expecting it to facilitate certain ways of doing things and providing public services, while Hajj agents and Hajj missions may have a more focused or instrumental view of technology, expecting specific benefits from its use to complete the Hajj requirements and procedures for
This study examined how the content is reflected in technology
Hajj system) - and how it is influenced (the process of development) by the process of negotiation through different viewpoints according to (diversity aspects and associated technological frames) from diverse relevant social groups in a given context (tourism event of Hajj);
Gov (the e-Hajj system) influences the context of a tourism event. The concept of explores how e-Gov is influenced by the continuing results of the negotiation setting, and explores how their diversity aspects work within technological frames to shape the
In regard to information technology in a diverse tourism context such as Hajj, there are generally practice (e-Hajj system).
erlap several viewpoints. The relevant social Hajj system, including Hajj officials and IT professionals (decision makers and system developers), international Hajj agents and missions (main users and , and pilgrims (final beneficiaries , which refers to the process enabled), in addition to of understanding and incorporating the diverse viewpoints into the development of e-Hajj
Hajj system). This concept will help to explore how the diversity aspects and the refer to how the relevant Hajj social groups have different concerning both the business strategies (rules and practice (e-Hajj). In regard to the relevant social groups and technological frame dimensions, such group frames are unlikely to be shared across the different Hajj social groups. For example, technologists may be expected to have a different perspective on technology, treating it as a tool to be designed and to complete a particular als may have a more strategic understanding of technology, expecting it to facilitate certain ways of doing things and providing public services, while Hajj agents and Hajj missions may have a more focused or instrumental view of technology, expecting specific benefits from its use to complete the Hajj requirements and procedures for This study examined how the content is reflected in technology - in this case, influenced (the process of development) by the process of negotiation through different viewpoints according to (diversity aspects and associated technological frames) from diverse relevant social groups in a given context (tourism event of Hajj);
Hajj system) influences the context of a tourism event. The concept of Gov is influenced by the continuing results of the negotiation
process associated with a tourism event. In addition, it explores how this will in turn influence the context of Hajj, by the development of better e-Gov services in order to address the different needs and requirements of the various social groups in term of making e-Hajj workable.
The table below provides a conceptual description of the theories in use in this study:
Theory Features Relevance Concepts/Dimensions
Theory Of Contextualism (TOC)
(Pettigrew 1985)
Provides explanations on how the content of change has been shaped by the processes within a specific social context
Did not add new concepts to the
framework, but it has been used to offer a frame as a dimensions to organize the four selected concepts.
1. Context 2. Process 3. Content
Social Shaping Of Technology (SST) (MacKenzie &
Wajcman 1985)
View
technology as the outcome of social processes of negotiation between different social groups
-To explore the Relevant social groups associated with a given context (Hajj) and subject of interest (e-Gov) services.
- Negotiation process refers to the process of investigating diverse viewpoints regarding the e-Hajj services (IT-enabled), in addition to the process of
understanding and incorporating the diverse viewpoints into the development of e-Gov services (i.e. e-Hajj system).
-Technological frames explore different people points of view regard business rules
& technological aspects that influence and shape technology (e-Gov).
1. Relevant social groups
2. Negotiation process
3.
Technological framesStructurationist View of
Technology (SVT) (Orlikowski 1992)
Views
technology as a product of individual actions
-Shows the consequences that were suggested by the participants as the process of development of the e-Gov for Hajj. These consequences resulting from the process of understanding and incorporating the diverse viewpoints into the development of particular technology.
1. Technology-in- practice
Table 1. Theories in use conceptual description
4 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The prime focus of this paper is to understand the diversity aspects and the technological frames of the different social groups associated with Hajj as a major tourism event in order to see how these influence the development of relevant e-Gov services. This has received sparse attention in e-Gov literature (Chen et al. 2006; Young 2008), which usually focuses on the potential and perceived benefits of technological advancements. Therefore, the research problem in this study requires a methodological approach to explore the unique context of a particular tourism event. As a result, in order to explore these issues in depth, a qualitative research method was used, with semi-structured interviews as the main tool for data collection (Cavana et al. 2001). Given the focus of this research on Hajj, a single case study approach was the best fit as it would enable the researcher to understand relevant issues about a unique phenomenon (Stake 1995).
Interviews were conducted with representatives of the relevant social groups, the current paper reports on the first phases of a larger research project. In this phase eight in-depth interviews are analysed, with four Hajj officials and four representatives of international Hajj missions/companies out of the 24 participants. The officials who work under the Ministry of Hajj manage the Hajj Missions and companies around the world, and play a key role in the provision of public services for local and international pilgrims and visitors. The researcher contacted IT professionals, working as officials,
with key responsibility for the building and implementation of the e-Gov program for Hajj. Hajj Missions and companies work with officials and pilgrims on various procedures including the visa, Hajj permit, flights and accommodation. Hajj Missions and companies’ representatives are the main users of the e-Hajj system at this point, but the pilgrims are the final beneficiaries. Therefore, pilgrims were interviewed as their views were useful in shaping the interview questions for Hajj agents and officials, and for the purposes of triangulation. The questions in the interviews were designed to elicit information on 1) the Hajj organizational system and its participants, the e-Hajj system under development, and the experiences of the interviewees in this process of change; 2) the role of diversity issues and technological frames in reshaping the e-Government system which is currently in the process of implementation; and 3) other potential issues the informants might raise for consideration.
Interview data for this study were analysed using qualitative content analysis techniques, which enable the researcher to elicit an in-depth understanding of the meanings of human practices in different cultures (Miles & Huberman 1994). The analysis of the collected data in this research was directed by an interactive model via the process of data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing, until thematic saturation was achieved, building a repeated process. This phase of analysis seeks to set out a schema for the findings, and to make available to e-Hajj officials in a timely manner an overview of diversity and technological issues that may be useful in the continuing development of the e-Hajj system. The second phase, in incorporating the analysis from the remaining 16 interviews, will substantively thicken these results, and provide a more nuanced understanding of the case study’s findings. Thus, a total of 24 interviews will be conducted, with the interview process being repeated until theoretical saturation is achieved (Minichiello et al. 1995).
5 DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS
In this case, the analysis sought to uncover the influence of diversity aspects and technological frames associated with the diversity of the social groups on the negotiation process of implementing the e- Hajj system. Therefore, this section categorises the findings from interview analysis into diversity aspects associated with the context of Hajj, in addition to technological frames and their influence on the process of development of e-Hajj. For each of these categories, understanding is sought on, first, explication of relevant diversity aspects and, second, the ways in which these aspects are influencing the e-Hajj development process.
Figure 2. Framework of current finding
Figure 2 shows that the current findings pointed to an issue in the process of negotiations particularly in the different requirements of the diverse associated parties. However, this issue needs to be addressed in the development process of e-Hajj as currently the system is not capable to deal with the complex ever-changing rules and requirements owing to the conflict in different technological frames and viewpoints of Hajj officials (system developers) and Hajj agents (users).
5.1 Diversity Aspects and complex Hajj Rules and Regulations
The empirical data compiled from this study’s interviews indicate that the diversity aspects associated with Hajj and bearing an influence on the development of e-Hajj services, include aspects previously identified in the literature such as language, level of education, cultural aspects associated with geographical location and age. They also include gender, nationality and experience with Hajj as well as, most importantly a consequence of diversity issues, the ever-changing Hajj rules and requirements.
The data thus shows the potential that both primary (gender, age) and secondary (educational background, location, religion, language) diversity dimensions have an influence on the negotiation process of technology implementation on the business strategies and the technological aspects of the system. However, the current findings suggested that there is an issue with the process of negotiations particularly in the requirements translation to be addressed in the development process of e-Hajj (as shown above in Figure 2).
One of the Hajj Mission participants confirmed that: “e-Hajj system is not ready enough to be used by users, as the system is uncompleted either in addressing different Hajj rules or even dealing with technological errors. Therefore, the development team needs to consider that the system is for the context of Hajj so it must cover all Hajj aspects and address users requirements.”
The current findings show that the general Hajj rules and regulations, as well as the specific rules of individual countries where the pilgrims are coming from, are greatly influencing the development of the e-Hajj system and seen as a consequence of diversity issues. The findings in this phase show that e-Hajj current version does not address the complexity in Hajj rules and regulations due to the negotiation process and the diversity of pilgrims such as migration and differences in demographics in many countries around the world. For example, the number of visas and the permitted quota of pilgrims from each country are changeable every year, and need to be updated often.
The main reason behind the electronic system for Hajj is not only to streamline the administration of Hajj, but also to connect the different Hajj parties, through common rules and requirements. For example, connecting the systems of the Ministry of Hajj and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for the purpose of issuing visas, is believed to prevent violations with regards to the number of visas and the permitted quota of pilgrims for each country. In addition, the Hajj rules and requirements are subject to frequent change, and the system needs to be updated accordingly. Each update is linked to the transactions and procedures for another authority working in the interest of Hajj. As there are subtle differences in Hajj rules and requirements as they relate to each country, these findings suggest that system modifications need to be simple and where possible, automated, in order to minimize errors and delays. However, in this stage the e-Hajj development team are not able to embed the changeable Hajj rules into the system to reflect the complexity of Hajj regulations as a consequence of the diversity issues associated with this major tourism event.
One of the Hajj Mission participants confirmed that: “The new system in this stage is not capable to cope with the changeable Hajj rules, due to the complexity and the diversity of the associated parties in this unique event which led to a complex set of Hajj Rules and Regulations.”
One Hajj official stated that: “While working on system development, we have to take into account that the system can be updated where the systems and the laws of Hajj are always changeable and need updating all the time. Each update to e-Hajj will also involve another authority involved with the Hajj event which makes it more and more complicated.”
There are very diverse social groups associated with the Hajj event, each person have different case, each country have different rules and requirements which needs to be taking into consideration in the development of the system .Gender is one of the diversity aspects tie into the Hajj rules and requirements. Gender diversity plays a role in the development of e-Hajj; for instance, some interviewees pointed out that according to the rules of Hajj, a female pilgrim must be accompanied by a male relative (Mahram). However, at this stage there is no option in the system to link a female pilgrim with her male relative.
One of the Hajj Mission participants stated that: “One of the issues we faced with e-Hajj is when a husband applied for a visa for Hajj and his wife applied too, then the wife has granted the visa, but the husband visa get rejected or the system delayed showing it. These situations caused the cancellation of the journey of Hajj for many female pilgrims as wife cannot go to Hajj without her Husband or a male relative as a (Mharam) as one of the rules of Hajj.”
The current findings show that nationality and geographical location play a key role in influencing the development of the e-Hajj system in term of the diverse Hajj rules and requirements. It has been found that diverse Muslim groups who live in foreign countries for any number of reasons, but who are not citizens of those countries, are facing problems when applying for Hajj. In this stage expatriate Muslims are not allowed to apply for pilgrimage from their resident country, and are made to do so from their country of origin.
One of the Hajj Mission participants stated that: “were having trouble inputting data when a pilgrim is applying for Hajj from a country which is not his home country. In this case, the system will not accept the data, as there is no option to input another nationality. For example, entering data for pilgrims from Kenya is only possible for Kenyan citizens; this in line with the permitted quota for each country”.
5.2 Technological Frames and Their Influence on the Development Process of e-Hajj Unsurprisingly, given the diversity of the social groups associated with Hajj, the eight study participants had different technological views about the e-Hajj services. One of the main issues concerning technological frames is the idea of congruence and incongruence. Congruence of technological frames involves similar perspectives about the role of technology in business strategies (rules and requirements) and incongruence involves significant differentiations in viewpoints regarding main technological aspects (Dwivedi et al.2011).
The process of negotiation is essentially the process that examines these technological frames and incorporates it in the development of e-Hajj system. Participants stated that the aim of e-Hajj is to improve the quality of the services for pilgrims and associated parties. However, the current e-Hajj system is unable to address the complex needs and requirements of different parties associated with Hajj. As the pre-digital (paper-based) system was able to do so by addressing the main Hajj aspects even if it was more time consuming.
The e-Hajj system is aimed at catering to a large number of beneficiaries and users. This is important to have in place an integrated and robust system that can electronically link the respective applications of various authorities involved with the administration of Hajj. One of the Hajj Mission participants complained that “The inability to link various Hajj parties within the e-Hajj system caused delay on most of our transactions”. Since the system was first used in 2014, Hajj agents have been applying for pilgrims’ visas by registering in the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; in addition they are required to input this huge amount of data separately in the system of the Ministry of Hajj.
One Hajj official stated that: “E-Hajj system is unique and complicated as Hajj rules and the different associated parties play a key role in this case. At this point, the system is incomplete, and needs improvement, in order to reach the expectations of the diverse set of users which must be taken into consideration in the future development.”
The current findings show that the e-Hajj system in this stage is not capable to fully address the Hajj requirements in creating the complete Hajj packages for pilgrims such as housing, transportation, medical checks and catering before applying for the visas. For example agents are facing difficulties in booking accommodations as part of creating the pilgrims Hajj packages. In this stage e-Hajj system is unable to update the availability and the status of the accommodations which caused the same building number to be booked twice without updating the system.
One of the Hajj Mission participants stated that: “One of the problems we faced for two years now that after booking one accommodation which for example (whole building to accommodate 500 pilgrims) and got the approval letter, we surprised that this building has been booked via the system from another Hajj mission in another country.”
5.3 Key Developmental Findings
The findings in this phase show that the diversity aspects and the associated technological frames involves similar perspectives about the role of technology in business strategies (rules and requirements) and involves significant differentiations in viewpoints regarding main technological aspects. The unique case of Hajj event creates a complex and complicated development process of the e-Hajj system. However, in this stage the current findings strongly suggest that the e-Hajj system development team are not capable to address the complex ever-changing rules and requirements (owing to diversity aspects and different technological frames associated with the event of Hajj).
After discovering the diversity aspects and the technological frames of different associated parties, the recent findings suggest that the e-Hajj system is not coping with Hajj requirements and rules. In addition, the findings shows lack in the system development process to which is not capable to address the business strategies. As a result, it has been found that currently e-Hajj system is not fully addressing the different requirements and needs of the relevant associated parties.
The process needed for the development of e-Hajj would appear to include integrated technology for the collaboration of different Hajj parties as a one-stop shop, improvement in the quality of digital services, and careful consideration of the various Hajj rules and regulations as part of the business strategies of Hajj as a major tourism event.
Within the diversity aspects and the technological frames that emerged in first-phase interview analysis, five main developmental abilities were identified, that can potentially guide the further development and implication of this e-Government system for the major tourism event of the Hajj:
● The ability to transition data from one system to another, namely from paper-based to digital.
● The ability for Hajj rules to be incorporated in the system as business rules and requirements.
● The ability to access and display a wide variety of data types in a timely manner.
● The ability to support different languages within the system and the ability to deal with translation of languages, primarily Arabic.
● The ability to ease the process of data entry and system use.
6 CONCLUSION AND FUTURE RESEARCH
This study sets out to reveal the diversity aspects and technological frames associated with Hajj, the associated influences on e-Gov services, and how these can be considered in the process of development of such services. As a major tourism event, the context of Hajj provides a unique case for investigating the impact of diversity on the development of an e-Gov system for tourism. The number and diversity of associated parties and the complex Hajj rules and regulations interact to create a web of interconnecting implications for the ongoing development of e-Hajj. However, at present e-Gov services for Hajj do not adequately address all the needs of the many diverse groups undertaking and organizing the pilgrimage. This research is expected to make contributions to the body of knowledge surrounding e-Gov for tourism, and diversity phenomena in information systems development. It is also expected to contribute to the development of e-Gov programmes for tourism in general, and for
the event of Hajj in particular, which has yet to incorporate different social groups’ perspectives. The framework is expected to guide the development of e-Hajj system by taking into consideration the diversity issues and to accommodate and update the relevant Hajj requirements to the digital system.
The current findings suggested that there is an issue with the process of negotiations mainly in the requirements translation to be addressed in the development process of the electronic Hajj system.
However, the findings in this study show that the diversity of the relevant social groups is creating a complex context due to the different business strategies (Hajj rules and regulations) and technological aspects associated with e-Hajj. In fact this is influencing the implementation of the associated e-Gov services, therefore, this diversity and associated technological frames can usefully be considered in the ongoing negotiation process in line with the conceptual framework in Figure 2. The recent findings strongly suggest that the e-Gov system for Hajj, or e-Hajj, needs to take into account the diversity aspects of the users: i.e., at this stage in the implementation of the e-Government services, the diverse range of business rules and technological aspects of the associated parties in various countries.
Moreover, the services provided through e-Hajj need to be accessed in a relatively simple and streamlined manner. In view of this, improvement in these services can be undertaken through collaborations amongst different Hajj parties through their respective applications, and the ability for the ever-changing Hajj rules and regulations to be incorporated in the system as an important business rules and requirements.
The findings will add to the original framework proposed by Pozzebon et al. (2009; in Figure 1) and will extend it by applying it to a wider context of e-Gov for tourism, from its earlier applications within an organisational scenario. In addition, the study modify the original framework by looking at the diversity dimensions proposed by (Mazur 2010) before exploring and expanding the technological frames by focusing on both business rules and technological aspects, as well as modifying the influences of the concepts and their dimensions. One of the limitations is the fact that this particular paper is based on a certain number of interviews; therefore, we don't have the complete picture yet. For future direction, the second phase of the overall project would be to further explore why the current e-Hajj system is unable to cope with the complex set of ever-changing Hajj rules and requirements. In addition, to how these complex rules and requirements can be addressed in the development process for better e-Gov services. Modifications or expansions to the conceptual framework are expected to emerge from the further analysis of interview data.
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