Understanding challenges as needs: smartphone usage among Malaysian older women in rural areas

Ewilly Jie Ying Liew; Pei-Lee Teh; Soo Yeong Ewe; Chooi Ling Chong

doi:10.1109/IEEM55944.2022.9989579

Understanding challenges as needs: smartphone usage among Malaysian older women in rural areas

Ewilly Jie Ying Liew, Pei-Lee Teh, Soo Yeong Ewe, Chooi Ling Chong

Malaysia Sch of Business

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference Paper › Other

Abstract

The shift to online communication and ecommerce in the digital landscape aggravates challenges faced by older adults who are not technologically savvy. These challenges entail predicaments among vulnerable groups in society, especially older adults in rural areas. Adopting an easily accessible technology such as smartphones is necessary for their survival in the digital world, but not sufficient without effective use of it. Smartphones provide ubiquitous access to education and information for the marginalized older adults to learn and address their needs by using smartphones cost-effectively. Through in-depth interviews with 13 Bottom 40% (B40) Malaysian older women in rural areas, this paper reveals that these rural older women were facing different challenges when using smartphones. There were four aspects of physical, cognitive, psychological, and usability challenges. To address these challenges, this paper proposes that family support, in-person guidance, and a user-friendly application interface are essential needs for rural older women to learn how to use smartphones. A conceptual framework was proposed to assist older women in rural areas to overcome challenges and address their needs in learning through smartphones.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	IEEE International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management
Subtitle of host publication	IEEM 2022
Editors	Roger Jiao, Min Xie
Place of Publication	Piscataway NJ USA
Publisher	IEEE, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Pages	1201-1205
Number of pages	5
ISBN (Electronic)	9781665486873
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/IEEM55944.2022.9989579
Publication status	Published - 2022
Event	IEEE International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management (IEEM) 2022 - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Duration: 7 Dec 2022 → 10 Dec 2022 https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/conhome/9989527/proceeding (Proceedings)

Publication series

Name	IEEE International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management
Publisher	IEEE, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
ISSN (Print)	2157-3611
ISSN (Electronic)	2157-362X

Conference

Conference	IEEE International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management (IEEM) 2022
Abbreviated title	IEEM 2022
Country/Territory	Malaysia
City	Kuala Lumpur
Period	7/12/22 → 10/12/22
Internet address	https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/conhome/9989527/proceeding (Proceedings)

Keywords

Malaysia
Older women
Rural areas
Smartphones

Access to Document

10.1109/IEEM55944.2022.9989579

Cite this

Liew, E. J. Y., Teh, P-L., Ewe, S. Y., & Chong, C. L. (2022). Understanding challenges as needs: smartphone usage among Malaysian older women in rural areas. In R. Jiao, & M. Xie (Eds.), IEEE International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management: IEEM 2022 (pp. 1201-1205). (IEEE International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management). IEEE, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. https://doi.org/10.1109/IEEM55944.2022.9989579

Liew, Ewilly Jie Ying ; Teh, Pei-Lee ; Ewe, Soo Yeong et al. / Understanding challenges as needs : smartphone usage among Malaysian older women in rural areas. IEEE International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management: IEEM 2022. editor / Roger Jiao ; Min Xie. Piscataway NJ USA : IEEE, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, 2022. pp. 1201-1205 (IEEE International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management).

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title = "Understanding challenges as needs: smartphone usage among Malaysian older women in rural areas",

abstract = "The shift to online communication and ecommerce in the digital landscape aggravates challenges faced by older adults who are not technologically savvy. These challenges entail predicaments among vulnerable groups in society, especially older adults in rural areas. Adopting an easily accessible technology such as smartphones is necessary for their survival in the digital world, but not sufficient without effective use of it. Smartphones provide ubiquitous access to education and information for the marginalized older adults to learn and address their needs by using smartphones cost-effectively. Through in-depth interviews with 13 Bottom 40% (B40) Malaysian older women in rural areas, this paper reveals that these rural older women were facing different challenges when using smartphones. There were four aspects of physical, cognitive, psychological, and usability challenges. To address these challenges, this paper proposes that family support, in-person guidance, and a user-friendly application interface are essential needs for rural older women to learn how to use smartphones. A conceptual framework was proposed to assist older women in rural areas to overcome challenges and address their needs in learning through smartphones.",

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author = "Liew, {Ewilly Jie Ying} and Pei-Lee Teh and Ewe, {Soo Yeong} and Chong, {Chooi Ling}",

note = "Funding Information: This work is supported by the Monash University Malaysia-ASEAN Research Grant Scheme 2021 - 2023 (Grant Code: ASE000008). The authors would like to thank Ng Li Shin, Elizabeth Lee, Eugene Yong You Jin, Joanna Renai Raja and Fionamae Raja for their research assistance. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 IEEE.; IEEE International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management (IEEM) 2022, IEEM 2022 ; Conference date: 07-12-2022 Through 10-12-2022",

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Liew, EJY , Teh, P-L , Ewe, SY & Chong, CL 2022, Understanding challenges as needs: smartphone usage among Malaysian older women in rural areas. in R Jiao & M Xie (eds), IEEE International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management: IEEM 2022. IEEE International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management, IEEE, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Piscataway NJ USA, pp. 1201-1205, IEEE International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management (IEEM) 2022, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 7/12/22. https://doi.org/10.1109/IEEM55944.2022.9989579

Understanding challenges as needs : smartphone usage among Malaysian older women in rural areas. / Liew, Ewilly Jie Ying ; Teh, Pei-Lee ; Ewe, Soo Yeong et al.

IEEE International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management: IEEM 2022. ed. / Roger Jiao; Min Xie. Piscataway NJ USA : IEEE, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, 2022. p. 1201-1205 (IEEE International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference Paper › Other

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N1 - Funding Information: This work is supported by the Monash University Malaysia-ASEAN Research Grant Scheme 2021 - 2023 (Grant Code: ASE000008). The authors would like to thank Ng Li Shin, Elizabeth Lee, Eugene Yong You Jin, Joanna Renai Raja and Fionamae Raja for their research assistance. Publisher Copyright: © 2022 IEEE.

PY - 2022

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N2 - The shift to online communication and ecommerce in the digital landscape aggravates challenges faced by older adults who are not technologically savvy. These challenges entail predicaments among vulnerable groups in society, especially older adults in rural areas. Adopting an easily accessible technology such as smartphones is necessary for their survival in the digital world, but not sufficient without effective use of it. Smartphones provide ubiquitous access to education and information for the marginalized older adults to learn and address their needs by using smartphones cost-effectively. Through in-depth interviews with 13 Bottom 40% (B40) Malaysian older women in rural areas, this paper reveals that these rural older women were facing different challenges when using smartphones. There were four aspects of physical, cognitive, psychological, and usability challenges. To address these challenges, this paper proposes that family support, in-person guidance, and a user-friendly application interface are essential needs for rural older women to learn how to use smartphones. A conceptual framework was proposed to assist older women in rural areas to overcome challenges and address their needs in learning through smartphones.

AB - The shift to online communication and ecommerce in the digital landscape aggravates challenges faced by older adults who are not technologically savvy. These challenges entail predicaments among vulnerable groups in society, especially older adults in rural areas. Adopting an easily accessible technology such as smartphones is necessary for their survival in the digital world, but not sufficient without effective use of it. Smartphones provide ubiquitous access to education and information for the marginalized older adults to learn and address their needs by using smartphones cost-effectively. Through in-depth interviews with 13 Bottom 40% (B40) Malaysian older women in rural areas, this paper reveals that these rural older women were facing different challenges when using smartphones. There were four aspects of physical, cognitive, psychological, and usability challenges. To address these challenges, this paper proposes that family support, in-person guidance, and a user-friendly application interface are essential needs for rural older women to learn how to use smartphones. A conceptual framework was proposed to assist older women in rural areas to overcome challenges and address their needs in learning through smartphones.

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Liew EJY , Teh P-L , Ewe SY, Chong CL. Understanding challenges as needs: smartphone usage among Malaysian older women in rural areas. In Jiao R, Xie M, editors, IEEE International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management: IEEM 2022. Piscataway NJ USA: IEEE, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. 2022. p. 1201-1205. (IEEE International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management). https://doi.org/10.1109/IEEM55944.2022.9989579

Understanding challenges as needs: smartphone usage among Malaysian older women in rural areas

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Publication series

Conference

Keywords

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