International Journal of Mobile Communications (12 papers in press)

Regular Issues

• Switch to a new version or keep status quo? The explanation for users to update software from push-pull-mooring perspective  
  by Xue Sun, Yuhao Li 
  Abstract: Companies invest high-volume costs in software maintenance but often failed to receive equivalent feedback from users (e.g., resistance to update). This research aims to shed light on the update motivation of users. In the context of online meetings (OMs), this study is guided by the status quo bias and the application technology innovation theory to establish an updating motivation model framed by push-pull-mooring (PPM). The model was verified using the PLS method based on an online survey with 380 samples. The results indicated that push factors, pull factors, and mooring factors have significant impacts on the OM users’ update intention. A multi-group comparison further shows that the cognitive resource moderates the effects of pull and mooring factors on the OM update.
  Keywords: status quo bias; SQB; cognition resource; push-pull-mooring; PPM; software update; migration in IS; online meeting.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMC.2025.10063219
   
  
• Efficient boosted LeNET graph drawing backtracking gated recurrent unit algorithm for 6G-wireless sensor network  
  by Mohan Akole, P. Kavipriya 
  Abstract: This paper addresses inefficiency and unreliable network topology in 6G-wireless sensor networks (WSNs), which arises from suboptimal anchor and sensor node placements causing coverage gaps, signal degradation and interference. Thus, a novel Boosted LeNET Graph Drawing Butterfly Backtracking Gated Recurrent Unit Algorithm is proposed. The research introduces the boosted LeNET-5 (B-NET) algorithm for initial node placement and iterative refinement based on real-time data assimilation. Additionally, a force-directed graph drawing (FDGD) method is employed that handles complex network structures thereby enhancing resilience against signal interference. Moreover, with the upgraded butterfly backtracking optimisation (UBBO) algorithm for precise anchor node placement and the SEN-GRU-AI algorithm integrating five localisation measurement techniques (FLMT), the proposed system shows the potential to advance the reliability and adaptability of 6G-WSNs for diverse applications. The simulation results with least localisation error of 0.65 and maximum output power of 0.95 W reveals the proposed model’s efficiency in increasing WSN reliability.
  Keywords: LeNET-5 neural network; 6G-wireless sensor networks; WSNs; butterfly backtracking optimisation; graph drawing algorithm.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMC.2026.10078055
   
  
• Uncovering users’ switching from government service applications to government WeChat mini-programs: Based on push-pull-mooring framework  
  by Xiao Wang, Yueqi Ma, Tong Sun, Xinru Jiang 
  Abstract: As mobile government (m-government) services continue to evolve, an increasing number of users in China are shifting from traditional government service applications to government WeChat mini-programs (GWMPs). Yet, the factors driving this transition remain insufficiently understood. Drawing on the push-pull-mooring (PPM) framework, this study examines the key motivators and inhibitors that shape users’ intentions to switch platforms. We surveyed 436 individuals who have experience with both government service applications and GWMPs, then applied Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to validate our PPM-based model. Findings indicate that dissatisfaction with existing government service applications constitutes a significant push factor, prompting users to consider alternatives. In contrast, perceived relative advantages, subjective norms, and network externalities emerge as compelling pull factors that draw users toward GWMPs. Meanwhile, inertia
  Keywords: digital public services; m-government; mini-program; push-pull-mooring framework; switching behavior; switching intention.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMC.2027.10078251
   
  
• Denial of service-resilient dynamic source routing for mobile ad hoc networks using decision owl optimisation  
  by B. Nancharaiah, Anumala Vijayasankar, Kodavati Babu Rao, M. Koteswara Kishore  
  Abstract: Recently, Mobile Ad Hoc Networks (MANETS) are widely used in a variety of contexts, including the commercial and military. Denial-of-Service (DoS) attacks target moving nodes, and privacy is one of a network's most important components. These kinds of assaults are referred to as malicious attacks. A denial-of-service attack is hard to anticipate and stop once it starts. Therefore, the current study has developed a novel approach, decision owl-based dynamic source routing (DObDSR), for MANETs to improve the security and performance of dynamic source routing (DSR). The generated nodes were integrated into the Python environment to locate the malicious node, and the results verify the effectiveness of the new DObDSR in obtaining the required metrics. Furthermore, the performance of the proposed DObDSR method is evaluated using a few parameters, including packet delivery, network throughput, packet loss ratio (PLR), malicious prediction accuracy, communication delay, and network lifetime.
  Keywords: delay; mobile ad hoc network; MANET; denial of service; DoS; network lifetime; high energy consumption; throughput; dynamic source routing; DSR.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMC.2027.10078332
   
  
• Perceived inequality in news coverage and life satisfaction among internet users: the mediating roles of sadness and anger and the moderating influence of monthly income  
  by Shuo Wang, Angyang Li 
  Abstract: Mobile communication technologies and social media increasingly shape how individuals encounter news and perceive societal issues. This study investigates how mobile news exposure influences individuals’ emotional responses to income inequality and their life satisfaction in China. Drawing on relative deprivation and emotion theories, we propose a moderated mediation model examining the mediating roles of sadness and anger and the moderating role of monthly income. Data from two independent samples (N = 675) indicate that exposure to inequality-focused mobile news triggers sadness, which mediates the negative association between perceived inequality and life satisfaction. The effect of perceived inequality on sadness was stronger among higher-income participants, suggesting that the psychological burden of inequality-related news may disproportionately affect the affluent. These findings illuminate the emotional mechanisms linking media, inequality perception, and well-being, offering insights for responsible economic reporting and media ethics.
  Keywords: perceived income inequality; mobile news; emotion; life satisfaction; China.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMC.2027.10078558
   
  
• Investigating cloud-diffusion capabilities impacts on firm performance via inter- and intra-organisational processes  
  by Siyi Dong, June Wei, Yuan Liu 
  Abstract: This research aims at investigating impacts of the cloud-diffusion capability on firm performance via inter- and intra-organisational diffusion processes. Specifically, we first identify cloud-diffusion capabilities by integrating cloud technology and innovation diffusion capabilities to develop the third-order construct. Based on the innovation diffusion theory, a research model is constructed to investigate impacts of developed cloud-diffusion capabilities on firm performance via two diffusion processes. The moderating effects of the security level and competitive intensity are further examined. Then, the structural equation model is utilised to examine derived hypotheses based on valid survey data from 510 firms. The findings suggest that cloud-diffusion capabilities have significantly positive effects on intra- and inter-organisational diffusion processes; and further on firm performance. Furthermore, the security level and competitive intensity positively moderate the relationships between cloud-diffusion capabilities and two diffusion processes. This research provides an innovative approach to extend innovation diffusion theories and cloud characteristics to investigate underlying mechanisms of cloud-diffusion capabilities’ effects on firm performance from intra-organisational and inter-organisational process views. This research also provides valuable guidelines for both firm-level users and service providers to comprehend cloud-diffusion capabilities and benefits of cloud computing.
  Keywords: cloud characteristics; cloud-diffusion capabilities; innovation diffusion processes; inter- and intra-organisational diffusion; firm performance.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMC.2027.10079261
   
  
• A revolution or an evolution? An architecture innovation analysis of the shift to 5G networks  
  by Junghwan Lee, Dongwook Kim 
  Abstract: While 5G mobile network technology is commonly known as a generational leap from 4G, but this leap fundamentally differs from those of the past generations of mobile technology in that 5G supports more use cases and introduces technologies under a new paradigm. Theory of architecture innovation and modularity is a framework that can be used to evaluate changes in technological architecture, especially when the technology in concern is not undergoing radical transformation. Consequently, this study analyses, based on the architecture innovation framework, the architectures of different generations of mobile network technology (2G to 5G) and the mobile network equipment comprising the networks (pre-5G vs. 5G). As a result, we find a significant shift toward integrality from 4G to 5G architecture and toward modularity for network equipment, indicating more integration efforts for network operators and new market opportunities for equipment vendors.
  Keywords: mobile communications; 5G; architecture innovation; modularity trap.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMC.2027.10079933
   
  
• Examining university students’ addiction toward generative AI: an I-PACE perspective  
  by Tao Zhou, Haicheng Pan 
  Abstract: University students’ addiction toward generative AI not only reduces their learning autonomy, but may also hinder the development of critical thinking. The purpose of this study is to adopt the I-PACE model to examine university students’ addiction toward generative AI. A mixed method of SEM and fsQCA was used to conduct data analysis. The results indicate that academic self-efficacy has a negative effect on generative AI addiction. In addition, academic self-efficacy affects cognitions (inertia thinking and academic stress) and emotions (hedonic gratification and mood regulation), both of which further affect generative AI addiction. The findings suggest that universities should provide academic support and reduce academic stress in order to mitigate students’ negative emotions and prevent their addiction toward generative AI.
  Keywords: university students; generative AI; addiction; I-PACE.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMC.2027.10080155
   
  
• Effects of clickbait headlines and puffery phrases in mobile news: a persuasion knowledge perspective  
  by Li-Shia Huang, Wan-Ju Huang, Yu-Han Lee 
  Abstract: Clickbait has become a common marketing tactic to entice readers, thereby increasing page views and advertising revenue. This study introduces persuasion knowledge (PK) as a moderator to examine the effects of clickbait headlines and puffery phrases on attitudes towards soft-news headlines and media companies. Two 2 x 2 between-subjects experiments were conducted to test the moderating effect of PK on headline type (clickbait vs. traditional) and puffery phrases (presence vs. absence) in Study 1 (N = 168) and Study 2 (N = 176), respectively. Results show that activated PK leads readers to respond more negatively to clickbait and puffery headlines compared with traditional and non-puffery headlines. In contrast, inhibited PK attenuates these negative reactions. Furthermore, perceived appropriateness is found to mediate the interaction effects of headline type and persuasion knowledge on readers’ responses. Overall, the findings suggest that clickbait tactics can detrimentally influence consumers’ attitudes, particularly when PK is activated.
  Keywords: clickbait headlines; persuasion knowledge; puffery; mobile news.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMC.2027.10080299
   
  
• Pleasure or purpose: effects of hedonic and eudaimonic motivations on cross-media movie consumption behaviours  
  by Sunghan Ryu, Xiaoyu Chen, Ruqin Ren 
  Abstract: Hedonic and eudaimonic motivations are essential topics in communication literature, specifically in the entertainment context. In light of the distinction between the two motivations, we examine how one’s entertainment motivations could impact their different media choices and how users’ education level moderates the relationships. In a cross-media movie consumption survey targeting young Chinese consumers (N = 1,012), we found a significantly positive effect of hedonic motivation on mobile device use for movie consumption. In contrast, eudaimonic motivation is positively associated with watching movies in theatres. Also, socioeconomic status moderates the relationship between each entertainment consumption motivation and the corresponding movie consumption behaviour. The findings expand our understanding of entertainment consumption motivations in the digital context by linking the motivations to different channel choices. Understanding the roles of different entertainment consumption motivations and socioeconomic status will also provide profound insights for consumer researchers and practitioners in the media and entertainment industries.
  Keywords: hedonic motivation; eudaimonic motivation; entertainment; movie consumption; socio-economic status; theatre; mobile.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMC.2027.10080396
   
  
• Trust-based dynamic access control framework for multi-tenant cloud environments using proof of compliance consensus algorithm  
  by V.M. Sivagami, Tharani Vimal, J.Jospin Jeya, M. Raja 
  Abstract: In multi-tenant cloud environments, ensuring secure and adaptable access control remains a key challenge due to dynamic user behaviours and varying trust levels. This paper proposes a Trust-Based Dynamic Access Control Framework (TDACF) integrated with the Proof of Compliance Consensus Algorithm (PoCCA) to address these issues. The framework dynamically evaluates user trust through behavioural and compliance metrics, adjusting access privileges in real time. PoCCA establishes decentralised consensus among tenants on compliance status, enhancing transparency and reliability. The proposed model was evaluated in a simulated multi-tenant cloud environment using user access logs and compliance records. Experimental results demonstrate up to 60% improvement in adaptability, 50% increase in consensus reliability, and 90% accuracy in compliance verification compared to existing access control schemes. The findings validate TDACF with PoCCA as a scalable and trustworthy solution for secure access management in multi-tenant cloud systems.
  Keywords: multi-tenant cloud environments; trust-based access control; proof of compliance consensus algorithm; PoCCA; dynamic access control framework; security; scalability.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMC.2027.10080749
   
  
• Integrity and confidential assurance on cloud forensics with improved cryptosystem  
  by Sahadev Maruti Shinde, Gurrala Venkateswara Rao 
  Abstract: Cloud forensics is an advanced form of digital forensics designed to address cybercrime in cloud environments. Some countries’ stringent immigration regulations cause people to turn to illicit means and try to enter the states without authorisation, resulting in unauthorised immigration. Through blockchain and immutable records, as well as mutual authentication using an improved cryptosystem, it maintains track of immigrants. This work considers five distinct entities: smart contracts, log ledgers, IPFS file storage, node controllers, and hypervisor. It includes seven steps for ensuring integrity and secrecy in cloud forensics: creating the first log file, managing keys, setting up evidence and contracts, ensuring integrity, validating agreements with the release of secret files, and blockchain-based communication. The improved ECC key establishes symmetric encryption, while the modified chaotic map key creates session keys. An improved AES is proposed for mutual authentication. Finally, this model is assessed against the traditional model with several attack analyses.
  Keywords: cloud forensics; improved AES; improved ECC; modified chaotic map; blockchain.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMC.2027.10081521