Abstract
As information systems and technologies grow in usage in the agri-food industry, the same has happened to the relevance of Information Systems (IS) that allow for a parallel control, monitoring and management of the organizations' activities and business processes. As the literature proves, the benefits of implementing adequate and interoperable IS are very numerous and tend to represent a significant determinant regarding the organizations' overall success. Despite this, to the best of our knowledge there currently is no IS architecture designed to serve the specificities of the agri-food industry. With this study a novel information systems architecture for the agri-food sector is proposed. The artefact is composed by 12 integrated main components and a set of subcomponents aimed at supporting all the monitoring, control and management activities. In order to validate the proposed architecture a case study was implemented at a mushroom production organization. This allowed us to perceive the ability of our artefact to serve as the basis for the development of IS that address all of the organization's business and environmental needs.

Abstract
This exploratory study aims to shed light on the e-commerce phenomenon and the impact of the pandemic COVID-19, namely in a period of social distancing and isolation. We study two prominent examples, via secondary data: Japan and the USA. We then analyze digital consumption behaviors and patterns in Portugal. For this, a questionnaire was created - using Google Forms - where both quantitative and qualitative perspectives were gathered. The research sample was a convenience sample, popular in business research, and it included 185 responses from Portuguese citizens. Through a cautious analysis of the primary data obtained, it was possible to compare the consumption levels in an ante- and post-COVID-19 context; what type of products are the most pursued; by whom they are most sought after; what are the most used platforms; and, additionally, the satisfaction levels regarding the use of these platforms. No statistically significant association (chi-square statistic) was found between gender or age and the preference for physical versus online stores. The data also uncovers that there is still a general preference for a more secure, traditional way of life in Portugal due to the fact that people still reveal some insecurities and fears regarding shopping through the Internet and a preference to buy in physical stores, which clearly leads people, in general, to buy online not so regularly as in other countries. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Abstract
The relevance of the tourism industry to the overall sustainability of rural territories grows along with the demand for rural tourism destinations. Likewise, as the digital transition of rural tour operators takes place, their marketing initiatives also evolve towards a digital nature, which is why it is crucial to comprehend how the overall calibre of these activities might affect the perception of rural places, while also motivating tourists' travel intentions and, as a result, promoting the general sustainability of the destination. Thus, in this paper, we propose a novel conceptual model based on Delone and McLean's representative model of Information Systems Success Model, on Tan and Wu's arguments on tourism destinations' image relationship with tourists' visit intentions, and also on Verma's tourism destination brand equity concept. To validate the proposed model, an online focus group was developed involving several specialists whose opinions and perspectives corroborated the potential adequacy of the proposed artefact and, consequently, assumed its contribution and value. From this validation process, it was possible to highlight that digital marketing initiatives' overall quality influences both rural destinations' image and tourists' intention to visit these territories, that a positive image will trigger tourists' visit behaviour, and that these behaviours represent a valuable asset to rural destinations' global sustainability.

Abstract
Water scarcity is becoming an issue of more significant concern with a major impact on global sustainability. For it, new measures and approaches are urgently needed. Digital technologies and tools can play an essential role in improving the effectiveness and efficiency of current water management approaches. Therefore, a solution is proposed and validated, given the limited presence of models or technological architectures in the literature to support intelligent water management systems for domestic use. It is based on a layered architecture, fully designed to meet the needs of households and to do so through the adoption of technologies such as the Internet of Things and cloud computing. By developing a prototype and using it as a use case for testing purposes, we have concluded the positive impact of using such a solution. Considering this is a first contribution to overcome the problem, some issues will be addressed in a future work, namely, data and device security and energy and traffic optimisation issues, among several others.

Abstract

Abstract
The growing use of technology and social media has resulted in the emergence of digital influencers, a new profession capable of changing the mentalities and behaviours of those who follow them. This study arises to better understand the potential impact digital influencers might have on the Portuguese population's purchase behaviour and patterns, and for this purpose, seven hypotheses were formulated. An online questionnaire was conducted to respond to these theoretical assumptions and collected data from 175 respondents. A total of 129 valid answers were considered. It was possible to conclude that purchase intention does not necessarily translate into a purchase action. It was also concluded that the relationship between social network use and the purchase of products/services recommended by influencers is only statistically significant for Instagram. Furthermore, the individuals' generation is not statistically significant / linked with purchasing a product/service recommended by influencers. Yet further, a small percentage of respondents have also identified themselves as impulsive shoppers and perceived Instagram as their favourite social network. With the results of this study, it is also possible to state that the influencer's opinion was classified as the last factor considered in the purchase decision process. Additionally, there is a weak negative association between purchasing a product/service recommended by influencers with sponsorship disclosure and remunerated partnership, which decreases credibility and discourages purchasing, in Portugal, a feminine culture which dislikes materialism.