This research aimed to explore the current status of junior high school teachers¡¦ adopting interactive whiteboards (hereafter ¡§IWB¡¨) in teaching, and further investigate the teachers¡¦ beliefs and intention to use of IWBs. The research used survey research methodology to examine the Kaohsiung municipal junior high school teachers who had participated IWB teaching courses. There were 238 samples, and the research tool was the questionnaire ¡§Teachers¡¦ Teaching Beliefs and Intention to Use of Interactive Whiteboards.¡¨ In addition, semi-structured interviews were conducted to those who had expressed their willingness to have interviews in the questionnaires in order to supplement the lack of the questionnaire function. Data of the questionnaire sheets were statistically analyzed by SPSS 14.0 for Windows, and the analytical methods included descriptive statistics, average difference analysis, analysis of variances, and other related analytical methods. Qualitative interview data were inductively organized and analyzed. The findings of the research are as follows: 1.About 65% of Kaohsiung municipal junior high school teachers have ever used IWBs. The reason for using IWBs was mainly to increase students¡¦ learning motives. The major problem the teachers faced was that they were unable to find IWB-equipped classrooms. The assistance the teachers hoped to receive was to have an IWB teaching database constructed. 2.The Kaohsiung municipal junior high school teachers¡¦ IWB teaching beliefs were positive, as they generally believed that IWBs were an effective teaching tool integrated with multi-media resources. Thus, IWB teaching could not only trigger students¡¦ attention and learning motives but also promote their learning effects. 3.The Kaohsiung municipal junior high school teachers¡¦ intention to use of IWBs was positive. In general, the teachers believed that it would boost the teachers¡¦ intention to use of the IWB teaching if the teaching material was appropriate, equipment sufficient, or recommendations from other teachers. Some teachers expressed their intention to use of the IWB teaching in the future. 4.The total scale on the teachers¡¦ teaching beliefs showed a better outcome on the teachers with administrative work and those who had the IWB teaching experience; for evaluation level, it indicated better for those who had the IWB teaching experience; for expectation level, it signified better for the spontaneously-learning teachers and those who had the IWB teaching experience; for skill level, it represented better for male teachers, aged 31 to 40, with administrative work and those who had participated more frequently in IWB learning courses. There was no significant difference in cognition and feeling levels. 5.The total scale on the teachers¡¦ intention to use showed a better outcome on the teachers with administrative work and those who had the IWB teaching experience; for decision level, it indicated better for the teachers with administrative work, those who had participated more frequently in IWB learning courses, those who were spontaneous learners, and those who had the IWB teaching experience; for intention level, there was no significant difference. 6.The total scales of the teaching beliefs and of the intention to use showed a remarkable moderate positive correlation.

Purpose: The aim of this thesis is to elaborate on if organisational culture has an impact on the intention to use a CRM system. Methodology: The data was collected by use of an online questionnaire, the questions used were created based on the literature review andmeasured according to a 5 point Likert-scale Conclusion: Organisational culture has no meaningful impact on intention touse CRM. This since each of the culture types produced results which were outside acceptable perimeters. Out of the three aspects of the technology acceptance model,attitude has the biggest impact on intention to use CRM. PEOU and PU were not within acceptable perimeters. Neither PU nor PEOU had a statistical significant impact on attitude, leaving attitude as a sole positive contributor to intentionto use CRM. K

[pt] Este estudo pretende analisar as motivações e obstáculos do consumidor na intenção de uso de mídias sociais para atividades e compras de turismo online. As mídias sociais estão cada vez mais presentes no dia a dia da sociedade, não só como ferramentas de interação social como também instrumentos de marketing para diversos segmentos de mercado. Para a indústria do turismo, as mídias sociais não poderiam deixar de ser igualmente importantes e, portanto, o estudo de sua adoção e de sua relevância na tomada de decisão dos consumidores se torna tão relevante. A adoção de novas tecnologias sofre influência de diversas variáveis como, por exemplo, a percepção de facilidade de uso e a percepção de utilidade da tecnologia em questão, a confiança e a preservação da privacidade que a tecnologia utilizada oferece, o ambiente de inovação e tecnologia e as habilidades pessoais dos usuários, entre outros. Neste sentido, usando como base o estudo de Pára-Lopez et al. (2011), é proposto um modelo para avaliar a intenção de uso de mídias sociais para turismo online e realizada uma survey com uma amostra composta por 165 indivíduos. Os resultados, alcançados por meio de modelagem de equações estruturais, confirmam todas as hipóteses levantadas nesta pesquisa. Foram verificadas relações significativas diretas e positivas entre benefícios e incentivos à intenção de uso de mídias sociais, além de confirmada relação significativa direta e negativa entre custos e intenção de uso de mídias sociais em turismo online. / [en] This study aims to analyze the motivations and obstacles that might influence the intention to use social media in online tourism-related purchases and activities. Social media are increasingly present in the everyday life, as not only means for social interaction, but also as marketing tools to various market segments. For the tourism industry, social media are equally important and therefore the study of its adoption and its relevance in consumer decision-making becomes so relevant. The adoption of new technologies can be influenced by several variables such as perceptions of ease of use and utility, trust, privacy and the personal skills of users, among others. In this sense, based on the work presented by Párra-Lopez et al. (2011), a model to evaluate the intention to use social media for online tourism-related tasks is proposed and tested with a survey of 165 individuals. The results, achieved by means of structural equation modeling, confirm all the hypotheses for this research. Direct and significant positive effects of benefits and incentives on the intention to use social media for tourism-related tasks have been verified, while a direct and significant negative relationship between cost and the intention to use social media in online tourism was also found.

Since the advent of the smartphone, mobile applications on these devices have increasingly gained in popularity and have become a staple in the everyday lives of people. This trend has resulted in the development of millions of applications, yet the majority of them are never downloaded or used for a variety of reasons. It is therefore important for consumer behavior research to be conducted on a continuous basis in order to analyze and stay up to date with factors that lead to intention and thereafter, usage of mobile applications. Also, it is necessary to take into account the immense popularity of social media, which has provided firms with an effective avenue to market new applications. The purpose of the study is therefore to investigate the determinants of usage intention of new and free mobile apps in the context of social media marketing.  In order to measure intention, two proven and tested theoretical models were incorporated into the creation of the research model of this study and the formation of the hypothesis; namely the theory of planned behavior (TPB), as well as the technology acceptance model (TAM). To test the hypothesis, a quantitative study was conducted with the help of a self-completion questionnaire which was distributed on social media, and the data collection resulted in 250 valid respondents. The data was processed and analyzed using multiple regression using the statistical program SPSS in order to test the significance of the various independent variables with intention to use new and free apps. The regression analysis resulted in several hypothesis being accepted. Notably, intention to use was highly influenced by attitude, as well as significant relationships between intention and perceived ease of use, as well as perceived behavioral control. Significant relationships were also discovered between attitude, perceived usefulness, and trust. Marketers of new and free mobile apps should focus on fostering a positive attitude through marketing on social media, always be intent on trust-building activities, and work with the developers to create easy to use and highly useful apps. The authors recommend that future studies focus on the influence of different kinds of social media activities on consumers intention to use new and free apps, as social media was only the context of the current study.

Abstract Recent times have witnessed increasing availability of mobile technology-based products/services in developing regions such as Africa. However, the extant literature has not traditionally focused on understanding the adoption and use of these technologies by consumers in these parts of the world. This gap cannot be ignored and the need to investigate consumer intention to use mobile based-technology in this region is becoming paramount to their successful implementation. One such mobile-based technology is the M-pesa financial service. The current study merged appropriate theories that could predict consumer intention to use this M-pesa service in two African countries, Kenya and South Africa. First, the two countries were compared in an attempt to provide an explanation of why the launch of the M-pesa service has been more successful in Kenya than in South Africa. It then examined the effects of the Technology Acceptance Model variables (perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use), subjective norm from the Theory of Reasoned Action, self efficacy from the Social Cognitive Theory, and six dimensions of Switching Costs, on consumers intention to use M-pesa. To measure the study’s variables, validated scales from the IS literature, social psychology literature, and economics literature were identified and adopted. Data were collected using paper based survey instruments from individuals residing in low-income communities in Kenya (N=265) and South Africa (N=150), thus a total of 415 responses. The results indicate there are correlations between all variables and intention to use, however, only perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and subjective norms have a direct influence on intention to use M-pesa. The model explained 33.1% of the variance in intention to use M-pesa. The results suggest that while switching costs do not have a direct influence on intention to use, some of their effects are mediated in predicting intention to use. Thus, this study has paved the way for future testing and enhancement of the study’s model. The study’s contribution to theory and practice are also presented.

I denna uppsats undersöks ungdomars användning av gratis mobilapplikationer. Uppsatsen lyfter fram faktorer som påverkar applikationsanvändningen och förklarar hur faktorerna i jämförelse med varandra påverkar användningen. Genom detta nyanseras även skillnader mellan användningen av gratis-applikationer och betal-applikationer.En kvalitativ studie gjordes i form av två fokusgrupper där den åtskiljande faktorn var förvärvsinkomst. Deltagarna fick i grupper diskutera olika teman, till exempel pris, sociala påtryckningar och attityd kring användningen av mobilapplikationer. Resultatet av gruppintervjuerna tolkades och analyserades utifrån en tolkningsram baserad på företagsekonomiska teorier. Tolkningsramen grundar sig till största del på en modell för mobilapplikationsanvändningsavsikt (Nysveen et al. 2005a), en teori om prissökningsbeteende (Darke et al. 1995) och en teori om etiskt besluttagande (Tan 2002).Några av slutsatserna som dras är att de mest framstående faktorerna för påverkan är pris, sociala påtryckningar och upplevd användbarhet och att skillnader mellan teori och de verkliga faktorer som påverkade respondenterna existerar. Studien och dess slutsatser bidrar med ny kunskap om konsumentbeteendet och kan användas för vidare forskning eller som en inspirationskälla för strategiutformning. / In this thesis investigated the usage of free mobile application among young people. Factors that influence the usage are highlighted and the influence of each factor is explained in comparison to the other influencing factors. The difference between the usage of free mobile applications and applications that cost is also emphasized due to this comparison.A qualitative study was done with two focus groups where the disjunctive factor for the two groups was income. The respondents discussed in groups different themes in the context mobile application usage. Examples of themes discussed are price, normative pressure and attitude. The results of the group interviews was interpreted and analyzed through an interpretative framework of business economic theories. The framework is largely based on a model of mobile application usage intention (Nysveen et al. 2005a), a theory of price search behavior (Darke et al. 1995) and a theory of ethical decision making (Tan 2002).Some of the contributing conclusions of the study are that the most prominent influent factors are price, normative pressure and perceived usefulness and that there exists a difference between theory and the real influencing factors of the respondents. This study and its conclusions contribute with new knowledge of consumer behavior and can be used for further research or as a source of inspiration for strategy elaboration.

This study investigated the factors that influence university students’ intention to use a smartphone. The study proposed and validated a research model based on the technology acceptance model (TAM). The TAM was modified and extended with four new constructs: social norms, perceived enjoyment, perceived value and ease of access. The constructs for the instrument of the study were adapted from previous related studies which had validated the instruments. Data were collected from 110 participants via a survey. The collected data were analyzed using hierarchical multiple-regression using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS version 22.0). The model demonstrated a good fit where six independent variables together contributed 56.2% of the variance to the outcome or prediction. The results of the analysis were used to test a set of research hypotheses and to answer research questions. The following independent variables were found to be significant in determining university students’ intention to use mobile devices: perceived usefulness, social norms, perceived enjoyment, perceived value and ease of access. The control variables gender and degree level and the independent variable ease of use were not significant predictors. The results of this study may be useful to understand which factors are more important to the students. This understanding can be utilized by the University administrators for developing policies related to mobile learning and by the IT departments for planning organizational technology services.

Cette thèse aborde la problématique de l’adoption des systèmes d’information (SI), partant du problème posé par le déficit d’utilisation des applications mobiles d’information voyageur, applications pourtant conçues pour aider à résoudre les difficultés liées aux transports dans les sociétés modernes. Elle tente de répondre à la question de savoir quels facteurs peuvent favoriser l’utilisation des SI par leur public potentiel. Face à la suprématie de l’approche centrée ‘système’, donnant priorité au facteur technologique dans l’identification des déterminants de l’utilisation des SI, ce travail défend le point de vue selon lequel une approche psychosociale est mieux à même de mettre à jour les processus par lesquels les individus en viennent à utiliser ces systèmes. Dans ce cadre, le premier axe de cette recherche interroge le rôle des croyances dans l’adoption. Les résultats obtenus sous cet axe montrent que les modèles basés sur les croyances prédisent assez bien l’intention d’utilisation des SI prise comme indicateur d’adoption. Mais, ils montrent aussi les limites de ces modèles dans la prédiction de l’intention d’utilisation initiale, à l’étape de l’acceptabilité, une étape pré-adoptive stratégique où le seuil de la première expérience d’utilisation n’est pas encore franchi (étude 1). Cela pose la nécessité d’aller au-delà des croyances pour mieux cerner les déterminants de l’intention d’utilisation initiale. A cet effet, le second axe de cette recherche interroge le rôle des attentes dans l’adoption. Les résultats obtenus sous cet axe montrent que les attentes sont des prédicteurs performants des croyances pré-adoptives, et, au-delà, des prédicteurs directs de l’intention d’utilisation initiale (études 2 et 3). Ces résultats sont d’une grande portée théorique et empirique. Ils montrent que les attentes entrent en jeu directement dans l’explication de l’intention d’utilisation initiale, à l’étape pré-adoptive, quand celles-ci ont toujours été considérées comme opérantes uniquement à l’étape post-adoptive où leur infirmation/confirmation à l’issue d’une première expérience d’utilisation détermine le degré de satisfaction et l’intention de continuer l’utilisation. Au total, cette thèse amène un éclairage nouveau sur la façon dont les croyances et les attentes se mettent en scène le long du processus d’adoption, et pèsent de tout leur poids sur les décisions relatives à l’utilisation des SI. / This thesis addresses the problem of information systems (IS) adoption, starting from the problem posed by the deficit in use of traveler information mobile applications, yet applications designed to help solve problems related to transport in modern societies. It attempts to answer the question of which factors may improve IS use in their potential audience. Given the supremacy of the system-centered approach giving priority to technological factor in identifying the determinants of IS use, this work defends the view that a psychosocial approach is better able to elicit the processes by which individuals come to use these systems. In this context, the first axis of this research examines the role of beliefs in adoption. The results obtained under this axis show that beliefs-based models predict quite well intention to use IS taken as an indicator of adoption. But they also show the limitations of these models in predicting initial use intention, at the acceptability stage, a strategic pre-adoptive stage when the threshold of the first experience of use is not yet crossed (study 1). This raises the need to go beyond beliefs to better understand the determinants of initial use intention. To this end, the second axis of this research questions the role of expectations in adoption. The results obtained under this axis show that expectations are powerful predictors of pre-adoptive beliefs, and, beyond, direct predictors of initial use intention (studies 2 and 3). These results are of great theoretical and empirical significance. They show that expectations are directly involved in the explanation of initial use intention at the pre-adoptive stage, when these have always been considered as operating only in the post-adoptive stage where their disconfirmation/confirmation after a first experience of use determines the degree of satisfaction and continued use intention. Overall, this thesis brings new light on how beliefs and expectations come into play along the adoption process, and weigh fully on decisions related to IS use.

This study focuses on the implementation of Learning Management System (LMS) in the higher education sector in Iraq. Its aim is to develop a policy adoption framework for LMS implementation by scientifically investigating LMS adoption using a model that combines the principles of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Technology-Organisation-Environment (TOE) framework. The research methodology comprises of seven stages that adopts the interpretive paradigm and a mixed-methods research design. A case study design is used to investigate LMS integration in the University of Al-Qadisiyah. A TAM-TOE questionnaire is developed for the academic staff of the University of Al-Qadisiyah, in which the perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use of LMS are analysed in the case organisation. The technological, organisational, and environmental aspects of LMS implementation are also examined. The survey received valid responses from 283 academic staff. In-depth semi-structured interviews of 8 academics, administrative staff and IT personnel contributed to the qualitative data. The survey respondents are selected using stratified sampling whilst purposive sampling is used to select the interview participants. The questionnaire data was analysed using correlation analysis, whilst thematic analysis is used for the interview data. The study identifies the barriers to LMS implementation as: Lack of or limited teachers’ training, lack of commitment to constructivist pedagogy, lack of experience to use the new technology, lack of technical support, and lack of appropriate educational software. These results feed into the policy framework design. The contribution to research knowledge includes the creation of a new adoption model derived from TAM and TOE to examine the LMS implementation barriers in a war recovering economy like Iraq. This approach the integration of academic users’ acceptance with macro-level factors like government support. The results lease to the development of the LMS policy framework to guide policy makers to prioritise their limited LMS investments. The novelty of the work is the bringing together the considerations of the individual users and the socio-economic context.

[pt] A crescente importância da utilização de smartphones e tablets no dia a dia do consumidor vem sendo enfocada nos estudos referentes à internet como um canal de informação, compra e venda de serviços de turismo. Entretanto, ainda há uma lacunanas pesquisas em relação às motivações e barreiras que levam os consumidores a usar aplicativos móveis financeiros. A hipótese central deste estudo é de que a intenção de confiar no uso de aplicativos móveis bancários tem um papel fundamental na formação da intenção de uso do mobile banking. A partir da análise da literatura, são identificados e selecionados antecedentes de maior relevância na decisão do uso do mobile banking. Com base nestes, então, foi proposto um modelo estrutural e foram formuladas oito hipóteses relacionando os construtos utilizados e seus efeitos sobre a intenção de confiar e a adoção do mobile banking. Todas as hipóteses foram testadas por meio de equações estruturais com base nos dados de uma pesquisa (survey), que resultou em uma amostra de 272 usuários de aplicativos móveis financeiros residentes na cidade do Rio de Janeiro (RJ). Os resultados obtidos confirmaram a maior parte das hipóteses formuladas, e relações significativas foram verificadas entre o construto confiança e os demais construtos abordados, as quais influenciam significativamente a intenção de uso de serviços bancários que empregam o mobile banking. / [en] The growing importance of the use of smartphones and tablets on the consumer s everyday life has been focused on the studies on the Internet as an information channel, purchase and sale of tourism-related services. However, there is still a gap in research regarding the motivation and barriers that lead consumers to use financial mobile apps. The central hypothesis of this study is that the intention of relying on the use of mobile banking app has a key role in shaping the mobile banking usage intention. From the literature review, the most relevant backgrounds in deciding the use of mobile banking are identified and selected. Based on these, a structural model was proposed and eight hypotheses were formulated, listing the constructs used and their effect on the intention of trust and the adoption of mobile banking. All hypotheses were tested using structural equations based on data from a survey made with 272 users of financial mobile apps, resident in the city of Rio de Janeiro (RJ). The results confirmed that most of the assumptions made, and significant relationships, were observed between the construct confidence and the other addressed constructs, which significantly influence the intended use of banking services through mobile banking.