The purpose of the study was to compare the social acceptance of the Negro and white children in the second, fourth, and fifth grades of the Demonstration School associated with the North Texas State Teachers College and the Fred Douglass Negro School, Denton, Texas, and to record the extent of change over a period of time.

Yes / Digital payment methods (DPMs) are evolving fast but they are yet to be widely adopted particularly in the developing countries. An initial review of literature suggests that several studies have already been conducted on this topic for understanding antecedents of digital payments adoption. However, only a few studies have examined this emerging topic in the context of developing countries. The aim of this submission is to identify antecedents of consumer adoption and usage of digital payments methods. The results of this literature analysis suggest that constructs related to technology acceptance model (TAM) and unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) along with trust and risk are the most frequently examined constructs for determining consumer’s behavioural intention to use and usage of DPMs. The findings from this work can help researchers selecting factors for inclusion in the future empirical works on this topic.

Yes / Background: Electronic personal health records (ePHRs) are secure Web-based tools that enable individuals to access, manage, and share their medical records. England recently introduced a nationwide ePHR called Patient Online. As with ePHRs in other countries, adoption rates of Patient Online remain low. Understanding factors affecting patients’ ePHR use is important to increase adoption rates and improve the implementation success of ePHRs. Objective: This study aimed to examine factors associated with patients’ use of ePHRs in England. Methods: The unified theory of acceptance and use of technology was adapted to the use of ePHRs. To empirically examine the adapted model, a cross-sectional survey of a convenience sample was carried out in 4 general practices in West Yorkshire, England. Factors associated with the use of ePHRs were explored using structural equation modeling. Results: Of 800 eligible patients invited to take part in the survey, 624 (78.0%) returned a valid questionnaire. Behavioral intention (BI) was significantly influenced by performance expectancy (PE; beta=.57, P<.001), effort expectancy (EE; beta=.16, P<.001), and perceived privacy and security (PPS; beta=.24, P<.001). The path from social influence to BI was not significant (beta=.03, P=.18). Facilitating conditions (FC) and BI significantly influenced use behavior (UB; beta=.25, P<.001 and beta=.53, P<.001, respectively). PE significantly mediated the effect of EE and PPS on BI (beta=.19, P<.001 and beta=.28, P=.001, respectively). Age significantly moderated 3 paths: PE→BI, EE→BI, and FC→UB. Sex significantly moderated only the relationship between PE and BI. A total of 2 paths were significantly moderated by education and internet access: EE→BI and FC→UB. Income moderated the relationship between FC and UB. The adapted model accounted for 51% of the variance in PE, 76% of the variance in BI, and 48% of the variance in UB. Conclusions: This study identified the main factors that affect patients’ use of ePHRs in England, which should be taken into account for the successful implementation of these systems. For example, developers of ePHRs should involve patients in the process of designing the system to consider functions and features that fit patients’ preferences and skills to ensure systems are useful and easy to use. The proposed model accounted for 48% of the variance in UB, indicating the existence of other, as yet unidentified, factors that influence the adoption of ePHRs. Future studies should confirm the effect of the factors included in this model and identify additional factors.

Cloud computing (CC) has become a strategic trend for online government services around the world, and Jordan is no exception. However, the acceptance and use of this novel technology face a number of barriers and challenges, including technological, human-aspects, social, and financial issues which need to be considered carefully by governments contemplating the implementation of cloud-based services. Drawing on the literature review on the acceptance and use of cloud-based e government services, it is evident that there is still a lack of explanatory power due to the following reasons: 1) focusing on the adoption and implementation of cloud-based e-government systems from the supply-side perspective, and therefore there are no enough studies on the integration between the supply-side and the demand-side as a single phenomenon. 2) while most of the e-government literature discussed the acceptance and adoption of traditional e-government services, there has been relatively little research on the distinguishing characteristics of cloud technology (e.g. security and trust). In addition, although Jordan made significant efforts in implementing cloud-based e-government systems since 2014, Jordan still has an unsatisfied rank with respect to the E-Government Development Index (EGDI) and E Participation Index (EPI). Many researchers state that security is one of the main determinates to the successful implementation of e-government services, without investigating this issue in depth. This thesis aims to bridge these gaps in an empirical manner through introducing a comprehensive investigation to provide a thorough understanding of cloud services adoption stemming from multiple perspectives, using an amended theoretical model based on the second version of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2). To achieve this research aim, a mixed-methods approach for data collection was used. The first stage employed an online questionnaire (220 valid responses and 27 questions) to identify that some e-government challenges still affect the acceptance of cloud-based public services (e.g. lack of awareness and security). Also, to determine some of the security concerns relevant to the research context. In the second stage, a grounded theory approach (18 semi-structured interviews and five questions as an interview guide) was adopted to explore factors affecting users’ (i.e. citizens’) perceptions regarding the security of cloud-based e-government services. The results show five factors influencing perceived security: intangible and tangible characteristics (ITCS), information security awareness (ISA), interface design quality (IDQ), law and regulations, and security culture (SC). The third stage applied an online questionnaire to validate the proposed theoretical framework which integrated the findings of the second stage with the UTAUT2 constructs, trust and perceived security. In this stage, the theoretical model was evaluated through an online survey (57 Likert five-point scale questions), and a total of 669 validated responses were analysed with the Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) technique using Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) version 25.0. The results indicated that performance expectancy (PE), effort expectancy (EE), social influence (SI), facilitating conditions (FC) and trust (ToEG) of e-government were found to significantly and positively influence the individuals’ behavioural intention to use cloud-based e-government services. Moreover, perceived security (PS) significantly influenced trust (ToEG) of e-government. In addition, intangible and tangible characteristics (ITCS), information security awareness (ISA), interface design quality (IDQ), law and regulations, and security culture (SC) had a positive effect on the perceived security of cloud-based public services. The outcome of this research presents a theoretical framework for studying the acceptance of cloud services in the Jordanian public sector. Additionally, eighteen action guidelines corresponding to the eleven factors of this study have been suggested and five of which have been already implemented or are planned to be implemented by the Jordanian government. The results of this study will provide empirical findings for the e-government professionals around the world, especially in developing countries with a similar context to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, facing similar obstacles for the acceptance and adoption of cloud-based e-government services, and aspiring to enhance such services in their countries. The practical implications, implementation guidelines, theoretical contributions, and limitations of this work are discussed in the context of providing key directions for future research. / Mutah University in Jordan

Inom den statliga förvaltningen skall ansvarsutkrävande fungera som en garant för tjänstemännens myndighetsutövning. Det har emellertid anförts kritik mot att ansvarsutkrävandet har minskat på grund av ineffektiva processer inom den statliga förvaltningen. Det tillsynes minskade ansvarsutkrävandet avser att tydliggöras utifrån två kategorier av teoretiska förklaringar; om det föreligger en slapphetskultur eller om ansvarsutkrävandet sker på ett mer ändamålsenligt sätt. Denna uppsats syftar till att undersöka om minskningen av ansvarsutkrävande vid tjänsteförseelser inom den statliga förvaltningen är reell eller chimär. Studiet av ansvarsutkrävande har fordrat en kvalitativ metod och sker genom en fallstudie inom Försäkringskassan på lokal nivå. För att undersöka vilka uppfattningar i ansvarsfrågan som styr tillämpandet av ansvarsutkrävande inom myndigheten har tio intervjuer genomförts. Intervjupersonerna representerar olika yrkesroller som innefattas i den ansvarsutkrävande processen. De har utifrån sina erfarenheter beskrivit hur ansvarsutkrävande i praktiken sker inom myndigheten. Det empiriska materialet har analyserats utifrån tre teoretiska perspektiv; det rationella, det kulturella och det symboliska. Vilket har fört oss till slutsatsen att minskningen är chimär då myndigheten funnit mer ändamålsenliga sätt att utkräva ansvar. Det tillsynes minskade ansvarsutkrävandet kan förklaras av att myndigheten väljer att hantera tjänsteförseelser med kompetensutvecklande insatser. / Within the functions of government agencies, accountability is a necessity for civil servants to ensure that appropriate levels of authority are being exercised. However criticism has been raised, that inefficient processes within the government agencies have led to reduced accountability. This is to be explained from two categories of theoretical explanations; whether there exists a cultural looseness, or if accountability occurs in a more utilitarian way. The purpose of this study is to examine when misconduct takes place in a government agency, if reduced accountability is imminent or chimera. In order to better understand the perception of accountability in government agencies, the question has been examined regarding The Social Insurance Agency on a local level. The study requires a qualitative method and a case study limited to The Social Insurance Agency. Ten interviews were conducted. The respondents represent several different professions, with differing levels of accountability. Their perceptions have illustrated how accountability takes form in a government agency. The empirical material has been analyzed through three theoretical perspectives; the Rational, the Cultural, and the Symbolic. The conclusion is that the reduction is chimera. The Social Insurance Agency have found more utilitarian ways to hold civil servants accountable for their actions. The seemingly reduced accountability can be explained by an agency´s choice to deal with misconduct by using competence to improve actions.This study is written in Swedish.

Le rejet massif des OGM par les citoyens européens met en lumière la question de l'acceptabilité sociale des technologies émergentes. Les nanotechnologies, qui exploitent les propriétés de la matière à l'échelle nanométrique, prennent de plus en plus de place en terme de R&D et de part de marchés. Ainsi, la question de l'acceptabilité sociale reste entière, malgré les nombreuses définitions retrouvées dans la littérature : certains auteurs confondent l'acceptabilité sociale, l'acceptance et l'acceptabilité du risque. L'absence de consensus sur la définition a comme conséquence de rendre ardue la distinction entre un développement nanotechnologique jugé acceptable et non acceptable socialement. Cette recherche qualitative et exploratoire se penche donc sur la conception et le traitement accordé à la notion d'acceptabilité sociale au sein d'un plateau d'innovation technologique, MINATEC IDEAs Laboratory® (MIL), et au traitement accordé à cette notion dans deux politiques gouvernementales majeures au plan international en matière de nanotechnologies, soit la politique américaine et européenne. Les entrevues menées chez MIL ont permis de construire, selon un processus itératif, une grille des critères mobilisés lors du traitement de l'acceptabilité sociale. Les résultats des entrevues furent analysés selon un cadre théorique inspiré de Wiistenhagen qui définit l'acceptabilité sociale selon trois composantes, soit l'acceptance des marchés, l'acceptabilité sociopolitique et l'acceptabilité communautaire. Les répondants de MIL conçoivent principalement l'acceptabilité sociale sous l'angle de l'acceptance des marchés et la notion d'usage est omniprésente. La grille est ensuite utilisée pour comparer les deux politiques (convergences et divergences). Il est ressorti que ces politiques se distinguent principalement au plan de la composante acceptabilité sociopolitique (aucune mention dans la politique américaine, alors que le document européen en fait mention à 24 reprises), la non-mention de l'acceptance des marchés par le document européen et le peu de mentions de l'acceptabilité communautaire dans la politique américaine (14 unités de signification dans la politique européenne contre 3). Il ressort principalement de cette étude que la notion d'acceptabilité sociale, à l'instar d'autres notions centrales comme le Principe de précaution, occulte l'existence d'un écart important entre les intérêts et les valeurs sociales des milieux (industriels, gestionnaires) qui y réfèrent.

Ample evidence underscores the deleterious effects of loneliness on health and mortality. Therefore, it is important that loneliness risks are identified across all ages and appropriate measures are devised to address those risks. Although almost a third of the US older adult population lives alone, there is limited research on the social connectedness (or its lack thereof) in this subset of older adults. This dissertation specifically focused on understanding loneliness (its extent, variance, and sources of variance) in older adults who live alone and do not use the Internet. The results indicate that the loneliness reported in this subset of older adults is greater than that found in general older adult samples. Social isolation (measured by social network variables) and emotional well-being emerged as significant predictors of loneliness in this group. Demographics, personality, and technology experience did not predict variance in loneliness beyond that predicted by social isolation and emotional well-being. To understand if Internet adoption can provide greater opportunities for connectedness, a qualitative study was also conducted. This study focused on the subjective experiences of living alone, relationships with friends, family, and groups in the context of living alone, and the role of technology in supporting connectedness needs. Loneliness was the most commonly reported challenge associated with living alone and was often described in terms of lack of companionship or someone to share one’s feelings with. The older adult Internet users perceived usefulness of Internet-based social media as a compensatory tool for communication, but valued in-person interactions more. Together these studies provided insights into the social connectedness of older adults who live alone. The findings advanced the understanding of the complexities of living alone in older age and helped identify directions to best address social connectedness needs while also supporting older adults’ desire to continue to age in the living arrangement of their choice. Finally, the gaps in research on older adults’ use of social media and its potential to support connectedness for an aging population were also addressed.

The advancement of Information Technology (IT) has changed the business landscape in many industries and especially the airline sector. Modern Information Communication Technologies (ICT) provide powerful tools for organizations and can significantly influence their operation, structure, and strategy. The emergence of mobile technologies has created a new innovation for airline companies by increasing the availability, frequency, and speed of communication between the company and their customers. This research aims to investigate the factors influencing the customers behavioural intention to adopt and utilize mobile services during their travel process. Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Innovation Diffusion Theory (IDT) provide the theoretical basis for explaining how consumers perceive mobile services which they access and operate by their mobile handset. To achieve that, this research employed a mixed method of quantitative and qualitative approaches with a dominant quantitative method. A consumer web-based survey was conducted in the Saudi Arabia travel sector with respect to mobile services usage in airline sector , 307 valid questionnaires were received and analyzed by using SPSS (V.18), correlation, regression and factor analysis tests were conducted . The findings of this research revealed that, perceived usefulness, mobility and compatibility are loaded to be one predictor of behavioural intention to use mobile services in Saudi Arabia. The reason behind it may be interpreted as customers nowadays have seen mobility and compatibility as attributes of perceived usefulness. Further, social influence, perceived ease of use and personal innovativeness were found to significantly influence the behavioural intention .whereas, perceived risk was found not to be a predictor to the behavioural intention to use mobile services in Saudi Arabia. Finally, the model analysis and survey evaluation enable airline companies to make mobile commerce service provision decision, these findings contribute to a road map for airline companies to encourage their customers to adopt mobile services and keep them engaged during the overall travel life cycle.

The Police National Database (PND) was launched in June 2011 as a direct recommendation from the Bichard Inquiry. Its main purpose is to provide a national platform to share police information and for the first time, the PND will provide a single view of data held in police intelligence, custody, crime, child and domestic abuse systems across the UK. The PND will not replace local police systems, but it will allow all forces to see and share information - that until now has only been available within individual force boundaries.

The environmental concern has become a well discussed topic within today’s society and as a result awareness of the impact human behaviour has on the environment is continuously increasing. This concern is something companies take advantage of when marketing, as for instance by promoting their products or services as eco-labelled. Eco-labelled products have further shown to involve a lot of consumer opinions, and are thus common to study in relation to consumer attitudes. Theories also show that eco-labelled goods have been idealised in favour of conventional ones, referred to as a marketing placebo effect. In connection to this, companies have started to point interest at eco-labelled technology, which has become a recent phenomenon attracting attention. Nonetheless, the existing theory regarding this phenomenon has been mainly applied on specific areas, such as the food industry. The purpose of this study was therefore to explain the marketing placebo effect on eco-labelled technology. 162 experiments were conducted using one experiment group and one control group, in order to be able to detect an eventual marketing placebo effect when implementing an eco-label, using attitudes as an influencer. Based on the results, it was revealed that attitudes are crucial to take into consideration when applying an eco-label in a technology context. This as it was concluded that attitudes act as a trigger evoking a marketing placebo effect. The findings from this study contradicts current theories on how different factors cooperate in the process of a marketing placebo effect, and advances has thus been made in how the marketing placebo effect works when applied in a technology context.