Technology acceptance research is a constantly developing field. The disciplines that contributed to its development are either beliefs focused or system focused. The unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) combined both. The current research model proposes an extension to the UTAUT that accounts for online usage behaviour. The proposed research model is tested in two countries (UK and Jordan) to investigate the viability of the unified model of technology acceptance in different boundaries as a model of individuals’ discretionary usage of Internet banking. The study also questions the roles of other determinants and moderators in this context. Results found support for the effect of the proposed extension, website quality perceptions, on usage behaviour in both countries’ models; the total effect of this extension exhibited website quality perceptions the most influential determinant of usage behaviour in both models and performance expectancy construct was second in effect. Social influence had no impact on the usage behaviour in both models, which is consistent with previous research that advocates a declining role of social influence under discretionary usage and increased experience conditions. Furthermore, the moderating role of performance expectancy previously established in TAM’s research was supported in the UTAUT model in both countries’ models. Moreover, both models reported a non-moderating effect of gender, which, is also in line with recent research findings that suggest declining gender differences under voluntary usage conditions and advanced experience. Education and income were moderators only for the UK model. Although the research findings demonstrated that both countries’ models were “configurally” similar with respect to model specifications, the models’ explanatory power for usage behaviour was dissimilar: the UK’s model explanatory power exceeded that of Jordan’s model presenting an opportunity for future research. The current research contributes to knowledge in the field of technology acceptance research. It demonstrated that website quality perceptions, as a multidimensional concept, play an important role in the online usage context. It also demonstrated that the unified model of technology acceptance established in the western culture can be transferred to a non-western culture although with varying degrees of explanation power.

The current literature highlights the significant role of psychological factors including cognitive (pain related thoughts and beliefs) and acceptance components (pain willingness, activity engagement, psychological inflexibility) in the management of chronic pain. The research is however in the preliminary stages in terms of investigating the specific relationships that exist between these psychological processes in their ability to predict adjustment to pain. This study aims to extend the current findings by investigating the relationships between several cognitive and acceptance components in their ability to predict emotional and physical adjustment in the context of chronic pain. The hypotheses that cognitive and acceptance components mediate the relationship between pain severity and pain adjustment, and also that acceptance mediates the relationship between cognitive components and pain adjustment will be tested. Method The study employed a cross-sectional survey-based design, including 214 chronic pain patients recruited from an NHS pain clinic. Participants completed a series of self-report questionnaires measuring pain severity, fear of movement beliefs, pain self-efficacy beliefs, pain catstrophising, acceptance and psychological flexibility, pain disability, and depression and anxiety. Structural Equation Modeling was used in order to conduct path analyses, investigating the complex relationships between these variables in predicting physical and emotional adjustment to chronic pain. Results The results from a Confirmatory Factor Analysis indicated that a three factor model comprising pain, cognitive and acceptance components as separate latent variables had a poor fit and therefore could not be used in further analysis. The results of path analyses showed that pain self-efficacy was the only variable to have a strong mediating influence between pain and physical adjustment. Findings also supported a nested path model demonstrating that acceptance, catastrophising and self-efficacy were mediators between pain and emotional adjustment, and that acceptance was also a mediator for pain catastrophising and a partial mediator for pain self-efficacy in their relationship with emotional adjustment. Conclusions The importance of pain self-efficacy specifically in predicting physical adjustment to pain is highlighted. A more complex model however is required to explain emotional adjustment, with acceptance playing a more prominent role in comparison with other variables. The findings also provide support for both Cognitive and Acceptance-based interventions in improving adjustment to living with chronic pain. Given the preliminary nature of these findings, further research employing similar statistical methods are required to provide further support.

This research utilised mixed methodology to gain insight into community pharmacists’ adoption of medicines and services related to two key innovative policy interventions aimed at enhanced minor ailment management; namely the ongoing legal status reclassification of medicines; and the introduction of the Scottish Minor Ailment Service. Prompted by the lack of qualitative and large scale quantitative evaluation from the pharmacists’ perspective, the aim was to investigate pharmacists’ adoption of these innovations. Data were generated to evaluate the process related aspects of innovation adoption from community pharmacists’ perspectives; and to identify and quantify key factors associated with the adoption of these innovations, thereby considering the wider relevance to new community pharmacy services. A range of methods was used including: formal systematic review of peer reviewed published literature on factors associated with innovation adoption following methods recommended by the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination at the University of York; extensive review of policy documents of all the devolved UK Governments; qualitative focus groups and interviews with 20 community pharmacists from four Scottish Health Boards; and lastly a cross sectional survey of the pharmacists responsible for nonprescription medicines from all Scottish community pharmacies (N=1138). The theoretical framework of diffusion of innovations was adopted to design the quantitative research instrument and interpret the data. Rigour was enhanced by consideration of aspects of validity and reliability at all stages. The highest standards of research governance and ethics were applied throughout the study. Qualitative interviews provided insight into the process related aspects of innovation adoption. Where current changes were embraced reluctantly by many who deemed the pace as fast and furious, others were keen to contribute to developments taking place within pharmacy and were eager to play a more proactive role in leading and introducing change to the public. Regardless of practice setting and ownership model, the merits of each innovation appeared to be considered at the individual practitioner level. Hence an organisational level decision to implement an innovation did not necessarily translate to adoption at the individual practitioner level. Using descriptive, bivariate and multivariate quantitative models informed by the results of the qualitative interviews and systematic review of the literature, the quantitative study showed pharmacists’ perceived attributes of innovations (such as benefits to their professional role development and patients); and patient demand and use of services had the highest association with whether or how far innovations were adopted. Issues such as differences in availability of resources were less able to explain differing level of innovation adoption by the pharmacist respondents. These findings suggest that as innovations around minor ailment management have not yet required reorientation of existing services, the issue of how pharmacists’ perceive the characteristics of the innovations such as: potential for financial benefits to pharmacy, professional role development and patients; is key to predicting whether future innovations of a similar nature will be successfully adopted by pharmacists.

This thesis presents a research model to investigate university-students’ acceptance and behaviour in relation to social-networking sites (SNS). In order to carry out this investigation, the research project was divided into two phases using qualitative and quantitative data based on a diverse sample of university students. Phase One used a think-aloud technique to explore the interaction experiences associated with students’ use of Facebook, a popular social-networking site. Twenty-six participants from Teesside University took part in the first study and six categories of experience (communication, gratification, inquisitiveness, evocation, interconnection, apprehension, and ambience) were identified. Subsequently conceptual similarities were found between all six categories of experience and six psychological human needs (relatedness, pleasure, popularity, security, competence and meaning). In Phase Two, a research model was constructed, based on existing literature on technology acceptance and the psychological needs identified in Phase One. Results from an online survey of 766 university students in the United Kingdom, who were also SNS users, provided evidence for the proposed model. The model explained and predicted students’ adoption of SNS, accounting for half of the variance in behavioural intention and almost a quarter of the variance in actual use behaviour. The results showed that students’ personal beliefs, social identity and psychological human needs influenced their decision to adopt SNS. Specifically, user-perceived usefulness, ease of use, enjoyment and credibility were found to iv be important factors in students’ adoption of SNS. The influence of social identity on students’ behavioural intention was also found to be mediated by perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. Furthermore, the findings emphasise the importance of psychological human needs in students’ adoption of SNS. In particular, the need for relatedness was found to be a significant independent predictor of behavioural intention. Based on the results of this study, theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Even though the development of business intelligence is moving forward rapidly, a substantial number of organizations are yet to implement business intelligence. Therefore, this thesis aims at investigating what internal organizational obstacles that could be hindering the implementation of business intelligence and how these obstacles could be overcome. In order to answer this, the Technological Acceptance Model combined with the notion IT identity, is used as the theoretical framework. This thesis is of an interpretivist nature and data was collected through qualitative, semi-structured interviews with six experts within the field of business intelligence, consisting of consultants and business intelligence managers. The identified obstacles could be connected to employees’ perceived usefulness being too low in relation to the perceived non-pecuniary cost. The proposed solutions aims at raising the perceived usefulness and lower the non-pecuniary cost through different methods presented in this thesis.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper to fill the research gap of lack ofcross-country studies in Germany, Hungary and Sweden in thecontext of online and mobile payment adaption and usage. Research Questions: The authors of this study aim at answering the followingquestion: What are the main similarities and differences in onlineand mobile payment acceptance in Germany, Hungary andSweden in the age group of 18-35?Theoretical Framework:The theoretical framework presents prevalent theories aboutfactors which are connected to online and mobilepayment. In addition, the Technical Acceptance Model wasused as a base for the conceptual framework developed by theauthors.Methodology: This study includes both qualitative and quantitative primarydata. The conducted survey resulted in 1016 answers; out of these869 answers were eligible. In addition, 150 companies wereasked and 30 qualitative interviews (10 per each country) wereconducted.Analysis: The analysis aimed at investigating how the acceptance of theusage of online and mobile payment differs among Germany,Hungary Sweden. Thereby, the following factors wereinvestigated: (1) perceived ease of use, (2) perceived usefulness,(3) perceived security, (4) perceived risk, (5) social influence, (6)information asymmetry and (7) intention to use. Conclusion: The findings of this cross-country study showed that Germany,Hungary and Sweden show a relatively similar level ofacceptance in online payment. In contrast, the acceptance in thecontext of mobile payment differed greatly. Whereas Swedenshowed a high level of acceptance, Germany and Hungaryshowed a relatively moderate level of acceptance.

The term emerging adulthood was coined during the 21st century to describe human development between adolescence and adulthood, during the ages of 18-25 (Arnett, 2000). During this stage, individuals can explore life areas. Emerging adults beginning college have a unique opportunity to form their identities and develop value systems (Hauser & Greene, 1991). With increasing autonomy, college students have possibilities for positive development and risk; values may be imperative in that differentiation. Furthermore, value systems are believed to play a major role in decision-making (Schwartz, 1992). Parents are influential in values development (Simpson, 2001; Steinberg & Sheffield Morris, 2001). During emerging adulthood, individuals have opportunities to notice discrepancies between their parents’ value system and society. Thus, emerging adults evaluate and choose personal values, which may or may not be similar to those of their parents, peers, or broader culture. Findings from this study indicate female caregivers’ parenting styles and closeness of the parent-child relationship have significant direct effects on the degree to which values are freely chosen. Specifically, Authoritarian parenting style (β = -.43 B = -1.70, p < .001), Authoritative parenting style (β = .12, B = .53, p < .001), and Emotional Support (β = .30, B = 6.80, p < .001) significantly predicted the degree to which values are intrinsically chosen. Only one significant relationship was found for male caregivers; there was a significant positive relationship between the authoritative parenting style and quality of the parent-child relationship (β = .64, B = .10, p < .001).

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

The purpose of this study has been to examine how mature eight Swedish companies are in regards of IT- and agile maturity. Furthermore, how they can improve upon their IT- and agile maturity. The research objects of this study has been eight different organizations who all hired the same IT-consultancy. Information has been gathered through semi-structured interviews with respondents from each organization. The interviews were built upon a theoretical framework consisting of Ragowsky et al. (2012) IT-maturity model and Sidky et al. (2007) Agile Measurement Index (SAMI). We have attempted to combine the models into a matrix model that takes both types of maturity into account. The results have shown a greater level of IT-maturity than expected. Agile maturity on the other hand have been a contributing factor to failures in some of the projects. Although we have found that being mature in only one of the factors has been unusual. In conclusion, the organizations in our sample have shown high IT-maturity so the next challenge for Swedish organizations seems to be to acquire greater agile maturity.

The present study used a basic behavioral paradigm derived from Relational Frame Theory (RFT), a contemporary behavioral account of language and cognition, to validate principle-based definitions of the cognitive interventions of defusion and reappraisal. Ninety-one participants first underwent an RFT learning paradigm that established symbolically generalized avoidance. Participants were then randomized to a defusion, reappraisal, or control condition. The main outcomes were equivalence responding—indicative of the trained relational network and analogous to the content of cognition—and avoidance—analogous to the behavioral impact of cognition. Defusion and reappraisal significantly reduced avoidance responding, providing support for the hypothesis that these interventions target the behavior of relational framing. Mediation analyses, conducted on an exploratory basis, revealed differences between the mechanisms of defusion and reappraisal and provided preliminary support for the classification of these interventions as a functional context intervention and a relational context intervention, respectively.