Background: Electronic Word of Mouth (eWOM) is something that lately has gained increasing relevance and importance when it comes to consumers purchase decisions. Online reviews are considered to be the most important and reliable form of eWOM and it refers to when consumers communicate with other consumers online regarding their previous shopping experiences. In order to increase the generalizability and understanding of motives that influence consumers intention to write online reviews, authors of previous studies have suggested that future research should intend to focus on motives that influence intention to write online reviews in other contexts that are not aimed towards the service industry. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explain how personal- and social motives influence consumers intention to write online product reviews. Methodology: For this explanatory study, a quantitative strategy with a cross-sectional research design were used in order to test the model founded on two major hypotheses. The data was gathered through a self-completed questionnaire with a sample of 222 respondents. Findings: In this study, two major hypotheses were conducted in order to explain how personal motives and social motives influence consumers intention to write online product reviews. After analysing the data that emerged from the survey, a conclusion can be drawn that the hypothesis concerning personal motives and its influence on consumers intention to write online product reviews was accepted whereas the hypothesis concerning social motives was rejected. Conclusion: In this study, it has been recommended that future studies should test the suggestions found in this study with a more diverse sample in order to increase the generalizability of the theoretical implications. Furthermore, directions for future research will also recommend testing the modified model that emerged in this paper in order to detect if there are any additions that need to be added to increase the predictability of the findings.

Pinterest is one of the fastest growing social networking sites and is attracting the interest of retailers as an effective way to interact with consumers. The purpose of this study was to examine: 1) determinants and impacts of Pinterest consumer experiences. Specifically, this study examined the impacts of retailer reputation, trust, perceived ease of use, and perceived usefulness on Pinterest consumer experiences on retailer SNS. 2) To identify the impacts of Pinterest consumer experiences on consumer satisfaction, behavioral intention, and online retailer relationship. The instrument used existing scales drawn from the literature. A consumer panel (n = 300) of Pinterest users that connect to apparel retailers was used to collect data through an online consumer panel. Reputation is positively related to trust and to perceived ease of use. Perceived ease of use and usefulness significantly affected retailer Pinterest consumer experiences. The impact of Pinterest consumer experiences on satisfaction and behavior intention was positive and significant. Satisfaction and behavior intention also are significantly related to online retailer relationship. Results and business implications are discussed, as well are limitations and future research.

This thesis is set to investigate the factors that affect the intention to disclose personal information to SNS providers. The purpose of this study is to identify factors and how these factors affect the behavioral intention to disclose personal information to SNS from a new angle of analysis, namely through a user-to-organizational approach. By examining this phenomenon in a new context, this study seeks to provide an understanding of this phenomenon in a new setting and test if previous research can be used to explain the stated behavioral intention. With this argumentation in mind, the thesis aims to contribute to existing theory in consumer behavior, social networking sites, privacy concerns and personal information disclosure. In order to do so this paper is built on a quantitative research approach where the main research strategy is based on the results of a questionnaire. Through the questionnaire, a proposed framework was tested in order to identify factors affecting peoples’ intentions to disclose personal information to SNS providers. The model was built upon the structure of privacy calculation theory, which has been proven to identify intentions to disclose personal information in online settings. The results show that the factors that significantly affect behavioral intentions are trusting beliefs and self-presentations. They are factors leading to personal information disclosure to SNS providers. Limitations of this study is that it suffers a sampling restrictions due to its sampling of only Swedish inhabitants. This paper is the first to develop and empirically test an integrated model of personal information disclosure to SNS, taking on a user-to-organizational approach to privacy. Since SNS are financially evaluated by number of active users of their SNS it is crucial to understand the factors that affect consumers’ intention to disclose their personal information. From the empirical findings, this study proved that trust and self-presentation determine the intentions to disclose personal information to SNS providers. The results shows a discrepancy of existing literature, explaining differences between user-to-user and user-to-organizational context, and thus broadening the context of personal disclosure in the SNS realm. Practitioners can, by using the insights, tailor their strategies in order to maximize the efforts of affecting potential users’ to disclose their personal information, which SNS providers are dependent upon.

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國民中小學教師的平均退休年齡逐年下降，在這群退休教師當中，有不少身體健康且熱心公益的人，鼓勵他們回到其最熟悉的校園擔任志工，不僅可協助退休教師適應退休生活，更能發揮其所長，改善學校人力不足的現象。本研究係以Ajzen (1985)的計畫行為理論(The Theory of Planned Behavior)為架構基礎，以增進和維持退休教師參與學校志工的意願為主題，整合高齡志工參與動機和相關研究，建構一個對於退休教師參與學校志工行為意向具有預測及解釋力的「學校志工參與行為意向模式」；同時並透過與幾所國中小行政人員和退休教師的深度訪談，從多元角度瞭解影響退休教師參與學校志工的原因，藉以改善這些影響因素，提高退休教師回來學校服務的意願。 經結構方程式模型(Structural Equation Model, SEM)分析方法驗證本研究所建構的「學校志工參與行為意向模式」，和深度訪談分析的結果，本研究發現「行為控制知覺」對於退休教師擔任學校志工「行為意向」的影響最重要，「主觀規範」影響較小，「態度」則無顯著影響，並且在「行為控制知覺」中又僅有「自我能力」具有顯著的影響，表示政府在招募退休教師回來服務時，以促使退休教師覺得具有擔任學校志工的自我能力最為重要，主管機關可以透過宣導擔任學校志工毋須太多的時間與體力、並依據他們的專長、興趣等需求分配工作，提高退休教師回來服務的意願。同時透過深度訪談結果發現，「與原服務學校或過去同事的情感連結」以及「具有被學校需要的感覺」兩項心理層面因素，亦會對於退休教師參與學校志工的意願產生影響。 本研究建議學校單位可透過設立退休聯誼會辦公室、邀請退休教師回來參與學校活動等方式，維繫退休教師與學校之間的情感；並經由多方管道傳達學校需要退休教師協助的訊息、肯定與感謝退休教師的貢獻，使退休教師產生被需要感，提昇回來學校服務的意願。對於政府推行的「退休菁英風華再現」計畫，在計畫內容方面則建議應讓可受到計畫獎勵的志工服務項目範圍擴大，並且降低對於退休教師的津貼補助，將其用於替退休教師購買意外保險、辦理志工學習成長課程等志工福利，鼓勵更多教師願意回來學校服務；同時並透過適當誘因設計如敘功嘉獎，鼓勵承辦此項業務的行政人員積極邀請退休教師回來學校服務。 / In recent years, the average retirement age of teachers in elementary and junior high school has declined. Many retired teachers are still healthy and warmhearted. If we could encourage retired teachers to serve as school volunteers, not only their lives could be more fulfilled, but also the schools could benefit from their professional specialty and then improve the situation of insufficient human resources. This thesis examines the antecedents of the voluntary behavior of retired teachers in the context of an integrated behavioral model that incorporates a wide variety of important factors from previous researches on volunteer behavior into a single theoretical framework provided by the Theory of Planned Behavior. The model was tested using data from a sample of 219 individual respondents by Structural Equation Model. Moreover, four voluntary teachers and six school administrators were interviewed to thoroughly explore factors affecting the success of the “Voluntary Teaching Program” in Taipei County. Overall, the model results indicate that the strongest effects in voluntary behavior of retired teachers are due to behavioral intention, perceived behavioral control, and subjective norm. The key determinant of perceived behavioral control is self-efficacy, suggesting the more capable a person believes he or she is, the more control the person feels about being a school volunteer. Thus, policymakers should constantly devote efforts at broadcasting the information that serving as school volunteers only need a little time and effort. School administrators simultaneously should allocate voluntary tasks by volunteers’ specialty, interest, and other demands. Moreover, the interviews results suggest that both “the emotions connecting with school and past colleague” and “the sense of being demanded” influence the willingness of retired teachers to serve as school volunteers. Based on the research results, we provide policymakers with specific suggestions on ways to encourage this kind of voluntary behavior. For example, with the design of the Associations of Retired Teachers and regular re-union activities, retired teachers will be emotionally attached to schools. In addition, spread news for asking for retired teachers’ inputs and thank them for their devotion, it will make retired teachers feel needed. About the “Voluntary Teaching Program” policymakers should encourage and reward spiritedly for more voluntary teachers, but reduce the grants, and then utilize this grant budget to give some appropriate welfare resources for voluntary teachers such as labor insurance and some courses for spiritual development. Besides, policymakers should provide a few reward incentives for school administrators to encourage them to invite retired teachers to serve as school volunteers.

Although consumers’ need for a healthy and sustainable lifestyle drives natural cosmetics consumption, various claims of natural cosmetics make consumers confused and distrustful. This study aimed to explore factors that affect consumers' purchasing behavior of natural cosmetics under the theoretical framework of planned behavior (TPB). The study adopted the qualitative method of purposive sampling. Semi-structured interview technique and thematic analysis were used to collect and analyze data from 21 consumers of natural or traditional cosmetics living in Uppsala. The results showed: consumers had uncertain attitudes towards buying natural cosmetics, which had no obvious impact on the purchasing behavior; the perceived social pressures from family, relatives, groups, etc. had a clear positive impact on the purchasing behavior; online purchasing, recommendation from others, and sustainable lifestyle facilitated the purchasing behavior; high price, inconvenient purchasing location, lack of knowledge, non-harmonized certifications, etc. led to the inconsistency between consumers' purchasing intention and actual purchasing behavior. Product knowledge was explored as an important resource that consumers need. The above findings can be used to improve marketing strategies like harmonized certifications. This study also paves the way for future quantitative verification of these factors.