Neste trabalho é apresentado o desenvolvimento de programa para cálculo de campos eletromagnéticos baseado no método das Diferenças Finitas no Domínio do Tempo (FDTD). O programa é aplicado no cálculo da Taxa de Absorção Específica (“Specific Absortion Rate” – SAR) em modelos de cabeça de adulto e criança usuários de telefone celular. Para a modelagem da cabeça da criança é feita análise detalhada das principais diferenças das características de cabeças de adulto e criança. Também é desenvolvido um programa para o cálculo do aumento de temperatura relacionado com a Taxa de Absorção Especifica. Os resultados são comparados com dados de outros autores, bem como com as normas relativas a níveis de exposição a ondas eletromagnéticas. / The development of software to compute the electromagnetic fields employing the Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) method is shown in this work. This software is used to estimate the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) in head models of child and adult users of cell phones. A detailed analysis of the main differences between child and adult heads is made in order to model the child head. Software to compute the temperature rise related with the calculated SAR is also developed. The results are compared with results obtained by others authors, as well as with electromagnetic field exposure guidelines.

Cellular telephones have revolutionised the art of communication across all societies, and South Africa is no exception. Access to this form of communication has made personal contact easier, in both rural and urban contexts. Globally this form of communication has been readily embraced. However, cultural rules that pertain to face-to-face communication are often flouted by cellular phone users. This flouting holds true no doubt across many cultures, languages and contexts. Bloomer (2005:97-100) assesses this flouting of cultural maxims in relation to Grice's cooperative principle. This article attempts to assess how general rules of politeness in isiXhosa have been and are being transformed by what could be termed the "economics of speaking".

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This study investigates the use of smartphones among young residents of popular community located in the western region of Santa Maria, the interior of Rio Grande do Sul. In this study, consumption is understood through the material culture and the importance that the mobile phone has the construction of the daily life of each subject. Thus, we chose a qualitative research, ethnographic research, to understand how young people relate to the mobile phone (smartphone) and how the device is responsible for maintaining and building their social networks, with the main focus issues related to (re) construction of emotional relationships with and through the mobile device. The field of activity began in March 2014, with the approach and living with 43 young students in an educational and communicative activity at school Anita Garibaldi. The approach of the course lasted one school year and was completed in December 2014. In January 2015, was soaking in the field, in order to better understand the dynamics and ownership of cell phone use by four children, Laura, Icaro, Anneliese and Erika. Thus, it was used as the main technique for obtaining ethnographic data, participant observation, if possible, from the interaction with young people and their families realize the importance of the device in mediating consumer experience and relationship of these subjects. It was also noted that the device is responsible for mediating much of the daily lives of these young people, and is the main link between their peers and those who are part of your network affinity, making it a technical and emotional device indispensable for these young in building their online and offline connections. In this circumstance, it was possible to verify that cell phones are understood by these young people as significant objects to the construction of their sociability, before a time when its relations extrapolate relationships face to face and make a digital ambience. Similarly, the device serves as a repository of their affective micromemórias, before a building of real affection in virtualized and the machine able to build an emotional chain from the uses and appropriations of the device on a day by day. / Este estudo investiga o consumo de smartphones entre os jovens moradores de uma comunidade popular localizada na região oeste de Santa Maria, interior do Rio Grande do Sul. Nesta pesquisa, o consumo é compreendido por meio da cultura material e da importância que o telefone celular possui na construção do cotidiano de cada sujeito. Dessa forma, optou-se por uma investigação de caráter qualitativo, o estudo etnográfico, para compreender como os jovens se relacionam com o telefone celular (smartphone) e como o dispositivo é responsável pela manutenção e pela construção de suas redes de sociabilidade, tendo como enfoque principal as questões relacionadas à (re)construção das relações afetivas com e por meio do dispositivo móvel. A atividade de campo teve início em março de 2014, com a aproximação e a convivência com 43 jovens educandos, em uma atividade educomunicativa na escola Anita Garibaldi. A aproximação do campo teve duração de um ano letivo e foi concluída em dezembro de 2014. Em janeiro de 2015, ocorreu a imersão no campo, com intuito de compreender melhor as dinâmicas de posse e consumo do telefone celular por quatro jovens, Laura, Icaro, Anneliese e Érika. Para tanto, foi utilizada, como técnica principal para obtenção dos dados etnográficas, a observação participante, sendo possível, a partir da convivência com os jovens e seus familiares, perceber a importância do dispositivo na mediação da experiência de consumo e relacionamento desses sujeitos. Observou-se também que o dispositivo é responsável por mediar grande parte do cotidiano desses jovens, bem como é o principal elo entre seus pares e aqueles que fazem parte de sua rede de afinidade, tornando-se um dispositivo técnico-afetivo indispensável para esses jovens na construção de suas conexões online e off-line. Nessa circunstância, foi possível averiguar que os telefones celulares são compreendidos por esses jovens como objetos significativos para a construção de suas sociabilidades, diante de um momento em que suas relações extrapolam as relações face a face e ganham a ambiência digital. Da mesma forma, o dispositivo serve como repositório de suas micromemórias afetivas, diante de uma construção de afetos reais virtualizados na e pela máquina, capazes de construir uma cadeia afetiva a partir dos usos e apropriações do dispositivo no dia a dia.

Neste trabalho é apresentado o desenvolvimento de programa para cálculo de campos eletromagnéticos baseado no método das Diferenças Finitas no Domínio do Tempo (FDTD). O programa é aplicado no cálculo da Taxa de Absorção Específica (“Specific Absortion Rate” – SAR) em modelos de cabeça de adulto e criança usuários de telefone celular. Para a modelagem da cabeça da criança é feita análise detalhada das principais diferenças das características de cabeças de adulto e criança. Também é desenvolvido um programa para o cálculo do aumento de temperatura relacionado com a Taxa de Absorção Especifica. Os resultados são comparados com dados de outros autores, bem como com as normas relativas a níveis de exposição a ondas eletromagnéticas. / The development of software to compute the electromagnetic fields employing the Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) method is shown in this work. This software is used to estimate the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) in head models of child and adult users of cell phones. A detailed analysis of the main differences between child and adult heads is made in order to model the child head. Software to compute the temperature rise related with the calculated SAR is also developed. The results are compared with results obtained by others authors, as well as with electromagnetic field exposure guidelines.

Neste trabalho é apresentado o desenvolvimento de programa para cálculo de campos eletromagnéticos baseado no método das Diferenças Finitas no Domínio do Tempo (FDTD). O programa é aplicado no cálculo da Taxa de Absorção Específica (“Specific Absortion Rate” – SAR) em modelos de cabeça de adulto e criança usuários de telefone celular. Para a modelagem da cabeça da criança é feita análise detalhada das principais diferenças das características de cabeças de adulto e criança. Também é desenvolvido um programa para o cálculo do aumento de temperatura relacionado com a Taxa de Absorção Especifica. Os resultados são comparados com dados de outros autores, bem como com as normas relativas a níveis de exposição a ondas eletromagnéticas. / The development of software to compute the electromagnetic fields employing the Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) method is shown in this work. This software is used to estimate the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) in head models of child and adult users of cell phones. A detailed analysis of the main differences between child and adult heads is made in order to model the child head. Software to compute the temperature rise related with the calculated SAR is also developed. The results are compared with results obtained by others authors, as well as with electromagnetic field exposure guidelines.

Magister Psychologiae - MPsych / South African adolescents are engaging in sexual activities at an early age and with numerous sexual partners. Various factors such as adolescent physiology, identity development, peer influences and parent-child relationship, play a contributory role in this aspect. However, one of the less explored factors is the role of exposure to information and communication technologies containing sexual content, such as television, internet, music videos and cell phones. Adolescents have been shown to be heavy consumers of these devices. The study aimed at exploring the extent with which sexual content from these digital devices influences adolescents’ sexual perceptions and sexual behaviours. Participants comprised of 18 Grade 10 and Grade 11 learners, between ages 14 to 16 years, conveniently selected from one of the high schools in the Cape Peninsula. Two focus groups were conducted with an equal distribution of males and females in each group. Thematic analysis was utilized to describe participants’ experiences as reported in the text. Results indicated that participants regard ICT as influencing sexual attitudes and behaviour. More specifically, they believed ICT contributes greatly to early sexual initiation. Whilst some participants suggested that ICT encourages them to have many sexual partners with a “certain” physical image, some participants regarded this as irrelevant, viewing it as an individual’s choice. It was also found that participants viewed ICT’s unsafe sexual practices as not impacting in their use of contraceptives, hence they would not imitate such behaviour. Moreover, some participants viewed ICT as impacting on the manner in which they express themselves sexually, whilst others regarded this as untrue since they decide which sexual activities to engage in. The study addressed paucity of information regarding ICT and adolescent sexuality. To be more specific, it is recommended that future investigations should focus on a particular technology such as cell phones and the internet. Research should also focus on a specific domain regarding adolescent sexual attitudes, for example attitudes towards sexual initiation or the use of contraceptives.

Standard practice dictates that mobile telephone service providers remain accurately aligned with the dynamic expectations structure of the target mobile telephone service users they serve. To comply with this requirement, literature sources assert that service providers need to adopt a candid marketing research orientation to understand what the users expect and in-build it in their service designs. Theory further contends that if such a business stance is diligently applied, any service provider is bound to gain a competitive edge in the market place. Notwithstanding the aforementioned, service providers continue design services without sufficient understanding of what users expect. This mindset has led to disparities in both the designed and the recieved service. Despite the pioneering works of earlier reserachers on the Gaps model, evidence shows that no research had been carried out to measure users' and providers' service quality perceptions in the mobile telephone branch of industry in Uganda. Much remains unknown as regards users' perceptions of expected and actual service quality and any potential disparity thereof. In the same spirit, much remains unknown as regards providers' perceptions of users' expectations and users' real expectations and potential disparity thereof. In order to measure the aforementioned disparities, the Gaps model was used in which Gaps 1 and 5 were measured for providers and users of mobile telephone services in the branch industry in Uganda.

WhatsApp’s growing presence in the developing world has led to a grassroots movement of messaging groups designed to serve relevant needs for small scale farmers in Kenya. These groups provide the means for as many as 256 members to ask questions, share experiences and solutions, gain access to information, and access markets for their products. This research project examines the use of these WhatsApp groups for agriculture in Kenya. The project seeks to understand the existing barriers to participation, and the use, benefits, and shortcomings of these groups for their members. Research findings indicated that farmers’ overall access to smart phones is a substantial barrier to their participation in groups for agriculture, and these barriers are expectedly more difficult for the poorest and most vulnerable (in which intersectional poverty creates additional barriers). However, while each group can vary significantly, members report that WhatsApp groups as a whole overwhelmingly benefit their livelihoods and practice. Systemic and societal change occurs when the experiences and successes of one individual are shared with a larger group – leading to rapid and shared prosperity. As each individual learns a new skill, technique, or input, the group must also learn and benefit from that knowledge. WhatsApp provides the means and the platform for this type of information exchange to occur at scale, and with individuals who would otherwise be unlikely to communicate. This research project examines the emerging use of grassroots WhatsApp groups as a potential example of this positive and inclusive approach to extension and development in agricultural communities.

Thesis (M.Com. (Business Management)) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / The aim of the study was to determine the relationships between determinants of mobile commerce adoption and the actual adoption of mobile commerce by Small and Medium Enterprises in Polokwane Municipality. The study utilised the quantitative research approach with 146 SME owner respondents from population of 261 owners using a random sampling technique. The questionnaire was developed from the empirical literature review. The determinants of m-commerce were represented by technological, organisational and environmental contextual factors. M-commerce was measured using 11 questions against all other contextual factor variables . Data was cleaned to enhance its fitness for further analysis. To attain this, normality, mean and standard deviation, skewness and kurtosis were performed. The data was found to be fit for the purpose of the study. Furthermore, the data was tested for validity and reliability and it satisfied the requirements. Descriptive statistics, ANOVA and regression analysis were used to analyse the data. ANOVA was used to test for sub-hypotheses and to make a decision on whether to accept or reject the stated hypotheses based on the significance level. Regression analysis was used to test main hypotheses. ANOVA results showed that all technological factors (perceived benefits, perceived costs, perceived compatibility), organisational factors (technology readiness), environ mental factors (customer pressure, supplier pressure, competitor pressure) and technology acceptance model factors (perceived usefulness) significantly predicted m commerce adoption. On the other hand, factors such as gender, age, level of education and perceived ease of use were not significant predictors of m-commerce adoption. Based on the above results, SMEs should improve on their handling of determinants of m-commerce as they effectively influence the adoption of m-commerce. The government also needs to boost the SME sector by introducing several measures which can expose small businesses to enabling business environment.

Communication has been identified as a critical component in the outcome of emergency response. Post-mortems of “what went wrong” in disaster responses often point toward breakdown in communication between first responders, those directing rescue efforts, and the general population as one of the primary impediments to rendering timely aid and communicating adequate safety and weather information. Due to the high resilience, relatively low costs, and advanced features of modern hand-held communication devices, these devices are in a position to drastically improve communication flow during emergency management situations. Due to the lack of official implementation of these devices and the lack of the establishment of standard guidelines for device selection, the use of hand-held communication devices in emergency management is yet to be optimized. Island nations such as the Bahamas, which face unique challenges in regard to emergency management due to geographical, infrastructural, political, and cultural hurdles which are found in the region, can especially benefit from the optimized implementation of hand-held communication devices in emergency management. This study examined current emergency response procedures in The Bahamas, created a baseline for the current use of hand-held communication devices by Bahamian emergency management officials and civilians, identified the communication needs of Bahamian emergency management officials and civilians, and proposed a model for the selection of handheld communication devices based upon human factors principals and focusing on user priorities. This study began with a focus group interview which included 14 Bahamian emergency management officials in order to gain an understanding of current Bahamian emergency response iv procedures and the communication challenges faced by emergency management officials during high consequence emergencies. A paper based survey was conducted, in which 31 Bahamian emergency management officials answered demographic, skill level, and functionality questions related to the use of hand-held communication devices to support emergency related activities including those directed toward preparation, mitigation, and response. These emergency management officials provided invaluable input based upon their practical experience in high consequence emergency situations. 155 Bahamian civilians participated in a similar survey which was a reduced version of the survey used for emergency management officials. Both surveys included questions in regard to the background information of the participants, previous handheld communication experience, device performance, and what other communication devices were being utilized. The surveys were analyzed using statistical methods of categorical data analysis and correlations were identified. Several communication needs which were categorized as infrastructure, organizational, and equipment needs as well as a hierarchy of device selection factors in regard to the use of hand-held communication devices during emergency management situations were identified. The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was used in order to determine the priorities of each of the identified device selection factors and a model for the selection of hand-held communication devices used to support communication flow in high consequence emergency management was proposed.