Master of Science / Department of Food Science / Delores Chambers / Electronic reading (e-reading) device has been available for decades and there are many studies that have been published based on those devices. However with continuously changing tablet marketplace, there is a lack of studies looking at current devices. In order to understand the effect of tablets on undergraduate students, we conducted a consumer study to: 1) Determine the most beneficial tablet size for college students in their academic pursuits and 2) Determine the necessary types of support from academic libraries for college students conducting schoolwork using a tablet. An initial focus group study guided a consumer survey of 121 undergraduate students. The focus group study identified reading and note taking as key academic activities for tablet users. The participants were also interested in receiving quick help from the library and using electronic journal articles available from the library. A consumer survey took place at a university campus a month later. Each survey respondent answered a set of questionnaires using both large and small tablets of either Android or iOS operating system. The survey data showed that overall, larger tablet was preferred for academic use. Tablet size was not an important factor in reading or note taking (P ≥ 0.05) but perceived portability of a tablet size increased preference for that tablet size (P = 0.0078). In addition, the library’s instant messaging feature was found to be equally successful in both full and mobile website when viewed on a tablet (P ≥ 0.05). Many students who use HTML only or both HTML and PDF formats to view electronic journal articles when on a computer switched to PDF only when on a tablet. Our findings can assist tablet manufacturers in making a suitable tablet targeted for higher education uses. This study can also guide academic libraries in improving accessibility to resource for a growing number of undergraduate tablet users.

Indústrias de alimentos têm se empenhado para o lançamento de produtos com atributos de saudabilidade, em resposta ao ganho de consciência de consumidores. No Brasil, o meio acadêmico também tem se esforçado para contribuir na viabilização técnica e aceitação sensorial de alimentos mais saudáveis. Em virtude dos elevados custos para se desenvolver, lançar e comercializar um produto, compreender previamente a percepção e atitude do consumidor é fundamental. Duas metodologias utilizadas para se explorar a atitude do consumidor em relação aos alimentos são as técnicas projetivas e a conjoint analysis. A proposta da presente dissertação foi realizar estudos empíricos sobre como os indivíduos lidam com atributos de saudabilidade em hambúrguer congelado. Foram conduzidos três estudos, com objetivos distintos, mas complementares. No primeiro, via técnica projetiva de associação de palavras, foram identificadas as categorias mais relevantes para consumidores quanto ao hambúrguer tradicional e aos mais saudáveis: Saudabilidade, Sabor agradável, Receio quanto à qualidade/sabor e Gordura/caloria. No segundo estudo, também baseado em uma técnica projetiva, a de completamento, verificou-se que as categorias mais importantes na compra de hambúrgueres congelados em geral foram as relacionadas a marca, preço, sabor e saudabilidade. No terceiro estudo, a conjoint analysis revelou que o atributo Alegação apresentou mais relevância para os participantes do que o Preço. Os níveis de alegação eram de um hambúrguer tradicional (sem alegação), um segundo com apelo de sabor (saboroso) e um terceiro com saudabilidade (fonte de fibras). Destes, o tradicional foi preferido pelos consumidores e o que seria fonte de fibras foi rejeitado. Já em simulações de mercado, a participação do hambúrguer fonte de fibras foi baixa, mas gerou indícios de nicho a ser explorado. A conclusão geral é que há um nicho de potenciais consumidores de hambúrguer congelado com atributos de saudabilidade. Porém, no caso deste produto, as qualidades tradicionais e o sabor ainda são quesitos bastante valorizados mesmo dentre as versões mais saudáveis, e a importância sensorial não deve ser negligenciada por pesquisadores e indústrias de alimentos. O preço, por sua vez, foi considerado secundário no caso do hambúrguer congelado. Quanto à avaliação das metodologias utilizadas, verificou-se que técnicas qualitativas e estatísticas contribuíram nos presentes estudos de consumidor, identificando atributos que merecem atenção para o desenvolvimento de novos produtos e estratégias de marketing. / The food industry has been engaged to launch products with health attributes in response to the increase of consumer awareness. In Brazil, academia has also endeavored to contribute to the technical feasibility and sensory acceptance of healthier foods. Due the high costs to develop, launch and market a product, it is important to previously understand consumer perception and attitude. Two methodologies used to explore consumer attitudes towards a food are projective techniques and conjoint analysis. The purpose of this dissertation was to conduct empirical studies on how individuals deal with healthful attributes in frozen burger. Three studies were conducted with different but complementary goals. In the first, via projective technique of word association, it was identified the most relevant categories for consumers considering the traditional burger and healthier burgers: Healthful, Good Taste, Quality/Flavor Apprehension and Fat/Calorie. In the second study, also based on a projective technique (completion test), it was found that the most important categories in the purchase of frozen burgers in general were related to brand, price, taste and healthiness. In the third study, the conjoint analysis revealed that the attribute Claim had more relevance to the participants than the Price. Levels of Claim were a traditional burger (no claim), a second with flavor appeal (tasty) and a third as the healthier (source of fibers). Of these, the traditional was preferred by consumers and the source of fibers one was rejected. In market simulations, the participation of the source of fibers burger was low, but there was evidence of a niche to be explored. The general conclusion is that there is a potential niche of consumers of frozen burger with healthful attributes. However, in the case of this meat product, the traditional and taste qualities are still highly valued even among the healthier versions, and sensory importance should not be neglected by researchers and food industries. The price, in turn, was considered secondary in the case of frozen burger. Regarding the evaluation of the methods used, it was found that qualitative and statistical techniques contributed to these consumer studies, identifying attributes that need attention to the development of new products and marketing strategies.

Indústrias de alimentos têm se empenhado para o lançamento de produtos com atributos de saudabilidade, em resposta ao ganho de consciência de consumidores. No Brasil, o meio acadêmico também tem se esforçado para contribuir na viabilização técnica e aceitação sensorial de alimentos mais saudáveis. Em virtude dos elevados custos para se desenvolver, lançar e comercializar um produto, compreender previamente a percepção e atitude do consumidor é fundamental. Duas metodologias utilizadas para se explorar a atitude do consumidor em relação aos alimentos são as técnicas projetivas e a conjoint analysis. A proposta da presente dissertação foi realizar estudos empíricos sobre como os indivíduos lidam com atributos de saudabilidade em hambúrguer congelado. Foram conduzidos três estudos, com objetivos distintos, mas complementares. No primeiro, via técnica projetiva de associação de palavras, foram identificadas as categorias mais relevantes para consumidores quanto ao hambúrguer tradicional e aos mais saudáveis: Saudabilidade, Sabor agradável, Receio quanto à qualidade/sabor e Gordura/caloria. No segundo estudo, também baseado em uma técnica projetiva, a de completamento, verificou-se que as categorias mais importantes na compra de hambúrgueres congelados em geral foram as relacionadas a marca, preço, sabor e saudabilidade. No terceiro estudo, a conjoint analysis revelou que o atributo Alegação apresentou mais relevância para os participantes do que o Preço. Os níveis de alegação eram de um hambúrguer tradicional (sem alegação), um segundo com apelo de sabor (saboroso) e um terceiro com saudabilidade (fonte de fibras). Destes, o tradicional foi preferido pelos consumidores e o que seria fonte de fibras foi rejeitado. Já em simulações de mercado, a participação do hambúrguer fonte de fibras foi baixa, mas gerou indícios de nicho a ser explorado. A conclusão geral é que há um nicho de potenciais consumidores de hambúrguer congelado com atributos de saudabilidade. Porém, no caso deste produto, as qualidades tradicionais e o sabor ainda são quesitos bastante valorizados mesmo dentre as versões mais saudáveis, e a importância sensorial não deve ser negligenciada por pesquisadores e indústrias de alimentos. O preço, por sua vez, foi considerado secundário no caso do hambúrguer congelado. Quanto à avaliação das metodologias utilizadas, verificou-se que técnicas qualitativas e estatísticas contribuíram nos presentes estudos de consumidor, identificando atributos que merecem atenção para o desenvolvimento de novos produtos e estratégias de marketing. / The food industry has been engaged to launch products with health attributes in response to the increase of consumer awareness. In Brazil, academia has also endeavored to contribute to the technical feasibility and sensory acceptance of healthier foods. Due the high costs to develop, launch and market a product, it is important to previously understand consumer perception and attitude. Two methodologies used to explore consumer attitudes towards a food are projective techniques and conjoint analysis. The purpose of this dissertation was to conduct empirical studies on how individuals deal with healthful attributes in frozen burger. Three studies were conducted with different but complementary goals. In the first, via projective technique of word association, it was identified the most relevant categories for consumers considering the traditional burger and healthier burgers: Healthful, Good Taste, Quality/Flavor Apprehension and Fat/Calorie. In the second study, also based on a projective technique (completion test), it was found that the most important categories in the purchase of frozen burgers in general were related to brand, price, taste and healthiness. In the third study, the conjoint analysis revealed that the attribute Claim had more relevance to the participants than the Price. Levels of Claim were a traditional burger (no claim), a second with flavor appeal (tasty) and a third as the healthier (source of fibers). Of these, the traditional was preferred by consumers and the source of fibers one was rejected. In market simulations, the participation of the source of fibers burger was low, but there was evidence of a niche to be explored. The general conclusion is that there is a potential niche of consumers of frozen burger with healthful attributes. However, in the case of this meat product, the traditional and taste qualities are still highly valued even among the healthier versions, and sensory importance should not be neglected by researchers and food industries. The price, in turn, was considered secondary in the case of frozen burger. Regarding the evaluation of the methods used, it was found that qualitative and statistical techniques contributed to these consumer studies, identifying attributes that need attention to the development of new products and marketing strategies.

Contracorriente es un proyecto de la construcción de una marca de moda que tiene como enfoque los calcetines y que está orientada a jóvenes y adultos de perfil sofisticado en los sectores A y B. En este documento se estudia la respuesta del público objetivo al producto y la viabilidad del modelo de negocio propuesto. A través de experimentos se pudo identificar la importancia que le dan los consumidores a la vestimenta y la vinculación que hacen entre ella y la personalidad o estatus. Asimismo, se pudo determinar que el público objetivo no brinda mucho tiempo a la planeación y decisión de compra de calcetines y que en su mayoría aún no lo han reconocido como un producto con capacidad de entregar valor. Para evaluar la viabilidad del proyecto se llevó a cabo un análisis del entorno y la industria, que nos permitió identificar una oportunidad en la falta de oferta de diseños en el mercado local, los altos precios en la mayoría de los potenciales competidores extranjeros, así como su poca penetración en términos de puntos de venta. El equipo ha desarrollado un plan operativo en el que se presupuestan los costos de poner en marcha el proyecto y un plan financiero en el que se estima el desempeño de la empresa para en los tres primeros años. Contracorriente es un emprendimiento que requiere una inversión inicial de S/.21,000 y tiene un periodo de recupero de 1 año y 1 mes. / Contracorriente is a project that looks at clothing brand building focused on socks aimed at young adults and adults with a sophisticated profile that belong to A and B socioeconomic groups. This paper studies consumer response to our product and viability of its business model. Through interviews it was possible to establish that customers give importance to clothing and link it to their personality and status. Likewise, we established that our target audience does not take much time planning, researching or making decisions when buying socks and many of them have yet to realise its potential to offer value. To evaluate the viability of this project an analysis of the external factors, industry and competitors was carried out and it allowed us to identify an opportunity in the lack of diversity in sock designs in the local market, high prices from foreign competitors and low market penetration in terms of points of sale. Our team has developed an operative plan to budget costs of running this business and a financial plan in which we estimate the company performance for its first three years. Contracorriente requires an initial investment of S/.21,000 and it’s expected to recover that investment over a period of a year and a month. / Trabajo de investigación

En un entorno cambiante y altamente competitivo, es un desafío satisfacer las entregas de los productos en términos de cantidad, calidad y / o tiempo correcto, siendo este último el principal problema de los comerciantes. Un factor importante es mantener proveedores confiables y competentes, ya que el descuido puede afectar negativamente los indicadores del tiempo total de los procesos, el suministro y la cantidad de pedidos entregados. De la misma manera que sucede con la falta de estandarización y medición de procesos que reducen la capacidad y la productividad. Este documento busca abordar estas brechas al proponer un modelo de cinco pasos que integra la gestión del cambio para capacitar y sensibilizar a los trabajadores sobre la aplicación y el beneficio de los nuevos métodos de trabajo. Dentro de la etapa Do, los pronósticos se aplican para anticipar la demanda variable. AHP Fuzzy para seleccionar y elegir proveedores en función de múltiples criterios. Herramientas Lean para estandarización de procesos y mejora continua. El estudio es una novedad, porque se aplica en los comerciantes y se integran herramientas que generalmente son implementadas en las industrias. Además, se buca trabajar con proveedores social y ambientalmente responsables. Este modelo fue validado en un comerciante peruano de tuberías y accesorios, logrando un aumento del 40% en la entrega a tiempo al cliente de la muestra analizada. / In a changing and highly competitive environment, it is a challenge to satisfy the deliveries of the products in terms of quantity, quality and / or correct timing, the latter being the main problem of the traders. An important factor is to maintain reliable and competent suppliers, as carelessness can negatively impact the indicators of total time of processes, supply and quantity of orders delivered. In the same way that happens with the lack of standardization and measurement of processes that reduce available capacity and productivity. This document seeks to approach these gaps by proposing a model of five steps that integrates change management to train and sensitize workers to the application and benefit of new means of work. Within the Do stage, forecasts are applied to anticipate the variable demand. AHP Fuzzy to select and choose suppliers based on multiple criteria. Lean tools for standardization of processes and continuous improvement. The study is a novelty, because it is applied in traders and tools that are generally implemented in industries are integrated. Also, it is proposed to work with socially and environmentally responsible suppliers. This model was validated in a trader peruvian of piping and fitting, achieving a 40% increase in on-time delivery to the customer of the sample analyzed. / Trabajo de Suficiencia Profesional

This thesis was aimed to help TeliaSonera to work more consumer related. The purpose was to show the organization how consumer insights could be found and how valuable they are for the company. The assignment consisted of two parts, to develop a process methodology for TeliaSonera which could be used when a segment analysis is to be made in the future, and to study two specific consumer segments. Main focus was to be put on mobile Internet access.The Insights Process was designed based on literature studies, information from TeliaSonera and the consumer study. The process must help TeliaSonera to generate and verify actionable consumer insights, suit the organization and be possible to complete in one week. Via a current situation analysis and by testing methods to find perceptions and ways of conducting consumer studies, different concepts were generated, based on these a final process was established. The general idea was to utilize both in-house knowledge and consumer know-hows. The process consists of twelve steps, optional minitests and one regular follow-up session. The input should be a caught opportunity and output should be actionable insights. Through in-house studies at TeliaSonera perceptions were generated within the area mobile Internet access. These were later tested in a consumer study through a questioning in Telia stores and focus group sessions with the specific segments. The main trait from the group High Status Homeowners was control. Besides that, they requested simpler handling, they are always online, and they have a need of performance and of integrity. The main request from the group Educated Metropolitans was to simplify their everyday lives. Besides that, they have a need of control, they are cost-conscious and aware and they demand Internet access everywhere. This showed that the perceptions generated from the beginning turned out to be rather true.The process turned out to be an agile tool, which will complement the current work at TeliaSonera. Enhanced with toolbox, documentation-aid and consequence guide for each step, the process is easy to follow. There is software programming that has to be done before the process can be launched / Syftet med examensarbetet var att hjälpa TeliaSonera att arbeta mer konsumentorienterat samt att visa organisationen hur man kan hitta konsumentinskikter och hur värdefulla dessa är för företaget. Uppdraget bestod av två delar, dels att utveckla en process för TeliaSonera att använda när en analys av ett kundsegment ska göras, dels att utföra en konsumentundersökning av specifika segment. Studieområdet för konsumentundersökningen var mobil internetaccess.Konsumentinsiktsprocessen baserades på litteraturstudier, information från TeliaSonera samt konsumentundersökningen som genomfördes. De krav som ställdes på processen var bland annat att den skulle hjälpa TeliaSonera att generera och verifiera användbara konsumentinsikter, vara anpassad med övrigt arbete inom organisationen samt vara möjlig att genomföra på en vecka. Processkoncept togs fram med hjälp av information från nulägesanalyser och metodtester för att identifiera spaningar och genomföra konsumentundersökningar. Processkoncepten utvärderades senare och en slutgiltig konsumentinsiktsprocess utvecklades. Grundidén med processen var att använda sig av både intern kunskap inom organisationen och konsumenternas egna kommentarer och attityder. Processen består av tolv steg, möjliga minitest och en regelbunden uppföljnings-session. Insteget i processen är en uppfångad möjlighet eller idé och utkomsten från processen är användbara konsumentinsikter. Genom interna undersökningar hos TeliaSonera hittades spaningar gällande mobil internetaccess. Dessa testades senare i konsumentundersökningar som frågeformulär i två Teliabutiker samt fyra fokusgruppsessioner med de specifika kundsegmenten. Resultatet från undersökningarna visade att det främsta behovet för segmentet High Status Homeowners var att ha kontroll. Utöver det krävde de även en enkel hantering, ständig uppkoppling, integritet och prestanda. Det främsta behovet för segmentet Educated Metropolitans var att ha ett enkelt vardagsliv. Utöver det har de också ett kontrollbehov, är kostnadsmedvetna, omvärldsmedvetna och kräver att alltid kunna vara uppkopplade mot internet överallt. Detta visar att spaningarna som identifierades internt i början av arbetet stämde överens med verkligheten. Processen utvecklades till ett agilt verktyg som kompletterar TeliaSoneras nuvarande arbete. Tack vare verktygslådor, dokumentationsformulär and konsekvensguider till varje steg är processen lätt att följa och genomföra. Innan processen kan lanseras återstår en del programmeringsarbete.