Background: Poor beverage consumption habits pose significant health concerns. Delivering health behavior change interventions via social media is an emerging area of health research and may provide a promising way to minimize barriers such as cost, intervention delivery time, and access. However, there is limited research on online social support health behavior change delivered through Instagram. Objectives: 1) Assess the validity and reproducibility of the updated BEVQ-15, a beverage intake questionnaire; 2) Review the current literature on the availability and effectiveness of mobile phone interventions targeting sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption; and 3) Use the updated BEVQ-15 to conduct the Healthy Beverage Habits pilot study, which is an online social networking worksite intervention aimed at improving Healthy Beverage Index (HBI) scores. Methods: The Healthy Beverage Habits study was an online randomized controlled pilot trial with an 8-week intervention and a 4-week maintenance period delivered through Instagram. The materials were adapted from the in-person SIPsmartER SSB reduction intervention. Data analysis included RM-ANOVAs to test for differences in beverage intake between the Instagram intervention group and the E-mail control group. Results: For the Healthy Beverage Habits trial, no significant between group over time differences were found. However, the Instagram group demonstrated a significant reduction in total beverage kcal (mean difference±SE=-156±48; p=0.049), and increase in total HBI scores (mean difference±SE= 11.9±2.3; p=0.025) from baseline to the end of the maintenance period. No within group differences were demonstrated for the E-mail control group over the intervention or maintenance period. The study retention rate was 38%, with 39 participants initially enrolled and 15 participants completing all study visits through maintenance. Results for the validity and reproducibility of the updated BEVQ-15 and a review of the availability and effectiveness of mobile phone interventions targeting SSB consumption are presented. Conclusions: Mobile phone-delivered interventions may be a promising method for improving beverage intake quality. Technologically-based interventions targeting beverage consumption should consider utilizing multiple forms of mobile-phone contact methods. The preliminary findings from the Healthy Beverage Habits trial highlight the need for more rigorous studies that determine which technology and intervention components are most effective for mobile-delivered beverage consumption interventions. / Doctor of Philosophy / Background: Poor beverage consumption habits pose significant health concerns. Delivering health behavior change interventions via social media is an emerging area of health research and may provide a promising way to minimize barriers such as cost, intervention delivery time, and access. However, there is limited research on online social support health behavior change delivered through Instagram. Objectives: 1) Assess the validity and reproducibility of the updated BEVQ-15, a beverage intake questionnaire which estimates habitual average daily intake of 15 beverage categories as well as total sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) and total beverages. 2) Review the current literature of the availability and effectiveness of mobile phone interventions targeting SSB consumption. 3) Use the updated BEVQ-15 to conduct The Healthy Beverage Habits pilot study, which is an online social networking worksite intervention aimed at improving Healthy Beverage Index (HBI) scores. Methods: The updated BEVQ-15 was assessed for agreement between the BEVQ-15 and dietary recalls. Researchers compared beverage intake between two BEVQ-15 administrations. The Healthy Beverage Habits pilot study was an 8-week intervention with a 4-week maintenance period. Data analysis included testing for differences in beverage intake between the Instagram group and the E-mail group. Results: The updated BEVQ-15 demonstrated moderate agreement between the BEVQ-15 and dietary recalls for total SSB intake and total beverage intake. All beverage variables were significantly correlated. For the systematic review, 11 of the 17 studies (65%) were successful in reducing SSB consumption through mobile phone delivery. The successful studies used multiple types of technology. There were no significant differences for any beverage variable between the Instagram and E-mail groups over time. However, for within group changes, Instagram significantly reduced total beverage kcals and improved total HBI score, while the E-mail group did not demonstrate any significant changes. Conclusions: Mobile phone-delivered interventions may be a promising method for improving beverage intake quality. Technologically-based interventions targeting beverage consumption should consider utilizing multiple forms of mobile-phone contact methods. The preliminary findings from the Healthy Beverage Habits pilot trial highlight the need for more rigorous studies that determine which technology and intervention components are most effective for mobile-delivered beverage consumption interventions.

This study aims to explore policy implications, production and consumption processes between the airline and tourism industries. In particular, policy initiatives, product developments, innovation and consumption patterns are taken into consideration in order to identify the relationship between the two industries within the context of Cyprus. The airline industry, after the implementation of liberalization, has changed considerably in terms of market size, type of airlines and operations. In the case of destination management, innovation and policy planning are key parameters of success. Additionally, new business production methods are imperative, given the emergence of a ‘new-tourist’ who is educated, seeking shorter breaks and more frequent and cheaper trips in unique and unexplored destinations. Both quantitative and qualitative methods of analysis are employed. In particular, 26 interviews of ‘power-elite’ policymakers and stakeholders in Cyprus are used to explore policy implications for the identification of implementation outcomes and their impact on product developments and innovation. Furthermore, 300 self-administered questionnaires were distributed to British travellers to Cyprus, so as to identify the role of the airlines and the extent of the importance attributed to destination. The results of the study suggest a gap in the relation of the tourism and airline industries’ interaction at policy level, outcome, and implementation. More specifically, the airline policy enables the industry to become more adaptive and creative, and innovation is depicted via low-cost carriers (LCCs). The tourism industry has developed a policy that reflects the post/neo-Fordism trends of consumption and production, which refers to niche products. However, there is a dearth of policy theory and implementation, with consistent failures and delays. Thus, tourism is at the stage of renovation without essential innovation in contrast to the airline industry, which is a leader, and a proponent of innovation. In terms of consumption, Factor Analysis suggests that British tourists tend to book their holiday trips based on three categories of airline attributes: ‘Customer service’, ‘Price-sensitive & Internet’ and ‘Selection in travel behaviour’. Cluster analysis suggests three main categories of tourists, namely, ‘Traditional’, ‘Demanding/Opportunists’ and ‘Ambivalent’. The results confirm that consumers have changed and tourism destinations must be able to adapt to their demands and to offer a variety of services and products in order to survive in a competitive global market. In the case of the airline industry and holiday trips, convenience and the airport that the airline is flying from is more important than the cost of the ticket.

This thesis discusses how IKEA perceive and use concept of Sustainable Development and relates it with consumption. For that purpose, an online-survey was undertaken with the aim to see how IKEA´s customers perceive IKEA´s philanthropic activities in developing countries and how these activities influence on their consumption patterns and ideas of inter-generational justice. Besides that, a critical discourse analysis is performed with the intention to gain insight into IKEA´s communication of sustainable discourse focusing on the text and external communication from IKEA. The results from critical discourse analysis and online-survey showed that IKEA is shifting its position toward sustainability discourse and changing its business model, while at same time IKEA is penetrating into new markets and reaching new consumption under cover of corporate philanthropy. The online survey showed that IKEA´s customers stated a strong expression of necessary presence of inter-generational justice in developing countries. Intergenerational justice represents the moral obligations toward present, but also toward future generations. IKEA´s philanthropic activities in developing countries, on the other hand, were appraised as weak by survey respondents. One of the conclusions this thesis is that IKEA´s incorporation of Sustainable Development is associated with challenges. IKEA´s communication of corporate sustainable development effects on customers’ consumption pattern motivating them to buy and consume more IKEA´s products. IKEA´s philanthropic activities in developing countries are not sufficient enough. Survey respondents evaluated that donation efforts are not sufficient. Ideally, it is assumed that IKEA as a part of corporate sustainable development should promote less consumption and invest more in sustainable use and protection of natural resources with the aim to reach inter-generational justice as well as to incorporate Sustainable Development into its discourse and practice.

Diese Arbeit ist eine Sammlung von Studien, welche sowohl die makro-, als auch die mikroökonomischen Aspekte und Charakteristika von Rücküberweisungen pakistanischer Migranten in ihr Heimatland analysieren, sowie deren ökonomische Auswirkungen auf das Konsumverhalten und die Vermögensbildung der Empfängerhaushalte. Es zeigt sich, dass internationale Überweisungen im Vergleich zu anderen finanziellen Mittelflüssen eine stabile und stabilisierende Quelle für Devisen darstellen. Des Weiteren weisen sie mit Blick auf die heimische Wirtschaft ein antizyklisches Verhalten auf, während ihr Verhalten mit Blick auf die Wirtschaft des Gastlandes als azyklisch beschrieben werden kann.  Die Überweisungsströme werden maßgeblich von ihren Transaktionskosten beeinflusst, so dass Migranten in Zeiten hoher Transaktionskosten Rücküberweisungen ins Heimatland entweder einstellen oder informelle Kanäle zum Überweisen nutzen. Im Rahmen dieser Studie stellt sich außerdem heraus, dass Rücküberweisungen als hauptsächlich kurzfristige Einnahmequelle betrachtet werden. Aufgrund dessen werden die Zuflüsse oftmals in die Förderung von Humankapital investiert, wobei dieser Effekt stark abhängig vom Einkommensniveau des Empfängeraushalts ist.  Ferner führen internationale Überweisungen zu einem erheblichen Anstieg des Haushaltsvermögens, wohingegen Inlandsübweisungen keine signifikanten Vermögensänderungen mit sich bringen. Überdies ermöglichen internationale Rücküberweisungen den Empfängerhaushalten das Aufstocken vorsorglicher Ersparnisse.

Background: In today ́s world, experiences play an important role for the customers to build loyalty and long-lasting relationships. Brakus et al. (2009) developed one of the most cited scales for measuring brand experience. Especially the clothing industry has a higher interest to create an overall experience since they are operating in different markets. Moreover, sustainability became a huge trend pushing companies to implement sustainable practices. This trend can also be recognized in the clothing industry which makes up 8.1 % of the whole greenhouse gas emissions globally and customers are more and more aware of this. Companies need to change their overall approach to how they produce and how they communicate, to avoid being labelled as a greenwashing company. In the outdoor-clothing industry, Patagonia is one of the most successful brands – heavily focusing on sustainability. Their brand experience could be one factor for their success, which makes this brand an interesting case to further study this concept. Yet there is limited research on this topic in the literature, no study applied the BXS to one specific company nor into the context of sustainability in the clothing industry.  Purpose: The purpose of the study is to investigate and analyse the brand experience of the outdoor-clothing brand Patagonia with the aim of identifying the effects of sustainability efforts on the brand experience. Method: To investigate the research question appropriately a qualitative research has been conducted by interviewing 13 customers of Patagonia. To structure the study adequately, we relied on the brand experience scale of Brakus et al. (2009) referring to a deductive approach. Nevertheless, inductive elements influenced our sampling process and the data analysis to develop the new model green brand experience by considering the sustainability efforts of Patagonia.  Conclusion: The findings revealed that the brand experience scale by Brakus et al. (2009) is applicable, and all dimensions are influenced by the brand experience. Furthermore, two additional dimensions were identified: green brand trust and green brand image. In the end, a new model named green brand experience is presented. It consists of 6 dimensions which are described through items that show the strongest influence in each dimension. As a conclusion, recommendations for strategies and tools for sustainable companies are given to create a green brand experience. Aside from honest and clear communication, the mission to act sustainable should be in the focus of the experience ahead of promoting their own products.

This thesis investigates the development of the long-term energy consumption in the Swedish households by estimating the sector’s total energy use and moreover, by examining how structural, institutional and economic factors have affected the demand for energy in the residential sector during the period 1913-2008. The investigated period covers a transition from traditional fuels, such as firewood, to fossil fuels and finally renewable energy. Previous quantitative research in the field of energy history has mainly focused on estimates of the primary energy supply, and further, this research has primarily been supply-oriented and has therefore focused the production of energy and the supporting infrastructure.   Overall, there is currently a lack of knowledge covering the long-term patterns in Swedish household’s energy consumption, including changes of the household energy mix. Identifying the central mechanisms behind these changes is the central research question in this thesis. Improved understanding of the energy transformation in Swedish households constitutes important knowledge for all actors who address energy and climate policy, not the least are knowledge about the complex factors that have affected the household consumption of fossil fuels, and thereby the household’s carbon dioxide emissions, important.- The aim of this thesis is to contribute to a better under-standing of the households' role in the energy system and how this role has changed during the 1900s until 2008.   The thesis uses a structural analytical approach, based on the concepts suggested by foremost Olle Krantz and Lennart Schön, to understand how the household’s energy consumption is linked to structural changes and techno-logical development. Although the structural analytical chronology, as suggested by Schön, primary builds on the industrial sector, the households can be expected to follow a similar pattern of transformation. This since general-purpose energy technologies is central for the pattern of transformation. However, since different sectors face different conditions and different abilities to utilize the energy, it is equally plausible to assume that the households follow a different pattern than other sectors. The response could either have been faster or slower.   The thesis concludes that the period covering the years 1913 to 1973 was a catching-up phase. The households lagged behind the industrial sector with respect to the transition to coal, electricity and oil. But in 1973 the households had however a similar energy mix to other sectors. The second conclusion is therefore that the households made a faster transition from oil to electricity and district heating. After 1985 the household’s energy mix took a different path compared to other sectors, which is the third conclusion. After 1985 the household’s oil consumption continued to decline as the consumption of district heating was increasing. The households were also more prone to increase their consumption of bio-fuels during the 1990s.

The main objective of the thesis is to seek insights into the theory, and provide empirical evidence of rebound effects. Rebound effects reduce the environmental benefits of environmental policies and household behaviour changes. In particular, win-win demand side measures, in the form of energy efficiency and household consumption pattern changes, are seen as ways for households and businesses to save money and the environment. However, these savings have environmental impacts when spent, which are known as rebound effects. This is an area that has been widely neglected by policy makers. This work extends the rebound effect literature in three important ways, (1) it incorporates the potential for variation of rebound effects with household income level, (2) it enables the isolation of direct and indirect effects for cases of energy efficient technology adoption, and examines the relationship between these two component effects, and (3) it expands the scope of rebound effect analysis to include government taxes and subsidies. MACROBUTTON HTMLDirect Using a case study approach it is found that the rebound effect from household consumption pattern changes targeted at electricity is between 5 and 10%. For consumption pattern changes with reduced vehicle fuel use, the rebound effect is in the order of 20 to 30%. Higher income households in general are found to have a lower total rebound effect; however the indirect effect becomes relatively more significant at higher household income levels. In the win-lose case of domestic photovoltaic electricity generation, it is demonstrated that negative rebound effects can occur, which can potentially amplify the environmental benefits of this action. The rebound effect from a carbon tax, which occurs due to the re-spending of raised revenues, was found to be in the range of 11-32%. Taxes and transfers between households of different income levels also have environmental implications. For example, a more progressive tax structure, with increased low income welfare payments is likely to increase greenhouse gas emissions. Subsidies aimed at encouraging environmentally friendly consumption habits are also subject to rebound effects, as they constitute a substitution of government expenditure for household expenditure. For policy makers, these findings point to the need to incorporate rebound effects in the environmental policy evaluation process.’

South Africa ranks high among the developing countries with income inequality and household food insecurity is a major concern in the country. The overall objective of the study was to investigate access and practices, which lead to increasing household access to nutritious food by households. The students registered for the one-year course identified households in the Dysselsdorp settlement in the Western Cape, South Africa which they worked closely with in food gardening. Descriptive research methods were used to assess food access and identify the socio-economic and demographic variables for this study. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to gather data, following the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences of the University of South Africa’s ethical protocol and guidelines. Data were collected in the middle and at the end of the coursework (mid-term and end-term). A semi-structured baseline questionnaire was used to interview households and to conduct focus group discussions with the students. The baseline questionnaire consisted of five sections, namely the socio-demographic information, food utilization, food availability, food accessibility and the living standards measurement scores. A stratified random sampling strategy was used to select 30 students to participate in the focus group discussions. The students identified three or four households, which they worked closely with and those households were purposively selected for the baseline interviews. vi Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences programme (IBM SPSS 24). Descriptive statistics (mean, frequencies and standard deviation) were used to compare the data. The 24-hour recall and 7 days food frequency recall was used to assess the household food consumption patterns. Qualitative data were recorded, transcribed, then themes and connections were used to explain the data and correlated with the objectives of the study. The socio-demographic data showed that most of the respondents were above 50 years old and they had an average number of 5.2 members. Thirty-one percent (31%) of the household heads had reached grade 8 to 12 in school, while 69% were those who had not gone to school and completed up to grade 7. Majority of the households relied on social grants as a source of income. The amount of money spent on food by the households in a month was between 0-R500 (63%) and 37% spent above R500 on food. Women participated more in food-related activities than men and the gardening activities were shared by the members of the households. The HDDS is a qualitative method for food consumption, which reflects household access to a variety of foods. The HDDS consists of food groups that the household has consumed over the past 24-hours and it is calculated based on the 12 food groups from the food consumed which are summed up; the mean score is used to determine diet diversity (Swindale & Bilinsky, 2006). The findings in this study is that the average HDDS increased from 5.6 to 6.4, which is above the recommended cut-off point for dietary quality (Steyn et al., 2006). Both the 24-hour recall and 7 days food frequency reported a high consumption of carbohydrates and meat, and less consumption of other food groups such as milk, vii eggs, fruits and vegetables were noted. The households relied on a variety of coping strategies such as asking for food from family or neighbours, depending on charity/grants, finding other sources of food and collecting wild food. All the households grew their own fruits, vegetables and crops. However, livestock production was practiced by 10% of the participating households. The households used preservation methods such as keeping food in a dry place (26), sun drying (38), canning (6), freezing (53) and refrigeration (11) to keep and store vegetables. The Living Standard Measurement (LSM) is a tool which focuses on household access to services and facilities (Faber et al., 2017). Household characteristics range from level 1 up to level 10, and a score from 1 to 4 are considered to be poor and lack access to services, while scores above 5 have improved access to resources and services. The LSM results of the households indicates that they have improved access to services as all the households scored above five. All the households, had access to land with water, electricity and toilet facilities in the yard. The major constraints experienced by the households were insufficient water, theft, pests, plant diseases and livestock which destroyed the crops. It is recommended that the government provide programmes aimed at developing communities, promoting healthy eating and food production. Workshops on nutrition education should be continuous and focus on basic sanitation, food hygiene. Income generation small-scale businesses, crop production, and livestock rearing will assist in alleviating hunger and unemployment. These initiatives could be extended to other areas of the country as a way to improve food security. / Life and Consumer Sciences / M.C.S.

In recent years, the demand for electricity has increased in households with the use of different appliances. This raises a concern to many developed and developing nations with the demand in immediate increase of electricity. There is a need for consumers or people to track their daily power usage in houses. In Sweden, scarcity of energy resources is faced during the day. So, the responsibility of human to save and control these resources is also important. This research work focuses on a Smart Metering data for distributing the electricity smartly and efficiently to the consumers. The main drawback of previously used traditional meters is that they do not provide information to the consumers, which is accomplished with the help of Smart Meter. A Smart Meter helps consumer to know the information of consumption of electricity for appliances in their respective houses. The aim of this research work is to measure and analyze power consumption using Smart Meter data by conducting case study on various households. In addition of saving electricity, Smart Meter data illustrates the behaviour of consumers in using devices. As power consumption is increasing day by day there should be more focus on understanding consumption patterns i.e. measurement and analysis of consumption over time is required. In case of developing nations, the technology of employing smart electricity meters is still unaware to many common people and electricity utilities. So, there is a large necessity for saving energy by installing these meters. Lowering the energy expenditure by understanding the behavior of consumers and its correlation with electricity spot prices motivated to perform this research. The methodology followed to analyze the outcome of this study is exhibited with the help of a case analysis, ARIMA model using XLSTAT tool and a flattening technique. Based on price evaluation results provided in the research, hypothesis is attained to change the behavior of consumers when they have better control on their habits. This research contributes in measuring the Smart Meter power consumption data in various households and interpretation of the data for hourly measurement could cause consumers to switch consumption to off-peak periods. With the results provided in this research, users can change their behavior when they have better control on their habits. As a result, power consumption patterns of Smart electricity distribution are studied and analyzed, thereby leading to an innovative idea for saving the limited resource of electrical energy. / +91 9908265578

This essay aimed to investigate whether increased e-commerce during the current pandemic (covid19), could constitute a threat towards the retail industry in the city center of Karlstad. The study's main question reads as follows: Has the retail in the city center of Karlstad lost visitors to e-commerce since the outbreak of the pandemic? The study is based on research regarding changes in consumption patterns in relation to increased e-commerce, as well as time-geographical action theory that explains how the individual's actions are affected as a result of prevailing social and societal norms. This has explained why the individual's consumption patterns can change under extreme conditions such as the Corona pandemic, when social norms also change. The study is also based on research that concerns urban ideals and the Central place theory. The method used in the study is a quantitative questionnaire study, which was used to answer the study's purpose and main question. The result presents bar charts to clearly illustrate to the reader the answers that emerged in the study.Finally, the study concluded that the majority of respondents have both used e-commerce and avoided shopping in the city center of Karlstad to a greater extent since the pandemic broke out. This could be interpreted as the center trade in Karlstad has lost visitors to e-commerce since the outbreak of the pandemic.