This doctoral thesis represents an investigation into financial fraud in online banking and card payment systems in the UK and China, involving network security, online financial transactions, internet fraud, card payment systems and individuals' perception of and behaviours towards electronic environments. In contrast to previous studies, the research questions were tackled by survey questionnaires both in the UK and China, with a particular interest in fraud and attempted fraud. The main findings from the UK respondents were that those with higher IT skill and younger respondents are more likely to be defrauded on the internet. Certain types of online activities are associated with higher risks of fraud, these being internet banking; online shopping and media downloading. Furthermore, four predictors (internet banking, online education services, downloading media and length of debit card usage) provided significant effects in the logistic regression model to explain fraud occurrence in the UK. Based on the data collected in China, younger respondents were more likely to have higher general IT skill and higher educational qualifications. However, online shopping was the only online activity which was significantly correlated to fraud occurrence. Finally, two predictors (frequency of usage of online shopping and number of debit cards) were selected in the logistic regression model to explain fraud occurrence in China.

The shifting focus in the role of academic libraries entail a better understanding, awareness and responsiveness to the needs of the library users. In an environment of change and an age of accountability academic libraries have to determine and demonstrate the impact their resources and services are having on their institutional mission. Service quality is not based exclusively on the perception of the librarians, but also dependent on the perception of users. Only customers judge quality; all other judgments are essentially irrelevant" (Zeithaml, Parasuraman, Berry 1999). The reason of this study was to assess quality in the library and to determine the perceptions of the Vaal Triangle Campus Library users as they relate to quality service and to develop a model to improve service quality. The aim was to determine library users' minimum expectations for services, their desired level of service and then to identify the extent of service they currently perceive on three dimensions of service quality: affect of service, library as place and access to information. A triangulation, mixed method research methodology was employed in this study. Data was collected using focus group as well as individual interviews and the LibQUAL questionnaire. Purposive sampling was used to determine participants for the interviews while a total market survey was employed for the questionnaire respondents. Findings indicate that there is a gap between the users' expectations and perception of service quality. The results indicate that there are variations within the different user groups regarding the expectations and perceptions of service quality at the Vaal Triangle Campus library. In view of the findings, the study concluded by developing a service quality model based on Deming's PDCA cycle, the ISO model and the Hoshin Kanri process / Information Science / M. Inf.

The aim of this diplom work is to analyse preparedness of a specific company for Quality management systhems according to norm CSN EN ISO 9001:2001. Analyse include only selected chaps of the european standard ISO 9001 and author of the diplom work makes suggestions to top managers of the company, how to proceed and steep in requirements of the standatds ISO 9001.

This thesis deals with a detailed analysis of the systems of quality management in a particular company according to EN ISO 9001:2000. The aim of this work is to analyse the system deeply and then focus on how the system could become more effective. In this case the topic was the system of measurement of the customers´satisfaction. In the theoretical part there is the overall view of quality from the historical point of view up to the present. For better understanding of the problem the principles of ISO standards, maintenance of the systems and improvement instruments are mentioned. In the practical part there is the analysis of the particular system of quality management and the process of application of improvement procedures.

To grow in competitive environments, the organizations have to improve processes and people abilities thru information technology and make strategic decisions about information quality demand, in their in-house supply chains, to delivery quality service. However, guarantee customers demand and satisfy employees needs, request appropriate information management, what can be expensive and difficult. For that reason, information supply thru the process chain, demands an efficient structure to understand what these subsidies symbolize and why they are so important to delivery services with quality. Thus, the objective of this research is to evaluate the information flow quality in a services organization in-house supply chain, to identify the information quality dimensions that allow the progress of planned results attainment. For this, it was conduced a case study at CTBC Telecom, a regional telecommunications player in Brazilian southeastern, with a good social-economics representation. The specific focus of appreciation was the NetSuper, a broad band service (ADSL). The analysis identified the main information quality dimensions to the executives and their distortions that compromise these subsidies quality. For this, CTBC Telecom inhouse supply chain was drawn, the information flow of this chain was justified, the dimensions quality were ranked to prioritize those most important at the managers perception and the complete view of information flow process was described. Afterwards, the salesmen information knowledge level, about NetSuper service, was identified and also their satisfaction with the quality of information, processes and other subsidies for sales, for then, verifies the information quality loss. The research is descriptive and, predominantly qualitative. For data gathering it had been applied half-structuralized interviews with managers, document analyses and a structuralized questionnaire to a representative salesmen sample of direct and indirect channels. Data were tabulated and interpreted applying frequency analysis, dynamic tables and graphical exits. This case study evidenced that managers perceive the information quality loss, confirmed by the questionnaires data from salespeople, which evidence their lack of knowledge about the product advantages and attributes. Sales force sample highlighted some specific needs on quality dimensions that would improve the information quality flow. But, by the results, it was evidenced that the most important quality dimensions for CTBC Telecom Company are not dealt with priority in the Organization, what demonstrate that a model of integrated management of processes is needed. Further on this, it was recommended a scheme for an information quality management structure, referenced on the theoretical models of Supply Chain Management (Lambert, 2004) and Services Quality Gaps (Zeithaml and Parasuraman, 2004). Subsequent studies should include suppliers and consumers in the analysis, enclosing, by this, all relationships of the chain in which the information flows. Another investigative aspect is the adoption of measurement patterns of the information quality for all actors of the in-house supply chain, to survey the quality of the information. / Para crescer em ambientes competitivos, as organizações devem aprimorar processos e competências internas, por meio da tecnologia, e tomar decisões estratégicas sobre a demanda por qualidade da informação. Porém, atender o mercado e responder às necessidades dos clientes internos por informações com qualidade, exige gestão integrada, o que pode ser caro e difícil. Por isso, disseminá-las na cadeia de suprimentos interna, exige uma estrutura de processos eficazes, para compreender o que estes subsídios representam e por que são importantes para a entrega de produtos com qualidade. Assim, o objetivo desta pesquisa é avaliar a qualidade das informações que permeiam o fluxo da cadeia de suprimentos interna de uma organização de serviços, verificar a perda e identificar as dimensões de qualidade das informações que facilitam a obtenção dos resultados planejados. Para isso, valeu-se do estudo de caso na CTBC Telecom, operadora de telecomunicações que atua em parte do sudeste brasileiro com relevante representatividade socioeconômica. O foco específico de apreciação foi o serviço de acesso à Internet por banda larga, o NetSuper. Na análise identificaram-se as dimensões da qualidade das informações mais relevantes para os gestores e as distorções que comprometem a qualidade desses insumos. Para isso, desenhou-se a cadeia de suprimentos interna da Organização, explicou-se o fluxo das informações nessa cadeia, elaborou-se um ranking para priorizar as dimensões da qualidade na percepção dos gestores e descreveu-se o processo de repasse das informações. Em seguida, identificou-se o nível de conhecimento dos vendedores sobre as informações do NetSuper e a sua satisfação com a qualidade dessas informações, dos processos e demais subsídios para vendas, para então, verificar a perda da qualidade. A pesquisa é descritiva e, predominantemente qualitativa. Para a coleta de dados aplicaram-se: entrevistas semi-estruturadas com gestores, análises de documentos e questionário estruturado a uma amostra de vendedores dos canais de vendas diretos e indiretos. Para tabular e interpretar os dados aplicou-se análise de freqüência, tabelas dinâmicas e saídas gráficas. No estudo constatou-se que os gestores percebem a perda da qualidade das informações, comprovada nos canais de vendas, pelas evidências de baixo conhecimento sobre o produto e a carência dos vendedores na ênfase em dimensões da qualidade que facilitariam o fluxo de informações. Nos resultados, ficou constatado que as mais relevantes dimensões da qualidade para a CTBC Telecom, não são tratadas com prioridade nos processos e que a Organização necessita de um modelo de gestão integrada. Diante disso, apresentou-se uma proposta de estrutura de gestão da qualidade das informações, tendo como referência os modelos teóricos de Gestão da Cadeia de Suprimentos e de Lacunas da Qualidade em Serviços. Estudos posteriores devem incluir a análise com fornecedores e consumidores, abrangendo toda a cadeia de relacionamentos por onde permeiam as informações. Outro aspecto a investigar é a adoção de meios de medição da qualidade das informações nos elos da cadeia de suprimentos interna para aferir a sua qualidade. / Mestre em Administração

The Master´s thesis deals with the logistics services studies in Sika CZ, Ltd. Company. Considering the fact that the principal activity of the company is trading, it uses logistics as a substantial instrument to achieve the customers’ satisfaction. The main objective of the thesis is to create logical structures of services and project suitable metrics for measuring customers’ satisfaction of the provided services.