Thesis (Ph. D.) -- Lincoln University, 2008. / Also available via the World Wide Web.

From 1983 in which year Chinese people started being allowed to travel to the first outbound destination to nowadays that more than 150 countries have signed the ADS (approved destination status) with Chinese government, Chinese outbound tourism had a great progress in 32 years. During these years, more and more Chinese tourists could be seen in different places in the world. In 2014, the number of Chinese outbound tourists firstly achieve to over 100 million. The numbers are predicted to continue by 2020. It is meaningful to put Chinese outbound tourism as an object and discover its future development. Therefore, the aim of this study is set as to analyse the future diffusion of Chinese outbound tourism. The available theoretical foundation is diffusion theory (Rogers, 2003). Its mature and practical theoretical system guides the research framework of this study. This theory is reliable for analysing and discussing the diffusion of Chinese outbound tourism from some aspects such as S-shaped curve, communication channels, adopter classification, etc.  A questionnaire survey and some hypothetical indicators are designed in this study to fulfil the aim and research questions. Results are described from several aspects. The analysis of results prove that Chinese outbound tourism could be reckoned as an innovation. Finally, conclusions show that Chinese outbound tourism is currently going through the developing process between ‘innovators’ and ‘early adopters’. If the influencing factors which derived based on diffusion theory could be developed or solved positively, it is possible for Chinese outbound tourism to develop continually following the S-shaped curve in the future. The influencing factors has been studied out. They are the communication channels, the conscious gap between people who live in cities and people who live in towns and villages, the wealth gap between rich people and poor people. Not many related implementations are given out in this study, which needs future researches to explore.

This thesis describes a Master of science research program of duration May, I960 to April, 1961 inclusive. It represents part of an extensive research program designed to investigate the thermodynamic aspects of phase transformations. A great deal of effort has been devoted to the application of multicomponent diffusion theory to (de)carburisation, pearlite, and segregation reactions; particularly in ferrous alloys. This fundamental research program is here extended to a general study of the morphological aspects of phase transformation interfaces. Substantially all industrial metallurgical phase transformations are accompanied by the development of non-planar morphologies with attendant segregation. Previous investigations have demonstrated that the factors controlling the type and degree of morphological development are varied and complex. It is apparent that the structural character of an interface is determined, to a large extent, by the system’s phasial constitution in terms of the concentration, temperature, and pressure variables. Therefore, an examination of the relation between these parameters and the structural form of non-planar interfaces was suggested as a potentially valuable field of endeavour. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

Calculation of the neutron flux in a nuclear reactor core is ideally performed by solving the neutron transport equation for a detailed-geometry model using several tens of energy groups. However, performing such detailed calculations for an entire core is prohibitively expensive from a computational perspective. Full-core neutronic calculations for CANDU reactors are therefore performed customarily using two-energy-group diffusion theory (no angular dependence) for a node-homogenized reactor model. The work presented here is concerned with reducing the loss in accuracy entailed when going from Transport to Diffusion. To this end a new method of calculating the diffusion coefficient was developed, based on equating the neutron balance equation expressed by the transport equation with the neutron balance equation expressed by the diffusion equation. The technique is tested on a simple twelve-node model and is shown to produce transport-like accuracy without the associated computational effort. / UOIT

With the evolution of communication and hardware technology, mobile phones evolved from the voice communication to the multi-function, the scope of mobile phone applications had completely changed. In this era of rapid technological progress, the shorter product lifecycle and higher replacement rates of smartphone induce competition in the relevant industry become more intense. Various industries introduce new products and applications in efforts to cope with the increasing challenges, but how many features are used by users? In the cause of real connection between mobile phone and users, the control must with a good user interface, but the needs of industries identified do not necessarily conform to user's needs, ignoring the user's thoughts often lead to product failure, master the needs of user is the key to success. Therefore, this study uses the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as the theoretical foundation, adds the Innovation Diffusion Theory (IDT) and the induction of the human-machine interface (or User Interface, UI) design principles (diversity, intuition) as external variables, to further explores the attitude of using smartphone . The results: (1) diversity, compatibility, positive influence on perceived usefulness, but intuition don't influence significantly; (2) diversity, intuition, compatibility, positive influence on perceived ease of use; (3) perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, relative advantage positive influence on the attitude of use; (4) trialability, observability influence on the attitude of use is not significant, and trialability existence negative relationship with the attitude of use.

A review of the innovation and diffusion literature indicates a considerable amount of research, where attention is given to a range of features which may support integration technologies adoption. However, some literature suggests that the findings derived from the study of large enterprises cannot be generalised and applied in SMEs due to the distinct characteristics of SMEs. Although the adoption of integration technologies is recognised as being different between large and small companies, the literature on its adoption by SMEs remains limited. Nevertheless, in existing work, there is a lack of studies emphasising the reasons why SMEs and large companies take the decision to adopt integration technologies, focusing specifically on the different factors. This thesis therefore identifies the significant differences in the way that SMEs and large companies approach integration technologies, based on the existing literature, theoretical diffusion theories, and resource-based theory. In doing so, the parameters that can be used to explain the adoption of integration technologies in SMEs and large firms are identified, as nature of organisations, company size, integration needs, adoption factors for SMEs and large organisations, and time. Additionally, adoption factors are found and classified into three categories: adoption factors explicit to SMEs, adoption factors explicit to large organisations, and common factors. Based on this, a conceptual model is introduced to explain the different factors that influence adoption between SMEs and large organisations. The empirical contexts of the research are one project on integration technologies adoption, and four case studies on a large firm and three SMEs, which are analysed using an interpretive and qualitative research approach. The evidence suggests that the empirical data complement the identified dimensions nature of organisations, integration needs, company size and time. The empirical data also confirm that the current integration technologies adoption factors reported in the literature can be classified into common factors, factors explicit to SMEs, and factors explicit to large firms, to support a more comprehensive view of this area. An additional factor perceived future prospect has been considered as an influence on adoption in large organisations. The findings of this research can be useful to guide analysts and researchers in determining critical aspects of the complex issues involved for integration technologies adoption, and lead to suggestions for further valid research.

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Photodynamic therapy (PDT) currently utilizes drug and light doses which are primarily based on clinical experience. This can lead to a dose which is not sufficient to destroy the entire tumor, or alternatively, it can lead to the undesirable destruction of healthy tissue around the treatment area. PDT of topically applied photosensitizers is one focus of this research. This concerns the diffusion of an externally applied drug into the tissue, as well as its subsequent destruction during the irradiation procedure. This work involves the non-invasive measurement of the inherent fluorescence of the photosensitizer, allowing the determination of the concentration and distribution of drug within the tissue, and thus optimizing this treatment. To do this, one must be able to describe the propagation of light within the tissue. Consequently, a photon diffusion model has been developed to calculate the steady-state spatially resolved fluorescence from a pencil beam excitation in a depth dependent medium. The validity of this model was then verified by comparison with Monte Carlo simulations and measurements made on phantoms with optical properties similar to those of human tissue. Theoretical conditions were then explored, and potential uses of the model were demonstrated. / Thesis / Master of Science (MS)

Radio frequency identification, also known as RFID technology, has been commercially available since World War II. In recent years, interest has turned toward using RFID in supply chain management, such as monitoring and tracking business processes. There are many businesses that have already invested in an RFID supply chain management solution but little is known about the current state of diffusion of RFID technology and the role of advocacy groups in the diffusion process. This research investigated the current state of RFID diffusion in New Zealand according to diffusion of innovation and Moore’s theory to provide insight into the role of innovation advocacy groups such as New Zealand RFID Pathfinder Group (referred as the NZ RFID Pathfinder Group). RFID in supply chain management terms is inter-organisational and much of the role of advocacy groups is in networking between players in the supply chain management context. Therefore, this research focused on industry group leaders. The research was conducted in two main parts, an online questionnaire survey and a follow up interview. The online questionnaire survey used a quantitative approach while the interview used a qualitative one. In summary, the result show that: 14% industries (seven out of 51) have already adopted RFID technology, the industries were from importer, research institute, manufacturing, and distribution; 36% have plans (16 out of 44) to adopt RFID technology in the near future, the industries were from importer, research institute, manufacturing, and distribution; and 64% industries (28 out of 44) did not any plan to adopt RFID. The strong recommendation was to standardise each aspect of the technology, making the products available to clients and creating competition between RFID technology service suppliers, thus bringing down the cost through market forces. Increasing the number of members of advocacy group could also encourage RFID adoption. One group of potential RFID adopters in the future will be local branches of international companies with a mandate to adopt RFID technology. The results suggest that the NZ RFID Pathfinder Group should set the direction of NZ RFID adoption; get involved in national pilots; and the activities of lobbying governments and associations and information sharing.