Baigiamajame magistro darbe nagrinėjama verslo sąlygų palankumo vertinimo objektyvumo problema, verslo sąlygų vertinimo tikslai ir būdai. Išnagrinėtas esamas metodinis verslo sąlygų palankumo vertinimo potencialas ir atlikta verslo sąlygų palankumo vertinimo modelių ir metodikų tinkamumo analizė. Tarpusavyje palyginti dažniausiai vertinami verslo sąlygų palankumo veiksniai ir atlikta pagrindinių analizuojamų veiksnių įtakos galutiniam rezultatui pagal skirtingus modelius ir metodikas analizė. Nustatyta ir palyginta pagrindinių verslo sąlygų palankumo veiksnių koncentracija pagal esamus vertinimo modelius ir metodikas. Remiantis atliktomis analizėmis ir palyginimais, nustatytos verslo sąlygų vertinimo tobulinimo krypties alternatyvos. Remiantis atlikta alternatyvų analize, pasirinkta tinkamiausia tobulinimo kryptis, pateikti pasiūlymai verslo sąlygų palankumo vertinimo tobulinimui. Patobulinus verslo sąlygų palankumo vertinimo modelį, atliktas empirinis tyrimas. Gauti tyrimo rezultatai palyginti su tyrimo rezultatais pagal bazinį modelį. Baigiamojo darbo pabaigoje pateikiamos darbo išvados ir siūlymai. Darbą sudaro 6 dalys: įvadas, teorinė dalis, analitinė dalis, empirinis tyrimas, išvados ir siūlymai, literatūros sąrašas. Darbo apimtis – 68 p. teksto be priedų, 13 iliustr., 11 lent., 64 bibliografiniai šaltiniai. Atskirai pridedami darbo priedai. / Final paper analysis the problem of assessing ease of doing business and methods to assess ease of doing business. Part of available models and methodologies evaluating ease of doing business level are overrwieved and compared in this paper. After comparison current methods of assessing ease of doing business are evaluated. Most ofently used indicators from different models that are used in assessment process of ease of doing business are compared. Concentration of most ofently used indicators is stated afterwards in a comparison way. Concentration in this work is the term used to describe influence of indicators, that are included into list of most ofently used indicators to final score of ease of doing business. Alternatives to improve current methodological potential of assessing ease of doing business are stated. After alternative analysis decision of improving current World Bank‘s ease of doing business assessment model is made. Author‘s proposals in improving the model are stated and research is carried. Results are compared with World Bank‘s „Doing Business“ results. Conclusions and suggestions for further are stated at the end of the paper.

Problem: Due to the promises of retailer benefits, self-service technologies (SSTs) are becoming a common sight in the Swedish grocery retail setting. The mere installation of SSTs is yet not enough to make the consumer adopt them.  Purpose: By asking, “how is the consumer’s attitude towards technology affecting his/her acceptance of the grocery retail self-scanning system”, the purpose of this thesis is to explore the effect of the technology readiness theory on the technology acceptance model. Thus, practically investigate how and why some consumers accept, whereas other consumers reject SSTs.  Theory: The direct mediating effect of four consumer-specific technology adoption predictors: optimism, innovativeness, insecurity and discomfort, are investigated in relation to two system-specific technology adoption predictors: perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. Throughout the theoretical framework, and in combination with SST literature, eight hypotheses are constructed.  Method: A positivist research approach with a deductive reasoning is adopted. To answer the hypotheses, a quantitative method implemented through a survey strategy is chosen. Statistical testing of the 192 collected answers follows the quantitative data gathering.  Conclusion: The results show that multiple consumer-specific characteristics have a direct mediating effect on perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. Thus, the consumer’s attitude towards technology plays a significant role in the consumer’s propensity to accept SSTs, such as the grocery retail self- scanning system. This implies that retailers aiming at developing efficient and competitive self-service strategies should pro-actively consider the “techno-ready” consumer attributes. In particular: optimism and discomfort.

Syftet med denna studie var att ta reda på om animationer kan användas för att påverka en användares förtroende för en webbplats, vid situationer där förtroende har en stor betydelse. Som till exempel registrering av prenumerationstjänster eller sociala medier. Syftet är även att ta reda på vilka animationer som ger ett förtroendeingivande intryck. För att genomföra undersökningen har litteratursökning, visuell innehållsanalys och enkätundersökning använts. Resultatet visade på att animationer kan användas för att öka en användares förtroende för en webbplats. Resultatet visade även vilka animationer som kan användas för att öka förtroendet. Slutsatserna visar att webbplatser bör innehålla någon form av animation för att öka förtroendet, användaren vill få feedback när interaktion med webbplatsen sker. Feedbacken ska ske så snabbt som möjligt och med någon form av varaktighet. Animationerna bör öka kontrasten på elementet gentemot sin omgivning, oavsett vilken sorts animering det gäller. Dock bör inte kontrasten vara för påtaglig. / The purpose of this study was to investigate if animation can be used to influence a user’s trust in a website in situations where trust is of great importance, such as registration of subscription service or social media. The purpose is also to find out which type of animations that gives a trustworthy impression. Literature studies, visual content analysis and questionnaire survey have been used to carry out the survey. The result showed that animations can be used to increase a user's trust in a website. It also showed which animations can be used to increase trust. The results show that websites should contain some form of animation to increase trust, the user wants to receive feedback when interacting with the site. The feedback should be given as quickly as possible and with some kind of duration. The animations should increase the contrast of the element to its surroundings, no matter what kind of animation it is. However, the contrast should not be too obvious.

<p>The purpose of this study was to analyze texts from four English textbook series for Swedish school years 7-9 as regards their readability and to investigate whether the text difficulty progresses within series with grade level and with each assigned difficulty level. The study also wished to make comparisons between these textbook series to determine if they are equivalent as regards their average readability level. The readability formulas Flesch Reading Ease and Flesch-Kincaid in Microsoft Word 2007 was used for calculation of the readability grade levels of a selection of 231 texts from the series <em>Good Stuff</em>, <em>Happy</em>, <em>Time </em>and <em>Wings. </em>The results from both formulas indicated that the texts in general become more difficult for each school year and with assigned level. However, the study showed that there are differences among the four series as regards their average difficulty levels and that there is a great difficulty range among texts.</p>

This research regards internet users with hearing-impairment as the target. The purpose is to investigate the factors which will influence hearing-impaired people use internet. This research is theoretically based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). According to the literatures, join subject norm, media richness, internet self-efficacy and perceived enjoyment. A total of 255 effective samples were collected via internet questionnaire. Through the survey and analysis, we could prove that subject norm, perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use will influence the behavioral intention directly. Subject norm, media richness, perceived enjoyment and perceived ease of use will influence the perceived usefulness directly. And media richness, internet self-efficacy and perceived enjoyment will influence the perceived ease of use. According to the findings of research, there are the following suggestions. (1) Hearing-impaired communities should offer information courses of computer and internet. (2)The government should offer more services through internet, and social welfare organizations should update information as instant as possible. (3)Implement the execution of the regulations of web accessibility.

Ease, comfort and efficiency are assumed desirables; they form the established norm of unquestioned values in commercial product design. The norm shapes our everyday. Those daily things considered mundane and commonplace, form how we go about our daily doings. How we actually live our lives. Design needs to be there to defend human interest; to approach the user differently than a passive consumer, to create space for human qualities in contemporary everyday life.  I have been exploring the potential of designing for effort, and argue for its value by giving examples. I have developed a series of three products under the shared name Friction Intended. The proposals evoke effort of different kinds, each creating space for other alternative values. Object A is a light concept working with reflections. Reflecting from one surface to another the light can be followed and its behavior studied. The reflective elements are tools for exploration and active learning; to actively perceive the daily phenomenon of light. Object B is a backpack to be assembled from a large sheet of textile and a set of straps. Over time, the usage of the bag can become a personal ritual. Wearing the bag can also be a statement; how will people  react when the large cloth is dramatically folded open in a public environment? Object C is a cup with rounded base. The cup moves; never fully finding its balance it sways back and forth ever differently depending on the amount of liquid inside and the qualities of the gestures it has been handled with. The attention is drawn to the moment by giving careful attention to a simple daily ritual. Designing for effort in everyday products creates space to design for an engaging and stimulating environment. Once deciding simple things are worth more time, strain and patience there is the opportunity to enrich those activities. Effort has the potential to create space for the development of contemporary rituals, active engagement and everyday curiosity. The design space of the potential of effort is a rich and varied. The examples given by the Friction Intended series, are representatives for a field where much more potential still lays. This is a call, especially on the design field, to question the given, to challenge the norm and to reflect on its impact.

Thesis (MTech (Information Technology)--)Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2012 / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 127) / In rapid advances in marketing strategies, Social Networks Marketing (SNM) is dramatically becoming an important aspect in promoting businesses. Social networks marketing has been found as one of the most effective tool used in businesses today, by most business owners in South Africa, to expand, and flourish their businesses. The explosion of Internet usage has drawn the attention of researchers towards social networks marketing. Research has shown that potential Internet users are doubtful, and indecisive to use, and accept SNM system in spite of their availability. Therefore, there is a need for researchers to identify some of the factors that determine user’s unwillingness to accept and use the system. According to the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Perceived Ease of Use (PEOU), and Perceived Usefulness (PU) are the two major constructs in determining the use and acceptance of various information systems. These beliefs may not fully explain the user’s behaviour towards newly introduced system, such as social networks marketing. Hence, this study had successfully implemented TAM to the newly proposed information system (social networks marketing system). Using TAM as a theoretical framework, the study added two new constructs “perceived credibility” and “awareness” as part of the factors influencing user’s acceptance of social networks marketing. The purpose of the study was to explore the impact of social networks marketing system by SMEs in South Africa, and perception of consumers. In addition, this research investigated factors that influence users’ acceptance of social networks marketing using TAM as the basis for the theoretical framework. Questionnaire-based study done in 2 groups; consumers and small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs), in this work, represent the major users of social networks marketing in South Africa. The research model was tested using data collected from 143 questionnaires and analysed using linear regression. The results show that user’s intentions to use SNM are strongly and positively correlated with user acceptance. The empirical results confirmed that perceived credibility and perceived usefulness are the strongest determinant in predicting user’s intention to use SNM. In addition, many of the South African SMEs using SNM, have presumed that SNM has positively and negatively impacted their businesses.

Teachers employ traditional readability measurements to estimate text difficulty when assigning textbooks to meet the students’ current proficiency level. The purpose of this study was to see if modern textbooks published by five major publishing companies in Sweden were more difficult to read according to traditional readability formula compared to textbooks published in the 90’s. This study also aims to investigate whether readability in textbooks was similar among the five publishers. The readability formula Flesch Reading Ease in Coh-Metrix was utilized to calculate text difficulty in textbooks intended for Swedish grade 7. The primary material used for this study consisted of 70 texts selected from textbooks from three different time periods and five different publishers. The results from the formula indicated that the modern textbooks, published in between 2012-2016, were more difficult to read compared with the older ones. In addition, the results indicated that readability was similar among the different publishers. However, the study showed that modern textbooks published by Liber were easier to read in comparison with the older ones of this particular publisher. That modern textbooks have longer sentence structures and more complex syntax suggests increased expectations of 7th graders’ reading abilities.

Context. The subject presented in this research is the fact that people resist IT induced change and want to maintain their current situation when implementing a new information system.  If no strategy is set to deal with it, resistance to change leads to Information System failure. Objectives. In this study, the author is investigating how to anticipate and handle resistance to change when implementing a new information system in order to succeed. This is followed by introducing the factors affecting user satisfaction which in turn affects user acceptance. Methods The data collection involves interviews in order to assemble appropriate, justifiable and relevant data, in addition to surveys to measure and validate the hypotheses in this thesis. The banking sector in Lebanon was selected as a source of data collection. Results. Three factors Perceived ease of use(PEOU), Perceived Usefulness (PU), and User Involvement react together to satisfy user and hence to make the user accept change. Conclusions. Based on the studies conducted so far with respect to this topic, there exists an indirect relationship between the three factors discussed in this thesis, the user satisfaction, and the user acceptance. The more the user finds the system easy to use (simple way of work with less efforts) and useful (the extent to which person’s work is improved) and the more he/sh  is involved, the more he is satisfied and hence the more he is willing to accept the change and causes system success.

The purpose of this study was to analyze texts from four English textbook series for Swedish school years 7-9 as regards their readability and to investigate whether the text difficulty progresses within series with grade level and with each assigned difficulty level. The study also wished to make comparisons between these textbook series to determine if they are equivalent as regards their average readability level. The readability formulas Flesch Reading Ease and Flesch-Kincaid in Microsoft Word 2007 was used for calculation of the readability grade levels of a selection of 231 texts from the series Good Stuff, Happy, Time and Wings. The results from both formulas indicated that the texts in general become more difficult for each school year and with assigned level. However, the study showed that there are differences among the four series as regards their average difficulty levels and that there is a great difficulty range among texts.