The technology acceptance model (TAM) was used in this study to evaluate the faculty's perceptions of online learning. This study adopted a deductive approach that involved a move from theory formulation to data gathering. This study utilized a descriptive, correlational design to describe the study variables, which included the participants'' perceptions and attitudes. Perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness of technology have statistically significant correlations with technology competence levels of technical college faculty members, influencing their behavioral intentions to use online learning. Specific strategies that bolster perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness of technology in learning should be prioritized. These strategies include improving technological infrastructure, offering technology competency training, instituting facilitative technology use policies, and improving teacher-student motivation to use technology in learning.

Research questions:          RQ 1: What factors affect consumer behavior regarding streaming   services or TV-services? RQ 2: How do the factors affect consumers behavior when it comes to buying, continuing, substituting or ending a streaming service or TV-service?   Purpose:             We aim to discuss the underlying reasons, or factors as to  why consumers buy, substitute, continue or end subscriptions to   traditional TV, streaming services, or both mediums. We aim to use   focus groups to see if factors earlier quantifically studied can be   identified and supported qualitatively. This study will add to the   variability of the issue of streaming services versus traditional TV with   an in-depth view using a qualitative study on a Swedish sample.  Method:               A qualitative research method as well as a data driven content analysis   was chosen for this study. The data was collected by interviewing three   focus groups. Conclusion:       Cost was an important factor and was applicable in all factors and  behaviors. Cost was not a top priority for the informants unless the   increase was drastic. Range of content and specific content was a top  deciding factor for most behaviors, convenience was strongly   connected to continuing a service. Habit was a strong factor in   relation to continuing, technology was an important aspect   when it comes to usage. Other factors, such as bundling, leeching,   social components, free trial period or triggers are also significant,   however not deciding factors.

Livestock farms have recently experienced a significant growth in their size and this is due to the increase in animal products. This has a technical impact on farmers' daily activities. As there are more animals, it becomes more difficult for the farmers to monitor, take care of and ensure the animals are treated in a healthy manner. The purpose of this study is to examine how farmers are affected by the use of the Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) systems and how they have come to accept the technology. The study will take up an important aspect of the impact and effect of PLF. The aim of the study is to find out how farmers are affected by PLF systems in regard to Ease of Use (EOU) and Usefulness. A total of five semi-structured interviews consisting of two researchers, one product advisor, one support worker and one farmer were conducted. An observation was also conducted along with the farmer and support worker. During the interviews, the participants answered our questions regarding PLF and its EOU and Usefulness. The data was analyzed using a thematic analysis and the results showed that PLF systems are important and useful but need further EOU development. Furthermore, the results showed that the poorly designed user interfaces impact the farmers’ attitude and intention towards using the system, which also affects their attitude towards the Usefulness of the PLF systems. The research confirms the importance of including farmers under the development phase of PLF systems. Lastly, this research might be the foundation for further research on how to improve and develop a more user-friendly PLF system.

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.

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.

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.

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.

This study sought to understand factors driving repurchase intentions for consumer electronics (CE) hardware and in particular mobile phones. The outcome of the study was expected to be of interest in academia and practice because it develops upon existing literature and identifies actionable variables that could be used to optimise market offerings. Based on a literature review it was hypothesised that the intent was driven by hedonic and utilitarian factors. These included conspicuousness and visibility; product bundling; reliability; technological features, usability of the product and the buyers’ age. The study tested these hypotheses using primary data. The method was employed to confirm the postulated drivers as well as to determine the direction of the effects. Data collection was conducted through a cross sectional internet survey enumerated in August 2010. The survey reached a broad sample of 144 responders. The analysis supported two of the six hypothesised drivers. The supported drivers were conspicuousness and usability. The recommendation was therefore to encourage the CE industry to focus on creating aesthetically appealing, fashionable devices that were intuitively easy to use requiring minimal assistance or product manuals. It also recommends that less emphasis be placed on durability, advanced features, on bundling additional extras and on targeting particular age groups. Copyright / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

This thesis deals with mechanical design of FDM 3D printer with a built-in material feeder with monitoring of remaining material. The aim of this thesis is designing the FDM 3D printer with minimum print volume of 200x200x200 mm and with usage of measured data for optimising the 3D printing process. This 3D printer is targeted to the non-experienced users, so the emphasis was on ease of use and reliability of the printer. Despite the fact that it is an innovative design solution, the suitability of the design was verified experimentally as part of this thesis. The choice of the material feeder design, which is essential for the presented thesis, was justified by the realization of prototypes of two suitable designs, from which the optimal solution was chosen. The knowledge obtained from testing the prototypes was then used for the final design of 3D printer. The usage of data for optimization of the printing process is realized by a C++ compatible source code that is a part of this thesis.