Security and privacy practices of end-users on social media are an important area of research, as well as a top-of-mind concern for individuals as well as organizations. In recent years, we have seen a sharp increase in data breaches and cyber security threats that have targeted social media users. Hence, it is imperative that we try to better understand factors that affect an end-user’s adoption of effective security safeguards and privacy protection practices. In this research, we propose and validate a theoretical model that posits several determinants of end-user security and privacy practices on social media. We hypothesize relationships among various cognitive, affective and behavioral factors identified under the themes of posture, proficiency, and practices. These constructs and hypotheses are validated through empirical research comprising an online survey questionnaire, and structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis. The key findings of this study highlight the importance of cyber threat awareness and social media security and privacy self-efficacy, which have a direct impact on end-user security and privacy practices. Additionally, our research shows that use of general technology applications for security and privacy impacts the adoption of security and privacy practices on social media. In totality, our research findings indicate that proficiency is a better predictor or security and privacy practices as compared to the posture of an end-user. Factors such as privacy disposition, privacy concerns, and perceived risk of privacy violations do not have as significant or direct effect on security and privacy practices. Based on our research findings, we provide some key take-aways in the form of theoretical contributions, suggestions for future research, as well as recommendations for organizational security awareness training programs.

This research investigated the library end-users' perceptions of their training needs in relation to using the electronic information resources in selected public universities in Malaysia. It also investigated the training methods preferred by end-users in learning how to use electronic information resources. The subjects of the study were university students and academic staff from three selected public universities in Malaysia. They comprised 433 students and 223 academic staff. This study employed both quantitative and qualitative methods. The main data was gathered through self-administered questionnaires, while the supplementary data was gathered through face-to-face semi-structured interviews. Opinions from the librarians responsible for end-user training at the three university libraries were also sought through face-to-face semi-structured interviews. Comparisons were made between the two groups of end-users, namely, students and academic staff in areas related to the problems of the study. Appropriate non-parametric statistical techniques such as cross-tabulation, chisquare test, Mann-Whitney U test and Spearman correlation test were applied in analysing the data measured at both nominal and ordinal scales. Among the major findings were: (1) a statistically significant differences were found between students and academic staff in terms of knowledge and ability in using electronic information resources. Many academic staff were more knowledgable and able to use electronic information resources than students. However, concerning knowledge in using certain IT facilities, many more students than academic staff knew how to use them; and (2) both students and academic staff preferred one-to-one training methods as their first choice. With regard to the second choice of training method, students preferred computerassisted instruction (CAI), while academic staff preferred library workshops with hands-on training. Recommendations based on the research findings were made.

This study contributes to our understanding of the innovation process by bringing attention to and investigating the process by which innovators outside of firms obtain innovation-related resources and assistance. This study is the first to explicitly examine how user-innovators gather the information and assistance they need to develop their ideas and how they share and diffuse the resulting innovations. Specifically, this exploratory study analyzes the context within which individuals who belong to voluntary special-interest communities develop sports-related consumer product innovations. We find that these individuals often prototype novel sports-related products and that they receive assistance in developing their innovations from fellow community members. We find that innovation-related information and assistance, as well as the innovations themselves, are freely shared within these communities. The nature of these voluntary communities, and the "institutional" structure supporting innovation and free sharing of innovations is likely to be of interest to innovation researchers and managers both within and beyond this product arena.(author's abstract)

Swedish municipalities invest enormous amounts of resources in health information systems (HIS) in order to have a competitive edge, reduce cost in operations, faster storage and retrieval of patient information, foster transparency, efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery. This study examines the major challenges faced by the system end-users after the implementation of the new health information systems in the elderly and care homes in a municipality in a southern region of Sweden.  The rationale for the examination is derived from the discovery that the municipality is yet to fully utilize the new-HIS, despite huge investments in procurement, supervision and training of users.  The major reason why this topic was chosen was due to the challenges encountered while working as a care giver staff in one municipality in a southern region of Sweden. In this study, The technology acceptance model (TAM ) is used to better understand the current working of the new-HIS.   Mixed methods are utilized to conduct the case study; semi structured interviews and questionnaire survey. The findings of this study are presented in the findings chapter and have shown many shortcomings in the use of the new-HIS such as limited supervision from top management, inadequate skills, inadequate computers, long procedures thus time wasting, insufficient resources like financing and policies among others as further discussed in the research findings chapter in this report.  Finally, this study proposes the findings as contributions to the study of challenges faced by end-users after the introduction and reception of the new-HIS by the given case study; and it propagates share of experiences and lessons to be learned.

The adage, "old habits die hard", is especially relevant when humans learn new protective behaviors (i.e., dental flossing, IS security behaviors). The foundation that underlies many social-cognitive theories used in IS research is that intention to change predicts actual behavior change. Despite intentions to change, humans do not always change their habits due to actual or perceived obstacles, for example. In this study, user behavior, particularly with respect to vigilance over phishing attempts, was investigated via the theoretical lens of a hybrid continuum-stage behavior change model adapted from health-related fields. This type of model helps us to understand whether there are qualitatively different stages for adopting a more vigilant action plan toward phishing attempts, the number and ordering of distinct stages that a user must move through between forming an intention and subsequent behavior, what characterizes those stages, and how appropriate interventions at these stages can move a user to a higher stage of vigilant behavior. The goal of this research was to gain a better understanding of: a) whether there are distinct stages that distinguish end-users' vigilance toward phishing attempts; b) how many qualitatively different stages there are; and, c) what characterizes these stages. This study profiled IS end-users based on the model's constructs (e.g., coping self-efficacy, intention, action/coping planning, and risk perception) that examined end-users' protective behavior toward phishing attempts. In an exploratory analysis of survey data, stages of IS end-users were determined via cluster analysis techniques (hierarchical followed by K-means). A survey was administered to respondents (n= 394). Next, an agglomerative hierarchical cluster analysis using within-groups method of average linkage and Euclidean distance measures was performed on the model's constructs. Three clusters emerged as the optimal number to be used in the subsequent K-means cluster analysis. After conducting analyses for stability and validity for the 3-cluster solution, I compared the means of the model's constructs to develop profiles for the distinct three stages. I conclude that exploratory cluster analysis is an effective technique to discover natural groupings for protective behavior of IS end-users and propose future research to investigate stage-appropriate interventions to move users to higher stages.

The purpose of this thesis was to explore socially constructed discursive barriers to physical activity for people with physical disabilities. This research was informed by a critical disability studies framework. Eight interviews were conducted, split between end-users and stakeholders. The end-user article discusses their perspectives with regard to their own PA participation, their use of PA resources, and their views of how disability is constructed. The stakeholder article deals with their views with regard to Canada’s progress in creating inclusive PA guidelines, the research process as it effects people with physical disabilities, and how disability is constructed. The results showed awareness among both groups of the social model of disability, but that the medical model is still firmly rooted. Work is needed to create inclusive promotional materials and disseminate them effectively. An effective advocacy and lobbying effort was suggested as one avenue towards a possible solution to this issue.

The purpose of this thesis was to explore socially constructed discursive barriers to physical activity for people with physical disabilities. This research was informed by a critical disability studies framework. Eight interviews were conducted, split between end-users and stakeholders. The end-user article discusses their perspectives with regard to their own PA participation, their use of PA resources, and their views of how disability is constructed. The stakeholder article deals with their views with regard to Canada’s progress in creating inclusive PA guidelines, the research process as it effects people with physical disabilities, and how disability is constructed. The results showed awareness among both groups of the social model of disability, but that the medical model is still firmly rooted. Work is needed to create inclusive promotional materials and disseminate them effectively. An effective advocacy and lobbying effort was suggested as one avenue towards a possible solution to this issue.

This thesis investigated the development of the Global Standard for the Identification of Key Biodiversity Areas (KBA Standard), which is a new approach to identifying important sites for biodiversity. Key Biodiversity Areas are defined as sites contributing significantly to the global persistence of biodiversity. The KBA Standard was developed through a global stakeholder engagement process convened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Joint Task Force on Biodiversity and Protected Areas (IUCN Task Force). The engagement process included four main components: (i) technical workshops with subject experts; (ii) interviews and an online questionnaire with end-users; (iii) regional events with additional interested stakeholders; and (iv) an open online consultation where stakeholders were invited to review the draft KBA Standard. The aim of this thesis was to use an action research approach to work with the IUCN Task Force to analyse the end-user component of the global stakeholder engagement process. End-users were defined during the engagement process as those who lead or influence decision-making processes linked to mechanisms that secure biodiversity or that avoid biodiversity loss. The main objectives of this research were to: (i) clarify the purpose of engaging end-users by examining the use of normative, instrumental, and substantive rationales; (ii) use mixed methods to gain an understanding of end-users’ needs and concerns; (iii) categorise and analyse end-users’ needs and concerns by sector and region; (iv) assess the end-user engagement process through a summative evaluation; (v) examine how end-user input was used to inform the development of the KBA Standard; and (vi) develop a set of recommendations related to global end-user engagement practice. The analysis indicated that the IUCN Task Force used a blend of instrumental and substantive rationales to justify engaging end-users. Five main categories of end-user needs and concerns emerged from the analysis of the qualitative interview data: (i) the need for communication and local stakeholder engagement; (ii) the potential for the KBA Standard to either complement or conflict with existing approaches; (iii) the need for clarity regarding the scale at which KBAs can be identified (i.e. global, regional, and/or national); (iv) concerns about the implementation of the KBA Standard, including data availability, timeliness, and resources; and (v) comments about how KBAs inform decision-making, including management options, sustainable use, and prioritisation. These topics were examined in depth through the qualitative interviews and in breadth through the quantitative questionnaire. The results demonstrate a high level of convergence in opinion on many topics; however, four topics resulted in a divergence in opinion between end-users, including: (i) the scale at which KBAs are identified; (ii) the prioritisation of KBAs over other areas; (iii) whether KBA data should be made freely available; and (iv) whether development activities should be permitted in KBAs. These areas of divergence were analysed further by categorising end-user questionnaire responses by sector and region. The results have important implications for how end-users are identified, categorised, and engaged and highlight the complex and individual nature of end-users’ needs and concerns. The summative evaluation analysed the purpose, process, outputs, and outcomes against a typology of engagement and principles of good practice for international standard setting to reflect upon how end-users’ needs and concerns were integrated into the development of the KBA Standard. This indicated both the strengths and weaknesses of the engagement approaches used and informed the development of 11 recommendations to inform future similar processes. This thesis ultimately helps to bridge the gap between stakeholder engagement theory and practice and provides insight into the challenges and benefits of using a mixed methods action research approach to investigate a global stakeholder engagement process.

Research questions: I: What are the key steps to introduce, evaluate and implement health-associated technologies into different Swedish municipalities? II: Which are the main challenges and opportunities to introduce, evaluate and implement health-associated technologies into different Swedish municipalities? Purpose: The aim of the project has been to conduct a situation analysis on how different Swedish municipalities introduce, evaluate and implement existing health-associated technologies into their organization. To conduct this study, key steps and main challenges in these processes have been identified by interviewing different stakeholders involved from the public and private sector as well as end users. Methodology: This master thesis is an abductive case study. Primary data has been collected through interviews and internal documents from organizations. Secondary data collection was collected through research papers and literature review. Findings: The main findings of this study show that regarding the introduction procedure some municipalities are further in the process of developing formal procedures for organizations and end users to approach them with their products or needs. The evaluation as part of the procurement process has been considered a big obstacle for the three stakeholders groups interviewed since the criteria established doesn’t consider the different aspect of the technology as its value to the municipality and end user. Implementation procedures do not exist and were not under development from any of the three municipalities interviewed. Keywords: Innovation process, municipalities, healthcare, technology, public sector, private sector, end-users.

Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree MASTER OF TECHNOLOGY: Business Information Systems in the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology / The aim of this research was to describe the effects of information systems on staff performance and institutional business process performance at a selected University of Technology (UoT); as an indicative example of a University of Technology. This research was also to investigate different end-users’ experience of the use of certain information systems/processes and performance thereof. This led to the determination of what caused different role players to perceive a varying range of problems in the use of organisational information systems and internal business processes at the selected UoT. The unit of analysis was selected integrated information systems at the UoT and the object of analysis was the staff of the Faculty of Engineering. The research adopted a quantitative approach in order to investigate verifiable data which was amassed using a questionnaire. This research was undertaken ethically in order to protect all participants, as well as the integrity of the University. Statistical Package for Social Software (SPSS 22.0) was used for data capturing and analysis. The output was a general framework to guide the determination and effects of information systems on end-users and on institutional processes at a University of Technology. Furthermore, it will guide the design and modelling of institutional business processes to improve operational efficiency.