We construct and examine a model of adoption of a product or policy using, firstly, a system of differential equations and then secondly, through simulation, an agent- based model. Awareness must come before adoption, and we model this as a simple epidemic type model, where information is spread through advertising and contact with other agents in the population. Adoption is then conditional on awareness and occurs only if the agent finds the perceived cost acceptable. After simulating the system using an agent-based model, we introduce heterogeneity through the model parameters, which are then considered individual attributes and include influence rates, effectiveness of advertising, price sensitivity, and speed of adoption. We also examine the effects of various network topologies by organizing individuals into lattice and preferential attachment networks. From there, we add two extra components to the adoption mechanism by introducing a social influence factor by which an agent can be influenced by the adoption patterns of their neighbourhood, as well as a green factor, which assumes an environmental product or policy being adopted and is the likelihood that an individual will adopt based on environmental reasons alone.

This study investigates the relationship between firm resources, positioning strategies and performance in the smaller firm. Porter’s generic strategies have been useful in describing how firms compete in the marketplace, and the resource based view has shown that resources can lead to a sustained competitive advantage. The strategic management field has begun to combine the two theories and examine the link between them. Small firms must make the best use of their relatively scarce resources. It is proposed that the relationship between resources and performance is contingent upon the positioning strategy the firm competes on, although there has only been limited supporting research to date. This research builds on work by Edelman et al. (2005) by examining the relationship between human, organisational and physical resources, and the strategies of quality/ customer service, innovation, and cost leadership in 447 retail, engineering, and professional service firms in New Zealand. Using Structural Equations Modelling this research finds that positioning strategies are the mechanism by which firms can leverage their resources into higher performance. This relationship can be modelled as mediated or moderated, with statistical analysis sensitive to model complexity. The firm’s environment influences this relationship with different resources required to support each position depending on the industry. Specifically human, organisational, and physical resources appear to be viable sources of competitive advantage when they are leveraged by a strategy of quality/ customer service, innovation or cost leadership when the industry environment is conducive to the resource – strategy combination.

Orientador : Dirceu da Silva / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Educação / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-13T19:13:08Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Veraszto_EstefanoVizconde_D.pdf: 4003724 bytes, checksum: 614d8a52e01bb0dc8c05cb7104f051c2 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009 / Resumo: Nos últimos anos o homem vem transformando o meio através da sua ação ao conceber e desenvolver novas tecnologias. De uma forma recíproca, as tecnologias emergentes modificam a sociedade, os hábitos e as formas como o homem se relaciona e adquire informações e conhecimento. Desta forma, este trabalho desenvolve um modelo de pesquisa com o objetivo de encontrar relações causais entre homem, sociedade, tecnologia e meio. Com esse modelo foi possível saber como a sociedade pode afetar as concepções que graduandos do estado de São Paulo têm acerca da tecnologia e também as suas crenças e expectativas em relação ao desenvolvimento tecnológico e o futuro do planeta. O modelo desenvolvido, bem como todas suas variações possíveis, foram testados através de Modelagem de Equações Estruturais (SEM) para mapear relações de causa e efeito entre as dimensões que denominamos de: dimensão social, concepções de tecnologia e atitudes e expectativas frente ao desenvolvimento tecnológico. A partir do modelo inicial a hipótese de pesquisa foi elaborada e confirmada estatisticamente. A análise mostrou que a sociedade exerce uma influência direta nas concepções e atitudes dos indivíduos pesquisados frente ao desenvolvimento tecnológico. Isso permitiu compreender melhor o que as pessoas pensam e sabem sobre tecnologia. E essa compreensão gerou subsídios e uma contribuição inicial para discussões futuras acerca de políticas públicas de educação, visando uma alfabetização tecnológica significativas, capaz de preparar novas estratégias de ensino que possibilitem educar cidadãos para uma sociedade plural, democrática e tecnologicamente avançada. / Abstract: In recent years, the man has transformed the way through his action to design and develop new technologies. In a reciprocal manner, the emerging technologies have changed the society, the habits and the ways in which the man is connected and acquire information and knowledge. Thus, this paper develops a model of research with the aim to find causal relationships between man, society, technology and environment. With this model, it was possible to know how the society can affect the conceptions that the São Paulo State'students have about the technology as well as their beliefs and expectations about the technology development and the future of the planet. The model developed, and all its possible variations, were tested using the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to map the cause and effect relation between the dimensions that we named as: social dimension, technology and attitudes conceptions and technology development expectations. From the initial model, the research hypothesis was developed and confirmed statistically. The analysis showed that the society exercises a direct influence on the conceptions and attitudes of individuals studied front of technological development. This allowed better understand what people think and know about technology. That understanding led subsidies and an initial contribution to future discussions about public policy education to a significant technological literacy and capable of preparing new teaching strategies that allow citizens to educate a plural society democratic and technologically advanced. / Resumen: En los últimos años el hombre ha transformado el entorno a través de su acción para diseñar y desarrollar nuevas tecnologías. En una manera recíproca, las tecnologías cambian la sociedad, los hábitos y las formas en que el hombre está conectado y adquirir información y conocimientos. Por lo tanto, este trabajo desarrolla un modelo de investigación con el fin de encontrar relaciones causales entre el hombre, la sociedad, la tecnología y el medio ambiente. Con este modelo es posible saber cómo la sociedad puede afectar a las concepciones que los estudiantes en el estado de São Paulo tienen sobre la tecnología y también sus creencias y expectativas con respecto a la evolución y el futuro del planeta. El modelo desarrollado, y todas sus posibles variaciones, se probaron utilizando los Modelos de Ecuaciones Estructurales (SEM) para trazar las relaciones de causa y efecto entre las dimensiones fueran llamadas de: dimensión social, concepciones de la tecnología y actitudes y expectativas hacia el desarrollo tecnológico. Desde el modelo inicial, la hipótesis de investigación fue desarrollada y confirmada estadísticamente. El análisis mostró que la sociedad ejerce una influencia directa sobre las concepciones y actitudes de los individuos estudiados frente del desarrollo tecnológico. Esto permitió comprender mejor el pensamiento y el conocimiento que tienen las personas acerca de la tecnología. Este entendimiento llevó subvenciones y una contribución inicial a los futuros debates sobre las políticas públicas de educación buscando una importante alfabetización tecnológica y capaz de preparar nuevas estrategias de enseñanza que permitan educar a los ciudadanos para una sociedad plural democrática y tecnológicamente avanzada. / Doutorado / Ensino e Práticas Culturais / Mestre em Educação

Many low-income countries desire to implement and adopt digital government as a springboard for economic and social development but face many challenges. The United Nations identifies that Africa has especially lagged consistently in digital government development and adoption. Most scholars largely attribute the challenges to infrastructure and skills, and often rhetorically cite culture as playing a strong role. This study specifically examined the role of indigenous African culture (‘spirituality’, ‘communalism’ and ‘respect for authority and elders’) and internet access on the adoption of digital government services (e-filing and e-payment of taxes) by Small and Micro Enterprises (SMEs) in Zambia, with the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technologies (UTAUT) as the underpinning theoretical lens. Data analysis was done using Structural Equation Modelling with principal attention given to the moderating and mediating influence of indigenous African culture. The influence of internet access on the intention to adopt digital government was also examined. The findings from the cross sectional study of 401 tax registered SMEs suggests that ‘spirituality’, ‘African communalism’ and ‘respect for authority and elders’ have significant negative moderating effects on the adoption of e-filing but not on e-payment; and ‘spirituality’, ‘African communalism’ and ‘respect for authority and elders’ are all significant mediators of the intention to adopt both e-filing and e-payment. This means that indigenous African culture plays a significant role in explaining Africa’s position in digital government development and adoption. The findings also showed a negative influence of internet access on the intention to adopt digital government services despite the measures that government has put in place. These results make a novel contribution to Information Systems (IS) theory in identifying a critical yet often overlooked indigenous cultural influence on the adoption of digital innovations in low-income countries. The findings also calls for finding new or adapted IS theories that take into account such unique cultural constructs. The thesis recommends that the research is extended to other low-income countries as well as other contexts that exhibit strong indigenous cultural values. / School of Computing / Ph. D. (Information Systems)