Drawing from an extensive and unique data set acquired by combining a cross-national comparative approach and a mixed methods methodology, this thesis examines the contributions of Facebook to citizens’ political participation in Italy and the UK. In the last decade there has been a proliferation of academic studies investigating the links between digital technologies and citizens’ political participation, with an increasing number of publications focusing on social networking websites (SNSs). Within this specific sub-field, research has produced contrasting evidence. Some scholars stress the positive impact of the Internet and SNSs on political participation (i.e., optimists), while others minimise their mobilising power, emphasising their tendency to reinforce existing participatory trends (i.e., normalisers) or highlighting their limited or even negative influence on political participation (i.e., pessimists). The present research differs from the majority of investigations in this area in three ways. Firstly, the data for this study were gathered mostly in a non-electoral period and thus the contributions of Facebook to citizens’ political participation were assessed independently of the electoral process, which usually occasions a rise in political participation. In addition, this research tackled two conceptual weaknesses characterising many Internet and political participation studies: the failure to consider political participation as a multidimensional phenomenon and the over-generalised approach to Internet and SNS usages. It did so by differentiating between political communication and political mobilisation activities, and three Facebook non-political usages, i.e., information, interpersonal communication, and social recreation. Thirdly, in response to the lack of cross-national comparative studies in this subject area, the contributions of Facebook to citizens’ political participation were examined in the different contexts of Italy and the United Kingdom. This thesis makes four main contributions to the field of political communication, and more specifically to the strand of research examining the impact of digital technologies on political participation. The first contribution is the Particularised Model of Facebook Political Participation. The model identifies a number of factors mediating the links between Facebook and political participation, demonstrating the relevance of both external, context-related factors related to the British and Italian media and political landscapes, and more personal, subjective ones such as self-presentation, pre-existing levels of political engagement, and the nature and size of the Facebook network. Secondly, this study sheds light on the ways that Facebook functions as a political platform, establishing that dynamics typical of both new and traditional media are in action on this SNS, and that Facebook holds the capacity to activate a virtuous circle, thereby generating an information-led mobilisation. The third contribution is the Dual Routes of Exposure Model which offers clarification on the alleged tendency of digital technologies to promote selective exposure and, consequently, political fragmentation and polarisation, and shows that Facebook can operate as a potential antidote to such trends. The fourth contribution is to the polarised debate between optimists, normalisers, and pessimist, with the present research further highlighting the sterility of such a debate and indicating potentially fruitful approaches for the development of the field.

This thesis examines public relations in Saudi Arabia as an occupational group. The thesis investigates the knowledge public relations practitioners possess, and how Saudi culture and public communication factors affect public relations practitioners. The thesis offers insights into the cultural background of the country, public communication and public relations practice in Saudi Arabia. Moreover, it provides an analysis of theories of the profession and the relationship between the profession and public relations occupation. For the purposes of this research, in-depth unstructured interviews were used to collect data from 27 practitioners. A constructivist paradigm was utilised to examine the Saudi practitioners’ perceptions of knowledge, culture, public communication. Moreover, the thesis has followed a socio-cultural approach and theories of the profession to investigate the empirical data. The thesis has several contributions to knowledge. Firstly, it brings an understanding of the role of the state in the process of professionalization. Using Vygotsky’s theories the thesis has found that educational institutions influence PR practice and this results in lack of progress and limited opportunities for change, learning and career movement. Secondly, the thesis found that there is disconnection between theories that are taught in universities with PR programmes and PR practices. The thesis found that there is a problematic nature of abstract knowledge, which determines the disconnection between communication theories and PR practice. Moreover, there is a disconnection between the practice immersed in culture and that cultural practices are stronger than professional practice. Finally, the thesis has contributed to the literature by finding out that ethics in Western countries are regarded as something that is developed by a professional body in a way that relates to society, however in Saudi Arabia the Muslim values and ethics are implemented directly in the work context and ethics is not developed by a professional body.

This report provides a description of the development and implementation of an Exoplanet visualization within the interactive astro-visualization software OpenSpace. Orbital Data from The Exoplanet Orbit Database were used to render the planetary systems around stars known to have exoplanets in orbit. The uncertainties of the data in the database were incorporated into the design of the visualization. A feature that visualizes the discovery method of exoplanets was also implemented.

The distribution of mobile applications is evolving, and the developers are seeking to gain economic advantages, as well as reaping the benefits of the current market opportunities. But studies show that a majority of the mobile users are not willing to pay for a mobile application. This dilemma complicates the economic gain for the developers and for the brands behind the mobile application. But is there a solution for this dilemma, for the developers to obtain? This paper investigates what aspects affects people’s willingness to pay for application and what factors increases people’s willingness to pay for applications. By combining a scientific literature review followed by semi-structured interviews with 19 participants, 8 guidelines were formed in order to answer what affects people’s willingness to pay for a mobile application and what aspects increases people’s willingness to pay for mobile applications.

In recent years, virtual reality (VR) has become more common within the media industry and with its increasing popularity, spatial audio reproduction methods such as ambisonics have got more attention. But how humans perceive auditory events in VR is an ongoing research topic and there is a need for keep evaluating the reproduction methods used for it. Even though humans’ auditory distance perception in natural and laboratory conditions has been investigated in many previous studies, little has been made in VR environments. Thus, there is a need for keep investigating how humans estimate sound source distances in VR and which recording techniques that results in most accurate estimations. This study aimed to investigate human’s accuracy in sound source distance estimations in VR, when sound sources have been recorded with an artificial head or first-order ambisonic (FOA) microphone. Three different reproductions methods were used in the study: artificial head, FOA-tracked binaural and FOA-static binaural. In a VR environment, twenty-three subjects were asked to position a virtual loudspeaker at the same position as a sound source. The results showed no significant differences between the three reproduction methods. In the results it was also shown that the subjects clearly overestimated the sound source distances. A possible reason is that the subjects underestimated the size of the virtual environment.

In the socio-technical society, the demands of the user create opportunities for new services based on mobile devices. Services such as Swish and Samsung Pay contribute to new ways for both individuals but also companies to carry out simple mobile-based payments. Through past studies in the field in focus, development of services for mobile payment services, and group and in-depth interviews a number of influencing factors on the design process have been noticed: factors such as the customer’s major impact on a design process and the importance of a functioning communication between designers and customers. Working agile facilitates this and at the same time enables the involvement of users in the design process. This work focus on norms and trends in the design process and the most important influencing factors in a design process based on reality. / I det sociotekniska samhället skapar kraven från användare möjligheter till nya tjänster med utgångspunkt i mobila enheter. Tjänster som Swish och Samsung Pay bidrar till nya sätt för både privatpersoner men också företag att utföra enkla mobilbaserade betalningar. Genom teoretisk bakgrund till området i fokus, utveckling av tjänster hos mobila betaltjänster, samt utförandet av djupgående intervjuer och gruppintervjuer har flera olika påverkande faktorer på designprocessen kunnat urskiljas: faktorer som kundens stora inverkan på en designprocess och vikten av en fungerande kommunikation mellan alla designers och kunden. Agilt arbete underlättar för detta och samtidigt möjliggör involvering av användare i designprocessen. Detta arbete fokuserar på normer och trender inom designprocessen och de viktigaste påverkande faktorerna i en designprocess utifrån från ett verklighetsbaserat fokus.

This paper describes what causes women to want to be anonymous on social media. Anonymity causes both negative and positive effects online, which we believe makes the topic interesting to examine from a specific user group’s perspective. Through interviews and a web-based questionnaire, this study provides insight into why women choose to remain anonymous, and which strategies they apply to preserve a hidden identity on social media. As the study aims to provide a qualitative answer, a discourse analysis was carried out in combination with a smaller content analysis when interpreting the material. The study shows that women are primarily anonymous to protect themselves against possible threats, as a tool for preserving their self-representation and as a means of releasing themselves from power structures. We see this as an indication that anonymity is an important function to make available for users, to achieve inclusive design.

Visuell kommunikation är viktigt för att underlätta förståelsen hos läsaren, samt lösa avancerade problem inom vetenskap och matematik. Trots denna kunskap används den knappt vid läromedelsformgivning av exempelvis matematiska läroböcker. Tidigare forskning har gjort undersökningar om visuell kommunikation i ämnet matematik som främst involverat låg- och mellanstadieelever, samt högre gymnasiala- och högskoleutbildningar. Instruktioner är fortfarande dock väldigt begränsade vad gäller att använda visuella modeller och strategier från läromedel. Att tillverka tydlig visualisering utifrån data är dock tidskrävande samt kräver stor ansträngning. Däremot är visuell kommunikation nödvändigt för att minska otydligheter samt konsekvenser. Denna studie har därför undersökt hur visuell kommunikation kan utformas i matematiska problemformuleringar, samt hur detta uppfattas hos matematikintresserade elever på högstadienivå. En kvalitativ undersökning har genomförts via ett matematiktest som utformats på 3 olika sätt. Matematiktestet utformades utifrån teorier om grafiska designelement som används ofta i visuell kommunikation. Målgruppen bestod av 6 matematikintresserade elever från 2 klasser i årskurs 7. Testet innehöll 5 problemformuleringar varav 2 personer fick göra varsitt matematiktest av de 3 utformningarna. Matematiktestets utformningar bestod av ett bildbaserat, ett textbaserat, samt ett text- och bildbaserat. Dessa 3 utformningars kommunikation jämfördes sedan i form av en semistrukturerad intervju med målgruppen efter testet. Målgruppens åsikter analyserades i förhållande till testerna. Slutsatserna av analysen resulterade i en majoritet som uppskattade det text- och bildbaserade testet. De gemensamma designelementen bild, förklarande text, samt rödmarkerad text underlättade förståelsen hos målgruppen för denna studies undersökning. Det text- och bildbaserade testet underlättade därför förståelsen för problemformuleringarna. Det textuella och bildbaserade testet hade bristande kommunikation och uppfattades därför som svårt. Kombinationen av både text och bild gav  motivation till att vilja lösa problemet i jämförelse med de test som enbart bestod av text eller bild. Text och bild kan därmed användas av, eller enbart inspirera, lärare inom ämnet matematik vid framtida utformning av problemformuleringar. / Visual communication is necessary in order to gain a better understanding for the reader, and also to solve difficult scientific and mathematical problems. Though, this knowledge is rarely used in the design of educational materials, mathematical educational books as an example. Earlier reasearch has been investigating visual communication in mathematic, which has involved primary- and upper primary school, including investigations at high school and university level. Still, instructions is very limited when it comes to the use of visual models and strategies from educational materials. It is very time consuming and requires great effort in order to create comprehensible visualization from raw data. Though, visual communication is necessary in order to decrease vaguenesses and consequences. This study has therefore investigated how visual communication can be designed in mathematical problems, and what  the experience of it is according to secondary school students that have an interest for mathematic. A qualitative investigation has been done through a mathematic test that has been designed in 3 different ways. The design of the test was based on theory involving graphical design elements that is often used in visual communication. The target group consisted of 6  mathematical interested students from 2 classes in the 7th grade. The test contained 5 problems, where 2 students each got to make one of the tests from the 3 designs. The designs of the test contained one picturebased, one textbased, and one text- and picturebased. These 3 designs’ communication was therefore compared in a semistructured interview together with the target group, after the test. The tests got analyzed by the target groups’ opinions. The conclusions from the analyze resulted in a majority that appreciated the text- and picturebased test the most. The common design element pictures, explanatory text, and the redmarked text helped to understand the problems in the test. The test that was textbased and picturebased lacked in communication and therefore seemed difficult by the target group. Compared to the test involving only text or pictures, the combination of both text and pictures gave motivation to solve the problem. At last, text and pictures can thereby be used by, or only in order to inspire, teachers in mathematic when designing mathematical problems in the future.

En väl fungerande visuell identitet är av största vikt för att skapa ett framgångsrikt varumärke med hög efterfrågan. Därför är det viktigt att varumärken uppdateras och anpassas efter rådande förhållanden då det visuella/grafiska uttrycket kontinuerligt förändras i dagens samhälle. Logotypen är den tydligaste ingångspunkten i varumärkeskommunikationen och därmed är studiens syfte att utforma en logotyp som kommunicerar teföretaget Song tea’s varumärke. Studien haren kvalitativ fallstudieansats och empiri i form av intervjuer redogör för respondenternas åsikter om logotypförslagen och berör teorier som: varumärkesidentitet, positionering, logotyp, färger och typografi. Utifrån dessa teorier och insamlad data, där trerespondenter och en testperson intervjuades, analyserades materialet för att besvara studiens syfte. Slutsatserna av denna studie visar att Song tea bör utforma väldesignade förpackningar som anpassas efter den nya kontexten och blir hållbar över avsedd tid. Oavsett storlek på företaget så indikerar en välgjord design kvalitet och värde för konsumenten vilket leder till en större attraktionskraft. Vidare visar studien att färger är viktiga kommunikativa element men att konsumenterna har olika åsikter om färgval. Detta leder till att Song tea via varumärkeskommunikation bör skapa en stark identitet som med upprepad exponering av logotyp och färg kan göra att varumärkesassociationer skapas och förknippas med företaget. Dessutom är förpackningsdesignen avgörande vid köpbeslutet och tillsammans med en innovativ design kan det öppna upp nya marknader för företaget där varumärkeskännedomen blir av vikt för att skapa en ökad attraktionskraft. / A well-functioning visual identity is paramount for creating a successful brand in high demand. Therefore, it is essential that brands are updated and accommodated to the current demands when the visual/graphic expressions are continuously changing in modern society. The logotype is the most apparent point of entry in brand communication. The purpose of this study is to design a logotype that communicates the tea company Song tea’s brand. The study is a qualitative case study and empirical data in form of interviews describes the respondents' opinions about the logotype suggestions and concerns theories such as: brand identity, positioning, logotype, colors and typography. Based on these theories and acquired data, interviews with three respondents and one test person, the material was analyzed to answer the purpose of the study. The findings show that Song tea should shape well-designed packages adapted to the new context, and sustainable over the desired time. Whatever the size of the company, a well-designed brand indicates quality and consumer value, leading to a greater appeal. The study also shows that colors are important communicative elements, but consumers have different opinions about choice of colors. This leads to the conclusion that Song tea should create a strong identity through brand communication with repeated exposure of the logo and color, which can create brand associations that is tied to the brand. Also the packaging design is crucial in purchasing decisions and together with an innovative design, it can open up new markets for the company where brand recognition is of great importance to create increased appeal.

Hållbar kommunikation har blivit ett allt mer vanligt begrepp. Företag tycks dock ha svårt att berätta om sitt hållbarhetsarbete på ett trovärdigt sätt. Alltför många lyfter fram enskilda hållbara handlingar samtidigt som deras övriga arbete lämnar en del att önska. Syftet med detta arbete är därför att undersöka hur företag på ett trovärdigt sätt kan marknadsföra sig som en hållbar aktör och därigenom attrahera kunder med samma syn på hållbarhet. Vidare undersöker vi hur detta kan bidra till att stärka ett företags image. Studien har skett genom framtagning och utvärdering av en releasekampanj där en fiktiv kommunikationsbyrå varit avsändare. En förstudie samt kvalitativ metod har används för att besvara studiens syfte. Det slutgilitga konceptet bygger på en flerstegskampanj som återfinns på såväl fysiska som digitala plattformar vid olika tidpunkter i samband med Earth Overshoot Day. Slutligen ska kampanjen generera besök på den landningssida som återfinns på kommunikationbyråns hemsida. Målet är att mottagaren väljer att kontakta byrån vilket leder till sälj. Studien visar att avsändaren behöver uppfattas som en trovärdig och kompetent aktör men att kampanjen även behöver engagera mottagaren. Genom att berätta om hållbarhet på ett objektivt sätt stärker avsändaren bilden av sig själv som en trovärdig aktör. För att mottagaren verkligen ska engagera sig behöver kampanjen fortfarande väcka känslor samt leda till en tankeställare. Vidare visar även arbetet att gerillamarknadsföring kan vara ett kostnadseffektivt sätt att uppnå detta på.