Whether it is offering services, delivering solutions or driving innovations, team work has been a hallmark of efficiency and effectiveness in various industries. The healthcare industry is not left out as its service delivery process involves numerous interfaces, information flows and patient hand-offs among professionals with different educational training, differing knowledge levels and possibly working from different locations as well. As healthcare delivery evolves to being more patient-centered, so does the team settings as well, becoming more collaborative. Such changes also translate into a need for support systems to evolve to be able to provide support for the extent of collaboration that would be needed. A framework is needed to guide in the development of such systems. However, due to the varying needs of patients, team types and make-up would generally differ, so we explored the different types of team settings studying what they entail based on their various degrees of collaboration. We therefore present in this thesis a model of team based concepts, an ontology formalizing the model, team based scenarios designed using the ontology and then application of the scenarios to test the ability of BPMN (Business Process Modeling Notation) to model healthcare teams.

Whether it is offering services, delivering solutions or driving innovations, team work has been a hallmark of efficiency and effectiveness in various industries. The healthcare industry is not left out as its service delivery process involves numerous interfaces, information flows and patient hand-offs among professionals with different educational training, differing knowledge levels and possibly working from different locations as well. As healthcare delivery evolves to being more patient-centered, so does the team settings as well, becoming more collaborative. Such changes also translate into a need for support systems to evolve to be able to provide support for the extent of collaboration that would be needed. A framework is needed to guide in the development of such systems. However, due to the varying needs of patients, team types and make-up would generally differ, so we explored the different types of team settings studying what they entail based on their various degrees of collaboration. We therefore present in this thesis a model of team based concepts, an ontology formalizing the model, team based scenarios designed using the ontology and then application of the scenarios to test the ability of BPMN (Business Process Modeling Notation) to model healthcare teams.

This research project focuses on a model designed for the evaluation of ABET instructional programmes. In the light of rapid changes in the socio-economic and political contexts in Africa and particularly in South Africa, this study examines adult basic education and training, which has become acknowledged as an indispensable tool for the transformation and development of societies. Since 1994 education has become a constitutional right for all citizens of South Africa. In an attempt to offer basic education and training to all adults many institutions and departments have established ABET programmes offering adults the skills they may need in order to contribute to the development of their communities. The lack of guidelines for instructing, assessing and evaluating ABET programmes prompted the choice of research topic. The study begins with a review of relevant literature pertaining to the field of adult education and also provides a general discussion on didactics as it .is relevant to adult education. The study proposes a model for evaluating ABET instructional programmes. Focus group discussions are employed as a research tool to validate the proposed model and its accompanying guidelines. The study reveals that, for ABET instructional programmes to be outcomes based, relevant, conducive to critical thinking and creativity and productive of meaningful assessment, a model for evaluating the programmes' performance in these areas is essential. Based on this presupposition, the study proceeds to develop a model for the evaluation of ABET programmes. It draws on literature pertaining to educational evaluation in general and extrapolates the findings to construct a model appropriate for evaluating ABET programmes. In the field component of the study, endeavour is made to validate the model according to the perceptions of a sample of ABET practitioners. In-depth focus interviews are conducted to validify the various components of the model. In conclusion, the study recommends further research into the didactics of adult education and training (ABET) in order to improve adult education practices. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Didactics)

Die algemene persepsie bestaan dat dit 'n struikelblok is om 'n enigste kind te wees omdat hierdie kinders meestal sosio-emosionele probleme ervaar. Hulle word getipeer as onder andere selfsugtig, eensaam, afhanklik, ongelukkig, dominerend en bederf. Daar bestaan betreklik min navorsing omtrent die enigste kind as sodanig. Die meeste inligting wat omtrent hierdie kinders beskikbaar is, is verkry uit"'vergelykende studies waarvan enigste kinders toevallig deel gevorm het en waarin die invloed van veranderlikes soos geboorterangorde en gesinsgrootte op aspekte soos intelligensie, persoonlikheid en gedrag ondersoek is. Die gebruik van hierdie veranderlikes het wye kritiek uitgelok omdat dit aanleiding gegee het tot teenstrydige navorsingsresultate wat sowel negatiewe as positiewe persoonseienskappe uitgewys het. 'n Sterk pleidooi is gelewer vir 'n holistiese benadering tot die persoonlikheidsontwikkeling van die enigste kind met grater klem op die bepalende invloed van f aktore binne en buite die gesin. In hierdie studie word die invloed van ouerlike opvoedingsgedrag op die persoonlikheidsontwikkeling van die enigste kind ondersoek. Die vertrekpunt van die studie is 'n ondersoek na die rol wat gehegtheid en die gesin as sosiale sisteem as grondslag van 'n ouer-kind-verhouding speel. Albei ouers dra vanuit hul onderskeie ouerhuise bepaalde opvoedingsinhoude, gebaseer op die opvoedingsgedrag wat hulle as kinders ervaar het, in hul huwelik en gesin in. Dit dien as grondslag vir die opvoedingsgedrag wat hulle teenoor hul kind openbaar. Sodoende skep hulle 'n eie opvoedingskultuur. Die literatuur Die literatuur bevestig die regstreekse verband tussen ouerlike opvoedingsgedrag en die persoonlikheidsontwikkeling van die enigste kind. In hierdie studie word agt dimensies van - ouerlike opvoedingsgedrag beskryf, asook die invloed daarvan op die persoonlikheid van die enigste kind. In die empiriese ondersoek word die opvoedingsgedrag van vyf ouerpare, asook hul enigste kinders se betekenisgewing daaraan en belewing daarvan, aan die hand van vraelyste en ongestruktureerde onderhoude kwalitatief geevalueer. Op grond hiervan is bevind dat die populere stereotipering van die enigste kind ongegrond is en dat daar nie sprake is van 'n tipiese enigste kind nie. 'n Waardering van die persoonlikheidsontwikkeling van die enigste kind, trouens van enige kind, is eerder gelee in die kind se belewing van en betekenisgewing aan sy ouers se opvoedingsgedrag. / A general perception exists that it is an impediment to be an only child because these children frequently experience socio-emotional problems. They are typified as self-centred, lonely, dependent, domineering and spoit Little research exists to verify this description. Most of the available information has been obtained through comparative studies in which only children participated through sheer coincidence. These studies investigated the effects of variabl~ such as position in family and family size on aspects such as intelligence, personality and behaviour. The use of these variables elicited wide criticism since it resulted in contradictory research findings which indicated the presence of both negative and positive personality traits. This prompted a plea for a holistic approach to the personality development of the only child, with a greater emphasis on the determining influences of factors within and outside the family. This study investigates the influence of parental educational behaviour on the personality development of the only child. The point of departure is an inquiry into the roles played by the family as a social system and attachment in the foundation of the parent-child relationship. From their respective parental homes, both parents bring certain educational contents into their marriage, based on the educational behaviour that they experienced as children. This serves as a basis for the behaviour that they display towards their children. The literature establishes a linear relationship between parental educational behaviour and the personality development of the only child. In this study, eight dimensions of parental educational behaviour are described, as well as the influence of these on the personality of the only child. In the empirical investigation, the educational behaviour of five couples was quantitatively evaluated using questionnaires and unstructured int~rviews. The only child's attribution of meaning to and experience of this behaviour were also evaluated. Based on these results, it was found that the popular stereotyping of the only child is unfounded, and that there is no such thing as a typical only child. An appreciation of the personality development of the only child, and indeed any child, lies rather in the child's experience of and meaning attribution to his parents' educational behaviour. / D.Ed. (Psychology of Education)

The success or failure of implementing affirmative action lies with the management of enterprises. This research - based on a literature study, questionnaires completed by 200 respondents and the researcher's model for the implementation of affirmative action - focuses on management's views on aspects of importance for affirmative action to succeed in the enterprise. From the views of management it is clear that • the more closely affirmative action impinges on the career expectations of the current incumbents, the more resistance and non ownership can be expected • the affirmative action message must be communicated sincerely and positively • diversity management must change drastically to focus on educating persons to understand not only themselves, but also others of different backgrounds, race, gender, skills, persuasion and experience • the enterprise needs to accelerate the process to identify potential, training and development processes as well as performance coaching of disadvantaged groups Meeting the above challenges, will require mutual trust, respect and communication. / Summaries in English and Afrikaans / Die bestuur van ondernemings bepaal die sukses of mislukking by die implementering van regstellende optrede. Die navorsing - gebaseer op 'n literatuurstudie, vraelyste ingevul deur 200 respondente en die navorser se model vir die implementering van regstellende optrede - fokus op bestuur se menings aangaande aspekte van belang vir die sukses van regstellende optrede in die onderneming. Vanuit bestuur se menings is dit duidelik dat • hoe grooter inbreuk regstellende optrede maak op die beroepsverwagtinge van die huidige bekleers, hoe sterker weerstand en nie-eienaarskap kan van hulle verwag word • die regstellende optrede boodskap moet eerlik en positief gekommunikeer word • die bestuur van diversiteit se fokus drasties moet verander om individue te leer om nie net hulself nie, maar ook ander van verskillende agtergrond, bevolkingsgroep, geslag, vaardighede, oortuigings en ondervinding te verstaan • die onderneming die prosesse moet versnel wat betrekking het op die identifisering van potensiaal, opleiding en ontwikkeling asook prestasierigleiding van die benadeelde groepe Ten einde aan bogenoemde uitdagings te voldoen, sal wedersydse vertroue, respek en kommunikasie vereis / Economics and Management Sciences / M.Com. (Business Management)

Strengthening civil society participation in development is a prerequisite to enhance access to opportunities and political influence by the poor. An active civil society can improve development accountability. In fact, Africa cannot improve its governance without investing in the role of civil society. This study examines the problem of resource mobilization for NECs in four Africa countries; assessing factors and strategies, which influence their ability to mobilize resources. Utilizing qualitative and quantitative methods, the study found that effective NECs exist in all four countries. The success of these NECs depended on “being strategic” about resource mobilization. The lack of resources mobilization strategies was a key factor in all four NECs. This often meant lack of proactiveness in resource mobilization. In its recommendations, the study presents a model aimed to encourage CSOs to organize and manage resource mobilization in ways that generate income for today, tomorrow and the future in order to sustain their watchdog role in educational development process. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)

Submitted by Marilene Donadel (marilene.donadel@unioeste.br) on 2019-03-25T16:13:20Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Tatiani_Bianco_2018.pdf: 5463183 bytes, checksum: 623edce81df00dd24349d6ce63dfc11f (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2019-03-25T16:13:20Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Tatiani_Bianco_2018.pdf: 5463183 bytes, checksum: 623edce81df00dd24349d6ce63dfc11f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-11-27 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / The problem of urban solid waste management (RSU) is a topic of worldwide concern, and has been treated as a priority, since equating excessive generation and final disposal of environmentally sound waste is one of the major challenges facing modern society. Thus, the RSUs are correctly managed as a challenge / goal to be achieved, in order to minimize the negative impacts caused by the generation of waste from various generating sources. In view of the above, this thesis aimed to propose a model of MSW management differentiated, in the stages of collection, transportation, treatment and recovery of waste, capable of meeting the legal prerogatives in economic, social and environmental context, and that allows the implantation of an economic model that generates wealth, employment and income in a sustainable environment in the municipalities of the Western Mesoregion of Paraná. For that, the methodological procedures included the execution of six stages, namely: 1) Characterization of the sources of RSU in the western mesoregion of Paraná; 2) Estimation of the potential of RSU generation in the municipalities of the Western Mesoregion of Paraná, during the years 1980 to 2030; 3) Evaluation of the execution of the National Solid Waste Policy as of the enactment of Federal Law No. 12,3052010; 4) Prospecting of methods, processes and technologies for the collection, transport, treatment and use of MSW; 5) Presentation of the MSW management model that allows the consolidation of an economic and sustainable system based on the MSW industrialization based on the economic, social and environmental specificities of the municipalities of the West of Paraná; 6) Consolidation and systematization of results. The results showed that only 12% of the municipalities of the Western Mesoregion of Paraná presented, through the construction of the Indicator of Sustainable Regional Development, a dynamic relationship in their productive base with economic, social and environmental advances. However, given the potential increase in the generation capacity of the MSW in the region, which was estimated at around 41%, it was identified that the 50 municipalities had a daily solid waste generation potential of 595.6 ton/day, in 1980, to 841.5 ton/day, in 2030. Thus, it was evidenced that there is inability to comply with Federal Law No. 12.305/2010, where 63% of the municipalities of the West of Paraná do not have the capacity economic, financial and technical / intellectual staff capable of handling the costs of managing and maintaining the correct level of waste management. This result is mainly due to the application of PNRS guidelines and targets in the municipalities of the West of Paraná through individualized solutions (landfills and / or controlled landfills), which become sources of economic and financial problems for the municipal administrations, as well as in the unfeasible possibility of meeting all the determinations in effect in PNRS / 2010. This scenario also occurs when one intends to establish only one intermunicipal waste management consortium capable of serving the 50 municipalities in the region, since a total investment of R $ 936.28 million would be necessary considering the amount of waste generated in the region, by 2030. Thus, the feasible, economical, social and environmentally adequate solution to waste management in the municipalities of the West of Paraná is the use of three Integrated Systems of Solid Urban Waste Management (SIGRSU), which should be implanted in the Microregions of Cascavel, Foz do Iguaçu and Toledo. Thus, the implementation of this new MSW management model, based on differentiated methods and technologies, has demonstrated the technical and economic viability of the proposal, in which urban solid waste becomes a cost factor and becomes an investment opportunity. In this scenario, the economic variable is one of the main attractions for individuals, while the impacts on the environment and society are also positive. Therefore, there is an environmental externality transformed into a source of opportunities for new business models, in which waste is considered as raw material and / or input of industrial processes, which will help in the sustainable and innovative development of the Meso-region under study, since it would be capable of generating income, from the implementation and development of new technologies, increase the useful life and reduce the need to increase the area for landfills and, thus, make the municipalities comply with the guidelines of Federal Law N ° 12.305/2010, of the PNRS. / O problema do gerenciamento de Resíduos Sólidos Urbanos (RSU) é tema de interesse mundial, e tem sido tratado como prioritário, uma vez que, equacionar a geração excessiva e disposição final e ambientalmente segura dos resíduos é um dos maiores desafios com que se defronta a sociedade moderna. Assim, denota-se a gestão correta dos RSUs como desafio/meta a ser alcançado, visando minimizar os impactos negativos causados pela geração dos resíduos de diversas fontes geradoras. Diante do exposto, a presente tese objetivou propor um modelo de gestão de RSU diferenciado, nas etapas de coleta, transporte, tratamento e aproveitamento de resíduos, capaz de atender as prerrogativas legais em âmbito econômico, social e ambiental, e, que possibilite a implantação de um modelo econômico gerador de riqueza, emprego e renda num ambiente sustentável nos municípios da Mesorregião Oeste do Paraná. Para tanto, os procedimentos metodológicos contemplaram a execução de seis etapas, sendo estas: 1) Caracterização das fontes geradoras de RSU na mesorregião Oeste do Paraná; 2) Estimação do potencial de geração dos RSU nos municípios da Mesorregião Oeste do Paraná, durante os anos de 1980 a 2030; 3) Avaliação da execuçãoimplantação da Política Nacional dos Resíduos Sólidos a partir da promulgação da Lei Federal N°12.3052010; 4) Prospecção dos métodos, processos e tecnologias para a coleta, transporte, tratamento e aproveitamento de RSU; 5) Apresentação do modelo de gestão de RSU diferenciado, que possibilite a consolidação de um sistema econômico e sustentável com base da industrialização dos RSU a partir das especificidades econômicas, sociais e ambientais dos municípios da Mesorregião Oeste do Paraná; 6) Consolidação e sistematização dos resultados. Os resultados demonstraram que apenas 12% dos municípios da Mesorregião Oeste do Paraná apresentaram, por meio da construção do Indicador de Desenvolvimento Regional Sustentável, dinâmica relação na sua base produtiva com avanços econômicos, sociais e ambientais. Contudo, dado o aumento potencial da capacidade de geração de RSU na região, que foi estimado na ordem de 41%, identificou-se que, os 50 municipios apresentaram um potencial de geração de RSU de um montante diário de 595,6 ton.dia, em 1980, para 841,5 ton.dia, em 2030. Assim, evidenciou-se que, há incapacidade no atendimento da Lei Federal N°12.305/2010, onde 63% dos municípios do Oeste do Paraná, não apresentam capacidade econômica, financeira e de corpo técnico/intelectual capaz de arcar com os custos de gestão e manutenção do correto nível de gerenciamento dos resíduos gerados. Tal resultado, deve-se, em maior parte dada a aplicação das diretrizes e metas da PNRS nos municípios do Oeste do Paraná por meio de soluções individualizadas (aterros sanitários e/ou controlados), as quais se transformam em fontes de problemas econômico-financeiros para as gestões municipais, bem como na inviável possibilidade de atendimento de todas as determinações vigentes na PNRS/2010. Tal cenário também se verifica quando se tem a intenção de implantar apenas um consórcio intermunicipal de gerenciamento de resíduos, capaz de atender aos 50 municípios da região, pois seria necessário um investimento total de R$936,28 milhões de reais, considerando o montante de resíduos gerados na região, até 2030. Assim, a solução viável, econômico, social e ambientalmente adequada a gestão de resíduos nos municípios do Oeste do Paraná é a utilização de três Sistemas de Gerenciamento Integrado de Resíduos Sólidos Urbanos (SIGRSU), os quais devem ser implantados nas Microrregiões de Cascavel, Foz do Iguaçu e Toledo. Assim, a implementação desse novo modelo de gestão dos RSU, baseado em métodos e tecnologias diferenciadas, demonstraram a viabilidade técnica e econômica da proposta, na qual os resíduos sólidos urbanos passam de um fator de custo e se tornam uma oportunidade de investimento. Nesse cenário, a variável econômica é um dos maiores atrativos para os indivíduos, ao mesmo tempo em que os impactos no meio ambiente e na sociedade são também positivos. Portanto, tem-se uma externalidade ambiental transformada em fonte de oportunidades de novos modelos de negócios, no qual os resíduos são considerados matérias-primas e/ou insumos de processos industriais, qual auxiliará no desenvolvimento sustentável e inovador da Mesorregião em estudo, pois seria capaz de gerar renda, a partir da implementação e desenvolvimento de novas tecnologias, aumento da vida útil e redução da necessidade de aumento de área para aterros sanitários e, assim, fazer com que os municípios ficassem em conformidade com as diretrizes da Lei Federal N° 12.305/2010, do PNRS.

This dissertation explores the topic of strategy formation in high-growth SMEs. High-growth SMEs represent the growth and job creation engine of an economy; however, little has been understood on how strategy forms and develops in high-growth SMEs. The focus on large organisations has led to a literature gap regarding strategy making in SMEs (Wisener and Millett, 2012). "There is a need for deeper understanding" of strategy formation processes in SMEs (Lofving et al., 2014) and "research focusing on questions such as how firms grow [...] has been neglected." (Wright and Stigliani, 2012) The research objectives are: to understand how strategy forms and develops in high-growth SMEs; to develop a framework for the qualitative study of strategy formation processes in high-growth SMEs; and to identify enablers and barriers related to strategy formation processes in high-growth SMEs. A multiple, retrospective case-study methodology has been used. Extensive case studies built on in-depth interviews with management have been compiled to understand the complexity of the studied phenomenon. The research develops two qualitative research tools based on the literature review: a preliminary framework and an assessment matrix to study strategy formation processes. Furthermore, the research introduces a new approach to strategy charting. The key contributions of this research are as follows: • A holistic view of how strategy processes in high-growth SMEs form and develop is provided. New insights into the structures, characteristics, and other aspects of strategy formation processes have been articulated. • A framework for the qualitative study of strategy formation processes in high-growth SMEs has been developed by applying the cross-case analysis findings to the preliminary framework. • New enablers and barriers related to strategy formation processes in high-growth SMEs have been identified. New findings on the role of strategy formation in achieving growth have been outlined. This dissertation narrows the gap between strategy formation in academia and real life by providing practitioners with detailed case studies which can be used as guidelines for the development of strategy formation processes. The research can also help SMEs' managers to tackle challenges encountered in strategy formation and to support catalysts which enable strategy formation. This dissertation provides exploratory findings into a phenomenon which has been limitedly researched. Further research should seek to generalise and test the findings on additional SMEs.

本論文之研究目的在以成本與利益觀點，驗證產品資訊搜尋過程，消費者於對搜尋時間成本與產品資訊信心程度之主觀估計，在極大化程度對消費者產品資訊搜尋行為影響所扮演的中介變數角色，藉此瞭解產品資訊搜尋階段，極大化程度對消費者資訊搜尋行為與態度之影響機制。 極大化程度為一種個人追求最佳選擇程度之人格特質傾向。過去極大化程度在消費者行為領域之相關研究，多聚焦於探討不同極大化程度消費者之選項數量偏好、時間成本投入意願與決策後情感反應之差異，甚少有消費者資訊搜尋過程相關議題之討論。本研究認為，產品資訊搜尋實為消費者整體選擇與決策歷程最重要之階段，經常影響消費決策之最終品質，因此若要真正瞭解極大化程度對消費者選擇行為與態度差異之影響，除從極大化人格特質基本定義做為影響之解釋外，亦須藉由探討極大化程度在產品資訊搜尋過程，對消費者資訊成本與利益認知之影響中，連結出整段消費者選擇行為歷程之影響機制關係。 本論文以Ratchford (1982) 所提之「資訊搜尋之成本－利益模式 (The Cost-Benefit Model for Information Seeking)」為理論基礎，並將研究分為兩部份，研究一為探討不同極大化程度消費者在產品挑選機制與產品屬性要求標準上的差異，透過受測者對四項產品之屬性重要度評估、對特定屬性規格之期望標準，得知不同極大化程度受測者在產品屬性重視的程度、視為重要的屬性數量，以及產品屬性要求標準上之差異。研究二則採取2 (資訊延遲時間高、低)×2 (產品屬性離散程度高、低) 組間設計實驗，透過本研究設計之虛擬產品購物網站平台，讓受測者執行產品資訊搜尋任務，從中衡量受測者對產品資訊搜尋時間成本與資訊信心之主觀估計，驗證單位搜尋時間估計與單位資訊效用估計在極大化程度對受測者產品資訊搜尋數量、搜尋過程滿意度與產品知覺價值中，扮演之中介變數角色，以瞭解箇中之內在心理機制。 研究結果顯示，極大化程度與產品屬性重視程度及屬性要求標準呈現顯著正向關係，極大化受測者對產品屬性的重視程度與對產品屬性的要求標準皆較滿足化者高。足見不同極大化程度消費者對選擇之追求目標差異，會具體展現於產品遴選機制與屬性要求標準上。而經過中介變數關係檢定後也發現，極大化程度越高之受測者所估計之搜尋時間與對資訊在決策幫助上的信心越低，因而正向影響了搜尋的產品數量，搜尋時間成本與資訊效用估計亦分別成為受測者對搜尋過程滿意度以及對產品知覺價值之中介變數。 本論文之研究成果除驗證極大化選擇目標與產品遴選機制及屬性要求標準之關聯性外，亦進一步得知極大化程度影響消費者產品資訊搜尋行為與態度之內在心理機制，成功將系統性之消費者資訊搜尋經濟模式與極大化概念結合，為極大化程度研究領域帶來更深入且具理論基礎之發現。研究成果亦可作為通路或產品廠商思索產品陳列與資訊呈現方式時之參考依據，以降低顧客之主觀成本花費、提升產品資訊帶給顧客決策上的利益，提高顧客對個人整體消費過程之滿意度與所選產品之知覺價值。 / The purpose of this research is to demonstrate whether consumers’ subjective estimations of search time and product information confidence are the mediators mediating the effects of maximization tendency on consumers’ product information seeking behavior and attitude. From the perspective of information cost-benefit, the psychological mechanism will be found from this effect of personality on consumer behavior in this research. Maximization tendency was conceptualized in recent ten years to describe individual’s personality that strives for pursuing the best choice. After this concept was developed, most of the researches in this domain focused on discussing in the relationships between maximization orientation and consumers’ choice preferences such as the differences in the amount of alternatives, the aspiration to invest search time, and affective response after making decision. However seldom of them paid their attentions to the stage of product information search to probe the mechanism for the effect of maximization tendency on consumers’ searching behaviors about product information. Since the information seeking is the most important process to influence consumers’ decisions, the current study aims to explore the effects of maximization tendency on the individuals’ subjective estimations of time cost and benefit of product information. Hereby, the whole picture of the causal relationship in consumers’ information searching process would be drawn in this study. Referring to the rationales of Ratchford’s cost-benefit model, this research conducts two studies: the first part is to assess the differences in the criteria and attribute standard of consumers’ product selection with differential maximization tendencies. The second part is to conduct a 2 (the delay length of information appearance: low and high)×2 (the the dispersion of information attributes: low and high) between subject design experiments to demonstrate the mediating effect of two variables: consumers’ subjective estimation of time cost and information confidence during searching for information in the relations between maximization tendency and consumers’ information seeking behavior. The result shows the relationship between participants’ maximization orientation and their selection criteria as well as attribute demand standard exists. In general, maximizers have more complex choice criteria and higher picking standards than satisficers do when they choose the same products. The psychological mechanism is confirmed to help us understand how maximization tendency affect seeking behaviors and attitudes of product information from consumer’s product information seeking behavior and attitude. Manufacturers and store owners are suggested to apply these findings in the arrangement of alternatives and the display of product attribute information in order to reduce customers’ subjective estimation of time cost and improve their perception on information utility to, eventually, increase their satisfaction with the whole consumption experiences.

<p>No organisation has an endless and unlimited supply of money, especially in a recessive economy, and therefore decisions have to be made as to which areas an organisation will invest in. As organisations, such as YZ1 financial services organisation, are focused on seeing returns on investment (ROI), implementing software that is not being used&nbsp / will not render any benefits to the organisation. Research problem: Project Managers (PMs) in YZ organisation&rsquo / s IT department need to perform mandated processes, as&nbsp / defined in their centralised repository. PMs need to use Financial and Planning Software (FPS)2 software to perform certain project management activities, as required by their&nbsp / job function. However, it was found that MPP3 software, another tool, was used for more detailed project schedules, as well as activities that were not strictly enforced by&nbsp / management, the Project Office or the Quality Assurance team. Therefore, from this discovery, it was not clear whether the intended benefit of implementing this mandatory&nbsp / software (FPS) was being realised &ndash / since implementing software that is not being utilised fully would not deliver the intended benefits to the IT department (Devaraj &amp / Kohli&nbsp / 2003), even if the software is termed &lsquo / mandatory&rsquo / . Objective: The primary objective of this research was to explore and optimise the key success factors for an effective&nbsp / implementation of mandatory software in a department, in order to derive the intended business benefits. Literature Review: Literature was reviewed in the search for models or&nbsp / theories that explore the relationship between the use of mandatory software and the achievement of business benefits. The Information Management Body of Knowledge&nbsp / (IMBOK) was selected as this framework defines the relationship between IT and the realisation of business benefits, and ultimately the achievement of any business strategy. The literature review focused predominantly on the level of user involvement, change management, as well as factors that influence the usage of mandatory software by&nbsp / individuals. 1. The name of the organisation utilised has been changed. Refer to Ethical Consideration 2. The name of the tools utilised has been changed. Refer to Ethical&nbsp / Consideration and list of acronyms 3. The name of the tools utilised has been changed. Refer to Ethical Consideration and list of acronyms. Focus was given to organisational factors affecting usage, such as top management support and organisational processes. A model was compiled using unique constructs in the Technology Acceptance Model&nbsp / (and TAM2), the Motivational Model (MM) and the Model of PC Utilisation (MPCU) &ndash / in order to test user acceptance of mandatory software. The literature study concludes with a&nbsp / review of an approach to benefits management including five stages, namely: identifying and structuring benefits, planning for the realisation of benefits, executing the plan, in&nbsp / addition to the evaluation and the review. Research design and methodology: A case study was used in this research, as it examined the phenomenon in its natural setting,&nbsp / &nbsp / &nbsp / employing multiple methods of data collection to gather information from a few entities (groups and data sources). In this way, it was not limited to only qualitative or quantitative&nbsp / approaches, but utilised mixed methods instead. A mixed methods approach was used in order to elaborate, enhance and clarify the results from the qualitative research&nbsp / through the results of the quantitative analysis. Findings: The main finding, based on the compilation of three models of user acceptance, proved that FPS was not being utilised&nbsp / as intended. There was also no evidence of an improvement in business operations. Therefore, benefits management was negatively impacted. Organisational processes were&nbsp / dentified as the most important organisational factor, influencing the usage of FPS software. Own technological capability was considered to be the least important factor,&nbsp / as respondents believed that they had sufficient IT skills in order to learn how to use FPS software. Change management was rated negatively / and as a result, it impacted the&nbsp / usage of FPS, as users were not involved in the decision to implement, and had limited interaction in the implementation process. In addition, there was no evidence found that&nbsp / benefits management was conducted in the IT department / and therefore, the impact of using alternative software could not be quantitatively assessed. Recommendations: In concluding this research, it is recommended that the &ldquo / best practice&rdquo / , derived from the pertinent literate should be followed more diligently if YZ organisation is to benefit from the&nbsp / implementation of mandatory software. For example, in this research, it was found that top management&rsquo / s support of FPS (second most important organisational factor influencing use) was lacking, despite the literature suggestion that senior management involvement in changing technology is crucial for organisational commitment. It is&nbsp / suggested that a more formal approach to benefits management should be implemented. It is also recommended that further study should be conducted &ndash / in order to explore&nbsp / the applicability of the Japanese framing (achieving benefits from IT software through the concept of strategic instinct, rather than strategic alignment) in the context of a&nbsp / developing country (such as South Africa).</p>