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  • About
  • The Global ETD Search service is a free service for researchers to find electronic theses and dissertations. This service is provided by the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations.
    Our metadata is collected from universities around the world. If you manage a university/consortium/country archive and want to be added, details can be found on the NDLTD website.
451

Innovationssystem för medicinsk teknik i Stockholm : En undersökning av centrala omständigheter för organisatorisk samverkan

Björkehag, Jonathan, Seglare, Kristin January 2009 (has links)
<p><strong>Introduction </strong>In order to foster innovation of medical devices within the healthcare sector, a collaboration project, PUSH, has been initiated including the hospitals managed by the Stockholm County Council. The collaboration aims to capture ideas from employees and turn them into so called “high-practice” products as well as facilitate the possibilities for medical device companies to try out their products in the settings of healthcare. Collaborations for innovation, comparable to the PUSH project, can be found in both Swedish and foreign regions, but some of them fail to survive due to obstacles affecting the progress of each collaboration. Avoiding the same destiny will be a challenge to the PUSH project.</p><p><strong>Purpose </strong>The purpose is to search for factors affecting organizational collaboration concerning innovation systems for medical device development. The study is focusing on ”high-practice” products within the PUSH project.</p><p><strong>Theoretical approach </strong>In order to emphasize factors affecting innovation, theories regarding innovation systems, clusters and networks has been studied hence they  all concern organizational collaboration.</p><p><strong>Method </strong>The study’s qualitative approach is based on a semi deductive method. The analysis derives from a deductive outlook consistent with chosen theories, whereas collected data is used inductively to stress and enlarge part of the theoretical framework. Semi structured interviews, earlier research and evaluations constitutes most of the collected data.</p><p><strong>Results and analysis </strong>Experience from collaborations for innovation shows that some affecting factors can’t be influenced by collaborators, as political decisions and medical device directives. Collaborators can however affect circumstances such as connections and networking, which is significant to manage the innovation process; from idea to commercialization. An explicit focus on commercialization is important to the collaboration project’s surviving opportunities. A central cause why innovation projects don’t last is lack of funding, both for commercializing certain products as well as for retaining and developing existing innovation structures.</p><p><strong>Conclusion </strong>Collaborating projects should utilize existing structures and complement their networks to involve extensive competency. Decision makers need to decide whether innovation ventures shall be part of the County Council’s assignment. To fulfil the visions of the collaboration project, a policy common to all participants in the forthcoming innovation project needs to be stated, regarding ownership relations, risk sharing, funding and sharing of profits.</p> / <p><strong>Bakgrund </strong>För att främja medicinteknisk innovation inom vården har ett utvecklingsprojekt för samverkan mellan Stockholms landstingsstyrda sjukhus påbörjats, under namnet PUSH (Produktutveckling inom Stockholms hälso- och sjukvård). Syftet med samverkan är att ta vara på landstingspersonalens idéer och utveckla s.k. high-practice-produkter samt att underlätta för medicintekniska företag att testa produkter i vårdmiljö. Liknande innovationssatsningar finns på olika håll i Sverige och utomlands, men det har varit problematiskt att få flera av dessa att överleva, då olika omständigheter påverkar utvecklingen av satsningarna. Samverkansprojektet mellan sjukhusen står således inför en rad utmaningar om de inte ska gå samma öde till mötes.</p><p><strong>Syfte </strong>Syftet är att undersöka omständigheter som är centrala för organisatorisk samverkan inom innovationssystem för utveckling av medicinteknik. Utgångspunkten är utveckling av ”high-practice-produkter” inom projektet PUSH.</p><p><strong>Teoretisk ansats </strong>För att belysa innovationspåverkande omständigheter i studien, har teorier om innovationssystem, kluster och nätverk studerats, utifrån att de behandlar organisatorisk samverkan.</p><p><strong>Metod </strong>Studiens kvalitativa upplägg bygger på ett semideduktivt tillvägagångssätt. Utifrån ett deduktivt synsätt utgår analysen från befintliga teorier medan empirin på ett induktivt sätt ligger till grund för att framhålla och vidga delar av teorierna. Insamlad data utgörs till stor del av semistrukturerade intervjuer och tidigare undersökningar och utvärderingar.</p><p><strong>Resultat och analys </strong>Erfarenheter från samverkansprojekt för innovationer visar att projekten påverkas delvis av omständigheter som ligger utanför projektens kontroll, som innovationspolitiska beslut och medicintekniskt regelverk. Påverkningsbara omständigheter är exempelvis att innovationsprojekt är beroende av ett välutvecklat kontaktnät som sträcker sig över hela innovationsprocessen, från utveckling av idén till kommersialisering. För långsiktig överlevnad är ett uttalat kommersialiseringsfokus av största vikt för projekten. En central orsak till att innovationsprojekt inte överlever på lång sikt är att det saknas finansiering, dels för kommersialisering av enskilda produkter och dels för att behålla och utveckla befintliga innovationsstrukturer.</p><p><strong>Slutdiskussion </strong>För samverkansprojekt bör befintliga strukturer utnyttjas och kompletteras med en utvidgning av nätverket för att involvera en bredare kompetens. Beslutsfattare måste ta ställning till om huruvida innovationssatsningar ingår i landstingets uppdrag. En gemensam policy för ägarförhållanden och risktagande, finansiering och fördelning av eventuella vinster måste utarbetas om samverkansprojektets visioner ska kunna uppnås.</p>
452

Innovationssystem för medicinsk teknik i Stockholm : En undersökning av centrala omständigheter för organisatorisk samverkan

Björkehag, Jonathan, Seglare, Kristin January 2009 (has links)
Introduction In order to foster innovation of medical devices within the healthcare sector, a collaboration project, PUSH, has been initiated including the hospitals managed by the Stockholm County Council. The collaboration aims to capture ideas from employees and turn them into so called “high-practice” products as well as facilitate the possibilities for medical device companies to try out their products in the settings of healthcare. Collaborations for innovation, comparable to the PUSH project, can be found in both Swedish and foreign regions, but some of them fail to survive due to obstacles affecting the progress of each collaboration. Avoiding the same destiny will be a challenge to the PUSH project. Purpose The purpose is to search for factors affecting organizational collaboration concerning innovation systems for medical device development. The study is focusing on ”high-practice” products within the PUSH project. Theoretical approach In order to emphasize factors affecting innovation, theories regarding innovation systems, clusters and networks has been studied hence they  all concern organizational collaboration. Method The study’s qualitative approach is based on a semi deductive method. The analysis derives from a deductive outlook consistent with chosen theories, whereas collected data is used inductively to stress and enlarge part of the theoretical framework. Semi structured interviews, earlier research and evaluations constitutes most of the collected data. Results and analysis Experience from collaborations for innovation shows that some affecting factors can’t be influenced by collaborators, as political decisions and medical device directives. Collaborators can however affect circumstances such as connections and networking, which is significant to manage the innovation process; from idea to commercialization. An explicit focus on commercialization is important to the collaboration project’s surviving opportunities. A central cause why innovation projects don’t last is lack of funding, both for commercializing certain products as well as for retaining and developing existing innovation structures. Conclusion Collaborating projects should utilize existing structures and complement their networks to involve extensive competency. Decision makers need to decide whether innovation ventures shall be part of the County Council’s assignment. To fulfil the visions of the collaboration project, a policy common to all participants in the forthcoming innovation project needs to be stated, regarding ownership relations, risk sharing, funding and sharing of profits. / Bakgrund För att främja medicinteknisk innovation inom vården har ett utvecklingsprojekt för samverkan mellan Stockholms landstingsstyrda sjukhus påbörjats, under namnet PUSH (Produktutveckling inom Stockholms hälso- och sjukvård). Syftet med samverkan är att ta vara på landstingspersonalens idéer och utveckla s.k. high-practice-produkter samt att underlätta för medicintekniska företag att testa produkter i vårdmiljö. Liknande innovationssatsningar finns på olika håll i Sverige och utomlands, men det har varit problematiskt att få flera av dessa att överleva, då olika omständigheter påverkar utvecklingen av satsningarna. Samverkansprojektet mellan sjukhusen står således inför en rad utmaningar om de inte ska gå samma öde till mötes. Syfte Syftet är att undersöka omständigheter som är centrala för organisatorisk samverkan inom innovationssystem för utveckling av medicinteknik. Utgångspunkten är utveckling av ”high-practice-produkter” inom projektet PUSH. Teoretisk ansats För att belysa innovationspåverkande omständigheter i studien, har teorier om innovationssystem, kluster och nätverk studerats, utifrån att de behandlar organisatorisk samverkan. Metod Studiens kvalitativa upplägg bygger på ett semideduktivt tillvägagångssätt. Utifrån ett deduktivt synsätt utgår analysen från befintliga teorier medan empirin på ett induktivt sätt ligger till grund för att framhålla och vidga delar av teorierna. Insamlad data utgörs till stor del av semistrukturerade intervjuer och tidigare undersökningar och utvärderingar. Resultat och analys Erfarenheter från samverkansprojekt för innovationer visar att projekten påverkas delvis av omständigheter som ligger utanför projektens kontroll, som innovationspolitiska beslut och medicintekniskt regelverk. Påverkningsbara omständigheter är exempelvis att innovationsprojekt är beroende av ett välutvecklat kontaktnät som sträcker sig över hela innovationsprocessen, från utveckling av idén till kommersialisering. För långsiktig överlevnad är ett uttalat kommersialiseringsfokus av största vikt för projekten. En central orsak till att innovationsprojekt inte överlever på lång sikt är att det saknas finansiering, dels för kommersialisering av enskilda produkter och dels för att behålla och utveckla befintliga innovationsstrukturer. Slutdiskussion För samverkansprojekt bör befintliga strukturer utnyttjas och kompletteras med en utvidgning av nätverket för att involvera en bredare kompetens. Beslutsfattare måste ta ställning till om huruvida innovationssatsningar ingår i landstingets uppdrag. En gemensam policy för ägarförhållanden och risktagande, finansiering och fördelning av eventuella vinster måste utarbetas om samverkansprojektets visioner ska kunna uppnås.
453

A case study on building NPS into production line

Lai, Yung-jin 30 July 2006 (has links)
The customer's taste is with the transition with constant time ¡A space¡A as the order pours into constantly¡A what an attitude the manufacturing plant is!¡A the flexible company quick in response turn into the existence ways of enterprises in the future¡A and under facing and producing state that must be expanded¡A how to set up production line and efficient duplicating the productive attitude fast fast¡A is it reach quantity produce quality that customer want fast ¡A must is it is it waste carry on procedure transformation to reduce to come through NPS (New Production Skill ) to come. This research is mainly to visit the arrangement which refers to the theory of relevant documents to review and study through the executive inside the company¡A to understand the company understand the themes studied from the doing in the test amount factor of expanding the factory¡A set up NPS to be flat to take production line while being accurate ¡A utilize relevant step in accordance with follow ¡A make similar industry to establish NPS production line have one procedure way in accordance with following fast future.
454

Modeling methodology of converters for HVDC systems and LFAC systems: integration and transmission of renewable energy

Cho, Yongnam 20 September 2013 (has links)
The major achievements of this work are based on two categories: (A) introduction of an advanced simulation technique in both time domain and frequency domain, and (B) realistic and reliable models for converters applicable to analysis of alternative transmission systems. The proposed modeling-methodology using a combination of model quadratization and quadratic integration (QMQI) is demonstrated as a more robust, stable, and accurate method than previous modeling methodologies for power system analyses. The quadratic-integration method is free of artificial numerical-oscillations exhibited by trapezoidal integration (which is the most popularly used method in power system analyses). Artificial numerical oscillations can be the direct reason for switching malfunction of switching systems. However, the quadratic-integration method has a natural characteristic to eliminate fictitious oscillations with great simulation accuracy. Also, model quadratization permits nonlinear equations to be solved without simplification or approximation, leading to realistic models of nonlinearities. Therefore, the QMQI method is suitable for simulations of network systems with nonlinear components and switching subsystems. Realistic and reliable converter models by the application of the QMQI method can be used for advanced designs and optimization studies for alternative transmission systems; they can also be used to perform a comprehensive evaluation of the technical performance and economics of alternative transmission systems. For example, the converters can be used for comprehensive methodology for determining the optimal topology, kV-levels, etc. of alternative transmission systems for wind farms, for given distances of wind farms from major power grid substations. In this case, a comprehensive evaluation may help make more-informed decisions for the type of transmission (HVAC, HVDC, and LFAC) for wind farms.
455

探討LINE推播新聞之使用行為──以情境理論分析 / Understanding User Behavior in Push Notification News on LINE: A Contextual Theory Approach

賴合新, Lai, Ho Hsin Unknown Date (has links)
各種行動裝置服務不僅便利了生活,也讓資訊的傳遞更加即時且無界。2012年起,五家媒體藉助行動通訊軟體LINE在台灣的高人氣,每日固定推播四則新聞,總訂戶數至今突破450萬人,儼然成為一個新興的新聞傳播渠道。 本研究以情境理論的觀點,質化的使用者日誌記錄法和深度訪談法為主,理解使用者在不同情境下使用推播新聞的行為,並透過HTML5文字雲分析機,歸納出各家媒體推播內容的樣貌和趨勢。情境分析構面包含接收與閱讀情境下的「實體環境」、「社交環境」、「資訊環境」、「先前狀態」和「時間的影響」等;另再針對使用過程中面臨的「人機互動情境」綜合分析使用者的體驗。 這些情境因素不僅各自影響媒介使用的動機和行為,也會與新聞內容相互加強(或制約)吸引力,端賴哪方拉力(或推力)較強。根據訪談結果,「新聞內容」的影響力似乎又更為關鍵。受訪者普遍認為推播新聞的即時性和重要性偏低,新聞價值未能滿足期待,導致對LINE推播新聞的需要性和依賴性偏低。 未來業者可考慮設立不同的「主題式官方帳號」,提供針對性的內容;或者在目前的官方帳號中,增加一日新聞類型的多元性以滿足更多人的需求,就看媒體如何定位自家官方帳號的角色。此外,在發揮新聞標題創意的同時,仍應與內文保持一致,避免造成期待上的落差。不斷強化內容品質,並考量主要受眾的使用情境,可望改善體驗不佳的問題。 本研究以情境理論的觀點,開啟了「推播新聞」的學術研究基礎,並充實行動新聞領域的實證研究經驗,希望提供未來的研究者和新聞從業人員,一個了解推播新聞使用行為的先例。 / Mobile devices and services facilitate our lives, and also assist in delivering information more freely and immediately. Since 2012, five companies send four pieces of news daily through “LINE”, which is the most popular mobile instant messaging application in Taiwan. Nowadays, LINE becomes an emerging news channel, with over 450 million subscribers in total. This study is mainly based on the context theory, by means of diary method and in-depth interviews, to understand users’ behavior of push notifications news in different contexts, from news receiving aspect, reading aspect and human-computer interaction aspect. Besides, analyzing the news headlines by “HTML5 Text Analyzer” to explore the features of different media. Research found that users’ behavior and attitude influenced not only by contextual factors, but also by the value of content. Moreover, the effect of contextual factors and content would be reinforcing (or restraining) mutually, depends which one influence users’ behavior and attitude more crucially. According to respondents’ feedback, the value of push notification news, such as immediacy and importance, were far from their expectations. News editors may plan to set up more than one official account to reach target audience; or to increase the diversity of daily news by existing accounts, making effort to meet demand of more audience. In addition, the headline should be more concordant with the content of the news. Keep improving the quality of content, taking account of context factors while pushing news, may improve users’ experience.
456

International Student Mobility and Internationalisation of Universities - The role of serendipity, risk and uncertainty in student mobility and the development of cosmopolitan mind-sets through knowledge and intercultural competence. Employability, students’ future mobility aspirations and the EU’s support of international student mobility

Weibl, Gabriel January 2014 (has links)
The background to this study lies in the discrepancy between the perceptions of international student mobility in the context of the internationalisation of higher education by the EU and universities on one hand and international students themselves in terms of their motivations to study abroad on the other hand. This is a comparative study based on three main case studies, of six universities in New Zealand, Oxford University in the UK and the Charles University in the Czech Republic. It explores the students’ experiences abroad in terms of their intercultural competence, the shaping of identities, the acquisition and transfer of knowledge, the possible forming of cosmopolitan mind-sets and empathy, perceptions of employability and their future mobility aspirations. This thesis also considers the barriers and ‘push and pull’ factors of mobility, perceptions of risk and uncertainty in regards to mobility and the role of serendipity in student mobility, which has been overlooked in the literature on mobility and migration. The theoretical framework of the study builds on social capital theory, Europeanisation and the ‘do-it-yourself biography’ theory. The nature of this topic, however, suggested the employment of the concepts of globalisation, transnationalism and consideration of other forms of capital, such as the total human capital, mobility capital and transnational identity capital. This is predominantly a qualitative, mixed-method and longitudinal research project, which uses surveys, case studies, interviews and the data collecting tool called grounded theory. It triangulates data to support and enhance the analytical validity of the thesis. This research concludes that student experiences abroad as well as the internationalisation efforts of universities and the EU would benefit from the introduction of education for global citizenship, which should focus on the intercultural competencies of students. The thesis suggests sociocultural elements for example the cosmopolitan mind-set can enhance the economic, academic and political rationales of internationalisation, such as employability.
457

Etude multi-echelles des réactions de dénitrification dans les aquifères hétérogènes: Approches expérimentales de l'influence des écoulements sur la réactivité biogéochimique

Boisson, Alexandre 20 January 2011 (has links) (PDF)
L'effet de l'hétérogénéité du milieu physique sur le transport de solutés dans les eaux souterraines est bien connu, mais le couplage avec les processus biochimiques en milieu hétérogène est un problème plus complexe générant des processus non linéaires dépendants de la nature du milieu et des cinétiques de réactions. Certaines réactions telles que la dénitrification font intervenir une activité biologique pour laquelle l'influence des conditions de transport reste peu connue. Cette étude cherche à caractériser l'influence des vitesses d'écoulement sur la réactivité. Les mécanismes contrôlant les processus biogéochimiques sont dépendants de l'échelle d'étude. A l'échelle d'un tube de diamètre 2 mm, où une réaction de dénitrification s'opère sous différentes contraintes d'écoulement, les expériences montrent tout d'abord un contrôle biologique de la réactivité qui devient par la suite un contrôle physique pouvant s'expliquer par des phénomènes de diffusion au sein du biofilm formé. A l'échelle d'un milieu poreux ces travaux ont permis d'identifier une réaction de dénitrification incluant de la biotite comme donneur d'électron. A l'échelle du site des essais de push-pull ont permis de quantifier les cinétiques de dégradation des nitrates ainsi que les cinétiques de production des sous produits de réaction tels que le protoxyde d'azote. Ces informations permettent d'estimer l'influence de cette réaction à l'échelle du site. Ces travaux permettent d'améliorer des connaissances sur la réactivité dans les aquifères à différentes échelles.
458

The influence of the 2008/2009 economic recession on travel behaviour of visitors to the Kruger National Park / Marco Scholtz

Scholtz, Marco January 2010 (has links)
During the recession period of 2008/2009, global tourism declined by 8%. This was also evident is South Africa with the domestic travel market shrinking by 8% as well. However, this did not apply to the Kruger National Park (KNP) which experienced a sustained Accommodation Unit Occupancy growth of 1.6% during the same period. Visitors to the KNP thus see it as an attractive holiday destination irrespective of tough economic conditions characterised by less disposable income. To sustain this growth, it is important to be aware of the reasons visitors still visit the KNP during a recession. The aim of this study was to determine the reasons why visitors still travelled to the KNP during the 2008/2009 recession. This can be done by analysing the visitors’ behaviour and the motivational factors (internal feelings of the visitors) and determinants of the demand (income and exchange rates for instance) that influenced visitors’ choice to visit the KNP. To achieve this aim, a survey was conducted at the KNP between 15 and 20 December 2009 (high season). A total of 355 questionnaires were completed, after which a number of analyses were done to determine the effects of the recession on travel behaviour. For the purpose of this study, two articles were written. Article 1 is titled: “Motivations of visitors to the Kruger National Park during the 2008/2009 recession period”. The aim of this article was to determine the motivations of visitors to the KNP during the recession. A factor analysis on the motivations to visit the park was conducted, of which the following factors obtained the highest mean values: Escape, Wildlife experience and Family benefits. Push factors to the KNP were important to such an extent that visitors regarded visiting the park as a primary need or lifestyle. The results furthermore showed that visitors might have adapted their spending behaviour at the park to still afford to visit the park during the recession. This article provides a better understanding of visitors’ feelings towards the KNP, especially amidst recessions which, in turn, will improve niche marketing and a competitive advantage. Article 2 is titled: “Factors that influenced demand to the Kruger National Park during the 2008/2009 economic recession”. The aim of this article was to identify the determinants that influence the demand for visits to the KNP. Due to the homogeneous nature of the park’s market, the results of the stepwise logistic regression analysis revealed a few socio-demographic and behavioural determinants that influenced visitors’ demand to the park. The motives Escape and Souvenirs were the only two behavioural determinants while the provinces Gauteng and Mpumalanga were the only socio-demographic determinants. These two provinces are the two main markets for the KNP. Visitors indicated that visiting the KNP is a great way of escaping their busy metropolitan areas, especially in the Gauteng province. Mpumalanga residents have many tourism attractions in their province thus lowering the chances that they will visit the KNP. The determinant Souvenirs indicates that visitors adapted their spending at the park to still be able to afford visits. It was also found that demand to visit the park was not greatly influenced by the recession, because visitors could adapt their spending at the park. This is the first time the determinants of demand to a national park during a recession period have been conducted. The study indicated that visiting natural areas may have become a primary need or part of a lifestyle, especially during the 2008/2009 recession period. This article gives park management guidelines that will ensure the sustainability of the KNP because this information now allows for well-planned, thorough marketing and management of the park. In the case of KNP, which has a homogeneous market, the number of determinants identified influencing demand for visiting the park is fewer than has been found in other studies done on heterogeneous markets. This study therefore also makes a valuable methodological contribution in relation to analysing demand of homogeneous and heterogeneous markets. / Thesis (M.Com. (Tourism))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.
459

Des odeurs pour protéger les cultures : utilisation de composés volatils pour modifier le comportement de la mouche du chou, Delia radicum et de ses ennemis naturels

Kergunteuil, Alan 28 November 2013 (has links) (PDF)
Les recherches menées au cours des dernières années ont permis de mettre en évidence les nombreuses fonctions écologiques des composés organiques volatils (COVs) émis par les plantes. Cette thèse a eu pour objectif d'utiliser ces connaissances dans un cadre de protection des cultures. Nous avons essayé de poser les bases d'une stratégie de type " Push-Pull " contre la mouche du chou (Delia radicum) en utilisant des sources d'odeurs synthétiques (diffuseurs de COVs) ou des sources d'odeurs naturelles (plantes compagnes). A partir d'observations menées en plein champ nous avons sélectionné plusieurs brassicacées présentant des taux d'infestations contrastés vis-à-vis de la mouche du chou. Des expérimentations de laboratoires combinant des études comportementales et des analyses chromatographiques ont permis (i) d'établir un lien entre l'infestation et l'attractivité de certaines plantes (ii) d'identifier de nouveaux COVs potentiellement impliqués dans les prises de décisions comportementales de D. radicum. En parallèle, des études de terrain ont permis de tester l'efficacité de diffuseurs de COVs synthétiques au sein de parcelles expérimentales, que ce soit (i) pour favoriser le recrutement d'ennemis naturels (ii) attirer (composante " Pull ") ou repousser (composante " Push ") la mouche du chou. Enfin, l'utilisation de plantes pièges concentrant le ravageur semble être intéressante pour modifier la répartition de la mouche du chou à l'échelle de la parcelle en vue de protéger des cultures d'intérêt telles que le brocoli.
460

The influence of the 2008/2009 economic recession on travel behaviour of visitors to the Kruger National Park / Marco Scholtz

Scholtz, Marco January 2010 (has links)
During the recession period of 2008/2009, global tourism declined by 8%. This was also evident is South Africa with the domestic travel market shrinking by 8% as well. However, this did not apply to the Kruger National Park (KNP) which experienced a sustained Accommodation Unit Occupancy growth of 1.6% during the same period. Visitors to the KNP thus see it as an attractive holiday destination irrespective of tough economic conditions characterised by less disposable income. To sustain this growth, it is important to be aware of the reasons visitors still visit the KNP during a recession. The aim of this study was to determine the reasons why visitors still travelled to the KNP during the 2008/2009 recession. This can be done by analysing the visitors’ behaviour and the motivational factors (internal feelings of the visitors) and determinants of the demand (income and exchange rates for instance) that influenced visitors’ choice to visit the KNP. To achieve this aim, a survey was conducted at the KNP between 15 and 20 December 2009 (high season). A total of 355 questionnaires were completed, after which a number of analyses were done to determine the effects of the recession on travel behaviour. For the purpose of this study, two articles were written. Article 1 is titled: “Motivations of visitors to the Kruger National Park during the 2008/2009 recession period”. The aim of this article was to determine the motivations of visitors to the KNP during the recession. A factor analysis on the motivations to visit the park was conducted, of which the following factors obtained the highest mean values: Escape, Wildlife experience and Family benefits. Push factors to the KNP were important to such an extent that visitors regarded visiting the park as a primary need or lifestyle. The results furthermore showed that visitors might have adapted their spending behaviour at the park to still afford to visit the park during the recession. This article provides a better understanding of visitors’ feelings towards the KNP, especially amidst recessions which, in turn, will improve niche marketing and a competitive advantage. Article 2 is titled: “Factors that influenced demand to the Kruger National Park during the 2008/2009 economic recession”. The aim of this article was to identify the determinants that influence the demand for visits to the KNP. Due to the homogeneous nature of the park’s market, the results of the stepwise logistic regression analysis revealed a few socio-demographic and behavioural determinants that influenced visitors’ demand to the park. The motives Escape and Souvenirs were the only two behavioural determinants while the provinces Gauteng and Mpumalanga were the only socio-demographic determinants. These two provinces are the two main markets for the KNP. Visitors indicated that visiting the KNP is a great way of escaping their busy metropolitan areas, especially in the Gauteng province. Mpumalanga residents have many tourism attractions in their province thus lowering the chances that they will visit the KNP. The determinant Souvenirs indicates that visitors adapted their spending at the park to still be able to afford visits. It was also found that demand to visit the park was not greatly influenced by the recession, because visitors could adapt their spending at the park. This is the first time the determinants of demand to a national park during a recession period have been conducted. The study indicated that visiting natural areas may have become a primary need or part of a lifestyle, especially during the 2008/2009 recession period. This article gives park management guidelines that will ensure the sustainability of the KNP because this information now allows for well-planned, thorough marketing and management of the park. In the case of KNP, which has a homogeneous market, the number of determinants identified influencing demand for visiting the park is fewer than has been found in other studies done on heterogeneous markets. This study therefore also makes a valuable methodological contribution in relation to analysing demand of homogeneous and heterogeneous markets. / Thesis (M.Com. (Tourism))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

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