Recent trends in social network services (SNS) have taken the rates of personal information sharing, storage and processing to an unprecedented level, which yield both benefits and undesirable consequences for their users. SNS is being exploited by criminals to fraudulently obtain information from unsuspecting users. User’s awareness of privacy protection has been far left behind by the increasing and popularizing utilization of social network services (SNS), the privacy security problems will become one of the important factors influencing the healthy development of social network service industry. This study was designed to collect data and produce knowledge about the security awareness of WeChat users (i.e., randomly selected from all over China), their preferences and their experience of using WeChat while facing security issues as well as the perspectives of how people perceive a specific security problems, in order to find out what factors influence user's security awareness. In order to carefully conduct the research process and explain the empirical findings, seven principles of interpretive field research and protection motivation theory is adopted as core theoretical foundation. Participants were asked to provide information about and their personal views of questions from their different experience and value. Eight persons interviewed for our research and their responses confirmed our objectives of the study. As a result, six factors are indentified in related to WeChat user’s security awareness. PMT helps to explain and understand that how six indentified concepts influence behaviour intention and security awareness of user.

In a time where crises are more present, risk communication plays an important role in equipping citizens with information and knowledge on how to prepare themselves. This study examines how citizens in the municipality Strängnäs perceive and interpret the municipality's risk communication, particularly focused on the information folder "Be prepared for a crisis or social disturbance". Through two focus group interviews, eight citizens of different ages have participated to discuss the content of the folder and reflect on topics such as crises and home preparedness. The study's theoretical framework is based on Ulrich Beck's theory of risk society and protection motivation theory, as well as previous research in areas such as risk communication and risk perception. The results show that the folder is generally perceived positively by the participants of the study, though there are some differences such as preferences on the amount of text and design which could be explained by their different coping styles. The results emphasize the folders’ significant role in making citizens more aware of their own home preparedness. Despite the concern about crises being higher today, the concern does not necessarily correspond to the participants level of preparedness which can be understood by a lack of motivation or an excessive trust in others. The research provides valuable insights to enhance the municipality's risk communication, aiming to raise awareness and preparedness levels among citizens. However, it is important to note that the results of the study are specific to the limited group of participants and require further research to be able to be generalized and understood in a wider context of risk communication.

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This dissertation, comprised of three essays, investigates the behavioral aspects and social dynamics impacting service providers and consumers in sharing economy, with a particular focus on ride-hailing services. The first essay, informed by general deterrence theory and protection motivation theory, investigates the behavioral factors influencing the operational performance of sharing economy service providers, specifically within the ride-hailing industry, by surveying drivers. The second essay, drawing upon social identity theory, explores the effects of rider-driver ethnicity alignment on drivers' anticipated ride satisfaction, willingness to perform, and riders' trust in the driver through scenario-based online experiments with ride-hailing drivers and riders. The third essay presents a bibliometric review of existing literature on ride-hailing services to explore research trends, theoretical underpinnings, and also to identify research gaps and future opportunities in the fields of supply chain and operations management. Taken together, the three essays in this research enhance our comprehension of the behavioral factors affecting service providers and consumers within the sharing economy. As a result, both theoretical and managerial insights are generated, contributing to the existing supply chain literature.

Thesis (MComm (Economics)--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South Africa faces an epidemic, namely, HIV/Aids, which has grown substantially over the last ten years. It can be regarded as the country with the most alarming statistical figures concerning HIV infection rates. Even though South Africa is a country under scrutiny, given the high prevalence of HIV/Aids, this epidemic also constitutes as a global problem, given that an approximate number of 7400 individuals are infected with HIV every day. The number of Aids related deaths has risen from 100 000 in 1999 to over 400 000 in 2009. Given the concern, and in an effort to combat the fast spread of HIV/Aids, the South African government has implemented various educational and support programs. Marketing efforts are related to the above topic, given that various marketing-related practices have been implemented by non-profit organisations in an attempt to create awareness of HIV/Aids and the related risks. These marketing communication programs are referred to as social campaigns. HIV/Aids social campaigns involve communication strategies which attempt to persuade the target market to ensure that they adhere to safesexual practices, by making individuals aware of the threat that infection poses to their lifestyles. Various campaigns also explore how an individual can ensure safe sexual behaviour. Empirical research stretching back to 1975 has provided marketers with guidelines as to what social communication campaigns, concerning threats to human health, should include regarding an emotional, cognitive aspect. Evidence exists for the need to include emotional cues that would stimulate medium to high levels of fear, rather than low levels of fear, in order to effectively persuade an individual to adhere to a protective behavioural pattern. No research has been conducted in order to conclude whether one type of execution style or specific advertising content would result in significantly increased intentions to behave in the recommended protective manner. This study investigated whether different execution styles would result in significantly different levels of attitude, fear and behavioural intention. This was done by sampling a group of 450 respondents who participated in an experimental study. Three execution styles were tested by means of a post-test self administered questionnaire including items related to variables of the Protection Motivation Theory (PMT). The PMT explores the effects that fear appeal would have on attitude change. Not only was it found that different execution styles result in significantly different levels of the mentioned variables, it was also found that one execution style is significantly more effective in evoking these cognitive responses in one race group as compared to another. The empirical results of this study reveal that by discontinuing mass communication, and, in preference, segmenting the market towards which HIV/Aids social campaigns are currently aimed, based on race, these awareness campaigns would be more effective in inducing protective sexual behaviour. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Suid-Afrika word gekonfronteer met ’n epidemie, naamlik MIV/Vigs, wat aansienlik gegroei het oor die afgelope tien jaar. Suid Afrika kan beskou word as die land met die mees ontstellende statistieke met betrekking tot MIV-infeksie. Selfs al is Suid-Afrika die land met die hoogste gevalle van MIV/Vigs, is hierdie epidemie ook 'n wêreldwye probleem, gegewe dat 'n ongeveer 7400 individue met MIV besmet word elke dag. Die aantal Vigs-verwante sterftes het toegeneem van 100 000 in 1999 tot meer as 400 000 in 2009. Gegewe bogenoemde en in 'n poging om MIV/Vigs verspreiding te beveg, het die Suid- Afrikaanse regering verskeie ondersteunende en opvoedkundige programme geïmplementeer om hierdie doel te bereik. Die verwantskap tussen bemarkingspogings en die betrokke onderwerp is dat verskeie bemarkingsverwante praktyke geïmplementeer word deur nie-winsgewende organisasies in 'n poging om bewustheid van MIV/Vigs en die verwante risiko's te skep. Hierdie bemarkingskommunikasie programme word na verwys as sosiale veldtogte. Die relevante MIV/Vigs-veldtogte behels sosiale kommunikasie strategieë wat die teikenmark probeer oorreed om te verseker dat hulle voldoen aan veilige seksuele praktyke, deur individue bewus te maak van die bedreiging wat infeksie inhou tot hul lewenswyse. Verskeie veldtogte brei ook uit oor hoe 'n individu veilige seksuele gedrag kan verseker. Empiriese navorsing wat terugstrek tot 1975 voorsien bemarkers met riglyne oor wat die sosiale kommunikasie veldtogte, wat 'n bedreiging vir menslike gesondheid behels, moet insluit met betrekking tot 'n emosionele, kognitiewe aspek. Bewyse bestaan in guns van die noodsaaklikheid van emosionele leidrade wat medium tot hoë vlakke van vrees in ‘n individu sal stimuleer, eerder as lae vlakke van vrees, om sodoende 'n individu effektief te oorreed om te voldoen aan beskermende gedragspatrone gegewe die bedreiging wat bestaan. Geen navorsing bestaan tans met betrekking tot of ‘n sekere tipe advertensie uitvoeringstyl of spesifieke advertensie-inhoud sou lei tot ‘n aansienlik hoër voorneme om te reageer op die aanbevole beskermende gedrag nie. Hierdie studie ondersoek of sekere advertensie uitvoeringstyle sou lei tot aansienlik verskillende vlakke van houding, vrees en gedrag. Die ondersoek is gedoen deur middel van 'n groep van 450 respondente wat deelgeneem het aan 'n eksperimentele studie. Drie uitvoeringstyle is getoets deur middel van 'n na-toets self-voltooiingsvraelys wat items ingesluit het wat verband hou met veranderlikes van die beskermings-motiveringsteorie (BMT). Die BMT ondersoek die uitwerking wat vreesaanlagte sal hê op houding en aanpassing daarvan. Hierdie studie het bevind dat verskillende advertensie uitvoeringstyle bydra tot aansienlike verskillende vlakke van die bogenoemde veranderlikes, asook dat een uitvoeringstyl beduidend meer effektief is in die ontlokking van kognitiewe respons in sekere rassegroepe in vergelyking met ander. Die empiriese resultate van hierdie studie bewys dat bemarkers die doeltreffendheid van MIV/Vigs sosiale veldtogte kan verbeter deur massa-kommunikasie te staak en eerder segmentering toe te pas binne die mark op wie veldtogte gemik is. Segmentering op grond van rassegroepe sal veroorsaak dat bewusmakingsveldtogte meer effektief is met betrekking tot hul invloed op die toepassing van beskermende seksuele gedrag binne die teikenmark.

Gulf oysters are harvested and consumed year-round, with more than 90% consumed in a raw, unprocessed state. A chief concern of policymakers in recent years is the incidence of Vibrio vulnificus infection following raw seafood consumption. V.vulnificus refers to a halophilic bacterium naturally occurring in brackish coastal waters, which concentrates in filter-feeding oysters. Proposed FDA legislation requiring processing of all raw Gulf oysters sold during warmer summer months threatens the Gulf oyster industry, as little to no research regarding demand for post-harvest processing (PHP) has preceded the potential mandate. This research endeavors to examine the relationship between oyster consumers' fears of V.vulnificus infection and their willingness-to-pay (WTP) for processing of an oyster meal. The psychological model of Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) is employed alongside the economic framework of contingent valuation (CV) to result in an analysis of oyster processing demand with respect to threats and efficacy. A survey administered to 2,172 oyster consumers in six oyster producing states elicits projected consumption and PMT data. Principal Component Analysis is used to reduce the number of PMT variables to a smaller size, resulting in five individual principal components representing the PMT elements of source information, threat appraisal, coping appraisal, maladaptive coping, and protection motivation. Using survey data, the marginal willingness-to-pay (MWTP) for PHP per oyster meal is also calculated, and the five created PMT variables are regressed on this calculation using four separate OLS models. Results indicate significant correlation for four of the five created PMT variables. In addition, a mean MWTP for PHP of $0.31 per oyster meal is determined, contributing to the demand analysis for processing of Gulf oysters. The findings suggest a strong relationship between the fear elements and the demand for processing, and support arguments in favor of further research on specific PHP treatments and the necessity for a valid PMT survey instrument.

Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 125-132).

Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 125-132). Also available in print.

The users´ behaviors play an important role in securing information systems. At the same time, the users´ bad behaviors end-up in making them victims to e-crime attacks. To emphasize the positive side of users´ behaviors, the reasons for the bad behaviors must be investigated. In this research, e-crimes on users in Sweden were studied using the protection motivation theory and the theory of planned behavior in order to understand what variables govern the user behaviors. The information retrieved from the literature review and the web survey were used to answer the research question about which variables within the two used theories affect the user behaviors in connection to e-crimes. It turned out that perceived vulnerability, perceived severity, and user-efficacy have significant effect on the selected user behavior. Besides, the analysis of the results showed that IT/IS-knowledge is a determinant factor that affects all the variables of the protection motivation theory.

Hybrid work is already a big part of many organizations' structure. This phenomenon presents many new ways of how work is performed and carries new challenges with it. Parallel to that, the importance of working IT securely and coping with IT threats is significant in all fields of work. In this case study, we interview employees at a Swedish IT consultancy company, about their perceptions of hybrid work and their perceived ability to keep information secure in a hybrid work setting. Six employees from the company were selected for interviews. These interviews were then analyzed from the theoretical framework of Protection Motivation Theory which presents ways to explain how individuals are motivated to mediate threats alongside the ISO standard which is used to explain coping behaviors. This study concludes that the employees’ perception regarding the ability to keep information secure while working hybridly is diverse. Furthermore, the office has an important role in perceived security. The final finding reveals that current information security guidelines in ISO need to be updated or expanded to better guide organizations implementing remote work.