<p>‘Internationalisation of higher education’ is considered a significant issue in many countries.One effective way to achieve internationalisation is by having an exchange study program. Thisis something which has been promoted by universities all around the globe. It has been foundthat the experience of studying abroad is beneficial to the students. There has been a trend ofincreasing number of students going to study abroad. In Sweden, Jönköping InternationalBusiness School (JIBS) is one of the most internationalised business schools that promoteexchange studies extensively. To promote study abroad it is important to know what motivatesand influences the students to go on exchange. There has been previous research oninternationalisation and push-pull factors of student mobility which acted as a guideline for thisthesis. Thus it was appealing to study the reasons behind the phenomenon of students goingabroad for exchange studies.The purpose of this paper is to explore the push-pull factors influencing student’s destinationchoice for exchange study abroad. JIBS is the institution where the case study was conducted.The empirical data have been gathered by using a qualitative approach combining face-to-faceinterviews and focus groups with international exchange students and Swedish students. Toanalyse the findings, theories relating to marketing communications in service and productattribution were used.The results derived from the empirical findings show the push-pull factors which motivatestudents to go on exchange. The initial push factor is the promotion and encouragement tostudents for studying abroad by the university. Exchange studies helps to enhance students’personal development with intercultural communication, practicing language skills andtravelling. These skills and experiences add value to their CV.On the other hand the pull factors which the students take into consideration for deciding ontheir host countries and institutions are geographic location, weather, culture, and the economicand social position of the country. Living cost and the education system which includeslanguage used, courses offered, perceived image, communication and cooperation andrecommendations are factors influencing the choices of a student’s decision on the destinationfor studying abroad. The authors in this thesis summarised their findings in a model of pushpullfactors which is specialised only for exchange students. The process of considering thesefactors leads to the outcome of choosing the destination for studying abroad. The authorsbelieve the results of this study can be applied on other universities for further research andmay be appropriate for its own case to focus on areas where it needs to improve.ii</p>

Intranät skapar frihet inom en organisation då tid och rum inte påverkar distributionen av information. Men intranätet ställer krav på medarbetaren som själv måste förse sig med information som är relevant för sitt arbete. För att medarbetare ska kunna använda intranätet som ett stöd i det dagliga arbetet krävs rätt förutsättningar. Tillgång, kunskap och ålder är exempel på faktorer som kan påverka användning och attityd. Det bör ligga i organisationens intresse att fånga upp medarbetarnas perspektiv för att kunna förbättra intranätet i takt med intranätets utvecklingsfaser som just nu är i fas fyra, intranät 2.0. Denna studie undersöker därför medarbetares användning och attityd till intranätet på ett stålföretag och om det finns förutsättningar för intranät 2.0.  För att undersöka medarbetarnas användning av och attityder till intranätet och förutsättningar för intranät 2.0 valde vi att genomföra en kvantitativ enkätundersökning på stålföretaget Uddeholm. Det saknas forskning om intranät ur ett medarbetarperspektiv och forskning på industriföretag. Vår undersökning bidrar till förståelse i hur medarbetarna använder intranätet och vilken attityd de har till intranätet. Vi har även undersökt skillnader mellan yrkesgrupperna kollektivanställda och tjänstemän. Det framkom att intranätet används i stor utsträckning av båda yrkesgrupperna. Funktionerna som de använder främst är att läsa nyheter, beställa matlåda och söka medarbetare. När det gäller attityd kunde vi inte heller där identifiera några större skillnader utan båda yrkesgrupperna anser att intranätet är funktionellt, innehållet är tillräckligt och de ser intranätet som en bra tillgång i deras arbete.  Vår studie undersöker också om det finns förutsättningar ur ett medarbetarperspektiv att implementera intranät 2.0. Studien presenterar en modell som vi arbetat fram med stöd från teorier inom organisationskommunikation och medie- och kommunikationsvetenskap. Vår modell kan ge en grundförståelse för om förutsättningarna för intranät 2.0 är bra eller dåliga ur ett medarbetarperspektiv. Modellen består av tre faktorer med motsatsförhållanden. Genom att placera in medarbetarnas preferenser och inställning till dessa faktorer; distribution, kontroll och attityd kan man avgöra om förutsättningarna för intranät 2.0 är bra eller dåliga. Studien visar att förutsättningarna varierar beroende på faktor.

India has become the second largest supplier of foreign-educated nurses in the U.S. The annual inflow of India-educated nurses has been increasing till 2008. The trend, however, reversed ever since the peak year. Three major events – the 2008 financial crisis, changes in the format of the NCLEX exam for registered nurses, and the adoption of WHO Code of Practice – are analyzed to understand the turning point in 2008 and the recent trend of nurse migration. Unemployment rate, health sector expenditure, exam pass rate and the behavior of recruitment agencies will be discussed to examine the impact of the three events on the push and pull factors driving international migration of nurses. The study found that the financial crisis and changes made to NCLEX exams reduced migration flow by weakening the pull factors while the impact of the adoption of WHO Code of Practice is not clear.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate effect of final rinse of ethanol on bond strength in teeth obturated with Gutta Percha (GP)/AH Plus® or Resilon/Epiphany®SE™. Thirty-two extracted human anterior teeth were shaped to size 30, 0.06 taper and subjected to an identical irrigation protocol. Specimens were randomly divided into eight groups according to final irrigating solution (saline, 70%, 95%, 100% ethanol) and obturation material. Two millimeter thick slices were obtained by sectioning each obturated root. Bond strength was determined using micropush-out assay. Data was analyzed using Student’s t-test. Obturation with GP/AH Plus® formed a statistically significant stronger bond than Resilon/Epiphany®SE™. A final rinse with ethanol (irrespective of ethanol concentration) did not enhance push-out bond strength with GP/AH Plus®. Push-out bond strength of Resilon/Epiphany®SE™ decreases with increased ethanol concentration with Resilon/Epiphany®SE™. Among Resilon/Epiphany®SE™ groups, 70% ethanol resulted in strongest bond strength.

The main inquiry for this research is to identify the reasons that contribute to customer switching intention decisions. In addressing this enquiry, two theories - the theory of migration and theory of planned behaviour - were identified as the theoretical framework underpinning the study. Two main objectives of the study were (i) to identify the push-pull and mooring factors and (ii) to measure the relationship between the push-pull and mooring factors towards switching intention. The investigation focused on the impact of with push-pull-mooring factors on switching intention. Early research into switching behaviour studies focused largely on variables that contribute to the switching intention decision, mainly due to the critical incidents encountered by customers that push them from their origin or pull them to another destination or mooring factors that might inhibit or mitigate their switching decision. In view of this, a combination of push-pull and mooring variables were used to measure the switching intention behaviour. A multiple method approach was used to study the issues in two different stages. In the first stage qualitative data collection was used to support and confirm the identification of factors from the literature. For the main quantitative methods, using a hypothetical deductive testing approach, this study (N=2018) used survey data collected via a self-administered, voluntary online survey, to develop switching intention behaviour model. The results indicated that situational factors, positive attachments, perceived switching benefits, positive attitudes towards switching and positive beliefs of others towards switching emerged as consistent push factor while availability of alternatives emerged as the pull factors. Interestingly poor pricing, poor service incidents, positive ability to switch and switching barriers were not supported in this study indicating that there is no relationship between poor pricing, poor service incidents, positive ability to switch and switching barriers towards switching intention.

Estágio realizado na Bosch Car Multimedia Portugal e orientado pelo Eng.º Luís Lobo / Tese de mestrado integrado. Engenharia Industrial e Gestão. Faculdade de Engenharia. Universidade do Porto. 2009

<p>As an increasing number of people are logging on to the internet to do their shopping, it is imperative for a site to be accessible and usable. Nielsen’s heuristic method is one esteemed method that many web site developers use in their design work. One study suggests that online shopping needs most improvement with the heuristics “User control and freedom” where an undo button often is lacking and in ‘Help and Documentation’ where the user may not easily switch between their work and the help. The study, however, has been made on grocery shops alone.</p><p>The following study adopts the results of the past study as hypotheses and investigates if they hold true for another type of online shopping site – women’s apparel. The results of the study confirm that these two heuristics indeed are the two most troublesome. However, for the biggest usability disaster under each, the results are either inapplicable or only lend weak support. The following results lend more support to a possible generalization for all online sites and better awareness among software developers of online shopping sites. Yet a more consistent base of common usability disasters under these two specific heuristics needs to be developed.</p>

This field study examined relationships of income and life satisfaction among retirees, their perceptions of whether their decisions to retire were voluntary or involuntary, and their stated reasons for retiring: “push” (to exit unsustainable work situations) or “pull” (to pursue more attractive options). Based on prior research, hypotheses predicted that voluntary / involuntary choice would moderate the relationship of income and life satisfaction, and that the relationship would vary as a function of "push" vs. "pull" reasons for retiring. A screened, national sample of 1,043 U.S. retirees completed an online survey that assessed satisfaction with multiple life domains, reason for retiring, demographic characteristics, family income, and perceived financial control. Results showed that voluntary retirees had, on average, higher income, life satisfaction, and perceived financial control than those who saw their retirements as involuntary. Type of reason for retirement did moderate the relationship between income and life satisfaction, but in an unexpected way. Based on decades of research on the relationship of control and stress, the hypothesis predicted the correlation between income and life satisfaction would be weakest in voluntary "pull" retirees, and strongest in the involuntary group. Instead, the relationship was strongest among voluntary "push" retirees (r=+.35). These surprising results highlight the importance of further research on perceived control over retirement on common predictors of life satisfaction in retirement.

‘Internationalisation of higher education’ is considered a significant issue in many countries.One effective way to achieve internationalisation is by having an exchange study program. Thisis something which has been promoted by universities all around the globe. It has been foundthat the experience of studying abroad is beneficial to the students. There has been a trend ofincreasing number of students going to study abroad. In Sweden, Jönköping InternationalBusiness School (JIBS) is one of the most internationalised business schools that promoteexchange studies extensively. To promote study abroad it is important to know what motivatesand influences the students to go on exchange. There has been previous research oninternationalisation and push-pull factors of student mobility which acted as a guideline for thisthesis. Thus it was appealing to study the reasons behind the phenomenon of students goingabroad for exchange studies.The purpose of this paper is to explore the push-pull factors influencing student’s destinationchoice for exchange study abroad. JIBS is the institution where the case study was conducted.The empirical data have been gathered by using a qualitative approach combining face-to-faceinterviews and focus groups with international exchange students and Swedish students. Toanalyse the findings, theories relating to marketing communications in service and productattribution were used.The results derived from the empirical findings show the push-pull factors which motivatestudents to go on exchange. The initial push factor is the promotion and encouragement tostudents for studying abroad by the university. Exchange studies helps to enhance students’personal development with intercultural communication, practicing language skills andtravelling. These skills and experiences add value to their CV.On the other hand the pull factors which the students take into consideration for deciding ontheir host countries and institutions are geographic location, weather, culture, and the economicand social position of the country. Living cost and the education system which includeslanguage used, courses offered, perceived image, communication and cooperation andrecommendations are factors influencing the choices of a student’s decision on the destinationfor studying abroad. The authors in this thesis summarised their findings in a model of pushpullfactors which is specialised only for exchange students. The process of considering thesefactors leads to the outcome of choosing the destination for studying abroad. The authorsbelieve the results of this study can be applied on other universities for further research andmay be appropriate for its own case to focus on areas where it needs to improve.ii

As an increasing number of people are logging on to the internet to do their shopping, it is imperative for a site to be accessible and usable. Nielsen’s heuristic method is one esteemed method that many web site developers use in their design work. One study suggests that online shopping needs most improvement with the heuristics “User control and freedom” where an undo button often is lacking and in ‘Help and Documentation’ where the user may not easily switch between their work and the help. The study, however, has been made on grocery shops alone. The following study adopts the results of the past study as hypotheses and investigates if they hold true for another type of online shopping site – women’s apparel. The results of the study confirm that these two heuristics indeed are the two most troublesome. However, for the biggest usability disaster under each, the results are either inapplicable or only lend weak support. The following results lend more support to a possible generalization for all online sites and better awareness among software developers of online shopping sites. Yet a more consistent base of common usability disasters under these two specific heuristics needs to be developed.