<p>Riskhantering inom rese- och turismnäringen där resenärens uppfattning ligger till grund för dennes köpbeslutsprocess har fått begränsat med uppmärksamhet på den akademiska arenan.</p><p><strong>Syfte:</strong> denna uppsats syftar till att studera vilka riskuppfattningar som en potentiell resenär associerar med den urbana miljön, samt hur detta fungerar som inverkansfaktor på resenärens konsumentbeteende i valet av staden som destination. <strong></strong></p><p><strong>Teoretiskt ramverk:</strong> en litteraturgenomgång och ett teoretiskt ramverk visar på vad som utgör det så kallade risksamhället, betydelsen av riskkategorisering diskuteras samt hur kopplingen mellan resenärens riskuppfattning och dennes köpbeslutsprocess ser ut.</p><p><strong>Metod:</strong> för att uppnå syftet har problemet angripits med ett abduktivt arbetssätt. En kombination av kvantitativ och kvalitativ metodik har applicerats. I enkätundersökningen deltog 224 inkommande resenärer till Stockholm, vilket har bearbetats statistiskt med Pearsons Chi2-test för att undersöka graden av riskuppfattning beroende på socio-demografiska faktorer. Dessutom genomfördes nio samtalsintervjuer som ledde till en tematiserad sammanställning.</p><p><strong>Empiri:</strong> genom enkätformuläret observerades att psykologiska riskuppfattningar var mest framträdande, och i samtalsintervjuerna noterades hur riskuppfattningen påverkar konsumentbeteendet.</p><p><strong>R</strong><strong>esultat:</strong> slutsatserna som har dragits är att 1) korrelation föreligger mellan socio-demografiska faktorer och riskuppfattning, 2) stadens livsrytm fungerar som inverkansfaktor, och att 3) uppfattningen om risker präglas av subjektivitet.</p> / <p>Risk management within the travel- and tourism industry has been undeservingly neglected as a field of study in the academia.</p><p><strong>Purpose:</strong> this thesis aims to study different types of risk perceptions that a potential traveller associates with urban areas, and how this perception influences the consumer behaviour in the decision-making process.</p><p><strong>Theoretical framework:</strong> the literature review seeks to explain what constitutes a risk society, the significance of categorizing risk perceptions is outlined, and the connection between traveller´s perception of risks and its decision-making. <strong></strong></p><p><strong>Methodology:</strong> to achieve the purpose of this study, the writers have used an abductive approach, where a quantitative and a qualitative methodology have been applied. 224 incoming travellers to Stockholm participated in the survey. The outcome was then statistically processed using Pearson´s chi-square test in order to measure the risk perceptions based on socio-demographical aspects. In addition, nine interviews were conducted.</p><p><strong>Empirical data:</strong> in the survey it was noted that psychological risk perceptions were most noticeable, and in the interviews it was found in what form risk perceptions affect traveller´s consumer behaviour.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>the found conclusions are that 1) traveller´s perception of risks correlates with socio-demographical factors, 2) a city´s pace of life functions as an influential factor on the consumer behaviour, and that 3) the perceptions of risks are primarily characterized by their subjectivity.</p>

<p>Diss. Stockholm : Handelshögsk.</p>

Hovedmålet med avhandlingen var å undersøke risikopersepsjon i den norske befolkningen. I tillegg ble relaterte prioriteringer av sikkerhet og krav om risikoreduserende tiltak undersøkt. Avhandlingen består av en introduksjonsdel og tre artikler. Alle er basert på to spørreskjemaundersøkelser gjennomført i 2004 (n= 1730 og 510). Den første artikkelen hadde som hovedmål å undersøke risikopersepsjon. Resultatene viser at transportrisiko er delt i to hovedkategorier: offentlig og privat transport. Bekymring ble funnet å være den viktigste predikatoren på risikopersepsjon. Ved nærmere undersøkelse ble det funnet kjønnsforskjeller hvor kvinner la størst vekt på bekymring relatert til både offentlig og privat transport. For menn derimot var sannsynlighetsvurderinger (dvs. kognitive evalueringer) viktigst for privat transport, mens bekymring var viktigst for offentlig transport. Dette impliserer en forskjell i hvordan risikoen blir oppfattet, og dermed er det ansett som hensiktsmessig å differensiere hvordan risiko blir kommunisert til de ulike gruppene. Den andre artikkelen foreslår en modell for potensielle faktorer som kan predikere prioritering av sikkerhet. Effekten av personlighetstrekkene angst, sensasjonssøking og tillit ble undersøkt. I tillegg var føreroptimisme, bekymring relatert til transportrisiko, betalingsvillighet for å redusere risiko og negative holdninger mot regler inkludert i modellen. Bekymring var den viktigste predikatoren for prioritering av sikkerhet. Den foreslåtte modellen forklarte 44% av variansen i sikkerhetsprioriteringer. Denne kunnskapen kan øke suksessen relater til intervensjoner fordi det kan øke sjansen for å treffe de som prioriterer sikkerhet lavt og dermed veilede dem til å forandre sin atferd. Den tredje artikkelen undersøker hvorvidt det teorietiske rammeverket til ’risk-as-feelings’ hypotesen kunne brukes til å forklare krav om risikoreduserende tiltak. Modelltilpasningen til den teoretiske modellen var tilfredsstillende og resultatene viste at 30% av variasjonen til krav om risikoreduserende tiltak kunne forklares av denne modellen. Den viktigste predikatoren var atferdsmessige intensjoner om å prioritere sikkerhet. Sannsynlighetsvurdering og evaluering av konsekvenser ble funnet å være viktige for både kognitiv vurdering og følelser. / The aims of the PhD-thesis were to examine perceived risk in the Norwegian public as well as related priorities of safety and demands for risk mitigation. The thesis consists of a theoretical introduction and three papers. They are all based on two questionnaire surveys conducted in 2004 (n=1730 and 510 respectively). The first paper aims to explore risk perception. The results showed that transport risks consisted of two main categories: public and private means of transportation. Related to risk perception, worry was found to be the most important predictor. On further scrutiny, a gender difference was found. Females were found to emphasize worry related to both public and private transportation as highest. For men, probability assessments (i.e. cognitive evaluations) were found to be most important to private means of transportation whereas worry was found to be most important for public transportation. This implies a difference in perceived risk, and hence how risk is communicated to the public should dependent on the target group. The second paper proposed a model for potential predictors of priorities of safety. Several factors were investigated. First, the personality traits anxiety, excitement-seeking, and trust were included. Further factors were driver optimism, worry related to transport risks, willingness to pay to increase safety, and negative attitudes towards traffic rules. Worry was found to be the most important predictor of safety priorities, and the proposed model explained 44% of the variance in priority of safety. This knowledge gives additional information to improve the success of interventions because it can help targeting those who consider safety a low priority and guide them to modify their behaviour. The third paper investigated the applicability of the risk-as-feeling framework to explain demand for risk mitigation. The fit of the data to the theoretical model was found to be satisfactory. The results showed that the risk-as-feelings framework explained 30 per cent of the variance of demand for risk mitigation. Behavioural intentions as priorities were found to be an important predictor of mitigation demands. Probability assessment and consequence evaluation were found to be important to cognitive risk assessment and feelings.

Riskhantering inom rese- och turismnäringen där resenärens uppfattning ligger till grund för dennes köpbeslutsprocess har fått begränsat med uppmärksamhet på den akademiska arenan. Syfte: denna uppsats syftar till att studera vilka riskuppfattningar som en potentiell resenär associerar med den urbana miljön, samt hur detta fungerar som inverkansfaktor på resenärens konsumentbeteende i valet av staden som destination. Teoretiskt ramverk: en litteraturgenomgång och ett teoretiskt ramverk visar på vad som utgör det så kallade risksamhället, betydelsen av riskkategorisering diskuteras samt hur kopplingen mellan resenärens riskuppfattning och dennes köpbeslutsprocess ser ut. Metod: för att uppnå syftet har problemet angripits med ett abduktivt arbetssätt. En kombination av kvantitativ och kvalitativ metodik har applicerats. I enkätundersökningen deltog 224 inkommande resenärer till Stockholm, vilket har bearbetats statistiskt med Pearsons Chi2-test för att undersöka graden av riskuppfattning beroende på socio-demografiska faktorer. Dessutom genomfördes nio samtalsintervjuer som ledde till en tematiserad sammanställning. Empiri: genom enkätformuläret observerades att psykologiska riskuppfattningar var mest framträdande, och i samtalsintervjuerna noterades hur riskuppfattningen påverkar konsumentbeteendet. Resultat: slutsatserna som har dragits är att 1) korrelation föreligger mellan socio-demografiska faktorer och riskuppfattning, 2) stadens livsrytm fungerar som inverkansfaktor, och att 3) uppfattningen om risker präglas av subjektivitet. / Risk management within the travel- and tourism industry has been undeservingly neglected as a field of study in the academia. Purpose: this thesis aims to study different types of risk perceptions that a potential traveller associates with urban areas, and how this perception influences the consumer behaviour in the decision-making process. Theoretical framework: the literature review seeks to explain what constitutes a risk society, the significance of categorizing risk perceptions is outlined, and the connection between traveller´s perception of risks and its decision-making. Methodology: to achieve the purpose of this study, the writers have used an abductive approach, where a quantitative and a qualitative methodology have been applied. 224 incoming travellers to Stockholm participated in the survey. The outcome was then statistically processed using Pearson´s chi-square test in order to measure the risk perceptions based on socio-demographical aspects. In addition, nine interviews were conducted. Empirical data: in the survey it was noted that psychological risk perceptions were most noticeable, and in the interviews it was found in what form risk perceptions affect traveller´s consumer behaviour. Findings: the found conclusions are that 1) traveller´s perception of risks correlates with socio-demographical factors, 2) a city´s pace of life functions as an influential factor on the consumer behaviour, and that 3) the perceptions of risks are primarily characterized by their subjectivity.

The main objective of this study is to understand and asses flood risk perception among people living in Msimbazi Valley in Das es Salaam, Tanzania. Many of the people I have interviewed are experiencing flooding every year but it is rarely considered disastrous. Looked at individually they may not be disasters but cumulatively they may be. The rapid urbanisation, in this part of the world, forces people to live on hazardous but central land because of the livelihood opportunities available there. The government and the local communities are well aware of the risk of floods in the area and are considered as a serious threat to the families. People are still living in these areas because they find the benefits big enough to make up the risks.

The study examines risk perception and crisis preparedness among personnel at high-schools. The focus is set on teachers and leaders at four high-schools in Örebro municipality, Sweden. The purpose of the study is to examine crisis preparedness and identify factors which influences risk perception and crisis preparedness. The survey consisted of a questionnaire which was completed by 95 respondents. The results show that better information about the crisis preparedness in the schools is needed. Further education is also required, as two thirds of the respondents states that they have not received any training in crisis preparedness. Having personal crisis experience increases the awareness of risks. Being a leader increases both risk perception and the judgement of crisis preparedness of the school.

Effective risk communication is essential in the field of health to ensure patients understand the information being presented to them by medical professionals and appreciate the level of risk involved in treatments. Cardiovascular disease, being the leading cause of death worldwide, is relevant to consider when examining risk communication in a health setting. Those afflicted with cardiovascular ailments are both high in number and exposed to information communicating risk. This research aims to identify presentation formats that are more effective communicating risk information to recovering cardiovascular patients at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute. The formats’ effectiveness is measured by gauging the population’s understanding of the material and perception of the information as it relates to risk and motivation. The research draws on Max Weber’s concept of rationality and subsequent scholars who developed social judgment theory, the heuristic-systematic model, expected utility theory, protection motivation theory, and the extended parallel process model. Utilizing an experimental research design, risk information handouts and questionnaires are distributed to, and completed by, a stratified sample of cardiovascular disease patients. Effective presentation formats are examined, and the results identify comparatively effective presentation formats for minimizing and maximizing risk perception. The results also identify presentation formats’ impact on a patient’s level of motivation to avoid / indulge in behaviours that may maximize or minimize risk. The results, synthesized herein, suggest a model (communicative cardiovascular physician-patient model of message preparation-perception), which may contribute to the effectiveness of risk communication between physicians and cardiovascular disease patients.

Participatory action research (PAR) oriented by an eco-system health framework is one approach to involving marginalised peoples in their own problem solving. A PAR project during 2005-06 that engaged peri-urban farmers in Senegal using popular education documented change on environment and health perceptions and behaviour. Health as a theme took on greater importance, as farmers related good health to their ability to work and their overall productivity. Farmers came to better recognize the symptoms of pesticide poisoning and to establish more clearly the link between pesticide-related work practices and health effects. Less clear remained their recognition of symptoms and links with wastewater use practices, though malaria and parasitic infection were linked to urban agriculture. African worldviews, including notions of locus of power, were important determinants of perceived vulnerability to risks. Farmers cited fatigue as an important clue to the work-health interface and indicator of overall wellbeing. Farmers’ understanding evolved to become more dynamic, describing the complex web of environmentally-related health risk. By 2006, farmers experimented more with less toxic pest control methods, adjusted their clothing to protect their skin and mouth, and reduced some exposure pathways through improved hygiene behaviour. However, toxic pesticides continued to be used and exposure to wastewater with limited protection remained widespread. Change was dependent upon: the researcher’s deep understanding of how farmers learned; farmers’ trust in the purveyors of new information; and the clarity, consistency and relevance of messages devised. Change varied with farmers’ literacy; the language used; and the way in which tools and media were interpreted culturally and technically. The health belief model provided a partial explanation for changes in perceptions and behaviour. Social, political and economic barriers preventing change included: leaving the onus for change on farmers, diminishing the responsibility of pesticide manufacturers and governments; land tenure arrangements which reduced investment in health and environment protection; urban poverty and illiteracy; and eco-system constraints. Examination of the PAR process, its leadership, owners, tools and ideas developed, and knowledge created provided useful insight into issues of power and control.

Stålindustrin förser såväl människor som samhället med många nödvändiga byggstenar. I Sverige finns tolv ståltillverkande anläggningar och hela 80 % av stålet exporteras. Som alla andra tillverkande industrier har den flera miljöaspekter att ta hänsyn till, men stålets nytta väger tungt och därför är det av stor vikt att genom forskningsprojektet Stålkretsloppet nå hållbar utveckling. Miljöskyddslagen, miljöbalken och ett ökande miljöengagemang har lett till arbete med miljöfrågor. Syftet med den här studien var att undersöka hur allmänhetens riskperception, attityd och oro gentemot stålindustrin ser ut. Skiljer sig kunskapen och intresset beroende på olika bakgrundsvariabler så som ålder, kön, sysselsättning, om kommunen har stålindustri eller inte, etc. Enkäten skickades till 1000 personer fördelade över fyra kommuner; två med stålverk, Luleå och Smedjebacken kommun, och två utan, Kalmar och Tingsryds kommun. Enkätundersökningens svarsfrekvens hamnade slutligen på omkring 43 %. Resultaten visade att de största skillnader finns mellan kommunerna. Respondenter med fram för allt arbetsrelaterad koppling till stålindustri är de som instämmer mest i de olika påståendena. Giftiga ämnen är det som oroar mest. Slutsatser som drogs var att skillnader mellan kommunerna med stålverk och kommunerna utan stålverk är tydligast. Kunskapen om stålindustrin är tämligen liten och allmänheten önskar mer information, inte minst om miljöarbetet. / The steel industry and its production are fundamental to our society and the modern way of life. There are twelve steel manufacturing facilities in Sweden, exporting as much as 80 % of the produced steel. Like all other manufacturing industries it is giving rise to environmental aspects, but steel’s advantage weighs heavily and it is therefore of great importance through the research programme the Steel Eco-Cycle (Stålkretsloppet) to achieve sustainable development. The purpose of this study was to examine what the general public’s risk perception, attitude and worry towards steel industry looks like. Are there any variations in knowledge and interest based on different background variables such as age, gender, employment, if the municipality has manufacturing or not, etc. The survey was sent to 1000 people spread in four municipalities, two having steel industry and two not having. The answering rate of the survey finally ended at 43 %. The results showed that the biggest differences are to find between the different municipalities. Respondents with a work related connection to the steel industry seems to agree more on the different allegations. The respondents are mainly worried about toxic substances. The most striking conclusion was that the biggest differences lay between the municipalities with steel industry and the ones without it. The knowledge about the industry is however relatively small and the respondents are therefore asking for more information, not least about the work with environmental aspects.

Participatory action research (PAR) oriented by an eco-system health framework is one approach to involving marginalised peoples in their own problem solving. A PAR project during 2005-06 that engaged peri-urban farmers in Senegal using popular education documented change on environment and health perceptions and behaviour. Health as a theme took on greater importance, as farmers related good health to their ability to work and their overall productivity. Farmers came to better recognize the symptoms of pesticide poisoning and to establish more clearly the link between pesticide-related work practices and health effects. Less clear remained their recognition of symptoms and links with wastewater use practices, though malaria and parasitic infection were linked to urban agriculture. African worldviews, including notions of locus of power, were important determinants of perceived vulnerability to risks. Farmers cited fatigue as an important clue to the work-health interface and indicator of overall wellbeing. Farmers’ understanding evolved to become more dynamic, describing the complex web of environmentally-related health risk. By 2006, farmers experimented more with less toxic pest control methods, adjusted their clothing to protect their skin and mouth, and reduced some exposure pathways through improved hygiene behaviour. However, toxic pesticides continued to be used and exposure to wastewater with limited protection remained widespread. Change was dependent upon: the researcher’s deep understanding of how farmers learned; farmers’ trust in the purveyors of new information; and the clarity, consistency and relevance of messages devised. Change varied with farmers’ literacy; the language used; and the way in which tools and media were interpreted culturally and technically. The health belief model provided a partial explanation for changes in perceptions and behaviour. Social, political and economic barriers preventing change included: leaving the onus for change on farmers, diminishing the responsibility of pesticide manufacturers and governments; land tenure arrangements which reduced investment in health and environment protection; urban poverty and illiteracy; and eco-system constraints. Examination of the PAR process, its leadership, owners, tools and ideas developed, and knowledge created provided useful insight into issues of power and control.