Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2000. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 386-402). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2000. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 386-402). Also available on the Internet.

The purpose of this study was to create a web application that provided peer to peer rental solutions for students and while doing so maximize the usability of the application with regards to simplicity and online trust. An initial market survey was conducted, see appendix B, and the overall results were promising. The few survey takers that were hesitant towards the idea thought that using a rental solution would not be worth the while. Hence the research question focused on maximizing usability in regards to simplicity and online trust in order to make the e-shop an easy rental solution to use. The application was developed in three iterations and through the development process user tests were conducted and metrics regarding simplicity and perceived online trust were collected. The test conducted made use of the concurrent think aloud procedure, retrospective probing, surveying and time data used for calculating the effectiveness and efficiency of the test participants. The test results all improved throughout the development process and the application was perceived as both simple and trustworthy by test participants. By the end of the study, an application that could provide a peer to peer rental solution that was trusted by its users and was simple to use was realized. The study concluded that the evaluation methods used were good indicators of whether a web application is simple and trustworthy by identifying issues with the application as well as the improvements reflected in the test results. However they should have been applied on separate test occasions.

Literature available on Honegger’s Cello Concerto suggests this concerto is often considered as a composition that resonates with Les Six traditions. While reflecting currents of Les Six, the Cello Concerto also features departures from Erik Satie’s and Jean Cocteau’s ideal for French composers to return to simplicity. Both characteristics of and departures from Les Six examined in this concerto include metric organization, thematic and rhythmic development, melodic wedge shapes, contrapuntal techniques, simplicity in orchestration, diatonicism, the use of humor, jazz influences, and other unique performance techniques.

In today’s environment of mass production and overconsumption, better lifestyle choices should be encouraged to safeguard the earth’s dwindling natural resources. Quick turnaround times and the reduced lifespan of clothing items have given rise to the so-called “fast fashion” industry that, in its entirety, causes great environmental concern. To combat the repercussions of this industry, consumers need to adopt more sustainable lifestyles and embrace what is empirically known as “voluntary simplicity” (Leonard-Barton, 1981; Elgin & Mitchell, 1977). Voluntary simplicity (VS) involves an individual’s conscious choice to engage in low consumption behaviour to live a non-materialistic, quality enriched, lifestyle (Rich, Wright & Bennett, 2019). To date, little is known about consumers’ acceptance of these voluntary simplistic lifestyles and the impact it has on their clothing consumption behaviour in a developing market context such as South Africa. More research is thus needed on the topic, but such research would require appropriate measurement scales to deliver valid and reliable insight on the matter. This project was therefore focused on developing and validating a scale to measure consumers' engagement in voluntary simplistic clothing consumption behaviour in South Africa. A review of existing literature highlights five voluntary simplicity dimensions that were initially proposed by Elgin and Mitchell (1977) and labelled as material simplicity, self-determination, ecological awareness, human scale and personal growth. These dimensions were later used by Leonard-Barton (1981) to develop a behavioural index (Rich et al., 2019). From a behavioural perspective, most of these dimensions are manifested in the five R’s namely recycle, repair, reuse, reduce and refuse (Zamwel, Sasson-Levy & Porat, 2014), except for the personal growth dimension, which more closely relates to an attitudinal disposition. Because people do not always act in accordance with their behaviour, those who have measured VS, have rather focused on actual behaviour as opposed to attitudes or intentions (Hüttel, Ziesemer, Peyer & Balderjahn, 2018). For these reasons, personal growth was excluded from the overall aim of this study that was more narrowly focused on developing a scale that measures consumers’ voluntary simplistic clothing consumption behaviour. To accomplish the envisaged outcome of this study, the guidelines and procedures for scale development prescribed by Kang and Johnson (2011) were particularly useful and led to three phases that are described and explained throughout this study, namely initial scale item generation, scale purification, and scale validation. During the initial scale item generation, questionnaire development and collection commenced in 2016 as part of a final year Clothing Retail Management research project in the Department of Consumer and Food Sciences at the University of Pretoria. Data collection was conducted in the Tshwane Metropolitan area of Gauteng where a total of 1025 responses were obtained, of which 1002 were usable, and 23 were rejected due to missing values. The respondents were asked to complete a self-administered paper-based questionnaire that included six sections that altogether measured materialism, status consumption, lifestyle choices, voluntary simplicity, the use of money and demographics. The initial project adopted a quantitative approach with the use of a cross-sectional survey that predominantly served exploratory purposes in terms of all the sections included in the questionnaire. It should, however, be noted that for this particular study, the most emphasis was directed toward the voluntary simplicity items and demographic variables, while some referral is made toward the materialism and status consumption scales to validate the newly developed VS scale. SPSS statistical software was used for data analysis and as per specified guidelines, the data were randomly split into two datasets to perform scale purification procedures on the first dataset and subsequent scale validation procedures on the second dataset. The scale purification and validation results produced an eleven item, three-factor solution with a good model fit and significant validity measures. Following rigorous scrutiny, the three factors were labelled as “local ethical brands”, “distinct product features” and “reduced consumption”, which to some extent reflect the dimensions initially proposed by Elgin and Mitchell (1977), but are more aligned to the contextual realities of the South African emerging market context. These results underscore Arnould and Thompson's (2005) consumer culture theory (CCT) that emphasises the link between consumers’ behaviour and the unique marketplace in which they find themselves. The most statistically prominent factor, namely “local ethical brands” may stem from the drive toward supporting proudly South African brands and the importance of job creation in a developing country that is faced with extreme levels of unemployment and the intense pursuit of ethical/ fair treatment of the local labour force. While the other two factors, namely “distinct product features” and “reduced consumption” may benefit from further scale development due to scoring low on the Cronbach alphas and the average variance extracted (AVE) statistical measurements, there is something to be said for both of these factors in the prevailing South African context. “Distinct product features” may be particularly important for a growing middle-class consumer segment (Marketline Report, 2018), who prefer clothing items that are uniquely handcrafted and/ or eco-friendly, which in turn differentiate their garments from those that are mass-produced. In terms of “reduced consumption”, the argument brought forward is that local economic conditions have forced consumers to adopt a more frugal approach (PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC), 2012), whereby they re-evaluate the longevity of their clothing items and attempt to extend the lifespan of their garments and/ or focus on absolute need as opposed to seasonal fast fashion trends in their acquisition of new garments. Whether the underlying reasons for adopting voluntary simplistic clothing consumption behaviour is driven by sustainable pursuits or other ulterior motives, the factors identified in this study’s scale development procedures reflect a uniquely South African emerging market approach. To drive an economy that uses, produces and provides sustainable clothing, an understanding of consumers’ consumption behaviour is essential (Balderjahn, Peyer, Seegebarth, Wiedemann, & Weber, 2018). This understanding will provide the local clothing industry with a roadmap toward good business practices as sustainability does not only represent greener purchases, but it requires three interlinking dimensions, namely the environment relating to green consumption, society with the promotion of fair-trade products and economic considerations, which focuses on the extension of a garment’s lifespan (Balderjahn et al., 2018). Once further insight is derived through valid and reliable measures such as the one proposed in this study, government and other stakeholders can use such insight to streamline intervention strategies to effectively target voluntary simplistic clothing consumption behaviour in the local economy. Such behaviour could altogether involve recycling, repairing, reusing and reducing clothing consumption as well as consumers’ refusal to acquire clothing brands that are unethical and unsustainable (Zamwel et al., 2014). / In vandag se omgewing van massaproduksie en oormatige verbruik behoort beter lewenstylkeuses aangemoedig te word om te help om die aarde se kwynende natuurlike hulpbronne te beveilig. Vinnige omkeertye en die korter lewensduur van kledingstukke het aanleiding gegee tot die sogenaamde “kitsmode”-bedryf wat in sy geheel groot kommer oor die omgewing veroorsaak. Om die gevolge van dié bedryf teë te werk, moet verbruikers volhoubaarder lewenstyle aankweek en eienaarskap neem van wat empiries bekend staan as “vrywillige eenvoud” (Leonard-Barton, 1981; Elgin & Mitchell, 1977). Vrywillige een / Dissertation (MConsumer Science)--University of Pretoria, 2019. / Consumer Science / MConsumer Science / Unrestricted

As technology becomes integrated into everyday life, the relationship between the human and machine must be kept in a balance. Not only does the technology have to perform its intended function, but it must do so in accordance with the dynamic parameters of the complex use environment, in a way that does not encumber the user either physically or mentally. The dissertation explores the challenges of such a scenario through an analysis of three core facets: Affordances, or the user interface cues that allow an intuitive means of operating a device; the aspect of simplicity and its effect on the use factors of the technology (while something might seem to be simple, it may actually be complex to use); and cognitive load in terms of user impact, as a result of utilizing the technology. These illustrate the challenges inherent in understanding the facets fundamental to human- machine interaction in a complex environment. The three factors will be explored first through an historical analysis of the work in each aspect. The theories at hand will be utilized to inform the creation of iterative generations of wearable sensory systems. By utilizing the systems in the field of dance, the theoretical aspects of the core factors can be gauged by actual implementation. Each implementation will be compared side by side to gauge differences in terms of movement dynamics and efficacy of execution. The study will reveal that the three core factors of affordance, simplicity and cognitive load combine synergistically to create a foundational methodology for seamless integration of technology in a complex use scenario. Furthermore, the facets of interoperability between devices in a complex use environment will be illustrated through the theory of intra-interactivity. Finally, the dissertation will illustrate the advantages of passive user interaction and its necessity in relation to the factor of cognitive load. / text

In this paper I argue that both parametric variation and the alleged differences between languages in terms of their internal complexity straightforwardly follow from the Strongest Minimalist Thesis that takes the Faculty of Language (FL) to be an optimal solution to conditions that neighboring mental modules impose on it. In this paper I argue that hard conditions like legibility at the linguistic interfaces invoke simplicity metrices that, given that they stem from different mental modules, are not harmonious. I argue that widely attested expression strategies, such as agreement or movement, are a direct result of conflicting simplicity metrices, and that UG, perceived as a toolbox that shapes natural language, can be taken to consist of a limited number of markings strategies, all resulting from conflicting simplicity metrices. As such, the contents of UG follow from simplicity requirements, and therefore no longer necessitate linguistic principles, valued or unvalued, to be innately present. Finally, I show that the SMT does not require that languages themselves have to be optimal in connecting sound to meaning.

Bakgrund: Svenska redovisningsregler för onoterade företag genomgår förändring. På förslag ligger nya redovisningsregler för onoterade företag. Genom Årsredovisningslagens definition av ett mindre företag har 97 procent av Sveriges företag möjlighet att välja mellan K2 och K3. Marknaden efterfrågar en ökad kunskap om skillnaderna mellan regelverken. Syfte: Identifiera väsentliga skillnader mellan K2 och K3 samt undersöka vilka av dessa som har störst betydelse för företagen i sitt val av regelverk. Metod: En kvalitativ studie har genomförts, där intervjuer och remissvar har använts som datainsamling. En urvalsmetod har använts för att identifiera vilka skillnader som är tydliga mellan K2 och K3. De tydliga skillnaderna har sedan legat till grund för att undersöka om de även är väsentliga. Resultat och slutsatser: Skillnader som är väsentliga vid företagens val mellan K2 och K3 har identifierats på fem områden. Skillnaderna är väsentliga och påverkar därför företagens val mellan K2 och K3. Det eftersom de ingår i en bedömning av företagets samlade behov av komplexitet i sin externredovisning. / Background: Accounting regulations for unlisted companies in Sweden is changing. There is a draft for new accounting rules for unlisted companies. Through the definition of a small company in the Swedish Annual Accounting Act, 97 percent of Swedish companies will have the possibility to choose between K2 and K3. The market demands a better understanding of differences between the regulations. Aim: Identify significant differences between K2 and K3, in order to examine which of these differences that is the most important factors for companies in their selection of rules. Method: A qualitative study has been conducted in which interviews and responses were used as data collection. A sampling method was used to identify distinct differences between the K2 and K3. These differences have been the basis for examining the significant differences as well. Analysis and conclusion: Differences between K2 and K3 that are significant in the choice of the firm have been identified in five areas. These differences will therefore affect the firms’ choice between K2 and K3. The reason is that they are a part of an assessment of the company’s overall needs of complexity in their accounting.

There is no abstract available for this dissertation. / Department of English

This thesis assesses the viability of voluntary simplicity as part of the solution to the material culture that is pushing the planet beyond its carrying capacity without making us happier. Voluntary simplicity is a philosophy and way of life that emphasizes material simplicity, do-it-yourself projects, personal fulfillment, small-scale systems, and spending less time working. Described as “the quiet revolution” and “a life that is outwardly more simple and inwardly more rich,” voluntary simplicity is at once mainstream and countercultural. Voluntary simplifiers are mainly white, middle class, and well educated, and they come from all types of communities all over the US. Although many voluntary simplifiers hold environmental values, they are primarily motivated by personal concerns such as stress and discontent with the hectic cycle of work and spend. This thesis describes the strong tradition of simplicity in American culture and the philosophy and demographics of voluntary simplifiers. It analyzes voluntary simplicity within the context of the de-growth process society must undergo, and it discusses the class barriers that limit the movement’s wider accessibility.