No / Little is known about the career decisions qualified nurses make, although it is clear that some areas of practice are more popular than others. This qualitative descriptive study considers one common area, surgery, and explores the motivation for decisions made by Registered Nurses (RNs) to work in this area. A sample of 16 RNs working within surgical areas participated in semi-structured interviews, using a thematic interview schedule. Findings were analysed using the framework suggested by Morse and Field. Analysis of findings indicates that all participants actively chose to work within surgery and that this was because of the pace and turnover of surgical work, personal satisfaction at the recovery of patients; the close links between this type of work; and participants' original aims when first entering nursing and participants' preference of surgery to other areas of nursing work. Participants actively rejected working in areas where patients were likely to suffer from chronic long-term conditions where recovery was unlikely and felt that these areas were likely to be depressing and unrewarding. These findings suggest that participants actively chose to work with 'healthy' patients in preference to those who may be considered 'ill', and this is closely linked to the identified need of participants to be able to 'make patients better'. Participants were reluctant to work in areas where they would be unlikely to achieve this aim.

This study will focus on explaining the dynamics of Saudi Arabia’s national security. In explaining these dynamics, the study will consider two of Buzan’s frameworks for analysing national security. Further enhancement will be given by conceptualising specific assumptions about Saudi Arabia’s national security – these will be based on the manner in which certain features are utilised within the Saudi state. Semistructured interviews will be utilised to examine the findings from the adapted frameworks. By studying the state’s domestic, regional and international concerns, as well as the specific threats that each level pose with regards to several security sectors (including the: social, political, economic, militant and environmental), this study will provide a distinctive analysis of national security within the Saudi state. Initially, this study acknowledges that only a few studies have been conducted into Saudi Arabia’s national security; furthermore, these have focused on the internal perspective by considering Saudi national security in terms of its military and strategic partnerships. Secondly, the study proposes that Saudi Arabia is unique (and unlike any other state) as it holds various important social and religious aspects that are not fully understood by external sources. Consequently, this study conceptualises Saudi national security from the internal perspective by considering the Saudi state’s specific features.

The issue of standards for household latrines is complex because discussions related to standards for latrines in literature from the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sector tend to focus on the negative aspects of standards and highlights cases where the miss-application of standards in the past has caused problems. However, despite concerns about the constraints that standards can seemingly impose, there is an acknowledgement that standards can play a more positive role in supporting efforts to increase access to household latrines. The World Health Organisation has long established and widely recognised standards for water supply quality and quantity but there are no equivalent standards for sanitation services and there is currently no guidance that deals with the topic of standards for household latrines. Household latrines are a small component of the wider sanitation system in a country and by considering how standards for household latrines operate within this wider sanitation system the aim of this research is to understand what influences standards can have on household latrines and explore how the negative perceptions about standards and latrine building can be overcome. The development of guidance on how to develop well written standards is the core focus of this research. This research explores the factors that can influence the development and use of a standard for household latrines in Rwanda using three data collection methods. Document analysis using 66 documents, including policies and strategies, design manuals and training guides from 17 countries throughout Sub-Saharan Africa was used in conjunction with the Delphi Method involving an expert panel of 27 from Rwanda and 38 semi-structured interviews. The research concludes that perceptions about standards for household latrines are fragmented and confused with little consensus in Rwanda on what need a standard should meet and what role it should play. The study has found that the need for a standard must be considered in the context of the wider sanitation system otherwise it can lead to duplication of efforts and increased confusion for all stakeholders. The study also found that there is an assumed link between standards and enforcement of standards through regulation and punishments which creates the negative perceptions about standards in Rwanda. However, despite this aversion to standards, there are still intentions to promote the standardisation of latrine technologies and designs, led by national government in Rwanda and in other Sub-Saharan African countries. The contribution to knowledge of this research includes a decision process presented at the end of the study which can be used by decision makers who are interested in developing a standard for household latrines. The decision process acts as a tool for outlining how a standard can operate within the national sanitation system. This understanding provides decision makers with the basis for continuing the debate on what a well written standard looks like in the national context and supports the development of a standard that is fit for purpose and provides a positive contribution to the sector.

Denna studie hade som syfte att undersöka olika individers föreställningar och uppfattningar om terrorism. För att undersöka detta ämne har semistrukturerade intervjuer genomförts med sex olika individer. Studiens första huvudresultat och även den viktigaste slutsatsen var att olika individer har olika uppfattning om vad terrorism är och hur det ska definieras, men att den gemensamma idén är att målet eller syftet är det som avgör om det rör sig om terrorism. De flesta intervjupersonerna ansåg att både fysiskt och psykiskt skadade människor kan vara offer för terrorism. Huvudresultatet gällande terrorister handlade om föreställningar kring terroristers utseende, till exempel “stort skägg” och “muslimer”. Vad gäller medias framställning av terrorism upplevde de flesta intervjupersoner att media vinklar och utelämnar information, samt har en viss påverkan på deras uppfattning om terrorism. Intervjupersonerna nämnde också en ökad rädsla och oro för terrorism, något som dock inte påverkade deras vardagliga rutiner och handlingar. / This study has exanimated different individuals’ conceptions and perceptions of terrorism. To examine this issue we have done semi-structured interviews with six different individuals. The first main result of the study and the most important conclusion was that different individuals had different perceptions about what terrorism is and how it should be defined. Most of the interviewees counted both physically and psychologically harmed people as victims of terrorism. The main result when it comes to conceptions about terrorists looks was that terrorists have “big beard” and were “Muslims”. When it comes to medias representation of terrorism most of the interviewees believed that media angle and leave out information, and that this had some influence on their perception of terrorism. The interviewees also mentioned an increased fear and concern about terrorism, something that did not affect their daily routines and activities.

Information Communication Systems (ICT) has brought about a change in the way people handle transactions. The payment systems have undergone an incredible evolution over the passing years from physical transfer of cash to exchanging money in a digital form. Mobile Payment (mPayment) which is a branch of mobile commerce is one of the areas that is becoming more and more popular these days. In Sweden, there is a growing success of mPayment system such as SEQR, Swish amongst others. However, a huge chunk of the population is yet to adopt the system. Hence, there is a need to identify factors that influence peoples’ decisions to adopt or not to adopt the mPayment system like Swish. This study aimed at identifying the factors that influence the adoption of mPayment system amongst the consumers in Sweden. The research question was: what factors influence the adoption of Swish mobile payment app among the consumers in Sweden? A qualitative research was conducted. A semi structured interview was used as the data collection method. This data collection method was used because this research work seeks to identify the feelings, opinions and experiences of people and this method fits best into the research work. The thematic analysis approach was used for the data analysis. The study showed that impact of the system on day-to-day activities, speculation of risk and trust of the system, integration to lifestyle, speculation of user friendliness and flexibility, age and peer influence are the factors that influence the adoption of swish mobile payment app amongst the consumers in Sweden. Furthermore, the research was viewed through the lens of the UTAUT by comparing the findings of the study and how it relates to the determinants and moderating factors of the model. In conclusion, this study has contributed to the field of ICT specifically the mobile technology field. The conceptual model that was built will be useful for developers and researchers to be able to know the areas to put in more efforts and areas to keep maintaining. Furthermore, this research was conducted within a country that has experience with m-payment apps. Hence, this study can serve as an example for other countries moving towards higher smartphone and application usage.

The research investigates the Centro Velico Caprera (CVC), a sailing school located in the Mediterrean Sea, whose purpose is to replicate the lifestyle of a ship on land. This ambition creates an isolated environment in which the frequenters are completely immersed and the life is heavily controlled through different spatial and temporal means. The people who attend the school and become part of its community refer to its characteristics and to the collective essence they experience as 'the Spirit of Caprera'. Using an ethnographic approach and in particular participant observation as a primary source of data, and formal semi-structured interviews, the research investigated the internal dynamics of the school and the nature of the 'spirit' by looking at the setting from the insiders' point of view. The investigation aspired to gain a better understanding of the setting as a sailing community and of the relationships that are created that appear to make this environment unique. The research used sociological concepts as 'benchmarks', such as total institution, status and roles, routine and rituals, subculture and power, to guide the data collection and the analysis. Moreover, it made use of key thinkers such as Goffman and Foucault. The analysis has revealed that in the Centro Velico Caprera the 'spirit' can be considered as the consequence and result of more specific dynamics. In particular, the school's organisational and institutional structure, the time management, the role and functioning of authority and finally the rules and norms that derive from the idea of being part of a unique crew. The research engaged also in the analysis of social class and gender discrimination that characterise the school. The study of this school contributes to the study of sport and in particular sailing, which has often been ignored, by adding a new perspective and analysis to its study. The main contributions surround the comparison with other similar sailing subcultures and realities, such as ocean cruising, the development of the concept of the sport panopticon related to authority and its functioning, the notion of spirit, its meaning and significance, and the particular structure of the institution with its consequence for the frequenters. Moreover, the study also aimed to contribute to the narrower debates surrounding the 'benchmark' concepts, their use and their understanding in social theory and for sport studies.

Teaching journalism in tertiary institutions presents challenges, including how students learn to work in teams under the sort of pressure that characterizes workplace journalism. This thesis is a case study of how a group of students at AUT University, in Auckland, experienced taking responsibility for producing four editions of a student newspaper as part of their journalism training. Based on a series of individual student interviews, before, during and after their experience, this research suggests that the key factor in their learning was their being allowed, to a large extent, the power to make their own decisions about the appearance and content of their product, while still being charged with the responsibility of ensuring it reached a highly professional standard. The realities of life as a journalist, including recognizing the frequent need to prune, tighten or re-angle stories - even to reject them - and the vital role of co-operative teamwork, unparalleled in their other journalism studies, were driven home.The two tutors, interviewed after the last edition, put some of the student observations into context and provided insights into the discipline involved, as teachers, in maintaining training as a priority, while ensuring production to deadline of a series of reputable and legally safe newspapers.This case study suggests that while there are contrived aspects that cannot replicate a "real" newsroom - such as the students' assignment to editorial roles without the status of real editors or chief reporters - the learning experience resulted not only in advances in the students' technological skills but significant development in their critical thinking about the profession they were due to enter.

The aim of this study was to identify how Information and Communication Technology (ICT) affects business processes and service delivery within hotels and how ICT interacts with strategic issues confronting hotel managers. The areas of exploration were: 1) the business context of ICT; 2) the main role of ICT in day to day business; 3) ICT's impact on service delivery to hotel guests; and 4) the role of ICT in the future.As the study was exploring the General Managers' (GMs) perceptions, interviewing was selected as the most appropriate data gathering method. The sample covered a range of Auckland hotels which differed according to location, size and quality. Semi-structured interviews were used to facilitate the comparison of data between interviewees. Common themes and concepts were identified which were compared to the demographic characteristics of the hotels as well as previous research detailed in the literature.The contextual issues identified were staff availability and retention, competition (particularly price wars resulting from discounting), and location and infrastructure issues. Only half the GMs interviewed identified benefits from ICT in the day to day operation of their business. All of them described challenges or disadvantages posed by ICT. The impact on service delivery to guests was viewed more positively but there were still misgivings about the potential barriers which ICT created. There was a strong view that staff were of overwhelming importance to service delivery. Finally, envisioning the future, ICT was perceived as having the ability to make a strong contribution to business development but this ability would be constrained by staffing problems. Analyses of the findings suggest that ICT has a dual role of gathering management data and providing guest services, and GMs appear unaware of how this dual role contributes to the challenges posed by ICT. Similarly, there was limited awareness of the interaction between human agents in a business, the organisational structures, and ICT.The business implications of these findings suggest that GMs would benefit from being aware of the roles of ICT and addressing the needs of staff for a clearer understanding of how their role, and the ICT that supports it, fits into their broader operation of the business.This study is the one of first to examine the impact of ICT in New Zealand hotels, and, in particular, how this interacts with the broader social issues, and offers insights into the areas of potential conflict and ways to manage the impacts of ICT in hotels.

Anderberg, Mats & Dahlberg, Mikael (2009). Strukturerade intervjuer inom missbruksvården – som en grund för kunskapsutveckling (Structured interviews in substance abuse treatment - as a foundation for the development of knowledge).   In the discussion on knowledge development in social work, structured interviews have attracted an increasing amount of attention. The aim of this thesis is to examine and analyze how structured interviews can serve as a basis in the compilation and development of knowledge for practice and research in addiction treatment. More precisely, it means a problematization of the methodological issues that are of central importance in studying treatment outcomes, in which structured interviews form the basis. The methodological aspects in focus here are scientific concepts such as reliability, validity and specific factors in the evaluation of treatment interventions. A further objective is to outline a model for analysis when compiling and evaluating treatment outcome. The five empirical studies have been conducted in their natural context, in organisations in which structured interviews with clients are carried out as an everyday routine and used for e.g. treatment planning. The structured interview DOK (a Swedish abbreviation for Documentation of clients) is used as a basis and an example for the empirical studies in this thesis. The validation studies show that the DOK interview generally attains a good level of reliability and validity, but also contains a small number of variables that do not live up to the requirements which may be imposed. Deficiencies in operationalization and question construction seem to have a large impact. Another conclusion is that it is possible to carry out validation studies, where each variable is examined separately and evaluated with the aid of both sound methodological starting points and relevant statistical theory. Another of the central questions, the thesis addresses, is how structured interviews can be used as a basis for evaluation of treatment. The two studies which highlight this issue show that it is obvious that structured interviews are suitable for such a purpose, through its standardized form and multi-dimensional nature. Validation of structured interviews or evaluation of social interventions should not be reduced to single numbers or values. The multidimensional nature of the structured interview shall also be reflected in the results and analysis. The thesis presents an analysis model for evaluating treatment outcome in relation to two empirical examples and foregoing theoretical starting points. Our view is that structured interviews can provide a link between practice and research and thus contribute to the development of knowledge in social work and substance abuse treatment.

In the 21st century, the mobility of world population has posed greater challenges to healthcare practitioners, since they are facing an increasingly diverse patient population from all over the world. At the same time, patients also find it difficult to access and utilize quality health care services in a culturally diverse context. This study examines the role of culture in Chinese international students’ health-seeking behaviours in Canada. The study explores any barriers/perceived barriers that Chinese international students may confront when accessing health care which can prevent them from obtaining quality health care services in Canada. To this end, an intercultural health communication model was employed as a theoretical framework, and semi-structured interviews were used as a data collection tool. While contributing to existing literature on health communication and culture, this study also hopes to contribute to providing Canadian universities and institutions important information regarding Chinese international students’ access to and utilization of health care services with the hope of enhancing the quality of ethnic health care and promoting better health outcomes.