Future advances in technology may allow home-based robots to perform complex collaborative activities with individuals of different ages. Two studies were conducted to understand the expectations of and attitudes toward home-based robots by younger and older adults. One study involved questionnaires sent to 2500 younger adults (aged 18-28) and 2500 older adults (aged 65-86) in the Atlanta Metropolitan area. One hundred and eighty questionnaires were completed and returned by individuals in the targeted age groups. For the questionnaire, participants were asked to imagine a robot in their home and then to answer questions about how well characteristics matched their imagined robot. Participants' technology and robot experience, demographic information, and health information were also collected. In conjunction with the questionnaire study, twelve younger adults (aged 19-26) and twenty-four older adults in two sub-age groups (younger-older, aged 65-75, and older-older aged 77-85) were interviewed about their expectations of and attitudes toward a robot in their home. They were asked to imagine a robot in their home and answer numerous questions about the tasks their envisioned robot would perform, the appearance of the robot, and other general questions about their interaction with the robot. The results of the studies suggest that individuals have many different ideas about what a robot in the home would be like. Mostly, they want a robot to perform mundane or repetitive tasks, such as cleaning, and picture a robot as a time-saving device. However, individuals are willing to have a robot perform other types of tasks, if they see benefits of having the robot perform those tasks. The ability of the robot to perform tasks efficiently, with minimal effort on the part of the human, appears to be more important in determining acceptance of the robot than its social ability or appearance. Overall, individuals both younger and older seem to be very open to the idea of a robot in their home as long it is useful and not too difficult to use.

This mixed methods study examined professional development for higher education faculty members at four-year, state supported universities in Texas and the perceptions of professional development leaders at these institutions. The quantitative data was generated through an electronic survey aligned to the second iteration of the technology acceptance model while the qualitative data was generated through semi structured interviews with those that participated with the survey. Univariate analysis was performed on the survey data and the qualitative data was categorized using pattern coding. Limitations and future recommendations were also discussed.

The graphical modelling of processes is of growing popularity and high relevance to organisations that seek to document, analyse and improve their business operations. This research investigates the phenomenon of continued user acceptance of the grammars that are used to build process models. It develops and tests a theory that can be used to explain and predict why users would opt to continue working with certain grammars in their process modelling efforts. This study builds on established theories, including the Technology Acceptance Model, Expectation-Confirmation Theory, Task-Technology Fit Theory and Representation Theory. These theories suggest that end users typically strive for tools that are useful and easy to use, which confirm their expectations through firsthand utility, and which match task requirements and individual abilities. Representation theory suggests that modelling grammars should be complete and clear in their capabilities to represent real-world domains. The research model has been designed by combining conceptual studies of acceptance and continuance theories with a representational analysis of the BPMN grammar, which is a recently ratified industry standard for process modelling and thereby of high practical relevance to process modelling practice. It further incorporates findings from nineteen semi-structured interviews with process modellers in Australia. The research model has been tested and validated by means of a web-based survey with 590 process modellers world-wide. This thesis contributes to the body of knowledge in a number of ways: First, it presents an empirically validated model of the factors determining a user's intention to continue using a process modelling grammar. Second, it measures the impact that grammar characteristics as well as user and task characteristics have on user evaluations of a process modelling grammar. Third, it presents empirical evidence on the consequences that perceived representational deficiencies entail on user perceptions of a process modelling grammar.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Understanding factors that enhance or diminish performance levels of individuals is instrumental for achieving individual (low level) and organisational (high level) goals. In this study, the effect of social network structure, position, ties and information and communication technologies (ICT) use on performance attitudes of knowledge intensive workers in dispersed occupational communities is investigated. Based on social network theories of strength of weak ties and structural holes, and the social influence model of technology use, a theoretical framework is developed. In conjunction with qualitative interviews conducted with subject matter experts, the framework is used to further develop and refine a valid and reliable survey instrument. Secondly, network measures of degree centrality, density, structural holes (constraint and efficiency), tie strength and tie diversity are applied for exploring the association with ICT use and performance from a sample of 110 rural general practitioners. Empirical results suggest that network structure, position and ties of knowledge workers play a crucial role in individual performance and ICT use. In particular, degree centrality and task-level ICT use was found to be positively associated with performance while ego-network constraint was found to be negatively correlated with performance. In terms of ICT use, functional diversity and degree centrality were positively associated with task-level ICT use whereas ego-network efficiency was found to be negatively correlated with ICT use at the communication-structure level. Among the variables that showed significance, degree centrality best explained overall variance for performance, and functional diversity best explained overall variance for task-level ICT use, although professional accreditations remains a potent indicator also. The results from this study resonate with findings from past literature and extend traditional theory of social networks and performance within the micro level to include geographically dispersed individuals involved in knowledge intensive work. For individuals in such non-competitive settings, traditional network theories such as structural holes theory still apply. However, a key finding is that network structure is a much more potent predictor of performance although network position is important. The second key finding addresses a major gap in the literature concerning understanding social processes that influence ICT use. As the technology acceptance and the social influence models lack empirical evidence from a social networks perspective, this research shows that rather than the strength of ties which functions as a conduit of novel ideas and information, it is the functional tie diversity within individual professionals networks that increase ICT use at the task-level. Methodologically, the study contributes towards a triangulation approach that utilises both qualitative and quantitative methods for operationalising the study. The quantitative method includes a non-traditional “networks” method of data collection and analysis to serve as a fine complement to traditional research methods in behavioural studies. The outcome is a valid and reliable survey instrument that allows collection of both individual attribute and social network data. The instrument is theoretically driven, practically feasible to implement, time-efficient and easily replicable for other similar studies. At the domain level, key findings from this study contradict previous literature which suggests that professionals in occupational communities such as general practitioners decline in performance as they age. In fact, findings from this study suggest that age and experience do not affect for performance; rather, there is a negative relationship between experience and task-level ICT use, and that task-level ICT use is positively associated with performance in terms of attitudes to interpersonal care. Furthermore, degree centrality is also positively associated with professional accreditations, such as fellowship of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, which is conducive to performance in terms of attitudes to interpersonal and technical care. The contextual implication from the quantitative and qualitative evidence of this study is that while contemplating strategies for optimising ICT use or for improving attitudes to quality of care at the technical and interpersonal level, the importance of social structure, position and relations in the practitioner’s professional network needs to be considered carefully as part of the overall individual and organisation-level goals.

Zugl.: Berlin, Techn. Universiẗat, Diss., 2008.

The purpose of this study is to investigate and explain the underlying factors that contribute to the creation of loyalty within the area of mobile banking, and their relative importance. The study is limited to the Swedish market and members of the millennial generation. To acquire the wanted primary data, this study adopted a survey strategy, where responses from 153 current and former university students were collected. Following the survey, an exploratory factor analysis was conducted, and ultimately a multiple linear regression analysis to reveal what factors that predicts loyalty. Findings show that Relationship Quality (Commitment/Satisfaction/ Trust) has a positive impact on mobile banking loyalty and is thestrongest determinant. A lower level of Perceived Risk also has a positive impact on mobile banking loyalty. A Net Promotor Score of 1.4 percent indicate low loyalty among millennial mobile banking customers. This study contributes to the bank marketing theory by being one of the first studies that investigate which factors that directly influence loyalty among mobile banking customers. Since millennials is the next working generation it is crucial for banks to understand how loyalty in this generation is created. As the study is focused on Swedish millennials, applicability to the general population is limited.

This thesis develops technology adoption and sensory information literatures through an evaluation of antecedents to consumers’ purchase location intention of Musical Instruments (MI). With the unique factor of instrument heterogeneity MI e-retail sales are information asymmetric propositions, where the consumer may make a sub-optimal purchase online having foregone the opportunity to experience the haptic information required to ascertain the instrument’s true quality. Despite a reticent adoption of MI e-retail from the traditional retail industry online MI sales are increasing, resulting in off-line marketplace contraction, thus investigation of consumers’ online MI purchase motivations is of value to the industry. The exploration of this topic uses a pragmatic, two-stage mixed-methods process incorporating inductive in-depth interviews with MI retail industry personnel, followed by deductive MI consumer based quantitative questionnaires. The reluctance to adopt e-retail is based on ‘expertise-led aversion’ and ‘expertise gap’ where key MI retail influencers attempt to enforce their own views on the correct way to purchase an instrument, rather than responding to consumer trends. This aversion was influenced by their own reliance on haptic information, coupled with knowledge of instrument heterogeneity and their level of musicianship. Consumer research conclusions identify that high haptic-need consumers, who tend to have greater ability and involvement, are more likely to purchase in-store whilst those with lower haptic needs are more willing to purchase MI online. Through the design and empirical testing of the Musical Instrument Need-for-Touch (MINFT) model numerous factors were identified as moderators to this basic supposition. The subsequent development of a MI consumer typology identified five distinct groups that respond to differing stimuli in relation to MI purchase location intention. These findings add to the academic discourse and enable MI retailers to enhance their offerings both in-store and online, leading to more effective targeting of their key customers.

Distance learning is gaining popularity in many education environments. Online classes are on the increase because students need alternatives to traditional face-to-face classroom training. Time constraint on today's students coupled with the need for education to keep up with advances in technology, in all fields, has forced educators to facilitate training avenues other than traditional methods to perform this pedagogy. Students' perceptions of online classes along with differing learning styles are making this process challenging. Many colleges and universities are reporting alarmingly higher dropout rates of online students versus their traditional classroom students. There are many variables that can be attributed to this outcome and current research is looking at ways to increase the completion rate of this growing learning alternative. The purpose of this study is to examine some of the variables involved in the learning process that might have an effect on the online learning process. This may lead to a better understanding of why the completion rates are lower for online students. Some of the variables reviewed in this study are learning styles and technology acceptance, both of which can have an influence on the student's reception of the learning material. Online students scored higher in all but one of the technology acceptance scores. Learning styles showed a greater number of read/write learners in online classes and a greater number of kinesthetic learners in traditional classes. Instructors teaching styles also had a relationship with the students' successful completion of online classes.

p. 1-88 / Submitted by Santiago Fabio (fabio.ssantiago@hotmail.com) on 2013-03-13T17:39:18Z No. of bitstreams: 1 111j.pdf: 496860 bytes, checksum: ba793653049e6defe25e1470bb70fc4f (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Tatiana Lima(tatianasl@ufba.br) on 2013-03-14T19:42:09Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 111j.pdf: 496860 bytes, checksum: ba793653049e6defe25e1470bb70fc4f (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2013-03-14T19:42:09Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 111j.pdf: 496860 bytes, checksum: ba793653049e6defe25e1470bb70fc4f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006 / O software livre tem sido assunto de muita discussão devido às suas dificuldades de implantação e aceitação, apesar do baixo custo de aquisição. Este trabalho busca compreender como o software livre é percebido pelos usuários e quais os motivos da aceitação ou resistência quanto à sua utilização. A pesquisa analisou o comportamento de alunos do ensino superior na região metropolitana de Salvador que utilizaram o Linux após experiência prévia com o Windows. Foram também utilizados o Modelo de Aceitação de Tecnologia (TAM) e os conceitos de Heurística e Mapas Cognitivos. Os resultados obtidos apontam para uma utilização maior do Linux entre alunos dos cursos de tecnologia da informação do que de alunos de administração e uso da heurística da disponibilidade. A utilização do Linux é motivada pela segurança, economia e liberdade de uso e a resistência é causada pela pouca praticidade e complicação no uso, poucos aplicativos e falta de treinamento. / Salvador

This study investigates the intra-organisational adoption of technological innovation and focuses specifically on the perceived influence of innovation, organizational, individual and managerial facilitation factors on the adoption process of Robotic process automation (RPA) technology. Based on an exploration and integration of eight adoption related frameworks from Innovation diffusion, User acceptance and Change management fields, a conceptual model linking the system level change to individual level commitment process was created. The model integrates concepts from Diffusion of Innovation, Theory of Reasoned Action, Theory of Planned Behaviour, Technology Acceptance Model, Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use, Lewin’s 3 stage-model, Kotter’s 8-step model and Change Institutionalization framework. A qualitative case study at Stora Enso’s Finance delivery function was conducted utilizing semi-structured interviews to contribute to better understanding about the adoption process of RPA. The empirical data was then analysed against the created conceptual model. The findings from the case study suggest that contextual factors related to innovation, organizational, individual and managerial facilitation attributes are perceived to influence the adoption of RPA. In relation to innovation attributes the key themes identified were RPA advantages, risks and threats, ease of understanding and use, development effort and RPA-process fit. Under the category of organizational attributes, the main factors identified were RPA-organization fit, previous RPA experience, RPA capabilities and organizational support. Key individual attribute related factors were personality, time resources, previous success with RPA and personal motivation, and main managerial facilitation attributes were management support, communication, knowledge and experience sharing, training and skill development and employee involvement.