Magister Curationis - Mcur / AIMS: This study aims to investigate the use and acceptance of educational technologies by academics in a nursing school in the Western Cape, South Africa (determination of educational technology use, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and influencing factors). The findings of the study may be used to facilitate planning for and implementation of increase use of educational technologies to enhance teaching and learning. METHODS: The research design was a quantitative descriptive survey using a self-administered questionnaire. Due to small population size, all 58 academics (28 lecturers- qualified personnel to teach students conduct research and involved in administration of modules and levels) and 30 clinical facilitators- registered nurses with clinical expertise who assists students in the clinical placements were included in the study. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) provided the framework for the study. The study adapted an existing questionnaire developed by Kripanont in 2007. Validity and reliability of the instrument were established and pre-testing was done to validate the questions. Data was entered into SPSS version 23 and analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics techniques. RESULTS: The findings suggested that though academics use educational technology but usage was found to be low and the academics were selective in the type of technology that they use which is influenced by need, availability, duties and academic positions of such academic. This will help facilitating planning for implementation of increased use of educational technology to enhance teaching and learning. Lecturers use educational technology for teaching and learning, while its use among the clinical facilitators is still minimal. The most commonly and frequently used devices were desktops and laptops. Low usage of smartphones for educational purpose among academics was reported. Email was the most common application used by academics for teaching and learning, followed by WhatsApp. The e-learning platform was poorly used; however, the lecturers still used it more compared with the clinical facilitators. Low usage was reported on other educational technologies included in the study. Most of the respondents reported a moderate to high experience with educational technology. More than two-thirds of the respondents used educational technology for enhancing their knowledge on current evidence of nursing, preparing for classes, preparing teaching materials, student contact and supervision and for facilitating/teaching in class. Time and institutional factors were mentioned to be important factors to consider when engaging with any educational technology. Finally, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and academic position were predictors of use of educational technology.

Problem: Parallels have been drawn between the rise of the internet in 1990s and the present rise of bitcoin (cryptocurrency) and underlying blockchain technology. This resulted in a widespread of media coverage due to extreme price fluctuations and increased supply and demand. Garcia et al. (2014) argues that this is driven by several social aspects including word-of-mouth communication on social media, indicating that this aspect of social media effects individual attitude formation and intention towards cryptocurrency. However, this combination of social media of antecedent of consumer acceptance is limited explored, especially in the context of technology acceptance.   Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to create further understanding in the Technology Acceptance Model with the additional construct: social influence, first suggested by Malhotra et al. (1999). Hereby, the additional construct of social media influence was added to advance the indirect effects of social media influence on attitude formation and behavioural intention towards cryptocurrency, through the processes of social influence (internalization; identification; compliance) by Kelman.   Method: This study carries out a quantitative study where survey-research was used that included a total sample of 250 cases. This sample consists of individuals between 18-37 years old, where social media usage is part of the life. As a result of the data collection, analysis was conducted using multiple regression techniques.   Conclusion: Analysis of the findings established theoretical validation of the appliance of the Technology Acceptance Model on digital innovation, like cryptocurrency. By adding the construct of social media, further understanding is created in the behaviour of millennials towards cryptocurrency. The evidence suggests that there are clear indirect effects of social media on attitude formation and intention towards engaging in cryptocurrency through the processes of social influence. This study should be seen as preliminary, where future research could be built upon. More specifically, in terms of consumer acceptance of cryptocurrency and the extent of influence by social media.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T13:53:31Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 BrunaMKO_DISSERT.pdf: 2797307 bytes, checksum: cd2f787b66e9e905406dc12ece6bc283 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-07-21 / This study aimed to examine how students perceives the factors that may influence them to attend a training course offered in the distance virtual learning environment (VLE) of the National School of Public Administration (ENAP). Thus, as theoretical basis it was used the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), the result of an integration of eight previous models which aimed to explain the same phenomenon (acceptance/use of information technology). The research approach was a quantitative and qualitative. To achieve the study objectives were made five semi-structured interviews and an online questionnaire (websurvey) in a valid sample of 101 public employees scattered throughout the country. The technique used to the analysis of quantitative data was the structural equation modeling (SEM), by the method of Partial Least Square Path Modeling (PLS-PM). To qualitative data was the thematic content analysis. Among the results, it was found that, in the context of public service, the degree whose the individual believes that the use of an AVA will help its performance at work (performance expectancy) is a factor to its intended use and also influence its use. Among the results, it was found that the belief which the public employee has in the use of a VLE as a way to improve the performance of his work (performance expectation) was determinant for its intended use that, in turn, influenced their use. It was confirmed that, under the voluntary use of technology, the general opinion of the student s social circle (social influence) has no effect on their intention to use the VLE. The effort expectancy and facilitating conditions were not directly related to the intended use and use, respectively. However, emerged from the students speeches that the opinions of their coworkers, the ease of manipulate the VLE, the flexibility of time and place of the distance learning program and the presence of a tutor are important to their intentions to do a distance learning program. With the results, it is expected that the managers of the distance learning program of ENAP turn their efforts to reduce the impact of the causes of non-use by those unwilling to adopt voluntarily the e-learning, and enhance the potentialities of distance learning for those who are already users / Este estudo teve como objetivo verificar como os alunos percebem os fatores que podem influenci?-los a cursar uma capacita??o a dist?ncia oferecida no ambiente virtual de aprendizagem (AVA) da Escola Nacional de Administra??o P?blica (ENAP). Para tanto, foi utilizado como aporte te?rico a Teoria Unificada de Aceita??o e Uso da Tecnologia (UTAUT), resultado da integra??o de oito modelos anteriores que visam explicar o mesmo fen?meno, a aceita??o/uso da tecnologia da informa??o. A abordagem da pesquisa foi do tipo quantitativo-qualitativo. Para consecu??o do objetivo da pesquisa, foram realizadas cinco entrevistas semi estruturadas e a aplica??o de um question?rio on-line (websurvey) em uma amostra v?lida de 101 servidores p?blicos dispersos em todo territ?rio nacional. A t?cnica utilizada para a an?lise dos dados quantitativos foi a modelagem de equa??es estruturais (MEE), por meio do m?todo dos m?nimos quadrados parciais por modelagem de caminhos (Partial Least Square Path Modeling PLS-PM) e, para os dados qualitativos, a an?lise de conte?do tem?tica. Dentre os resultados obtidos, verificou-se que, a cren?a que o servidor p?blico possui no uso do AVA como sendo uma forma de melhorar o desempenho de seu trabalho (expectativa de desempenho) foi determinante para sua inten??o de uso que, por sua vez, influenciou o seu uso. Foi confirmado que, no ?mbito de uso volunt?rio da tecnologia, a opini?o geral do c?rculo social do aluno (influ?ncia social) n?o possui efeito em sua inten??o em usar o AVA. A expectativa de esfor?o e as condi??es facilitadoras n?o tiveram rela??o direta com a inten??o do uso e uso, respectivamente. No entanto, emergiu das falas dos alunos a opini?o particular dos colegas de trabalho, a facilidade de manipular o AVA, a flexibilidade de tempo e local do EaD, a presen?a do tutor, como sendo importantes em sua inten??o de fazer uma capacita??o a dist?ncia. De posse dos resultados, espera-se que os gestores da capacita??o a dist?ncia da ENAP voltem suas a??es para diminuir o impacto das causas do n?o uso por aqueles indispostos a adotar voluntariamente o e-learning, e intensificar as potencialidades do EaD para os j? usu?rios

L’e-learning, porte en lui le potentiel et surtout l’espoir d’une efficience nouvelle que l’on prête généralement à l’introduction des TIC dans les organisations. Toutefois l’adoption de ce type de technologies fait face à de nombreux défis. Cette recherche a pour objet, d’identifier les facteurs individuels et organisationnels, affectant l’acceptation du e-learning au sein d’une entreprise bancaire. Basé sur une théorie intégratrice de l’acceptation et de l’usage des technologies (UTAUT), nous revisitons le modèle en y intégrant trois nouveaux construits: l’influence de la direction générale, l’implication et l’influence du manager. Des données d’une enquête, menée sur un échantillon de salariés d’une entreprise bancaire (n=512), furent collectées pour tester leur intention d’utiliser ‘e learning. Les résultats montrent que la performance escomptée et les efforts requis sont des facteurs déterminants de l’intention d’utiliser. Cependant, ils nous montrent également que les nouveaux construits introduits ont un effet significatif et positif sur leur intention d’utiliser l’e-learning. / The e-learning carnes in him the potential and especially the hope of a new efficiency which we lend generally to the introduction of ICTS in organizations. However adoption of such technology still facing various challénges. This research aims at identifying the influence of the individual and organizational factors on e-learning technology acceptance in a banking company. Based on the UTAUT model, the revised model includes three particular constructs: executive management influence, immediate une manager influence and involvement. We will also investigate the moderating effects of sociodemographic factors in a banking context. Survey data were collected from a sample of employees (n=512) in s French banking company in order to test their intention to use the e-learning. Results show the performance expectancy and perceived ease of use as key determinants of Intention to use. However, the results also show, the new constructs have a significant and positive direct effect on intention to use the e-Iearning.

This study investigates how the introduction of Tele-Health impacts the lives of the frail elderly and older adults, and how their condition influences this experience. This study investigates the underlying issues with the adoption of Tele-health by the patients. It also considers the lived experiences of the patients in reference to their disease and age. Method: A qualitative approach was adopted, which was an in-depth interview conducted in Chorleywood Health Centre, a GP practice to the North West of London. Participants consisted of older adults living with chronic diseases, mainly diabetes and COPD, in order to gain a complex understanding of their reaction towards Tele-Health, as they are usually the target market for such tools. 30 participants took part in the study and were provided with a Tele-health service tool. The data were then thematically analysed using the thematic analysis method and transcribed using NVIVO10. Four databases were searched to find relevant literature namely: ScienceDirect, PubMed Central, Scopus and Medline. Research Design: The study adopted Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to collect and analyse data. In IPA, the researcher transcends or suspends past knowledge and experience to understand a phenomenon at a deeper level (Creswell, 2007). It is an approach, which seeks to explore, describe, and analyse the meaning of individual lived experience: “how they perceive it, describe it, feel about it, judge it, remember it, make sense of it, and talk about it with others” (with a sense of ‘newness’ or ‘rawness’ to obtain descriptive and rich data). Results: Nine main themes emerged as influences on their acceptance and adoption of Tele-health: Attitude to aging and Illness, Coping Strategy, Relationship and Support, Patient-Doctor Interaction, Incorporating Patients, Self-Efficacy, Personality, Personal Meaning and Knowledge. The themes were also reviewed at the end of the study to validate the results. Moreover the themes were observed to be considered explicitly by the patients before accepting and adopting the Tele Health service. A new framework, the Patient Technology Adoption Model (PTAM) is derived from the themes. The PTAM indicates the relationship between the factors and may be used to understand the ways in which the patients made their decision to accept the technology or not. Conclusion: This study encourages healthcare providers and decision makers who are responsible for the innovation and implementation of services to make all efforts to understand the consumer and consider conditions that might influence their decisions to accept, adopt or reject health technologies. The study proposes a new framework (PTAM) that highlights that a patient-centred approach should be adopted by healthcare providers and decision makers, as it would facilitate more successes in the health services provided by the NHS.

Mobile technology has become increasingly common in today’s society, enabling a whole new set of advantageous services that has a profound impact on our daily lives. This has led to that the mobile electronic identification application (mobile eID app) software has emerged, creating the possibility for users to authenticate important tasks and validating one’s identity through a mobile device. Existing literature on mobile electronic identification (mobile eID) has touched upon several aspects of this phenomenon, however, no specific research related to the user acceptance has been conducted. Thus, this paper seeks to identify the influencing factors that lead to the acceptance of using a mobile eID app. To analyze the adoption behavior of mobile eID app users, a conceptual, and later refined model consisting of 7 factors and the relationship between these were proposed. This model was based on the well-researched Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and extended to better fit the subject of this research. 13 hypotheses based on already existing research within the field of mobile service application acceptance were proposed and Sweden, having heavily implemented this phenomenon into the society, served as this study’s empirical site. The required primary dataset for hypotheses testing was collected through conducting a questionnaire distributed using a convenience sampling method. The gathered data was analyzed through the statistical software programs SPSS and SPSS AMOS to see if correlations between factors existed. The result showed that 10 hypotheses were accepted, and 3 hypotheses were rejected. This concludes that the factors influencing the acceptance of using mobile eID apps to validate one's identity online in Sweden are the following ranging from the largest effect to the least effect: perceived usefulness of a mobile eID app, subjective norm, perceived ease of use of a mobile eID app, perceived convenience of a mobile eID app, attitude towards using a mobile eID app, and perceived security of a mobile eID app. The findings of this study advance the theory within technology acceptance and contributes to the foundation for future research within the field of mobile electronic identification as well as for user acceptance within related subjects.

The use of Electronic Prescribing Systems (EPS) has significant potential role in improving patient safety and reducing adverse drug events. However, the introduction of these systems can have negative outcome on delivery of care if healthcare providers are not utilizing regularly and accept it. This study aims to explore paediatrician’s attitude towards electronic prescribing systems as well as understand the possible factors affecting user acceptance at tertiary care using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). A qualitative research methodology was applied. Semi-structured interviews were developed according to TAM model and used as primary source of collecting empirical data. Seven research participants were interviewed. The findings of this study had identified factors that are important for paediatrician’s acceptance of EPS systems. Although paediatricians are positive to the usefulness of EPS, it appears that there are some acceptance problems due to ease of use concerns and usability issues of the system. The acceptance of EPS can be improved by leveraging ease of use as well as enhancing training.

Abstract Date:                                     2017/06/05 Level:                                    Master thesis in Business Administration, 15 credits Institution:                                       School of Business, Society and Engineering, Mälardalen University Authors:                              Wilma de Boer                                                Jenny-Maria Åström                                                   (91/10/29)                                                       (87/06/30) Title:                                      Robots of the future are coming, are you ready? Tutor:                                    Cecilia Lindh Keywords:                          Robotics, technology acceptance, future robots, trust, innovation, UTAUT Research questions:                          - How can consumer acceptance of robots be studied as an international phenomenon?                                                   - What are the implications of robot acceptance for consumers? Purpose:                             The purpose of this study is to investigate the acceptance-level internationally, because of the future increase of new technology in the form of robotics. Method:                             A quantitative research method was conducted in this study. The data collection was done by a survey, via non-probability sampling. Conclusion:                       The findings of this study show that trust, anxiety and personal innovativeness influence the acceptance of robots internationally, while social influence does not affect the acceptance of the new technology in the context of robotics.

Since the release of the new iPad in 2010, few studies have explored the idea of tablet- based menus in restaurants. Since this is a new topic in the hospitality industry, there has not been literature that explores how personal traits influence the adoption intention of tablet-based menus. This study aims to explain the impact of innovation characteristics and individual differences on customer intentions to adopt tablet-based menus in restaurants of different service levels. With a random sample of 430 participants collected via Amazon’s Mechanical Turk, a regression analysis and an ANOVA test were performed. The results confirmed that only three variables (relative advantage, compatibility, and restaurant type) make a statistically significant contribution to predicting the adoption intention of tablet-based menus. It was also found that adoption intention of tablet-based menus differs across three restaurant types (quick-service restaurant, midscale restaurant, and upscale restaurant). The findings of this study provide an important insight to restaurant managers who may consider implementing tablet-based menus at their establishments. Limitations and ideas for future research are discussed.

Cloud computing is a set of technologies that provide efficient and effective usage of information technology resources. The application of cloud computing in games is a new market that is currently growing. Applying cloud computing to games results in a new gaming platform for the users, referred to as cloud gaming. This new platform has a set of different features that affect the user acceptance of this new platform. Problem There is a lack of understanding on how the users perceive cloud gaming. Investigat-ing the factors that affect the users' acceptance of cloud gaming is crucial in deter-mining the future of this new platform. A lack of awareness regarding these factors may lead to the users‟ rejecting the new technology.