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Text in English / Developments in Internet technology and pervasive computing over the past two and half decades have resulted in a variety of Web-based applications (WBAs) that provide products and services to online users or customers. The Internet is used not only to transfer information via the web but is increasingly used to provide electronic services including business transactions, information-delivery and social networking, as well as e-government, e-health and e-learning. For such organisations, e-service quality, usability and user experience are considered to be critical determinants of their products’ or services’ success. Many studies to model these three concepts separately have been undertaken as part of broader studies of software quality or service quality modelling. However, to the current researcher’s knowledge, none of the studies have focussed on proposing an evaluation model that integrates and combines the three of them. This research is an effort to fill that gap. The primary purpose of this mixed-methods research was to develop a conceptual integrated model for evaluating e-service quality, usability and user experience (e-SQUUX) of WBAs and then contextualise it to evaluation of a University web portal (UWP). This was undertaken using an exploratory sequential research design. During a qualitative phase, an extensive extensive systematic literature review of 264 relevant sources relating to dimensions of e-service quality, usability and user experience, was undertaken to derive an integrated conceptual e-service quality, usability and user experience (e-SQUUX) Model for evaluating WBAs. The model was then empirically refined through a sequential series of validations, thus developing various versions of the e-SQUUX Model. First, it was content validated by a set of four expert reviewers. Second, during the quantitative phase, in the context of a University web portal, a questionnaire survey was conducted that included a comprehensive pilot study with 29 partipants, prior to the main survey. The main survey data from 174 particiapants was used to determine a validated model, using Exploratory factor analysis (EFA), followed by producing a structural model, using partial least square – structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). This version consisted of the components of the final e-SQUUX Model. Consequently, the research enriches the body of knowledge on IS and HCI by providing the e-SQUUX Model as an evaluation tool. For designers, developers and managers of UWPs, the model serves as a customisable set of evaluation criteria and also provides specific recommendations for design. In line with the Exploratory sequential design of mixed methods research, the findings of the qualitative work in this research influenced the subsequent quantitative study, since the potential Likert-scale questionnaire items were derived from the definitions and meanings of the components that emanated from the qualitative phase of the study. Consequently, this research is an exemplar for developing an integrated evaluation model for specific facets or domains, and of its application in a particular context, in this case, a University web portal. Keywords: e-service quality, usability, user experience, evaluation model, integrated model, exploratory factor analysis, partial least square – structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM), mixed methods research, Exploratory sequential design, quantitative study, qualitative study, validation, Web-based applications, University web portal / Information System / Ph D. (Information Systems)

The thesis "The Influence of New Internet Concerns on Transformation of the Traditional Publishing Houses in Central Europe", based on the media convergence theory and theoretical sources from the area of current trends in media field, focuses on changes the traditional publishing houses are going through. The paper maps the digital portfolio of the traditional media houses of Axel Springer in the German market and of media houses of Mafra, Bauer Media and CME in the Czech market. The paper parallely focuses on portfolio of the chosen global Internet companies and the relationships between these new media concerns and the traditional publishing houses, focuses on the competitive advantages of the examined online platforms of the new Internet companies, which potentially compete by their aims with the tradidional publishers. The paper also focuses on the advantages and the options for the users and advertisers, and on the mutual cooperation and dependenncy of the both types of media concerns.

Trotz substantieller ökonomischer und sozialer Implikationen des World Wide Webs existiert noch immer eine überraschend große Forschungslücke in Bezug auf empirische Untersuchungen der Webnutzung. Insbesondere bezüglich der individuellen Webnutzung weiß man heute noch wenig über Schlüsselthemen dieses Forschungsfeldes, wie zum Beispiel die Anzahl der Webseitenbesuche von Individuen, der Loyalität von Nutzern, und den demographischen Charakteristika, die bestimmend für die Internetnutzung sind. Deshalb sieht sich diese Dissertation als Schritt zur Überbrückung dieser Forschungslücke. Sie präsentiert die gewonnenen Erkenntnisse verschiedener, voneinander abhängiger, empirischer Studien der individuellen Webnutzung Pittsburgher Bürger. Diese Dissertation erweitert die Forschung im Bereich individuellen Webnutzungsverhaltens durch: - die Analyse des Einflusses der steigenden Anzahl von Webangeboten auf die individuelle Webnutzung, - die anwendung sessionbasierter Maße auf individuelle Webnutzungsdaten, um Einsichten in den Verlauf der Webnutzung bei gleichzeitigem Anstieg der individuellen Weberfahrung zu erhalten, - die Analyse der Loyalitaet im Web von einzelnen Nutzergruppen, um die Frage zu beantworten, ob Nutzergruppen zu favorisierten Seiten im Web konvergieren, - spezifisches Herangehen an das Thema der Portalnutzung im Web und das Beantworten der Frage, ob sich Portalnutzer von durchschnittlichen Internetnutzern unterscheiden. Aus betriebswirtschaftlicher und volkswirtschaftlicher Sicht interessante Webnutzungsmaße werden entwickelt und diskutiert. Die Anwendung dieser Maße führt zu Erkenntnissen bezüglich signifikanter Trends. So wird beispielsweise deutlich, dass keinesfalls eine Gleichverteilung der Nutzung über Nutzer und Zeit besteht. Nutzer können in vier Gruppen mit verschiedenen Entwicklungskurven eingeteilt werden. Alle Nutzergruppen nähern sich über die Zeit Sättigungsgrenzen der Webnutzung an. Außerdem verbringen die meisten Nutzer nur wenig Zeit im Internet. Auch wird deutlich dass Loyalität im Web äußerst gering ist und Webnutzer trotz steigender Erfahrung im Umgang mit dem Internet nicht sonderlich gezieltes Surfverhalten entwickeln. Zusätzlich führt die Anwendung von Regressionsmodellen zu Erkenntnissen über die individuellen Charakteristika, welche die Webnutzung beeinflussen. Solch Charakteristika sind zum Beispiel ethnische Herkunft, Geschlecht, Haushaltseinkommen, Telefon- und Emailnutzung und Computerkenntnisse. Daher liefert die vorliegende Arbeit Erkenntnisse, welche sowohl aus betriebswirtschaftlicher Sicht als auch aus volkswirtschaftlicher Sicht Relevanz haben. Insbesondere können Marketingabteilungen, vor allem in der Informations- und Kommunikationsindustrie, von den vorliegen Resultaten profitieren. Themen wie Webloyalität und Webnutzung, die in der vorliegenden Arbeit angesprochen werden, sind insbesondere relevant für Geschäftsmodelle aus dem B2C Bereich. Adressaten sind dementsprechend zum Beispiel Internetfirmen, welche von Werbeeinkünften aus Bannerwerbung abhängig sind und Firmen, welche einen hohen Grad an Loyalität unter Ihren Webnutzern suchen. Außerdem bilden die Erkenntnisse die Grundlage für staatliche Initiativen, die der Sicherstellung des Zugangs zum Internet alle Gruppen der Bevölkerung dienen. Die vorliegende Arbeit reichert die empirische Grundlage, welche zum Verständnis individueller Webnutzung nötig ist, an. Die Erkenntnisse sind insbesondere für am neuen Informationszeitalter teilhabenden Individuen und Institutionen, auch staatlicher Art, interessant. / Despite the substantial social and economic implications of the World Wide Web, there is still a surprising lack of empirical research on Web usage. Specifically, at the level of the individual user, little is known about key issues of Internet usage, such as the trajectory of change over time in the number of visits to Web sites, the degree of individual loyalty to Web sites, and the demographics that determine Web usage. In order to overcome this lack of research, we report in this dissertation the results of several interrelated studies of individual Web usage patterns of average citizens from the Pittsburgh area. This dissertation advances the research on individual Web usage by: - analyzing the impact of increasing Web site visiting opportunities on Web utilization rates of individual users, - employing session-based measures to data on individual Web usage in order to identify how Web users change the way they use the Web as their level of expertise increases, - analyzing whether different user groups also differ in loyalty to Web sites and whether users converge over time to a set of favorite Web sites, - specifically dealing with the issue of Web portal utilization to answer the question whether Web portal users are different from average Web users. We develop measures of Web usage that are particularly relevant from a business and public policy perspective. By applying these measures to longitudinal data on Web usage, we identify significant trends in individual Internet usage. For example, we reveal that individual Web usage is not distributed equally across subgroups of users. Web users can be clustered into four groups with distinct trajectories of Web usage. All groups reach saturation in their extent of Web usage after following a downward path. Further, most Web users spent only limited time in the Web and only a small group of users uses the Web heavily. Also, users show consistently little loyalty to Web sites. Surprisingly, as Web users gain experience in using the Web, there does not seem to be a significant shift from undirected browsing to directed access of Web sites over time. We apply regression models in order to predict the determinants of Web utilization. Individual characteristics, such as ethnic background, gender, household income, phone usage, e-mail usage, and computer skill level, determine Web usage. Thus, the results have implications for both electronic commerce and public policy as it pertains to the digital divide. They are particularly useful for marketing departments, especially in the information and communication industry. Discussions of Web user loyalty and Web visiting opportunities as conducted in this dissertation are relevant to business models in use in business-to-consumer electronic commerce, especially for Internet companies that rely on advertising income generated from serving banner advertisements and companies that need to maintain a high degree of customer loyalty. The results also provide the factual foundation for key policy initiatives to promote access to the Internet for all groups of people. Policy makers need data on Internet usage in order to measure the size of a possible digital divide and ensure that everybody belonging to the present and the next generation - and not a subgroup of people only - has access to the Internet. In summary, this study advances the empirical foundation for understanding individual Web use. The findings of this dissertation will be useful to stakeholders in the new Information Age, in particular marketing departments and policy makers.

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität Regensburg, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 153-164).

O acúmulo de documentos disponíveis na Web dificulta a recuperação de informação e a gestão eficiente do conhecimento. Os modelos tradicionais de recuperação da informação são inadequados para uma busca efetiva e rápida, e os resultados são, comumente, numerosos e irrelevantes. Com o advento da Web Semântica foi possível o uso da ontologia formal como modelo de recuperação da informação na Web para melhorar a qualidade da informação recuperada. Os portais semânticos constituem um instrumento da Gestão do Conhecimento que oferece maior capacidade e rapidez no acesso às informações com relevância dos resultados. Neste sentido, esta pesquisa tem como objetivo propor condições mínimas necessárias para o estabelecimento de potencial semântico de portais, mediante o mapeamento do uso da ontologia como modelo de recuperação da informação. O locus da pesquisa incluiu os portais de universidades públicas federais brasileiras da Região Sul do Brasil, partindo-se de um estudo comparativo entre as características da Web Semântica e as ferramentas e tecnologias usadas nas instituições pesquisadas. A pesquisa de campo foi instrumentalizada por um questionário, coletando-se dados da equipe técnica responsável pelos portais. Como principais resultados apresentam-se um diagnóstico do uso da ontologia na estruturação dos portais universitários pesquisados e a proposição de um quadro de referência das condições mínimas necessárias para estabelecimento de potencial semântico dos portais. / The accumulation of documents available on the Web makes it difficult to information retrieve and efficient knowledge management. Traditional models of information retrieval are inadequate for effective and quick search, and the results are often numerous and irrelevant. With the advent of the Semantic Web it was possible the use of formal ontology as a model of web information retrieval that improves the quality of the information retrieved. Semantic portals are a Knowledge Management tool that offers greater capacity and speed of access to information relevant results. In this trend, the goal of the this research is propose minimum conditions necessary for the establishment potential of semantic portals, by mapping the use of ontology as a model of information retrieval. The research's locus included the portals of federal public universities in southern Brazil, starting from a comparative study between the Semantic Web features and the tools and technologies used in the institutions surveyed. The field research was instrumentalized by a pool, collecting data from the technical team responsible for portals. The main results were presented a diagnosis of ontology in the structuring of respondents university portals and a framework of minimum conditions for semantic potential property portals.

This thesis describes accommodation in the region of Třeboň and its cooperation with another subjects providing services in tourism. The theoretical part deals with the description of this region and accommodation services. It describes the division of accommodation and also the management of destination. The analytical part investigates the cooperation of subjects providing accommodation services with another subjects providing services for tourists and its influens on their effective business running. The results of this research confirm the impact of this cooperation. The aim of this thesis is to focus on problematical parts of the cooperation in tourism in this region and propose new possibilities of tourism and service development.

Submitted by Viviane Lima da Cunha (viviane@biblioteca.ufpb.br) on 2017-07-07T13:58:19Z No. of bitstreams: 1 arquivototal.pdf: 7904739 bytes, checksum: 975895e45463dea1ef194a2dda032536 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-07T13:58:19Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 arquivototal.pdf: 7904739 bytes, checksum: 975895e45463dea1ef194a2dda032536 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-02-14 / This work argues that it is possible to assess students, from the planning of activities that jointly use serious games and virtual environments in support to the training. Therefore, it features an architecture for web portals that offers the service for organizing and sequencing serious games and virtual environments, evaluating the performance of the user in these activities (games and environments). The research is motivated by the need to encourage the use of serious games and virtual environments in teaching support, as well as the need to help centralized access and monitoring the use of these resources. In the methodological course of this thesis, a survey with students, teachers and developers of serious games and virtual environments is highlighted, which verified the acceptability for using such resources in the educational context and relevance of services that a serious games and virtual environments portal may offer to these users. Elaborating the architecture considered as development stages the analysis, schematization, and the architecture's testing. The results indicate that it provides a way to collaborate with the human resources training from the proposal of the sequencing, allowing for a linked composition of activities, providing the reinforcement or complementation of tasks and contents in a progressive scale with planned educational objective-based evaluation. Also, as a result, the work presents Pegadas (Portal de Gerenciamento de Games e Ambientes para Delineamento de Atividades em Saúde / Games Management and Environments Portal for Designing Activities in Healthcare), developed based on the architecture as a concept proof. In addition to the architecture and its concept proof, the thesis shows as contributions: the research on student, teachers and developers acceptability of serious games and virtual environments, as for using such resources as assistants for the educational process; discussion on trial activities grouping serious games/virtual environments, in order to extend contents and strengthen knowledge through the different learning styles; the evaluation model that promotes use performance analysis together with serious games and virtual environments; the stimulus for the classification of educational goals through taxonomy that contributes to the process of educational objectives planning and evaluation; and, the attention to students' personal information collections, proposing the standardization of data as an alternative to assist in the management and interoperability of information across systems. / Nesse trabalho, argumenta-se que é possível avaliar alunos, a partir do planejamento de atividades que usam conjuntamente serious games e ambientes virtuais no apoio à formação. Para isso, apresenta uma arquitetura geral para portais web que oferece o serviço de organização e sequenciamento de serious games e ambientes virtuais, com avaliação de desempenho do usuário nessas atividades (jogos e ambientes). A pesquisa é motivada pela necessidade de incentivo ao uso de serious games e ambientes virtuais no apoio ao ensino, bem como a necessidade de auxiliar o acesso centralizado e acompanhamento de utilização desses recursos. No percurso metodológico da tese, aponta-se uma pesquisa feita com alunos, professores e desenvolvedores de serious games e ambientes, que verificou a aceitabilidade do uso desses recursos no contexto educacional e a relevância de serviços que um portal de serious games e ambientes virtuais pode oferecer a esses usuários. A elaboração da arquitetura considerou como etapas de desenvolvimento a análise, esquematização e teste da arquitetura. Os resultados indicam que ela fornece um meio de colaborar com a formação de recursos humanos a partir da proposta do sequenciamento, permitindo a composição encadeada de atividades que forneçam o reforço ou complementação de tarefas e conteúdos em escala progressiva com avaliação baseada em objetivos educacionais planejados. Ainda como resultado, o trabalho apresenta o Pegadas (Portal de Gerenciamento de Games e Ambientes para Delineamento de Atividades em Saúde), desenvolvido com base na arquitetura como prova de conceito. Além da arquitetura e sua prova de conceito, a tese mostra como contribuições: a pesquisa acerca da aceitabilidade dos alunos, professores e desenvolvedores de serious games e ambientes virtuais, quanto ao uso desses recursos como auxiliares ao processo educacional; a discussão sobre trilhas de atividades que agrupam serious games/ambientes virtuais, a fim de ampliar conteúdos e fortalecer conhecimentos por meio dos diferentes estilos de aprendizagem; o modelo de avaliação que promove análise de desempenho do uso em conjunto dos serious games e ambientes virtuais; o estímulo à classificação dos objetivos educacionais por meio de taxonomia que contribui com o processo de planejamento de objetivos educacionais e avaliação; e, a atenção às coleções de informação pessoal dos estudantes, propondo padronização de dados como uma alternativa para auxiliar o gerenciamento e interoperabilidade de informação entre sistemas.

Esta dissertação apresenta o esforço para a criação de um Portal de ensino de ciências para disponibilização de Objetos Educacionais de Ciências Naturais e Divulgação Científica. Foram produzidos Objetos Educacionais em quatro plataformas midiáticas: texto, imagem, áudio e vídeo. Estes objetos foram criados tendo como função sua utilização no ensino de ciências por parte de professores e alunos, mas também para divulgação científica. Todos foram disponibilizados através de um Portal intitulado Ciência Curiosa. Foram produzidos mais de 60 objetos, que obtiveram um número total de acessos maior que 900 mil e assumiram lugar de destaque nos resultados de três sistemas de busca conhecidos, o que certifica o seu valor como proposta de divulgação. Os objetos foram ainda avaliados por um grupo de professores para a validação do seu caráter educacional. / This paper presents the effort to create a science education portal for the provision of Educational Objects of Natural Sciences and Scientific Dissemination. Educational Objects were produced in four media platforms: text, image, audio and video. These objects were created with the function of their use in science teaching by teachers and students, but also for science dissemination. All were made available through a portal titled Ciência Curiosa. More than 60 objects were produced, that have obtained a total number of more than 900 000 views and took pride of place on the results from three popular search systems, thus ensuring its value as a proposed disclosure were produced. The objects were also evaluated by a group of teachers for the evaluation of their educational character.

Esta dissertação apresenta o esforço para a criação de um Portal de ensino de ciências para disponibilização de Objetos Educacionais de Ciências Naturais e Divulgação Científica. Foram produzidos Objetos Educacionais em quatro plataformas midiáticas: texto, imagem, áudio e vídeo. Estes objetos foram criados tendo como função sua utilização no ensino de ciências por parte de professores e alunos, mas também para divulgação científica. Todos foram disponibilizados através de um Portal intitulado Ciência Curiosa. Foram produzidos mais de 60 objetos, que obtiveram um número total de acessos maior que 900 mil e assumiram lugar de destaque nos resultados de três sistemas de busca conhecidos, o que certifica o seu valor como proposta de divulgação. Os objetos foram ainda avaliados por um grupo de professores para a validação do seu caráter educacional. / This paper presents the effort to create a science education portal for the provision of Educational Objects of Natural Sciences and Scientific Dissemination. Educational Objects were produced in four media platforms: text, image, audio and video. These objects were created with the function of their use in science teaching by teachers and students, but also for science dissemination. All were made available through a portal titled Ciência Curiosa. More than 60 objects were produced, that have obtained a total number of more than 900 000 views and took pride of place on the results from three popular search systems, thus ensuring its value as a proposed disclosure were produced. The objects were also evaluated by a group of teachers for the evaluation of their educational character.