This research was made for trying to understand how English Christian websites using the features of web-based communication effectiveness, and gave some advice for building Christian websites in the future.The contraction process of web-based communication effectiveness indexes used literature review and content analysis. Those indexes were revised by reexamining the modern situation of websites. Five aspects of indexes were ¡§usability design¡¨, ¡§useful information¡¨, ¡§two-way communication¡¨, ¡§recreation¡¨, and ¡§information collection¡¨. 31 indexes were developed by 5 aspects. The samples separated into two groups: Online-religion websites and Religion-online websites. It examined if any different performance of accepting web-based communication effectiveness between these two types of websites. The result was not distinctly different. According to this consequence, this research suggests that revise the definition of two types of religious website is necessary. The advice for how to use web-based communication effectiveness were: (1) take use of web-PR effectiveness, ¡§Push & Pull¡¨, (2) establish online religious community, (3) emerge Online-religion websites and e-platform, (4) consideration of charging fee or service for free, (5) design the website for its user. The website decision makers could use those suggestions to rethink how to make the best use of web-based communication effectiveness.

Background. Consumer facing Transparency is a function of communication that has become essential for the fashion business ecosystem and to have the reputations of legitimacy and credibility. As a contemporary subject, it is surrounded with ambiguity and heterogeneity in definitions, different Fashion brands/fashion brands/retailers/Fashion brands/retailers try to have their own definition and approach towards transparency. The communication strategy and disclosure of information therefore varies within these companies. With the increase in ecommerce, corporate Websites are currently the largest medium of sustainability communication. Fashion brands/fashion brands/retailers/Fashion brands/retailers use a combination of visual communication, data, text, reports and design to communicate the sustainability of their supply chain. There is however, a need to be able to measure the level of transparency of such communication against a standardized model. A model that Fashionbrands/fashion brands/retailers/Fashion brands/retailers can adopt to assess the transparency in their communication. Theory. Consumer facing transparency is an interdisciplinary subject where media, social accountability, information accessibility and quality, openness and effective design interplay to create what can be called “Perceived Transparency”. Purpose. The purpose of this study is to build and test a model tool to assess transparency in website based communication. Research Question. What informational, communication design and behavioral attributes constitute the perceived transparency, create legitimacy and credibility? Method. The study is divided into two parts. Part I: Conceptual literature review for Model Development Part II: Testing the model on a real-life Fashion Brand/Retailer website using Applied Discourse Analysis Contribution: - The model provides a multifocal approach to assess web design and communication strategy to improve transparency in sustainability communication by focusing on factors such Coherence, comprehensibility, navigability, attestation, engagement and correspondence Limitations: - The model is still a prototype and therefore there is room for improvement. It needs to be tested further on a larger scale involving multiple cases. Although the applied discourse analysis method focuses on empirical evidence, the analysis can be objective depending upon the user.

This dissertation describes research which investigated the use of communication tools in a WebCT learning environment. The instrumental case study investigated the level and frequency of use of the web-based communication tools during a full-fledged course delivery at a university that enrols only full-time students. The unit of analysis was the case and the instruments included group interviews, observation anecdotal notes, communication diaries, focus group and a journal/logbook. A mixed qualitative and quantitative research method was used in this research. The study evaluated how the interactivity and not how either the lesson or the WebCT function. The conceptual framework focused on interactivity, features of communication tools that promote interactivity, as well as the domains such as cognition, motivation and learner interface as aspects that influence the use of communication tools. Various web-based tools were used by a sample consisting of a selected small group of IT students who participated in the study. Those communication tools were used to facilitate learning in WebCT. The results showed a total of 145 interactions for the duration of ten sessions. The WebCT communication tools supported either synchronous or asynchronous communication. Communication tools were used to retrieve information and send text-based messages to lecturers and students. Interaction at different levels was evident between student and student, student and lecturer, lecturer and student, lecturer and lecturer, as well as, student and content. In addition to the WebCT communication tools, students used extra web-based communication tools, to facilitate their learning. It was concluded that with continuous advances in information and communication technology and with ever increasing student numbers at resident universities, more tertiary institutions should offer on-line courses. More communication tools should be considered on WebCT to facilitate more interactive learning. / Dissertation (MEd (Curriculum Studies))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Curriculum Studies / unrestricted

The study addresses the limited and fragmented approaches of consumer behaviour studies in the existing literature and a lack of comprehensive integrated theoretical models of online consumer behaviour. The aim of the study is to propose a conceptual integrated theoretical model for online consumer behaviour which suggests a deviation from the existing purchasing approaches to consumer behaviour - hence a move towards an understanding of consumer behaviour in terms of two new approaches, namely the web-based communication exposure and internal psychological behavioural processes approaches, is proposed. The study addresses two main research problems, namely that inadequate knowledge and information exist on online consumers’ behavioural processes, especially their internal psychological behavioural processes during their exposure to web-based communication messages and their progression through the complete web-based communication experience; and that there is no conceptual integrated theoretical model for online consumer behaviour in the literature. This study, firstly, allows for systematic theoretical exploration, description, interpretation and integration of existing literature and theory on offline and online consumer behaviour including the following: theoretical perspectives and approaches; determinants; decision making; consumer information processing and response; and theoretical foundations. This systematic theoretical exploration and description of consumer behaviour literature and theory commences with the contextualisation and proposal of a new definition, perspective and theoretical approaches to online consumer behaviour; the discussion and analysis of the theory of the determinants of consumer behaviour; the discussion and analysis of decision-making theory; the proposition of a new online information decision-making perspective and model; the discussion and analysis of consumer information-processing and response theory and models; the discussion and analysis of the theoretical foundations of consumer behaviour; and the identification of theoretical criteria for online consumer behaviour. Declaration – acknowledgements - abstract Secondly, the study develops a conceptual integrated theoretical model for online consumer behaviour, thereby theoretically grounding online consumer behavioural processes in the context of internal psychological behavioural processes and exposure to web-based communication messages. It is hence posited that the study provides a more precise understanding of online consumers’ complicated internal cognitive and psychological behavioural processes in their interactive search for and experience of online web-based communication and information, which can be seen as a major contribution to the field of study. / Communication Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Communication)

The study addresses the limited and fragmented approaches of consumer behaviour studies in the existing literature and a lack of comprehensive integrated theoretical models of online consumer behaviour. The aim of the study is to propose a conceptual integrated theoretical model for online consumer behaviour which suggests a deviation from the existing purchasing approaches to consumer behaviour - hence a move towards an understanding of consumer behaviour in terms of two new approaches, namely the web-based communication exposure and internal psychological behavioural processes approaches, is proposed. The study addresses two main research problems, namely that inadequate knowledge and information exist on online consumers’ behavioural processes, especially their internal psychological behavioural processes during their exposure to web-based communication messages and their progression through the complete web-based communication experience; and that there is no conceptual integrated theoretical model for online consumer behaviour in the literature. This study, firstly, allows for systematic theoretical exploration, description, interpretation and integration of existing literature and theory on offline and online consumer behaviour including the following: theoretical perspectives and approaches; determinants; decision making; consumer information processing and response; and theoretical foundations. This systematic theoretical exploration and description of consumer behaviour literature and theory commences with the contextualisation and proposal of a new definition, perspective and theoretical approaches to online consumer behaviour; the discussion and analysis of the theory of the determinants of consumer behaviour; the discussion and analysis of decision-making theory; the proposition of a new online information decision-making perspective and model; the discussion and analysis of consumer information-processing and response theory and models; the discussion and analysis of the theoretical foundations of consumer behaviour; and the identification of theoretical criteria for online consumer behaviour. Declaration – acknowledgements - abstract Secondly, the study develops a conceptual integrated theoretical model for online consumer behaviour, thereby theoretically grounding online consumer behavioural processes in the context of internal psychological behavioural processes and exposure to web-based communication messages. It is hence posited that the study provides a more precise understanding of online consumers’ complicated internal cognitive and psychological behavioural processes in their interactive search for and experience of online web-based communication and information, which can be seen as a major contribution to the field of study. / Communication Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Communication)