E-payment paradigm in the context of fighting corruption and increasing transparency at the public-sector authority’s level is becoming more important than ever especially for Eastern Europe. The present research will address how an electronic payment system is affecting the diffusion of innovation among online public services, settling the challenges at the government level, providing solutions for diminishing the money laundering in the country and all other associated problems. Diffusion of innovations theory had been investigated by many scholars in different industries and countries. The research implication is to generate general knowledge by fulfilling the literature gap related to electronic payment systems in the public sector and diffusion of innovations. The research aim is to provide (1) an extensive literature review to gain familiarity principally on the diffusion of innovation theory, secondary on government electronic payment systems and cashless societies; (2) collect, explore and analyze empirical evidence related to the perceived attributes of diffusion of innovations theory and the rate of adoption of e-payment system designed for public services from the perspective of consumers, public service providers, and payment operators; (3) answer the research questions by the aid of the diffusion of innovation theory, and measure the rates of adoption of public e-payment systems by using an case study approach, the researchers analyzed the case of Moldova and the Governmental Payment Gateway MPay, one of the initiatives launched by the Public Institution e-Government Center.  The interpretivism research paradigm was adopted for the research, and an exploratory case study methodology is implemented to gain insights, familiarity with the subject, and acquire more knowledge in the concepts and theoretical frameworks that are related to the research problem and question.

Software effort estimation by analogy is a viable alternative method to other estimation techniques, and in many cases, researchers found it outperformed other estimation methods in terms of accuracy and practitioners¿ acceptance. However, the overall performance of analogy based estimation depends on two major factors: similarity measure and attribute selection & weighting. Current similarity measures such as nearest neighborhood techniques have been criticized that have some inadequacies related to attributes relevancy, noise and uncertainty in addition to the problem of using categorical attributes. This research focuses on improving the efficiency and flexibility of analogy-based estimation to overcome the abovementioned inadequacies. Particularly, this thesis proposes two new approaches to model and handle uncertainty in similarity measurement method and most importantly to reflect the structure of dataset on similarity measurement using Fuzzy modeling based Fuzzy C-means algorithm. The first proposed approach called Fuzzy Grey Relational Analysis method employs combined techniques of Fuzzy set theory and Grey Relational Analysis to improve local and global similarity measure and tolerate imprecision associated with using different data types (Continuous and Categorical). The second proposed approach presents the use of Fuzzy numbers and its concepts to develop a practical yet efficient approach to support analogy-based systems especially at early phase of software development. Specifically, we propose a new similarity measure and adaptation technique based on Fuzzy numbers. We also propose a new attribute subset selection algorithm and attribute weighting technique based on the hypothesis of analogy-based estimation that assumes projects that are similar in terms of attribute value are also similar in terms of effort values, using row-wise Kendall rank correlation between similarity matrix based project effort values and similarity matrix based project attribute values. A literature review of related software engineering studies revealed that the existing attribute selection techniques (such as brute-force, heuristic algorithms) are restricted to the choice of performance indicators such as (Mean of Magnitude Relative Error and Prediction Performance Indicator) and computationally far more intensive. The proposed algorithms provide sound statistical basis and justification for their procedures. The performance figures of the proposed approaches have been evaluated using real industrial datasets. Results and conclusions from a series of comparative studies with conventional estimation by analogy approach using the available datasets are presented. The studies were also carried out to statistically investigate the significant differences between predictions generated by our approaches and those generated by the most popular techniques such as: conventional analogy estimation, neural network and stepwise regression. The results and conclusions indicate that the two proposed approaches have potential to deliver comparable, if not better, accuracy than the compared techniques. The results also found that Grey Relational Analysis tolerates the uncertainty associated with using different data types. As well as the original contributions within the thesis, a number of directions for further research are presented. Most chapters in this thesis have been disseminated in international journals and highly refereed conference proceedings. / Applied Science University, Jordan.

This study explores the dynamics of persuasive communication within the context of the r/AmItheAsshole subreddit, a platform that serves as a space for individuals to share real-life conflicts, inviting impartial judgments from the Reddit community, so-called flairs. Grounded in Communication Accommodation Theory and existing research on persuasion, the study explores the impact of language attributes on persuasive outcomes, using hypothesis testing to determine significant differences between the different flairs and two broader binary categories of blame. The research aims to investigate the impact of several language attributes on persuasion and the role of language style alignment between the communicator and the recipient in shaping persuasive outcomes. Only the attribute sentiment exhibited a visual difference between the flairs, which was significant for most flairs but non-significant for the combined categories. This complexity regarding the flair categories suggests that sentiment affects persuasion but warrants further investigation in future studies. Regarding the language style similarity, a visual difference was observed only for the difference in the attribute lexical diversity, and significant results were obtained for all tested combinations. Contrary to Communication Accommodation Theory expectations, the study found that similarity in language style, specifically lexical diversity, negatively influences outcomes, raising questions for future exploration. The study provides nuanced insights into the interplay of language attributes and persuasive success in online contexts and takes an initial step toward investigating Communication Accommodation Theory in persuasion.

This essay, which is at once a literary critical examination and a theological exploration of the Hebraic scriptural book of Lamentations in relation to ancient Sumerian lament, employs a mixed critical approach (e.g., form, feminist, postmodern, reader response), to address various lyrical, contextual, and thematic elements common to both the biblical Lamentations and the older Sumerian compositions. Specific focus is given to issues of gender and gender-malleability, as well as the notion of "transgression" and the various meanings that may be attached to this word in various contexts, theological or otherwise. Also addressed is the means by which the lament genre reflects/reveals the ways in which individuals and communities attempt to construct meaning, or find solace, in the face of human suffering.

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In today's high pace of globalization and constant development of organizations, it is highly crucial that companies are able to adapt and figure out how to do things differently, such as to resolve how to streamline their work with the resources they have in the best possible way. One way of doing this is through the concept of Self-leadership which is a phenomenon providing the employees with more freedom and working independently more frequently without constant external executive control. Therefore, the authors of this paper have studied how the employees can use self-leadership with the purpose to examine if self-leadership can be used as a universal concept as well as in which situations it can be utilized. Thus, this master's thesis aims to contribute to the theoretical and empirical findings regarding this concept. This, by presenting various theories about the aspects of self-leadership in order to get a better understanding of how trust, communication and reliance may facilitate the entire process and how the leader of an organization could affect the practice and outcome of self-leadership. In order to provide a more in-depth aspect regarding the individuals practicing it on a daily basis, the authors have also studied the psychological aspects that may affect the practice, bearing in mind the cultural aspects that one possesses to see how these two factors may be intertwined to the concept of self-leadership. Additionally, the authors have studied the pros and cons with self-leadership as well as to find out whether or not self-leadership can be used as a universal concept that can be applicable in all working situations, independent of what role one has or in what sector one operates in, which is also one of the focal points of this study. Further, it has been examined to what extent self-leadership affects the performance of the person practicing it. Based on the theoretical findings and empirical data collected from practitioners working with self-leadership, operating in the international banking and IT sector, 4 semi-structured interviews were conducted which resulted in conclusions such as that self-leadership can be used by anyone, at any place or any time, no matter role or organization, rather the question lays within to what extent it may be practiced as some specific situations might require it more or less. Finally, the authors of this paper believe that self-leadership is applicable in all situations and that anyone would be able to practice it if there are enough balance between trust and communication from the the individuals in the organization and if it is clear enough by the superiors to what extent it may be practiced in different situations.

Bakgrund: Employer brand är en strategi som används för att attrahera och behålla medarbetare i organisationen genom att marknadsföra de fördelar som organisationen erbjuder. Dessa erbjudanden kan tolkas som löften och underförstådda förväntningar hos medarbetare. De underförstådda förväntningar går under begreppet psykologiskt kontrakt som är villkoren för ett ömsesidigt utbytesavtal mellan arbetsgivare och arbetstagare. Tidigare forskning inom området har visat att employer brand har stor inverkan över skapandet av det psykologiska kontraktet då det skapar förväntningar hos arbetstagaren. Däremot upplevs det saknas forskning kring kombinationen av employer brand och psykologiskt kontrakt, samt hur medarbetarnas förväntningar påverkas av en organisations employer brand.Syfte: Syftet med studien är att skapa förståelse för hur medarbetares förväntningar påverkas av en organisations employer brand.Metod: En kvalitativ metod har använts då studien utfördes genom semistrukturerade intervjuer där fokuset var att få en förståelse för individers upplevelse av hur employer brand påverkar förväntningar. Intervjuerna transkriberades och tematiserades genom en tematisk analys. Analysen av resultatet har varit abduktivt då nya teman hittades i empirin och tidigare forskning har använts för att bekräfta eller ifrågasätta resultatet.Resultat: Resultatet visar tydliga brister i organisationens arbete med employerbrand vid tidpunkten då respondenterna anställdes. Respondenterna hade få förväntningar på organisationen som arbetsgivare, men upplever att de förväntningar de haft blivit uppfyllda.Slutsats: Slutsatsen är att en organisation kan ha ett svagt employer med som skapar svaga förväntningar, men ändå attrahera och behålla medarbetare, samt uppfylla det psykologiska kontraktet. En arbetsgivare kan upplevas attraktiv utan att behöva arbeta under konceptet employer brand. / Background: Employer brand is a strategy to attract and retain employees in the organization by marketing the benefits that the organization offers. These offers can be interpreted as promises and implicit expectations of employees. The implicit expectations fall under the concept of psychological contract, which are the conditions for a mutual exchange agreement between employer and employee. Previous research in the field has shown that employer brand has a great impact on the creation of the psychological contract as it creates expectations in the employee. On the other hand, there is a lack of research on the combination of employer brand and psychological contract, as well as how employees' expectations are affected by an organization's employer brand.Aim: The aim of the study is to create an understanding of how employees' expectations are affected by an organization's employer brand.Method: A qualitative method has been used when the study was conducted through semi-structured interviews where the focus was to gain an understanding of individuals' experience of how employer brand affects expectations. The interviews were transcribed and thematized through a thematic analysis. The analysis of the results has been abductive as new themes were found in the empirical data and previous research has been used to confirm or question the results.Results: The results show clear shortcomings in the organization's work with employer brand at the time when the respondents were hired. The respondents had few expectations of the organization as an employer, but feel that the expectations they had were met.Conclusion: The conclusion is that an organization can have a weak employer who creates weak expectations, but still attract and retain employees, and fulfill the psychological contract. An employer can be perceived as attractive without having to work under the concept of employer brand.

The objective of this research was to evaluate if chitosan and another food-grade compound can be incorporated into food-grade coatings in conjunction with propylene glycol and polysaccharides to control Tyrophagus putrescentiae growth without affecting sensory attributes, water activity, and moisture content of dry-cured hams. Each coating solution was coated on ham cubes (2.5 × 2.5 × 2.5 cm3, n = 5/treatment) or infused in ham nets, and dry-cured ham cubes were wrapped in the ham nets prior to inoculation with 20 mixed-sex adult mites. Randomized complete block designs with two replications were utilized to evaluate the efficacy of treatments at controlling mite growth on dry-cured ham cubes. When CH was mixed with XG and infused into a net, fewer mites (15.7 and 21.0 mites) were on ham cubes (P < 0.05) in comparison to the control (211.2 mites). Results indicated that CH contributed to controlling mite growth since 1% XG alone did not control mite growth. Difference from control test results indicated that no sensory differences existed (NS) between CH-treated and control ham slices. The addition of a food-grade compound (SP or 24P) to the XG coatings enhanced mite control efficacy. When 1% SP was added to 1% XG, it effectively controlled mite growth in both coating and netting treatments. Increasing 1% SP to 2% SP did not significantly (NS) control mite growth in the coating solution but did control mite growth when infused in the net. Both coating and netting treatments with 2% 24P + 1% XG controlled mite growth. When 24P was the only ingredient in the treatment, both 1% and 2% 24P controlled mites when infused in the net. The addition of SP did not (NS) impact the sensory attributes of the dry-cured ham. The 2% 24P + 1% XG treatment differed in moistness (P < 0.05) when compared to the blind control, but the rating was still less than 2 (moderately different). Overall, results from these studies indicate that chitosan can potentially be added in coatings or ham nets as tools to control mites in an integrated pest management program for dry-cured hams.

Digitisation, quantitative analysis, and data-driven methods have been used for investment decision support for more than two decades within the finance sector, however there are great differences of its adoption in different parts of the financial market. One part of the market that has not yet achieved a high level of adoption is the Venture capital (VC) industry. In this study, quantitative analysis will be applied to a dataset of 25430 early stage start-ups in Europe to determine which characteristics of a founder and executive team are most influential when predicting start-up success. This study is part of an effort towards the digitisation of the industry, enlightening quantitatively robust insights into evaluating the teams of new ventures, and reducing bias in the venture capital investment process. It is also part of an effort in bringing insights to current and aspiring entrepreneurs about the most important start-up team characteristics, something that could be used to become a better entrepreneur or build a more efficient and well balanced entrepreneurial team. / Digitalisering, kvantitativ analys, och datadrivna metoder har använts som support vid investeringsbedömning i mer än två decennier inom finanssektorn. Emellertid finns stora skillnader mellan dess adaption in olika delar av finansmarknaden. En del av marknaden som ännu inte uppnått en hög grad av adaption är riskkapitalindustrin (VC). In denna studie kommer en kvantitativ analys genomföras av 25430 nystartade företag i Europa för att dra slutsatser kring vilken karakteristik hos grundare och chefsteamet som har störst inverkan vid prediktion av vidare företaget blir framgångsrikt eller inte. Studien är en del av en satsning mot att digitalisera industrin, belysa kvantitativt robusta insikter i utvärderingen av start-up-team, och minska bias i investeringsprocessen. Arbetet är också en del av en satsning att bidra med insikter till befintliga och aspirerande entreprenörer om vilken karakteristik som är viktigast för att grunda ett framgångsrikt företag, något som kan användas för att bli en bättre entreprenör eller för att bygga ett mer effektivt och välbalanserat team.

The evaluation of discrete processes are performed for industrial and healthcare processes. Count data may be used to measure the number of defective items in industrial applications or the incidence of a certain disease at a health facility. Another classification of a discrete random variable is for binary data, where information on an item can be classified as conforming or nonconforming in a manufacturing context, or a patient's status of having a disease in health-related applications. The first phase of this research uses discrete count data modeled from the Poisson and negative binomial distributions in a healthcare setting. Syndromic counts are currently monitored by the BioSense program within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide real-time biosurveillance. The Early Aberration Reporting System (EARS) uses recent baseline information comparatively with a current day's syndromic count to determine if outbreaks may be present. An adaptive threshold method is proposed based on fitting baseline data to a parametric distribution, then calculating an upper-tailed p-value. These statistics are then converted to an approximately standard normal random variable. Monitoring is examined for independent and identically distributed data as well as data following several seasonal patterns. An exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) chart is also used for these methods. The effectiveness of these methods in detecting simulated outbreaks in several sensitivity analyses is evaluated. The second phase of research explored in this dissertation considers information that can be classified as a binary event. In industry, it is desirable to have the probability of a nonconforming item, p, be extremely small. Traditional Shewhart charts such as the p-chart, are not reliable for monitoring this type of process. A comprehensive literature review of control chart procedures for this type of process is given. The equivalence between two cumulative sum (CUSUM) charts, based on geometric and Bernoulli random variables is explored. An evaluation of the unit and group--runs (UGR) chart is performed, where it is shown that the in--control behavior of this chart is quite misleading and should not be recommended for practitioners. / Ph. D.