This dissertation investigates the capacity required by an internet application in tandem with the network connection type (dial-up or broadband). An internet user’s experience in accessing various types of applications with either high bandwidth or low bandwidth is examined in a consumer choice model of broadband adoption. A consumer implicitly values the time-saving benefits derived from a higher speed internet connection used to access a particular internet application, and compares those utility benefits to the higher price of high speed connection services in making the decision to shift to broadband or remain with a dial-up connection. We find that using broadband rather than dial-up to run bandwidth intensive applications presents considerable gains in the implicit value of time saved. Assuming that internet users are rational utility maximizing agents, a logit model is used to calculate the likelihood of broadband adoption as a function primarily of the nature/type of the internet applications (“elastic or inelastic”). While the empirical results are generally consistent with our hypothesis that consumers are more likely to subscribe to broadband if they regularly run applications that are bandwidth intensive, the results vary somewhat by model specification, and are potentially sensitive to controlling for endogeneity. Correcting for endogeneity remains the major challenge in extending this research. Research Question: What is the relationship between consumer valuation of the net benefits of using bandwidth intensive applications and the adoption of broadband internet? Hypothesis: The less a consumer requires bandwidth intensive applications; the lower is the likelihood of switching from a low level bandwidth internet service like dial-up to a high level bandwidth internet type like broadband. While this relationship may appear obvious, it has not been systematically investigated or measured, nor has its importance in affecting lags in broadband adoption been adequately appreciated.

This dissertation consists of three studies that collectively investigate the factors influencing the consumer adoption intention towards emerging healthcare technologies. Essay 1 systematically reviews the extent literature on healthcare technology adoption and serves as the theoretical foundation of the dissertation. It investigates different models that have been previously applied to study healthcare technology acceptance. Meta-analysis method is used to quantitatively synthesize the findings from prior empirical studies. Essay 2 posits, develops, and tests a comprehensive biotechnology acceptance model from the end-user's perspective. Two new constructs, namely, perceived risk and trust in technology, are integrated into the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology. Research hypotheses are tested using survey data and partial least square – structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Essay 3 extends the findings from the Essay 2 and further investigates the consumer's trust initiation and its effect on behavioral adoption intention. To achieve this purpose, Essay 3 posits and develops a trust model. Survey data allows testing the model using PLS-SEM. The models developed in this dissertation reflect significant modifications specific to the healthcare context. The findings provide value for academia, practitioners, and policymakers.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-25T16:44:51Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 ADM - Ana Claudia Suszek.pdf: 579868 bytes, checksum: 2c469f181b0b072a8c7b73d0fb588200 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006-11-28 / This research aim to analyze the communication importance in the organic products adoption process by the consumers. In order to reach this goal, a panorama about the organic products market was traced, identifying the consumer adoption process for new products and the influences on this consumer, as well as the communication between producers and intermediaries with the organic products consumers was analyzed. This study justifies itself in the increasing complexity an in the recent investigation about the theme in a scientific approach, not only trying to validate and generalize the results for the category, but intending to discuss the problem and not trying to reach conclusive results. In its Exploratory character and to achieve its goals, firstly a bibliographic survey in secondary sources was done to consist the Theoretical Reference and after that a Qualitative Research by a Focus Group was developed. The information achieved in this research was worked according to the Content Analysis proposed by Bardin. In this way, the results pointed out some errors or flaws in the communication process between the organic products suppliers and consumers, as well as the distribution channels drawing a consume inhibition / Esta pesquisa tem como objetivo principal analisar a importância da comunicação no processo de adoção de produtos orgânicos pelo consumidor. Para que isso fosse possível foi traçado o panorama sobre o mercado de produtos orgânicos; identificado o processo de adoção do consumidor por novos produtos e as influências exercidas sobre ele e, analisada a comunicação entre produtores e intermediários com os consumidores de produtos orgânicos. Tal estudo justifica-se pelo grau de complexidade e pela recente investigação do tema de forma científica, não tendo como proposta, no entanto, a validação e generalização dos resultados para toda a categoria, mas sim, a discussão do problema, sem a busca de resultados conclusivos. Por ter caráter Exploratório, e para o alcance dos objetivos, primeiramente foi realizado um levantamento bibliográfico em fontes secundárias para a composição do Referencial Teórico e posteriormente Pesquisa Qualitativa através de Grupo de Foco. As informações obtidas foram trabalhadas á luz da Análise de Conteúdo proposta por Bardin. Neste sentido, os resultados da pesquisa apontaram falhas no processo de comunicação entre fornecedores e consumidores de produtos orgânicos, bem como nos canais de distribuição, desta forma inibindo o consumo

Yes / Digital payment methods (DPMs) are evolving fast but they are yet to be widely adopted particularly in the developing countries. An initial review of literature suggests that several studies have already been conducted on this topic for understanding antecedents of digital payments adoption. However, only a few studies have examined this emerging topic in the context of developing countries. The aim of this submission is to identify antecedents of consumer adoption and usage of digital payments methods. The results of this literature analysis suggest that constructs related to technology acceptance model (TAM) and unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) along with trust and risk are the most frequently examined constructs for determining consumer’s behavioural intention to use and usage of DPMs. The findings from this work can help researchers selecting factors for inclusion in the future empirical works on this topic.