An organization ́s website is often the first contact of a consumer and will therefore probably provide its first impression. Also, as people tend to easily jump from one webpage to the other, an instant judgment of credibility could be made in just a few seconds. Previous research has discovered a correlation between visual design and experienced credibility, but little investigation has further been made about certain elements and their design features. This study explores what elements on a webpage that is being assessed at an instant judgment of credibility. Further, visual design features are examined regarding the elements. The three most frequently mentioned elements involved in the credibility judgment were the logotype, hero image, and the main content section. Concerning their visual design, the findings indicate that colors and the choice of pictures have a major impact on how a webpage is perceived. Depending on what color or what kind of picture that was exposed, it could either help or harm the webpage ́s experienced credibility. The impression is also discussed to be influenced by cognitive aspects such as cognitive authority and presumed credibility.

Syfte: Studien syftar till att skapa förståelse för om och i så fallhur mikro- och makroinfluencers påverkar relationen mellan attitydkomponenterna (tillförlitlighet, experits och attraktivitet) och köpintentionen. Metod:Denna studie baseras på en kvantitativ forskningsmetod där primärdata samlades in via en digital enkätundersökning. Enkäten innehöll frågor från tidigare forskning samt egenutformade och den distribuerades ut via sociala medier. Primärdata samlades in från 150 respondenter där 15 blev bortfall. Primärdata analyserades sedan genom korrelationsanalyser och regressionsanalyser i IBM SPSS-Statistics.  Slutsats: Studien visade att tillförlitlighet och attraktivitet påverkar köpintentionen. Tillförlitlighet har den starkaste påverkan på köpintentionen och makroinfluencers påverkar denna relation medan mikroinfluencers inte gör det. Attraktivitet har också en påverkan på köpintentionen, och mikroinfluencers påverkar relationen, medan makroinfluencers inte gör det. Studien fastställde inte om expertis påverkar köpintentionen, vilket kräver ytterligare forskning. Mikro- och makroinfluencers har en signifikant effekt på förhållandet mellan expertis och köpintention, vilket är av intresse och kräver framtida forskning. / Purpose: This study aims to understand whether and if so, how micro- and macroinfluencers affect the relationship between the attitude components (trustworthiness, expertise, and attractiveness) and purchase intention. Method:This study is based on a quantitative research method where primary data was collected via a digital survey. The survey contained questions from previous research as well as self- designed questions and was distributed via social media. Primary data was collected from 150 respondents and 15 were excluded. The primary data was then analyzed through correlation- and regression analyses in IBM SPSS-Statistics. Conclusion:The study found that trustworthiness and attractiveness impact purchase intention. Trustworthiness has the strongest impact, and macroinfluencers significantly affect this relationship while microinfluencers do not. Attractiveness also has a positive impact on purchase intention, with micro-influencers affecting the relationship, while macroinfluencers do not. The study did not determine if expertise impacts purchase intention, requiring further research. Micro- and macroinfluencers have a significant effect on the relationship between expertise and purchase intention, which is of interest and needs further research.

Date:   2023-05-31 Level:   Bachelor Thesis in Business Administration, 15 cr Institution:  School of Business, Society and Engineering, Mälardalen University Authors:  Erica Kim Stenström   Isabelle Örnbratt                            (96/11/06)    (01/03/31) Title:   The Evolution of Technology and its Effect on Consumption Supervisor:  Edward Gillmore Keywords:  Consumer behavior, consumption, technology, media, marketing, source credibility theory, dual-process theory Research Question: How has the evolution of technology and media affected consumption within the fashion industry? Purpose: Due to the great shift in both online and physical consumption, the purpose of this research is to provide significant insights to already existing scientific literature on how the development of technology and media has affected consumers’ purchasing behavior. Method: A qualitative research paper with two semi-structured interviews and a random sample survey containing eleven open-ended questions. For secondary data, scientific articles and non-scientific, informational articles and websites were used.  Conclusion: The evolution of technology and media has heavily affected marketing strategies and consumer behavior. Along with this, there is a greater incentive to engage in consumerism, despite the world’s growing awareness regarding the consequences of overconsumption. Due to this, it is of great importance for businesses to assess how their decisions will make an impact on the world.

<p>An increasing number of AEC firms are positioning themselves to expand operations in the international construction market. To undertake such decisions, it is critical for companies to analyze the risks, benefits, and future market potential of the host country. Further, companies typically select appropriate entry modes and develop business strategies to navigate the complex formal and informal institutions of the host country. The Board of directors and upper-management employees are typically involved in making such decisions. Previous researchers have identified various risks such as the political, financial, supply-chain using tools like the International Construction Risk Assessment Model (ICRAM) and the International Project Risk Assessment (IPRA). Such comprehensive models encompass various risk factors at the country, market, and project levels. At each level, data are to be collected from various sources that could be susceptible to political agenda, bias, and inaccessibility. Research findings suggest that the results provided by such models heavily rely on the credibility of the information and the information source.</p><p>First, this research provides comprehensive definitions for Information and Source Credibility with respect to the international construction decision-making domain. Second, the research proposes a framework to assist decision-makers in evaluating Information and Source credibility to rank and prioritize their sources. This research has identified (a) 5 Criteria and 20 Metrics for Information Credibility and (b) 3 Criteria and 18 Metrics for Source Credibility. Third, a survey of construction industry professionals was carried out to determine the relevancy and relative importance of the identified criteria and metrics with respect to international construction decisions. The collected survey responses have a Cronbach’s Alpha value of 0.89 which indicates that the responses are reliable for further analysis. A one-way ANOVA test was conducted to investigate the influence of the prior credibility evaluation experience of the respondents on the relative weights for the framework. The results indicate that prior evaluation experience does not significantly affect the perception of the users towards selecting and weighing the criteria and metrics.</p><p>Finally, a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) model is proposed to incorporate the proposed credibility evaluation framework with the relative weights of the criteria and metrics. An Excel-based macro-enabled tool (with a user-friendly interface) is developed to accept user inputs associated with their information and sources. A well-defined scale of measurement is developed to reduce the subjectivity and biases involved in making such abstract assessments. Final scores, Cr_Information and Cr_Source, are calculated for every piece of information and source selected by the user. The MCDM results are expected to assist users in determining the undertaking of robust decisions by incorporating one additional layer of determining the credibility of their information and prioritizing their information sources. The suggested point of application for this research is before Financial Investment Decision (pre-FID) stage to ensure sufficient time for all the stakeholders to reevaluate their FIDs.</p>

No description available.

Los fitness influencers se han convertido en el recurso publicitario más usado por la industria fitness para generar credibilidad de marca a través de Instagram; red social que se ha consolidado como el escaparate más conveniente para promover un estilo de vida saludable basado en el ejercicio y la alimentación balanceada. El objetivo de la presente investigación fue identificar el rol que cumplen los fitness influencers en la construcción de credibilidad de marca para jóvenes varones, principiantes o intermedios en alguna disciplina fitness, a través de imaginarios distorsionados de vida saludable en Instagram. La metodología empleada para este estudio fue de carácter cualitativo, tipo exploratoria. Los resultados revelaron que los fitness influencers actúan como facilitadores de credibilidad de marca a pesar de promover un imaginario social donde tener un porcentaje bajo de grasa corporal y una masa muscular prominente, impulsadas por el abuso de sustancias sintéticas, es reflejo de llevar una vida saludable. / Fitness influencers have become the most used advertising resource by the fitness industry to generate brand credibility through Instagram; social network that has established itself as the most convenient showcase to promote a healthy lifestyle based on exercise and balanced eating. The objective of this research was to identify the role that fitness influencers play in building brand credibility for young men, beginners or intermediate in some fitness discipline, through distorted imaginary of healthy life on Instagram. The methodology used for this study was qualitative, exploratory type. The results revealed that fitness influencers act as facilitators of brand credibility despite promoting a social imaginary where having a low percentage of body fat and a prominent muscle mass, driven by the abuse of synthetic substances, is a reflection of leading a healthy life. / Tesis

The purpose was to evaluate the psychometric properties of an 8-item questionnaire instrument to support member checks in positivistic qualitative research. A sample of 1603 junior-level university nursing students (98.2% participation rate) a completed the questionnaire instrument which assessed how closely a written description of the lived experience of in-hospital training applied to their personal experience. The instrument had excellent psychometric properties, including high measurement reliability (α=0.94), strong concurrent validity (72.2%-77.4%), discriminant validity (p < 0.000001), a parametric score distribution with little kurtosis and no skew, and an average score (G score) was centered at midpoint of the scale (midpoint of 4 on a scale from 1 to 7). The experience match was at the level of “matches experience to high degree,” showing the transferability (generalizability) of the findings to the present sample. The instrument can be used to assess the credibility and transferability of findings from qualitative research, assist in finding negative cases, determine the degree of saturation and success of bracketing, and complement the constant comparative method. The instrument is recommended for general use in positivistic qualitative or naturalistic inquiry studies for any type of sample and any type of lived experience. This approach would magnify and empower the reach of the products of qualitative research.

No description available.

Many years of communication research have shown that an increase in immediacy has been a major factor that affects students‘ perceptions of instructor credibility which in turn affects, both students‘ cognitive and affective learning, student state motivation and a variety of other positive outcomes. However, in order for immediacy to be effective, instructor and student must be in the same location at the same time. With the recent push toward on-line classes, what can we find to act like immediacy in a text based format? This research suggests that face threat mitigation can be used in a text-based environment, to achieve the pro-social goals of instructor credibility and student state motivation to the same extent as it does when coupled with immediacy. This study is a replication of a study done by Witt and Kerssen-Griep (2012). In the original study face threat mitigation (FTM) was coupled with instructor nonverbal immediacy (NVI) and they examined the impact these factors had on instructor credibility (i.e., competence, character, and caring) and student state motivation in a video simulated feedback situation. This study surveyed 218 undergraduate students in an introductory communication course. Students were randomly assigned to read hypothetical scenarios in which FTM was manipulated in a manner similar to Witt and Kerssen-Griep‘s study. They responded to three scales. The current study removed the instructor by using a simulated electronic feedback correspondence. Results of a MANCOVA and four separate ANOVAs were similar to those of the original findings. FTM was found to have a significant positive relationship with instructor credibility (i.e., competence, character, and caring) and student state motivation.

Credibility theory is widely used in insurance. It is included in the examination of the Society of Actuaries and in the construction and evaluation of actuarial models. In particular, the Buhlmann credibility model has played a fundamental role in both actuarial theory and practice. It provides a mathematical rigorous procedure for deciding how much credibility should be given to the actual experience rating of an individual risk relative to the manual rating common to a particular class of risks. However, for any selected risk, the Buhlmann model assumes that the outcome random variables in both experience periods and future periods are independent and identically distributed. In addition, the Buhlmann method uses sample mean-based estimators to insure the selected risk, which may be a poor estimator of future costs if only a few observations of past events (costs) are available. We present an extension of the Buhlmann model and propose a general method based on a linear combination of both robust and efficient estimators in a dependence framework. The performance of the proposed procedure is demonstrated by Monte Carlo simulations.