This is an investigation of the diffusion of new information and communication technologies (ICTs), particularly the Internet, by community broadcasting organisations. In order to understand ICT diffusion processes in community radio stations, this study focuses on a particular project which saw a large scale diffusion of Internet technologies across Australian community radio stations at the beginning of 1998. The Community Access Network (CAN) project was an initiative of the Australian government, and saw funding for the provision of an Internet ready computer to every licensed community radio station in Australia. In approaching this subject, this research employed social constructivist assumptions, expecting that ICT use, and in particular the CAN workstations, would vary from station to station, reflecting the cultural and organisational conditions in each environment. As such the study aimed to understand the ways in which ICT technologies have been used and understood by community ralo station management and their participants. Since community radio stations are organisations, this study employed Everett Rogers' framework for understanding diffusion of innovation processes within organisations, acknowledging that organisational variables act on innovation behaviour in a manner over and above that of the aggregate of individual members of the organisation. This approach provided scope for the investigation and comparison of organisational factors, as well as meaning making on the part of individual participants. The research was based on data collected from two case studies, chosen on the basis of their divergent social, cultural and organisational environments; 4EB in Brisbane, a metropolitan, ethnic community radio station; and 2NCR-FM in Lismore, a regional, generalist community radio station. Ethnographic methods of observation and interviews were employed to collect qualitative data, providing insider accounts of community broadcaster's use, experience, and understanding of the new technologies in their day-to-day broadcast practices. By looking at two different community radio stations, this research acknowledges points of similarity and difference across these organisational situations, identifying factors that contribute to variation in technology take-up in particular station programming emphasis, perception of need, organisational resources, role of innovation champions, training, ICT policy and broadcaster variables. Evidence drawn from these case studies, and the specific ICT investigated, contributes to a general understanding of factors in the diffusion of ICT technologies across the community broadcast sector, providing a frame of reference for anticipating subsequent innovation diffusion. In particular, there are implications for future diffusion projects which plan to deploy new technologies across the community radio sector. It also contextualises community broadcasting and ICT use within the field of new technology uptake by broadcast sectors in general.

<p><b>Aim:</b><b> </b>The overall aim of the present thesis was to describe and evaluate IT support in dementia care from the perspectives of staff and relatives. More specifically, it was to examine staff members’ satisfaction with work, life satisfaction and sense of coherence before and after increased IT support, to describe staff members’ opinions and perceptions of IT support during the process of implementation, to describe relatives’ opinions of IT support and to compare relatives’ perceptions of their irritations with care and life satisfaction before and after increased IT support. In addition, three questionnaires were further developed and tested among staff working in elderly care, and then used in the staff evaluation. <b>Methods:</b> A quasi-experimental design with baseline assessments and follow-ups and experimental and control groups was used in two studies to investigate the outcomes of IT support. A descriptive design was used to study staff views on IT support, and a correlative design was used in the methodological study. Participants were 33 staff members and 22 relatives in the evaluation, 14 staff members in the descriptive study and 299 staff members in the methodological study. Data collection methods were questionnaires and group interviews. The IT support consisted of passive passage alarms, fall detectors, sensor-activated night-time illumination of the lavatory, movement detectors, email communication, an Internet website and additional computers. <b>Findings and conclusions:</b> Staff job satisfaction and perceived quality of care increased in the experimental group. The relatives were generally positive about the IT support, and the experimental group showed a decrease in practical/logistical irritations. Staff described ‘moving from fear of losing control to perceived increase in control and security’ and ‘constant struggling with insufficient/deficient systems’. Conclusions are that IT support can be a resource in dementia care as perceived by caregivers if IT support is incorporated into the care system.</p>

<p>Abstract</p><p>Title: Network communication for equal opportunities (Nätverkskommunikation för jämställdhet)</p><p>Number of pages: 47 (54 with enclosures)</p><p>Author: Hillevi Good</p><p>Tutor: Ylva Ekström</p><p>Course: Media and Communication Studies D</p><p>Period: Spring Semester 2007</p><p>University: Division of Media and Communication, Department of Information Science, Uppsala University</p><p>Aim: The aim of this essay is to study the possibilities to bring about change by the means of communication in two networks, focusing on the implementation of the Swedish Equal Opportunities Act.</p><p>Material and method: The study draws on data collected in an electronic survey among representatives of two networks consisting of representatives from trade unions and employer’s associations. The material is analyzed using descriptive tools, cross tables and correlation matrices in which general characteristics as well as individual understandings of the network communication are presented and discussed.</p><p>Main results: The general results indicate that the network communication serves important purposes, such as providing support and motivation for the members and changing attitudes towards equal opportunities. The analysis suggests that the network members have good communicative possibilities to serve as agents of change within their organisations. Moreover, there is an observed relation between, on the one hand, organizational context and, on the other hand, the network members’ own communicational behaviour and their experienced possibility to influence their organizations.</p><p>Keywords: network communication, diffusion of innovations, behaviour change, Equal Opportunities Act</p>

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2006. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes bibliographical references (p. 526-547).

Abstract Title: Network communication for equal opportunities (Nätverkskommunikation för jämställdhet) Number of pages: 47 (54 with enclosures) Author: Hillevi Good Tutor: Ylva Ekström Course: Media and Communication Studies D Period: Spring Semester 2007 University: Division of Media and Communication, Department of Information Science, Uppsala University Aim: The aim of this essay is to study the possibilities to bring about change by the means of communication in two networks, focusing on the implementation of the Swedish Equal Opportunities Act. Material and method: The study draws on data collected in an electronic survey among representatives of two networks consisting of representatives from trade unions and employer’s associations. The material is analyzed using descriptive tools, cross tables and correlation matrices in which general characteristics as well as individual understandings of the network communication are presented and discussed. Main results: The general results indicate that the network communication serves important purposes, such as providing support and motivation for the members and changing attitudes towards equal opportunities. The analysis suggests that the network members have good communicative possibilities to serve as agents of change within their organisations. Moreover, there is an observed relation between, on the one hand, organizational context and, on the other hand, the network members’ own communicational behaviour and their experienced possibility to influence their organizations. Keywords: network communication, diffusion of innovations, behaviour change, Equal Opportunities Act

The aim of the thesis was to create knowledge about factors influencing acceptance of virtual learning environments among academic staff and students in blended learning environments. The aim was operationalised by four research questions. To answer the research questions, several studies were performed applying the methods of survey study, conceptual-analytical research, a qualitative meta-analysis combined with a single case study and a comparative, explanatory case study. The empirical studies were performed at five universities in Sweden, Norway and Lithuania. In the thesis, a technology acceptance perspective extended with the perspectives of organisational learning and diffusion of innovations was used. The findings indicated that the contextual factor of culture was powerful in influencing acceptance of virtual learning environments, positively as well as negatively. High degrees of performance expectancy, results demonstrability and social influence affected acceptance of virtual learning environments positively. The degree of social influence was hypothesised to be mediated by the contextual factor of culture. The organisational culture of universities, expressed as shared values of what is good quality teaching and learning, were found to partly oppose values inherent in the virtual learning environments. The factor of students’ learning styles did not have any impact on acceptance of virtual learning environments. The original version of the technology acceptance model was found to be insufficient in explaining differences in acceptance of virtual learning environments. In the conclusions of the thesis, a descriptive and explanatory model of virtual learning environments acceptance among academic staff and students in blended learning environments is presented applying the combined perspectives of organisational learning, technology acceptance and diffusion of innovations. Implications for practice are put forward, emphasizing culture as an important factor to consider in the implementation of virtual learning environments.

This research examines the integration of electronic book (e-book) technology within an academic library. The University of Ottawa library is explored as a qualitative case study. The perceptions of use and communication pertaining to e-book adoption from the perspectives of students, faculty members, and librarians are combined with other documentation to provide a comprehensive examination of the case. Rogers (1962; 2003) Diffusion of Innovations provides the theoretical framework to guide the study and structure its analysis. Main findings revealed the following: (1) participants preferred print books, (2) inadequate communication occurred between students, faculty members, and librarians, and (3) information literacy training initiatives were insufficiently standardized. This study contributes to communication research by examining adoption of e-book technology and the spread of ideas within a social environment. It also furthers Diffusion of Innovations by confirming that even when individuals acknowledge advantages of a communication technology, it is not necessarily adopted.

Electronic health records (EHRs) facilitate storing, organizing, and sharing personal health information. The academic literature suggests that multimedia information (MM; image, audio, and video files) should be incorporated into EHRs. We examined the acceptability of MM-enabled EHRs for Ontario-based software vendors and physicians, using a qualitative analysis of primary and acute care EHR vendor websites, and a survey of physician perceptions regarding MM features in EHRs. Primary care EHR vendors provided more product-specific information than acute care vendors; however, neither group emphasized MM features in their EHRs. Physicians had slightly positive perceptions of image and video features, but not of audio features. None of the external factors studied predicted physicians‘ intention to use MM. Our findings suggest that neither vendors nor physicians are enthusiastic about implementing or using MM in EHRs, despite acknowledging potential benefits. Further research is needed to explore how to incorporate MM into EHR systems.

Electronic health records (EHRs) facilitate storing, organizing, and sharing personal health information. The academic literature suggests that multimedia information (MM; image, audio, and video files) should be incorporated into EHRs. We examined the acceptability of MM-enabled EHRs for Ontario-based software vendors and physicians, using a qualitative analysis of primary and acute care EHR vendor websites, and a survey of physician perceptions regarding MM features in EHRs. Primary care EHR vendors provided more product-specific information than acute care vendors; however, neither group emphasized MM features in their EHRs. Physicians had slightly positive perceptions of image and video features, but not of audio features. None of the external factors studied predicted physicians‘ intention to use MM. Our findings suggest that neither vendors nor physicians are enthusiastic about implementing or using MM in EHRs, despite acknowledging potential benefits. Further research is needed to explore how to incorporate MM into EHR systems.

As the situation of politics and economy becomes more and more unstable in Taiwan, people have higher criticism and expectation to government efficiency. However, both of Taipei Household Registration Office and Department of Health Kaohsiung City Government have successfully implemented many innovations in organization and started the initial change in less than 3 years. Thus, this research tries to analyze why and how innovations could be diffused efficiently in these two government organizations and started the change. This research collects abundant data and information through studying documents and many deep interviews at first. Then, these data or information are made a static analysis by Everett M. Rogers¡¦ theory of Diffusion of Innovations and Innovation Process in Organizations, and a dynamic analysis by Casual Loop Diagrams of Systmes Thinking. All analyses include the comparison of these two cases. There are 15 findings as followed: 1. Creating can bring better performance than problem-solving. 2. Characteristics of innovations and inertia of organization will affect the speed of innovations diffusion and the acceptability of innovations. 3. Both of innovations and organization will be modified to fit each other. 4. The leader is the most influent point for diffusion of innovations in bureaucracy. 5. The leader sets an example with his/her own conduct and starts change from small things can be helpful to diffusion of innovations. 6. The leader persistence of innovations is helpful to diffusion of innovations. 7. How the leader diffuses innovations is a process of dynamic coordination. 8. The leader is a designer of loops. 9. Different cases have similar key successful loops and key successful factors because they have the same structure of bureaucracy. 10. Structure can help and block leaders to diffuse and implement innovations in bureaucracy. 11. The innovation process in organization should be observed in a larger structure or system. 12. Reports of Media can motivate employees effectively and facilitate the phenomenon of ¡§lock-in¡¨. 13. Examination and evolution have much efficiency in changing employees¡¦ behaviors in bureaucracy. However, what can change employees¡¦ attitude often are others¡¦ appreciation, work results or leader¡¦s moral integrity. 14. Reports of Media, education training and visits can break the closed system of bureaucracy. This is helpful for diffusion of innovations in organization. 15. No matter the focal point of innovations is on easy and small things whose results are obvious, or on fundamental, long-term and more difficult things such as system and value change, ¡Ketc, all can result in profound changes in organizations. Moreover, this research also finds whether ¡§democratization¡¨, ¡§media¡¨, and ¡§bureaucracy¡¨ will bring good or bad contribution, these three things aren¡¦t the point and the most important thing is how we use them. We should take the responsibility by ourselves.