This study examines the design and trustworthiness factors of recommendation systems forexperience goods in the e-commerce industry. Experience goods are products that involvesensory experiences and pose challenges for consumers to assess and select online. Theresearch adopts a mixed method approach, combining exploratory and interpretive researchmethods to gain insights into users' interpretations and meanings attached to their experiences.The methodology includes analyzing publications, conducting a survey, and objectivelydocumenting recommendation systems in the alpine industry. The survey collects opinions fromparticipants who have used various recommendation systems, covering aspects such as usermodel, item model, recommendation algorithm, user interface, evaluation, and trustworthiness.A thematic analysis is employed to identify patterns and meaningful themes in the data. Thefindings emphasize the importance of understanding user preferences, balancingrecommendations, improving accuracy, enhancing interface usability, incorporating feedback,and addressing recommendation diversity to enhance trustworthiness. A hybrid filteringapproach with feature-based systems and integrated behavior-based techniques is identified aseffective. While the survey's convenience sampling and limited sample size may limitgeneralizability, the findings provide insights for designing effective recommendation systems forexperience goods in e-commerce. By considering the strengths and limitations of differenttechniques, vendors can create systems that assist customers in purchasing these uniqueproducts. However, recommendation systems should be viewed as a valuable tool rather thanthe sole determinant in purchase decisions for alpine equipment. Further research with a largerand more diverse sample is recommended to validate the findings and improve generalizability.

Experiential purchases represent a unique, and exceedingly popular, type of marketing behavior. The current research looks to explore and empirically uncover the dimensions that form, and outputs the stem from, high quality experiential purchases through inductive, qualitative analysis ultimately leading to quantitative testing of an original empirical model. Three studies are presented. In Study 1, depth interviews are conducted and emerging themes are coded using an established grounded theory design. In Study 2, a critical incident survey, constructed from the insight uncovered in Study 1, is administered, analyzed and coded. Finally, in Study 3, an empirical model of experiential purchase quality (EPQ), driven by Study 1 and 2, is assembled and hypotheses, guided by self-enhancement theory are constructed. The model is then tested across three different experiential time horizons. In addition, a multi-group analysis is performed in order to examine differences in structural relationships across the time horizons. This research offers insight into the value sources of experiential purchase quality and the outcomes that stem from these unique types of purchases. Dimensions of experiential purchase quality are identified and empirically examined. It is also determined that while social congruence with others adds to experiential quality in longer experiences, it is not a significant dimension of experiential quality in shorter experiences. The impact of servicescape quality on experiential purchase quality is at its highest in two-to-three day experiences, suggesting that high quality servicescape management may have limited returns for longer experiences. In terms of experiential outputs, self-attachment in high-quality experiential purchases drives the behavior stemming from these purchases. One of the most enlightening findings revealed through this research is the strong relationship between experiential purchase quality and nostalgic memories of the experience, and how that nostalgia drives behaviors beneficial to the experiential firm. Finally, fantasizing about the experience in the future is seen as a complex construct that drives positive outcomes for the firm, but is itself negatively impacted by experiential purchase quality. Managers of experiential firms may be able to operationalize this self-attachment through promotional efforts directed at customer engagement and by focusing on the customer’s nostalgia toward the experience.

This research introduces the concept of transferability into the usability construct and creates the Usability Paradigm for Multiple Device System (UPMDS) to conceptualize and quantify the usability in multiple device scenarios. This study fills the literature gap that no effective method exists in measuring transferability and in quantifying usability in a multiple device context. This study also answers the research questions regarding the impact of task complexity, user experience, and device order on the total usability of the system. Study one follows a systematic approach to develop, validate, and apply a new questionnaire tailored specifically to measure the transferability within a multiple device system. The System Transferability Questionnaire (STQ) is obtained after validation with 15 question items. In a software usability study, the STQ demonstrated excellent internal reliability and validity. Results show that the STQ is effective in capturing four factors regarding transferability, which are transfer experience (TE), overall experience (OE), consistency perception (CP) and functionality perception (FP). Validation results show good convergent, discriminant, criterion and nomonlogical validity. Study two adopts a systematic tool to consolidate usability constructs into a total usability score. The study utilizes principal component analysis (PCA) to determine the weight of the four usability components (satisfaction, transferability, effectiveness, and efficiency), which is used when obtaining the total usability score. Results show slightly different weights for the four components. This quantitative tool can be applied in different usability context in which multiple devices are involved. Usability specialists are encouraged to adjust the tool based on different usability scenarios. Study three investigates the impact of task complexity, user experience, and device order on the total system usability. Results show that the total usability score is not affected by task complexity, user experience or device order. However, lower physical task complexity leads to longer performance time and lower errors from the users. High experienced users have significantly lower errors made in tasks. The machine order also has divergent results. When the mini-lathe machine was used first, users had better transferability results but poorer performance outcomes as compared to when the drill press was used first.

<p> This thesis is a study of the portrayal of erotic experience given by Plato in the Symposium, and by Georges Bataille in his later theoretical writings, particularly Erotism and The Accursed Share. As such, this work is a comparison between an ancient and a modern understanding of eros in order to see which provides a more adequate account of erotic experience.</p> <p> Though Bataille does not directly critique Plato's understanding of eros, there are several passages within the Symposium that bear a striking resemblance to the erotic account given by Bataille. This is especially evident in the speech of Aristophanes, where Plato, through one of his characters, provides an erotic understanding that contains many of the same elements that are found in Bataille. The Aristophanic account of eros is directly criticized by Plato through Socrates' erotic speech in the same dialogue. By illuminating the Platonic critique of Aristophanes' erotic understanding, I will extend the critique to Bataille, thus demonstrating the crucial deficiencies within Bataille's account.</p> / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA)

Taking the title of this page literally, I wish to say the following: In this thesis I attempt to resolve some of the metaphilosophical problems concerning the logic of philosophy (i.e. its definition, structural principles, historiography, etc.) in view of the general theory that all of philosophy is but the expression of a single idea--that of the relationship between Reason and Experience. Towards this end, and from within a Kantian framework, I undertake to examine the history of philosophy in order to demonstrate how these basic metaphilosophical problems are generated and how it is that they cannot be solved. The one original claim being made in all of this, then, is simply that philosophy only ever has one thing to say and that this thing cannot be said. If I am right about this, then I have made no contribution to human knowledge, except in the Socratic sense that we now know something which cannot be known. I draw no moral from this except to note in passing that philosophy was first defined as the love of wisdom. / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA)

This study has been made for three purposes: 1) to find out what difficulties experienced and inexperienced teachers recognize in their teaching; 2)to find out what factors have influenced these difficulties; and 3)to find out, if possible, which difficulties could be eliminated with further pre-service training.

The concept of art experience among beholders is well-known but lacks empirical studies on everyday art experiences among laypersons. In this bachelor thesis, the appearance of layperson beholders’ art experience is explored by a qualitative interview study method. Eleven chosen responders are individually interviewed at Härnösand Art Gallery beholding the same assorted visual artwork. Descriptions and narratives are compared to artists’ intentions as shown in a separate interview. The theoretical approach leans on psychology and perception in art, focusing on the aesthetics of reception. Although a small-scale investigation in a rather narrow context, the investigation shows interesting findings: It highlights the frequency and intensity of everyday art experience in laypersons and the easiness of defining pictorial art from other informative or commercial pictures. Further, it highlights that the process of art experience perception has a strong hold of autonomy and is perceived as very personal and part of own personality. It also shows the rapid perception and endurance of mood as response and interpretation in contrast to the continuous processing of details and meaning. Lastly, the comparison of the artist’s intention and the beholders’ experience shows concordance.These properties of everyday common art experience can be a causal factor for the general prevalence of art in society.

In this thesis various aspects of Quality of Experience (QoE) research are examined. The work is divided into three major blocks: QoE Assessment, QoE Monitoring, and VNF Performance Evaluation. First, prominent cloud applications such as Google Docs and a cloud-based photo album are explored. The QoE is characterized and the influence of packet loss and delay is studied. Afterwards, objective QoE monitoring for HTTP Adaptive Video Streaming (HAS) in the cloud is investigated. Additionally, by using a Virtual Network Function (VNF) for QoE monitoring in the cloud, the feasibility of an interworking of Network Function Virtualization (NFV) and cloud paradigm is evaluated. To this end, a VNF that exploits deep packet inspection technique was used to parse the video traffic. An algorithm is then designed accordingly to estimate video quality and QoE based on network and application layer parameters. To assess the accuracy of the estimation, the VNF is measured in different scenarios under different network QoS and the virtual environment of the cloud architecture. The insights show that the different geographical deployments of the VNF influence the accuracy of the video quality and QoE estimation. Various Service Function Chain (SFC) placement algorithms have been proposed and compared in the context of edge cloud networks. On the one hand, this research is aimed at cloud service providers by providing methods for evaluating QoE for cloud applications. On the other hand, network operators can learn the pitfalls and disadvantages of using the NFV paradigm for such a QoE monitoring mechanism. / In dieser Arbeit werden verschiedene Aspekte von Quality of Experience (QoE) und QoE-Monitoring untersucht. Die Arbeit teilt sich in drei große Blöcke auf: QoE Assessment, QoE Monitoring und Leistungsuntersuchung einer VNF. Zunächst werden prominente Cloud-Anwendungen wie Google Docs und ein Cloud-basiertes Photoalbum untersucht. Die QoE wird charakterisiert und es wird der Einfluss von Paketverlust und Delay studiert. Danach wird das objektive QoE-Monitoring für HTTP Adaptive Video Streaming (HAS) in der Cloud untersucht. Durch die Verwendung einer virtuellen Netzwerkfunktion (Virtual Network Function, VNF) für die QoE-Überwachung in der Cloud wurde außerdem die Durchführbarkeit eines Zusammenwirkens von Netzwerkfunktionsvirtualisierung (NFV) und Cloud-Paradigma bewertet. Zu diesem Zweck wurde der VNF, die die Deep-Packet-Inspection-Technik benutzt, zum Parsen des Videoverkehrs verwendet. Im Anschluss wurde ein Algorithmus entworfen, um die Videoqualität und die QoE basierend auf Netzwerk- und Anwendungsschichtparametern zu schätzen. Um die Genauigkeit der Schätzung zu bewerten, wurde die VNF in verschiedenen Szenarien unter verschiedener Netzwerk-QoS und der virtuellen Umgebung der Cloud-Architektur gemessen. Die Erkenntnisse zeigen, dass die unterschiedlichen geografischen Implementierungen der VNF die Genauigkeit der Schätzung der Videoqualität und QoE beeinflussen. Es wurden verschiedene Platzierungsalgorithmen der Service Function Chain (SFC) vorgeschlagen und im Kontext von Edge-Cloud-Netzwerken verglichen. Diese Forschungsarbeit zielt zum einen auf Cloud-Service-Provider ab, indem ihnen Methoden zur Bewertung der QoE für Cloud-Anwendungen zur Verfügung gestellt werden. Auf der anderen Seite können die Netzwerkbetreiber die Fallstricke und Nachteile der Anwendung des NFV-Paradigmas für einen solchen QoE-Überwachungsmechanismus erlernen.

Critics use the words "vanished culture" to describe Isaac Bashevis Singer's work for Polish Jewry had been destroyed. However, Singer's characters survive the travails of anti-Semitism and resettle in America. This study explores Singer's Polish Jews to determine whether they assimilate into their new culture; or maintain their strong Jewish traditions and adapt to the freedoms of America. Singer's life is analyzed, including the people and places that have influenced his work. Two of Singer's works are examined in this thesis. Chapters Three and Four explicate an allegorical short story, "The Little Shoemakers." Singer writes a fairytale view of a magnificent rejuvenation in the new world. Chapters Five and Six explore the realistic portrait of Jewish transplants in the novel, Enemies, A Love Story. Chapter Seven concludes that belief in the Jewish faith, along with the love of freedom, allow Singer's characters to adapt, not assimilate, to foreign soil.

The concert industry has been expanded enormously the last couple of years. At the same time as the increasing engagement for concerts, the digital market is growing rapidly. Today during concerts, people use their smartphones to send text messages, connect on social media, take photos, record film clips, and use the flashlight function in a replacement of a lighter. This behaviour may be perceived as a distracting moment and instead moves the person’s focus from the live performance to the phone. The distracting moment can be solved by making an application that makes the interaction more enjoyable through the study of user experience. This can lead to more focus on the music and therefore, enhance the concert experience. In this project, the work behind the development of designing prototypes is described. The method used in the thesis is the process of Design Thinking. The process is divided into a five-step model: empathize, define, ideate, prototype and test. The result presents three prototypes that are based on digital competitions that interact the audience during a concert experience. At the end of the thesis, a discussion about how to secure a positive outcome of interacting the audience and the artist is presented. The conclusion was that the interactions have good potential to work in a concert environment, but the interactions need to be additionally tested to secure a positive outcome. Another conclusion was that the time before a concert has more scope to make interactions work well and to not distract the users from the live performance. / Konsertindustrin har expanderat enormt de senaste åren. Samtidigt som det ökande engagemanget för konserter, växer den digitala marknaden snabbt. Idag använder publiken sina mobiltelefoner under en konsert för att skicka textmeddelanden, ansluta på sociala medier, ta foton, spela in filmklipp och använda ficklampans funktion som en tändare. Det här beteendet kan uppfattas som ett distraherande ögonblick och i stället flytta personens fokus från konserten till telefonen. Det distraherande ögonblicket kan undvikas genom en studie av användarupplevelse som gör att en mobilapplikation gör samspelet smidigare. Det kan leda till mer fokus på musiken och genom det förbättra konsertupplevelsen. I det här projektet beskrivs arbetet bakom utvecklingen av prototyper. Metoden som används i rapporten är processen Design Thinking. Processen är uppdelad i en femstegsmodell: sympatisera, definiera, föreställa, prototyp och testa. Resultatet presenterar tre prototyper som bygger på digitala tävlingar som interagerar publiken under en konsertupplevelse. I slutet av rapporten presenteras en diskussion om hur man kan få ett positivt resultat av att interagera publiken och artisten med varandra. Slutsatsen var att interaktionerna har god potential att fungera i en konsertmiljö, men interaktionerna måste testas ytterligare för att säkerställa ett positivt resultat. En annan slutsats var att tiden före en konsert har mer spelrum för interaktionerna att fungera bra och att inte distrahera användarna från konsertupplevelsen.