Industrial-organizational psychologist Stephen S.W. Gilliland developed a model for studying job-seeker fairness perceptions in 1993 based on existing research in organizational justice. The model includes several rules which will result in job-seeker perceptions of fairness if satisfied and job-seeker perceptions of unfairness if violated. Given the prominence of this model in the literature as well as changes which have occurred in personnel selection (such as human resource information systems, or HRIS, and e-recruitment), scholars have called for a technological re-envisioning of the original model, especially the explanations/descriptions ascribed to each rule. The present study seeks to understand how HRIS e-recruitment technology impacts job-seeker fairness perceptions and in so doing update the Gilliland (1993) model using a qualitative methodology and website success measures from information systems success theory. It contributes to the literature on applicant fairness perceptions by accounting for technological change, and contributes to the field of Public Administration by studying a governmental e-recruitment portal thereby accounting for the particularities of public-sector HRM which is underrepresented in the organizational justice literature. Over the course of one (1) year, twelve (12) job-seekers participated in a series of focus group interviews where they reflected on their experiences applying for jobs in the Canadian federal civil service using the government’s e-recruitment portal. Participants completed profiles, sent applications, communicated with government personnel, and wrote internet tests, among other job-search activities, and reported on their experiences from the perspective of fairness. Results confirm the validity of all original procedural justice rules and offer insight into their application in a recruitment environment where applicants invest considerable time interacting with computerized systems. Two additional rules are also put forth including the ease with which candidates can deceive tests and privacy/trustworthiness using technology. The findings are limited insofar as data gathering took place during a time of reduced hiring activity by the employer and because participation was limited to one (1) specific geographic location.

This research aims to explore students’ perceptions and their desired features on the use of blockchain technology for the management of education records. A literature review formed the basis of the theoretical background of this work by allowing to explore how education records are managed nowadays and the potential for the use of blockchain technology in this area, as well as the importance of user-centred design in order to achieve a higher user-acceptance. A qualitative research study encompassing a focus group interview with Linnaeus University students was conducted to answer the research questions. Computer assisted thematic data analysis yielded five key themes: current usage of university education records, understanding how blockchain works, sustainability of blockchain, security of blockchain and implementation of blockchain for education records. The discussion relates the empirical findings to the theoretical background of the research. Participants were generally positive towards the use of blockchain for the management of education records and saw it as one of the potential future solutions. Nevertheless, they voiced some reservations regarding the high energy consumption, costs and security towards a possible use of the blockchain technology. Therefore, careful implementation would be needed, with increased focus on usability, solving some security and sustainability issues and ensuring a fair and transparent access model. This master thesis contributes to the current body of knowledge within informatics by empowering students to share their point of view with regards to possible development of IT solutions based on blockchain technology. As found through this master thesis research, systems for the management of educational records have an impact on person’s life long past finishing a course or a degree, affecting people’s everyday experience in many areas of life and students would like to be included in any future development discussions. Therefore, the research study provides insights which could be used in the future in two ways: firstly, to achieve a more user-centred design of education records management systems and secondly, on the students’ perception of the use of blockchain technology in this area of life.

Depuis le printemps 2019, une campagne de sensibilisation aux enjeux de santé psychologique est déployée sur le campus de l’Université de Montréal. À l’instar de cette campagne, de nombreuses initiatives sont lancées au travers de la province pour enrayer la stigmatisation de la maladie mentale. Ainsi, un nouveau Discours, positif et anti-stigmatisant tente de s’imposer face au Discours stigmatisant ancré dans la société. Par Discours, il faut comprendre un ensemble discursif qui reprend des idéologies et les significations de phénomènes ; celui-ci se matérialise dans les mots et les interactions sociales (discours). On assiste à une mise en tension du sens que l’on donne de la maladie mentale. En s’appuyant sur la théorie de l’étiquetage, ce mémoire a pour objectif de comprendre la tension entre ces deux Discours dans les paroles (le discours) et attitudes des Québécoises et Québécois. La problématique se pose autour des étudiantes et étudiants universitaires du fait de leur tranche d’âge hybride (sortie de l’adolescence et entrée dans l’âge adulte) où la tolérance sociale de la maladie mentale bascule de l’indulgence pour les enfants atteints à une stigmatisation pour les adultes atteints. À cette fin, cette étude a mené des groupes de discussion avec des étudiantes et étudiants d’universités québécoises qui ont vécu une expérience personnelle de la maladie mentale afin de dépeindre leur perception et leur expérience de cette tension discursive dans leurs relations interpersonnelles. Une analyste thématique des transcriptions de ces discussions a été effectuée. Les principaux résultats montrent que pour les participants, il subsiste des traces du Discours stigmatisant dans les paroles des personnes qui les entourent. À des niveaux plus ou moins élevés suivant les personnes de l’entourage, ces traces s’accompagnent d’un éloignement social. Un éloignement qui s’opère en double dynamique et souligne la capacité des personnes souffrant de maladie mentale à interagir dans un nouveau groupe social. / Beginning in the spring of 2019, an awareness campaign on mental health issues has been deployed on the campus of the Université de Montréal. Many similar initiatives have been launched across the province of Quebec that aim to eliminate the stigma of mental illness. Thus, a new, positive and anti-stigmatizing Discourse is challenging the deep-rooted Discourse that stigmatizes mental illness in society. By Discourse, it is necessary to understand a discursive whole that takes up ideologies and the meanings of phenomena; this is materialized in words and social interactions (discourse). There is thus a growing tension inherent to the very meaning of mental illness. The purpose of this Master’s thesis is to better understand this tension between these two Discourses in the words and attitudes of Quebecers. The research project focuses on university students because of their hybrid age bracket (leaving adolescence and entering adulthood) where the societal tolerance for mental illness tends to shift from indulgence for children to stigmatization for adults. To this end, focus groups with Quebec university students allowed us to depict their perception of this discursive tension in their interpersonal relationships. The discussion transcripts were thematically analyzed. The main results show the emergence of a dissonant discourse, which mixes stigmatizing and anti-stigmatizing Discourse, and the persistence of stigmatizing Discourse held by people who are socially distant from the sick person. These findings formed the basis of a relational model of how participants experienced the stigma of their mental illness, providing a new perspective on the theory of labelling and stigmatization.

Studiens ämne handlar om förståelsen av risk under en hälsokris utifrån lokal riskkommunikation. Covid-19-pandemin utgör en stor hälsorisk för människor över hela världen. Tidigare forskning visar att riskkommunikation behöver nå och påverka människor så att de kan skydda sig själva mot de pågående riskerna. Därför är det viktigt att studera hur människor uppfattat riskerna med covid-19 från deras lokala kommunikatörer.  Syftet med studien är att undersöka hur studenter på eftergymnasial nivå i Jönköpings kommun förstod riskerna med covid-19 och avsåg att agera utifrån sin riskförståelse, utifrån Jönköpings kommuns riskkommunikation under våren 2020. Den specifika perioden som studeras är mellan 15 mars och 19 juni 2020. För att uppnå studiens syfte har fyra fokusgruppsintervjuer med studenter på eftergymnasial nivå i Jönköpings kommun genomförts och analyserats med en teoribaserad tematisk metod. Det teoretiska ramverket som använts för den tematiska analysen består av Uses and Gratifications Theory, Protection Motivation Theory och Theory of Planned Behavior.  Resultaten av studien visar att studenterna uppfattade riskerna med covid-19 som allvarliga, men att de inte haft avsikten att fullt ut ändra sina beteenden för att undvika riskerna. Deras riskförståelse berodde däremot inte på kommunikation från Jönköpings kommun, eftersom få av studenterna hade tagit del av deras kommunikation under våren 2020. Istället hade de använt källor som Folkhälsomyndigheten och nyhetssidor. Dessutom upplevde studenterna kommunikationen från kommunen som oseriös och bristfällig gällande viktig information. Resultaten visar att studenterna upplevde Jönköpings kommuns kommunikation om beteendeförändringar för att undvika risker som vag och svår att förstå, vilket inte bidrog till deras avsikt att ändra beteende / The subject matter of this study is risk perception during a health crisis based on local risk communication. The covid-19-pandemic is a mayor health crisis for citizens all over the world. Prior science has shown that risk communication needs to reach and affect citizens so they can protect themselves from the ongoing risks. Therefore, it is important to study how citizens have perceived the risks of covid-19 from their local communicators.    The purpose of this study is to examine how students on a post-gymnasium level in Jönköping municipality understood the risks of covid-19 and intended to act upon their perception of the risks based on the risk communication from Jönköping municipality, during the spring of 2020. The specific period examined is between the 15th of March and the 19th of June 2020. In order to achieve the aim, four focus group interviews with students on a post-gymnasium level in Jönköping have been conducted and analyzed through theoretically based thematic analysis. The theoretical framework used for the analysis of the focus group interviews consists of the Uses and Gratifications Theory, Protection Motivation Theory and Theory of Planned Behavior.  The results of the study show that the students perceived the risks of covid-19 as severe, but that they did not intend to fully change their behavior in order to avoid the risks. However, their risk perception was not based on the communication from Jönköping municipality since very few of them had seen their communication during the spring of 2020. Instead, they used sources like the national health authority and news channels. Additionally, the students found the communication from the municipality to be too lighthearted and lacking in vital information. The results show that the students found the municipality’s’ communication about behavioral change as vague and difficult to understand, which didn’t have an impact on their intention to behavioral change.

Konsumtion av animaliska livsmedel är ett område som får allt mer fokus och utrymme i media och samhällsdebatt på grund av dess negativa miljöpåverkan. Med utgångspunkt i marknadsföringens potential att påverka konsumenters dagliga livsmedelsval är uppsatsens syfte att utforska attityder och associationer kring begrepp som vanligen används inom produktkommunikation för växtbaserade produkter. Målsättning är att förändra konsumtionsmönster och öka efterfrågan av växtbaserade produkter. En kvalitativ ansats i form av asynkrona online-fokusgrupper och teoretisk utgångspunkt i Theory of planned behavior visar generellt positiva attityder kring ökat intag av växtbaserad mat grundat i hälso- och miljöfördelar men även en rad upplevda subjektiva och strukturella hinder. Positiva associationer i relation till kost framkom för ordet växtbaserad och delvis negativa, icke-kostrelaterade associationer till ordet vegan. Studiens resultat indikerar att produktkommunikation som förknippas med hälsofördelar är att föredra men mer omfattande forskning kring hur terminologi påverkar beslut om köp och konsumtion rekommenderas. / The consumption of animal food is an area that is gaining more focus and scope in the media and social debate due to its negative environmental impact. Based on the potential of marketing to influence consumers' daily food choices, the thesis aims to explore attitudes and associations in relation to concepts customarily used in product communication for plant-based products. Objective is to change consumption patterns and increase demand for plant-based products. A qualitative approach of online asynchronous focus groups and theoretical starting point in Theory of planned behavior shows generally positive attitudes towards increasing intake of plant-based food based on health and environmental benefits but also a number of perceived subjective and structural barriers. Positive associations in relation to diet were found for the word plant-based and partly negative associations, un-related to diet, to the word vegan. The study's results indicate that product communication associated with health benefits is preferred but more extensive research on how terminology associations affect purchasing and consumption decisions is recommended.

In traditional schooling, one-way monologue from teacher to student is the established way of communica­tion in the classroom. Modern pedagogues are presently breaking free of this status quo.  This master thesis explores whether there is a change in the student’s attitudes towards their school­ing and whether there is an academic benefit for the student when applying a flipped class­room model. This study was performed in Swedish upper secondary school during the students’ last course in mathematics. The study was carried out using focus group interviews and direct participat­ing observation. During the six-week period of interviews and participating in the class­room written tasks were collected and analysed, and the classroom was filmed to help analysing behav­iour of the students, both with flipped classroom and without. The outcome shows positive reac­tions from the students concerning this change in pedagogics, but also some inertia in some individuals. The result shows a positive attitude change concerning communication and collabora­tion in the classroom, although no difference in academic achievement were visible. More studies are needed, but a theoretical base needs to be built before future studies can be con­ducted. Today flipped classroom is undertheorized in ways of an academic model. Future research could be theorizing flipped classroom and exploring whether implementing this pedagogic model also brings forth a change in academic achievement apart from changing the attitudes of the stu­dents.

Schools, Families and Inequality. Choice of Secondary Education in Contemporary Czech Society The dissertation work is concerned with the choice of secondary education in families, the influence of family and school on the choice of pupils born in the 1st half of 90s. A special importance of this phase is in that high schools in the Czech Republic are highly differentiated so the choice belongs to the crucial points of the school carrier. The type of the studied high school significantly influences learning aspirations and chances of the graduates to be accepted to further education, structures the field of possibilities in the life way of young people. The analysis is based on data obtained from two qualitative studies: 1. Focus groups with mothers of children in the ninth year of the compulsory education: students of (selective) multi-year grammar schools; pupils from basic schools (the main education stream); 2. Case studies carried out in two Prague schools focused on two classes in the eight and ninth year (2008-2010). The aim of both the studies was to map subjective perspectives of the participating actors - parents, pupils and teachers, to show different interests, attributed meanings, values in upbringing, education, abilities to distinguish types of high schools due to prospects of the new...

Ett intensivt jordbruk anses leda till ett antal negativa miljöförändringar och mer miljövänliga jordbruksmetoder förespråkas av IPCC och IPBES varav skogsjordbruk är en metod som ses som ett hållbart alternativ. Det är en jordbruksmetod som hittills endast finns på få platser i Sverige, men som i andra delar av Europa och världen visat sig produktivt. Genom reflexiv diskursanalys avser denna studie undersöka konventionella jordbrukares och skogsjordbrukares upplevelse av sin verksamhet i förhållande till samhälle och miljö och deras syn på skogsjordbruk. Jordbrukare från respektive jordbrukstyp rekryterades för medverkan i separata fokusgrupper och ur dessa fokusgrupper valdes en jordbrukare ut för besök och deltagande observation. Båda jordbrukstyper såg sig som en del av naturen och visade omtanke för dess bevarande. De konventionella jordbrukarna såg sig som förvaltare av naturen och en viktig samhällsaktör med fokus på matproduktion och ekonomisk lönsamhet. Samtidigt kunde de konventionella jordbrukarna ses som både ofrivilligt låsta och försvarande en strömfåra - det etablerade industrisamhället. De ville förbättra miljön, men var fast i en ekonomisk cirkel. Skogsjordbrukarna fungerade som en kontrapunkt - en reaktion mot det etablerade jordbrukssystemet som de ansåg ohållbart. Istället ville de visa på ett alternativt samhälle och odlingssätt. Skogsjordbrukarna drevs av en vilja att förändra och ett ekologiskt fokus med en ekocentrisk och vid natursyn. Båda grupper menade att ett bättre bidragssystem skulle kunna leda till mer miljöarbete. / Intensified agriculture is considered as contributing to negative environmental changes. More positive methods of agriculture are advocated by IPCC and IPBES to halt these negative changes and agroforestry is one method that is considered as a sustainable alternative. Agroforestry as an agricultural method is only found in a few places in Sweden but is found in other parts of Europe and the world as a productive system with many environmental advantages. The purpose of this study was to examine what conventional farmers and agroforestry farmers thought about their work in relation to the environment and society and what their views were on agroforestry. Participants from the different methods were recruited to participate in separate focus groups and among these participants, one farmer from each method was recruited for participant observation. Both types of farmers had strong nature connectedness and cared about nature conservation. The conventional farmers saw themselves as stewards of nature and an important part of society that could work with the environment for food production and economic gain. At the same time, the conventional farmers could be seen as both involuntarily locked in and defending a mainstream - the established industrial society. They wanted to improve the environment but were stuck in an economic circle. The agroforestry farmers functioned as a counterpoint - a reaction against the established agricultural system which they considered unsustainable. Instead, they wanted to show an alternative society and way of farming. The agroforestry farmers were driven by a will to change and an ecological focus with an ecocentric and broader view of nature. Both groups believed that a better subsidy system could lead to more environmental work.

This study aimed to explore the implementation of fairness in intelligent agents to enhance their interactions in our social space. Two distinct investigations, an experiment, and a focus group, were conducted to examine the impact of unfair treatment by non-anthropomorphic and anthropomorphic agents, where we sought to answer the research question: How does experiencing unfair treatment from agents with different appearances influence individuals' perceptions, satisfaction, and trust? The experiment encompassed four experimental conditions combining fair and unfair behaviours with agents displaying human-like or non-human-like appearances. User enactment, Experience prototyping, and the Wizard of Oz technique were employed during the experiment. The focus group aimed to delve into the concept of fairness and its relevance to agents in greater detail. In summary, the study's findings indicate that fairness is a significantly important consideration in agent design. However, the complexity of designing a fair agent proves challenging, due to the subjective and contextual nature where it entangles with various factors. / Toward socially competent AI: Designing multi-user interaction with embodied intelligent agents to support politeness and fairness (SCAI)

This study is comprised of two distinct parts, a chromatographic study and a didactic study.Chromatographic studyThe need for higher selectivity in chromatography purification has increased in recent years. Multimodal resins, offering novel selectivity, are a possible solution to this demand. The purpose of this study is to develop new multimodal resins with novel selectivity, using an iterative workflow. Therefore, eleven novel multimodal ligands were screened according to binding behavior using a high-throughput (HT) method. The mapping of binding behaviors was comprised of six proteins and 32 different binding buffers, with various salt concentrations and pH-levels, to allow for a wide, but efficient mapping. The data generated from the screenings were presented using binding capacity and partition coefficient and were evaluated against each other using principal component analysis (PCA). The PCA created a ligand diversity map, which separated ligands in respect to binding behavior. The information supplied by the diversity map can be used for selecting ligands for further research. The results from presenting the data in the form of partition coefficient and binding capacity were comparable, which indicated that the effects of initial protein concentrations were low. However, this study found that there are advantages and disadvantages to using both quantities. It is possible that some of the ligands screened in this study will be used in further research and it is likely that the diversity map will facilitate the development of ligands with novel selectivityDidactic studyWith a rising demand for HT screening as a method to evaluate the binding behaviors of novel ligands, in combination with the UN’s goal for quality education for all, the incentives for developing quality educational materials for HT screenings have increased. A first step towards educational materials is to outline common difficulties, thereby creating guidelines for developing educational materials. In this study, guidelines for the development of learning materials for HT screenings have been produced. The guidelines were based on identification of critical steps for the experimental procedure and utilizing employer experience of learning materials in general. Two methods for data collection was used in the didactic study: observations and interviews. The observations were performed during the training of the screening method. For the interviews, three individual and one focus group interview were held. Thereafter, a thematic analysis was performed on the data to generate themes. The results from the observations and interviews indicated that the critical steps of the learning process were the practical parts. The result of the thematic analysis showed the identification of three themes: Cohesion, Facilitation and Interaction. These themes generated four aspirational guidelines: 1. Identify crucial steps of the practical procedure. 2. Adapt to people with different backgrounds. 3. Maintain coherence throughout the learning process. 4. Utilize strategies for interaction, both human interaction and material interaction.