Federal legislation, the Office of Technology Assessment of the U. S. Congress, and national and state technological standards strongly encourage faculty to use computer technology in their lessons as a teaching tool. Technological standards have existed for several years that strongly encourage the use of computer technology in colleges and universities as a teaching tool. Yet it is difficult for faculty to infuse technology into their teaching. The purpose of this study was to assess and identify the factors that influence business teacher educators to adopt computer technology methods and utilize them in their instruction and to determine the extent to which business teacher educators are adopting computer technology in their teaching. The population consisted of 95 members of the National Association of Teacher Educators for Business Education. Findings from the descriptive statistics revealed that the largest percentage of the business teacher educators were early adopters. They indicated that they always used word processing and almost always integrated computers, projectors, and email in their instruction during the past semester. The study also found certain social, organizational, and personal motivational factors that the business teacher educators considered as very important in influencing them to adopt emerging computer technology for use in their instruction. The means revealed differences within the respondents' personal and employment characteristics and the extent to which they adopt current computer technology as a teaching tool; however, an analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated no significant difference between these variables. Also, multiple regression analysis revealed that the importance of students, a specific adoption category, and the importance of physical resources (hardware) significantly predicted computer technology adoption. The study also revealed that the business teacher educators in this study have the potential to serve as change agents and role models for their student clientele and peers since the findings suggest that these faculty members are among the first individuals to adopt computer technology for use in their instruction. The findings from the study have the potential to contribute to the development of an adopter profile that could be used to identify potential adopters of emerging computer technology. / Ph. D.

This research study explicates the underrepresentation of Black students in public school instrumental music programs through a critical race perspective, focusing on socioeconomic and epistemological barriers perpetuated by public policy and school music curricula. Such barriers have encouraged some Black musicians to seek agency and satisfy their musical interests in spaces outside of the classroom, particularly in the church and community. Considering that the theory of disruptive innovation purports the potential to increase access and disrupt both socioeconomic and epistemological barriers through the use of technology, this exploratory research study sought to investigate whether Black instrumental musicians use technology in order to disrupt the socioeconomic and epistemological barriers unveiled by a critical race perspective. By employing qualitative research methods, participants’ personal experiences were synthesized into a thematic analysis which ultimately support the potential of technology to increase access, revealing that participants successfully disrupted socioeconomic and epistemological barriers through the use of asynchronous online lessons.

Integrated STEM education and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) have been often theorized as compatible. However, there has been little research done to understand how UDL is used in real-world integrated STEM classrooms. Our study aimed to understand how current practicing educators in integrated STEM classrooms combine these teaching methodologies. This was done through a combination of interviews and document analysis of lesson plans, and supplementary information. To evaluate what elements of UDL were used in the documents, researchers developed a UDL codebook based off of the 31 checkpoints in the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) UDL guidelines. The goal of the study was to understand how the adoption of UDL could spread across all integrated STEM educators. Therefore, our study viewed the use of UDL in an integrated STEM classroom as an 'innovation' and analyzed our results through Diffusion of Innovation theory. Specifically looking to providing understanding to the 'innovation' through Rogers 5 Attributes of innovations. The study found that all except two UDL checkpoints were proved to be compatible within integrated STEM classrooms, and were categories developed to explain how the participant achieved these checkpoints. The findings also show that not all UDL checkpoints occur at the same frequency. Through Diffusion of Innovation theory, our study showed that Integrated STEM educators believe that UDL is automatically adopted by educators using Integrated STEM teaching methodologies. They expressed problems associated with implementing some UDL checkpoints, and providing overall themes of complexity when implement UDL in an Integrated STEM classroom. / Master of Science in Life Sciences / Integrated STEM education and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) are two teaching methodologies that have been often theorized to be compatible. However, there has been little research done to understand how UDL is used in real-world integrated STEM classrooms. The study aimed to understand how current practicing educators in integrated STEM classrooms combine these teaching methodologies. This was done through a combination of interviews and document analysis of lesson plans, and supplementary information. To evaluate what elements of UDL were used in the documents, researchers developed a UDL codebook based off of the 31 checkpoints in the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) UDL guidelines. The goal of the study was to understand how the adoption of UDL could spread across all integrated STEM educators. Therefore, our study viewed the use of UDL in an integrated STEM classroom as an ‘innovation' and analyzed our results through Diffusion of Innovation theory, which conceptualizes an innovation spread through a population. The study found that all except two UDL checkpoints were proved to be compatible within integrated STEM classrooms, and were categories developed to explain how the participant achieved these checkpoints. The findings also show that not all UDL checkpoints occur at the same frequency. Through Diffusion of Innovation theory, our study showed that Integrated STEM educators believe that UDL is automatically adopted by educators using Integrated STEM teaching methodologies, but when discussing the implementation of specific UDL checkpoints themes about the complexity of the innovation emerged.

The paper- and packaging industry has for a long time transitioned from a production-focused industry towards a customer-orientation – today the customers have become fundamental. Managers are searching for ways to create superior innovations in the industry which can compete against the oil-based solution, i.e. plastic. However, they face challenges as they attempt to launch products in the market. One exciting scholar who has researched much about the challenges of incumbent firms is Clayton Christensen and his theory of disruptive innovation. The theory has received much attention throughout the years and provides with a holistic literature framework to analyze the industry. The thesis aims to investigate Clayton Christensen’s disruptive innovation theory in order to problematize it in a new context, the paper- and packaging industry. This will be done by discussing how individuals argue, understand and use the term ‘disruptive innovation’ and also discuss Christensen’s Innovator’s Dilemma in relation to how incumbents tend to manage their innovation projects in the industry. The research used a qualitative research approach implementing one case study. Interviews with incumbent actors in the industry, one producer and two brand-owners, pertaining to an innovation project constituted for the empirical findings. The data analyzed through a theoretical lens of Christensen’s disruptive innovation theory. From an iterative process between theory and empirical findings the thesis has made the following contributions. First, we have problematized Christensen in a new context and identified an industry which is considered an anomaly in Christensen’s theory. The industry is unlikely to be subjected to the Innovator’s Dilemma due to its fundamentals as an industry, e.g. collaborations between actors and listening to customers. Second, our practical contribution is the importance of differentiating between sustaining and disruptive innovation, especially concerning radical and disruptive innovation. If an individual does not have a theoretical understanding of disruptive, it is common to be confused concerning the differences between radical and disruptive innovation. However, learning about the differences creates an opportunity to identify new ways of gaining value.

During the last years, many governments have set targets for increasing the share of biofuels in the transportation sector. Understanding consumer behavior is essential in designing policies that efficiently increase the uptake of cleaner technologies. In this paper we analyze adopters and non-adopters of alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs). We use diffusion of innovation theory and the established notion that the social system and interpersonal influence play important roles in adoption. Based on a nationwide database of car owners we analyze interpersonal influence on adoption from three social domains: neighbors, family and coworkers. The results point primarily at a neighbor effect in that AFV adoption is more likely if neighbors also have adopted. The results also point at significant effects of interpersonal influence from coworkers and family members but these effects weaken or disappear when income, education level, marriage, age, gender and green party votes are controlled for. The results extend the diffusion of innovation and AFV literature with empirical support for interpersonal influence based on objective data where response bias is not a factor. Implications for further research, environmental and transport policy, and practitioners are discussed.

Manufacturers have been hesitant to adopt Internet of things (IoT) due to a lack of understanding about the innovate characteristics, technology, organizational and environmental factors related to IoT adoption and how their organizations can apply IoT correctly. This quantitative, correlational study used a combination of diffusion of innovation theory and technology–organization–environment framework as the foundation to examine if a relationship exists between relative advantage, complexity, compatibility, technology readiness, top management support, firm size, competitive pressure, and regulatory support and IT leaders' intent to adopt IoT in U.S. manufacturing organizations. A sample of 168 information technology (IT) leaders from the U.S. manufacturing sectors was used. Multiple regression analysis indicated significant relationships between the intent to adopt IoT by IT leaders of manufacturing organizations and only 3 of the 8 independent variables: technology readiness, top management support, and competitive pressure. The model was able to predict approximately 44% of the variation of IT leaders' intent to adopt IoT. The results of this study might help IT leaders in the U.S. manufacturing sectors understand the factors that influence IoT adoption. The findings from this study might contribute to positive social change by contributing to economic growth that results from increased efficiency gained from the adoption of IoT in key business areas.

Our world today is facing unprecedented challenges in relation to creating a sustainable way of life. Urban areas have a significant potential to positively contribute to addressing these pressing challenges in sustainable development. The public sector plays a central role in ensuring a sustainable development of its municipality.This thesis presents a case study conducted on the example of Helsingborg municipality in Sweden, which is renowned for its approach to sustainable development as well as innovation.The authors have attempted understanding, why and how this Swedish municipality is so effective in its sustainable development by analyzing its use of the Concept Innovation of Quality of Life as a central component in its strategy.The Diffusion of Innovation Theory is used to analyze the adoption and potential of the Quality of Life Concept Innovation. Previous research is summarized and the findings from semi-structured interviews are presented and synthesized to develop a model that explains the diffusion and outcome of the Concept Innovation of Quality of Life. An interview guide for further use is also presented.

The use of AI has developed during the recent decades, and the application of it within different markets is continually growing. The application of it within marketing comes with different benefits that allow businesses to engage with the consumer and build a stronger relationship. The more AI is becoming applied in marketing, the more important it is to understand the consumers attitude towards its usage and effect of it on consumer purchase intention. The purpose of this study is to explore the effect of consumer attitudes towards AI- generated content within email marketing on purchasing intention. Theory of planned behavior and diffusion of innovations theory are applied to formulate the hypotheses. The research was conducted using a quantitative method in an experimental context. An online survey divided into two parts was developed and distributed to participants in Sweden in ages from 18 and above. A total of 114 respondents were recorded in the first survey and of those, 71 respondents were recorded in the second survey. The data was then analyzed in SPSS. The results from the survey showed the element of compatibility within the theory of diffusion of innovation having a significant and positive effect on consumers attitude towards AI-usage in marketing. The relationship between the observability element and attitude was found to be non-significant. Additionally, no significant difference was found when comparing the experimental group and the control group. Lastly, attitude towards AI was found to have a significant and positive effect on purchasing intention in the experimental group.

Asynchronous online credit recovery programs have been implemented in public schools across the United States for a variety of reasons. In this case, African American female students who are deficient in course credits towards high school graduation have taken advantage of this relatively new e-programming mechanism as a means to capture course credits that were lost during the course of a student's high school career. Female enrollees in the asynchronous credit recovery program are lacking in course credits due to course failure for reasons such as truancy, excessive absences, maternity, incarceration, employment, health associated and domestic related demands outside of school. Beyond the aforementioned, the school climate in terms of organization, discipline, safety, and supportive relationships plays a significant role towards student success or failure. Because African American females are positioned at the bottom of the ethno-gender stratum, concentration on African American females is vital to ensuring academic success in addition to their well being. The purpose of this qualitative study is to investigate and ultimately understand the perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors of a group of African American female graduates while enrolled in an asynchronous credit recovery program. The study was guided by the following research questions: How does enrollment in an asynchronous credit recovery program affect non-traditional African American female's perceptions of education? How does enrollment in an asynchronous credit recovery program affect the lives of non-traditional African American female student participants? What are the factors that contribute to the success of the non-traditional African American female student participants? Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, intense site immersion and observation, and thorough review of school district and student records. At the culmination of the data collection process, data analysis was conducted using the constant comparison method. Results from the data analysis revealed a reinvigorated perception of education as well as a reversal of lowered expectations, behaviors, standards, and attitudes while enrolled in the asynchronous credit recovery program. Enrollment in the asynchronous credit recovery program assuredly fostered academic success and strengthened the independent nature and identity formation of the African American female participants. Several of the implications for practice are: strengthening adult/student relationships; culturally relevant professional development exercises; consideration of a female centered curriculum; address the at-risk student population as early as elementary school; and continuing research on the effectiveness of asynchronous credit recovery programs. / Educational Administration

Intangible assets are gaining market share in forest management and the economy. These solutions can be related to achieving carbon neutrality and creating services that incumbent forest companies do not provide.Incumbent companies may see the market changes and react to those. However, to avoid losing the market-leading position, incumbent companies can use disruptive innovation theory as a framework to evaluate the possible disruption. Moreover, the interviews and document analyses supported the framework usage in service innovation.Industry 4.0 has changed forest management with BigData and artificial intelligence technology and changed service management. Forests can be scanned with machines; for example, carbon sequestration can be calculated based on data and create a service for less-demand customers and niche markets. Intangible innovations have a field to serve these low-end consumers, and there is a potential for these markets to grow exceedingly and attract the main customers.