Developments in information technology and tangible computing facilitate the human’s life by inventing Self Service Technologies SSTs where it changed the way we interact with the environment as well as new technologies did. Nowadays, a lot of new technologies have embodied computer inside such as smartphone and computer tablets. Previous studies in adoption of SSTs research treat customer behavior towards technology based services. However, recent studies recognize that participants have different attitude towards different technologies even if these technologies used to support the same service. Therefore, in our thesis we are going to study the effect of smartphone i.e. iPhone and computer tablets i.e. iPad on adoption of three services of SSTs Internet Banking, Online Shopping and Self Check In Machine at Airports. Is there any hesitation while people adopting with this technology? If yes, why does it happen? Our data were collected by conducting a pilot and empirical study via using quantitative and qualitative approaches. We conducted our study at Umeå, Sweden. The study findings present the effect of adoption through age, family, friends, money, knowledge, using technology in public and private places, mobile technology and computer tablets, and Interface design on adoption SSTs. We found that participants were influenced by new technology for adopting SSTs. Participants did not use Online Shopping as much as they use Internet Banking, especially in the private places. Concerning the Self Check in Machines, participants were differential in which some tend to use it and others did not.

Over 50 years ago, Marshall McLuhan (2003), a specialist in communication issues, said that the world is becoming smaller and smaller every starting day, a result of the emergence of modern communication around the world. This situation has given birth to the conept `new technology´. This article will break down this new concept by looking at it through the lens of oral literature, which is used in Swahili communities. However, oral Swahili literature uses Kiswahili language, which is the languagge of communication at different levels throughout East and central Africa. The article will examine the ideals and opinions connected to oral literature described in the existing academic literature, and as one of the genres of narrative literature. It will look at the way in which the concept of new technology is explained by specialists, and in which ways this connects to oral literature. Advantages and effects which came about in the society after the coming of this notion will be discussed. The article ends with a conclusion and possible recommendations.

隨著社會與科技發展，電影教育之規劃也持續改變，特別是數位科技的浪潮衝擊下，電影教育的變化也隨之加劇。本研究之目的即在探討美國電影教育如何受到電影產業對、社會及科技的影響。本文以University of Southern California, New York University, University of California-Los Angeles, and Syracuse University 這四個學校為主要研究對象，針對其自1960年代迄今的電影教育規劃、學位授與設計、和課程結構進行整理分析，以試圖理解電影教育與產業、社會與科技變化之關係，並透過文獻研究與專家深訪，加以驗證。此研究發現電影教育機構透過新課程的開設、學程提供及學位授與規定的調整等等方式，反應產業、社會、科技的變化。雖然電影創造的本質並未改變，但其本質及概念仍持續影響學校電影課程的外貌。 / American film education system is changing, particularly in light of the digital technology boom. Just how American film education has evolved with regards to the market, social, and technical influences is the objective of this research. Four schools--University of Southern California, New York University, University of California-Los Angeles, Syracuse University--and their undergraduate and graduate curricula from 1960s to present are examined. Qualitative explanations are supported by interviews with administrators and instructors. The study finds that technological developments play an important role in the evolution of American film education by engendering the creation of new courses, programs, departments, and degrees. Yet, the fundamentals of filmmaking have not changed, and schools’ origin and philosophy remain influential factors in shaping the film curriculum.

The author analyzed three different perspectives of the development of new technology-based firms (NTBFs) from the resource-based view. The first article discusses how the resource base impacts the internationalization behavior of German NTBFs. Some companies go international early, some internationalize only after a few years. We argued that the resource base is a substantial factor determining if a NTBF will internationalize or not. In the second article, we analyze how the resource base impacts the survival of German NTBFs. We argued that a lack of sufficient resources can lead to early business failure. We further state that the different resources are necessary to fulfill the requirements within the development phases of the NTBF. To broaden our perspective we combined the resource-based view with the market view. In the third article, we analyzed how the resource base impacts the business model innovation of NTBFs. The business model for NTBFs must often be tailored to fulfill the requirements of potential customers or to further grow the business. A sufficient resource base is necessary to be able to change the business model and buffer the transition phase.

In order to engage employees effectively, organisations need to practice two-way communication within a symmetrical worldview. This will encourage employees to feel valued, to participate in decision-making and contribute to obtaining organisational goals. Practising two-way communication will help to build stronger relationships between employees and managers, leading to increased employee engagement. Thus, the better the communication between managers and employees, the more engaged employees will be. Furthermore, the selection of communication channels can impact on the success of the message that is sent. Research has shown that if the inappropriate communication channel is selected when communicating with employees, the message might not be effectively received and understood. New technology, specifically Facebook can be introduced to provide an open and transparent channel for communication. Facebook can also facilitate two-way communication, which can lead to increased employee engagement. The literature study conducted informed the interview schedules that were developed and used to conduct semi-structured interviews with managers and focus group interviews with employees within two organisations in the South African financial sector. This was done in order to understand their expectations regarding the use of Facebook as an internal communication channel to enhance employee engagement. In terms of the conclusions derived from the empirical research, it seems evident that Facebook could be used as an additional internal communication channel to enhance employee engagement. Trust remains a very important factor in that managers should trust employees to use the channel in an ethical manner and employees should trust the organisation and its managers that they may voice their opinion freely, without the fear of victimisation. Facebook can be used to promote engagement on a social level to build relationships inside the organisation. However, managers and employees can together create a contract of understanding that will form the outline for a policy that will govern the use of Facebook. The parties involved can then negotiate the terms of this contract of understanding to ensure that all expectations regarding the use Facebook are met. / MA (Communication Studies), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

In order to engage employees effectively, organisations need to practice two-way communication within a symmetrical worldview. This will encourage employees to feel valued, to participate in decision-making and contribute to obtaining organisational goals. Practising two-way communication will help to build stronger relationships between employees and managers, leading to increased employee engagement. Thus, the better the communication between managers and employees, the more engaged employees will be. Furthermore, the selection of communication channels can impact on the success of the message that is sent. Research has shown that if the inappropriate communication channel is selected when communicating with employees, the message might not be effectively received and understood. New technology, specifically Facebook can be introduced to provide an open and transparent channel for communication. Facebook can also facilitate two-way communication, which can lead to increased employee engagement. The literature study conducted informed the interview schedules that were developed and used to conduct semi-structured interviews with managers and focus group interviews with employees within two organisations in the South African financial sector. This was done in order to understand their expectations regarding the use of Facebook as an internal communication channel to enhance employee engagement. In terms of the conclusions derived from the empirical research, it seems evident that Facebook could be used as an additional internal communication channel to enhance employee engagement. Trust remains a very important factor in that managers should trust employees to use the channel in an ethical manner and employees should trust the organisation and its managers that they may voice their opinion freely, without the fear of victimisation. Facebook can be used to promote engagement on a social level to build relationships inside the organisation. However, managers and employees can together create a contract of understanding that will form the outline for a policy that will govern the use of Facebook. The parties involved can then negotiate the terms of this contract of understanding to ensure that all expectations regarding the use Facebook are met. / MA (Communication Studies), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

Purpose:The study’s aim is to shed light upon the reasons for implementation and factors that affect the implementation process of solar panels for companies. The purpose was to investigate what influences the implementation of new technology; what the reasons are and which factors influence the implementation. To be able to answer the purpose two research questions have been formulated:  What is the reason for companies to choose to implement solar panels? What factors influence the implementation process solar panels for companies? Method:The study was conducted by a literature study that laid the foundation for the theory and research questions. To be able to fulfil the aim of the research a case-study with a single-case-design has been carried out were three companies have been studied. The empirical data was collected through interviews and document studies. The research questions have been answered in the analysis in collaboration with the theory and the empirical findings which lead to the findings of the research.   Findings:The results of the study show that marketing is a significant reason to why companies choose to implement solar panels together with the reason to be more sustainable. The influences that navigate the implementation are the pilot study, the supplier, the technology fit and the company’s collaboration and communication with the supplier. These factors have influenced the result of the implementation and how successfulness of the outcome. The focus does not lay on the economic incentive for the companies in this type of implementation but one can discuss the value of marketing.    Implications: The study’s theoretical implication is described by why companies choose to implement solar panels. The practical implication that this study provides is the determination of what navigates the implementation of solar panels. This has been done by studying which factors that influenced the implementation of solar panels for companies and which then resulted in the important influencing factors.   Limitations: The reasons to why companies choose to implement sustainable new technology can be a sensitive subject due to the risk of being accused of “green washing”. This has made it important to emphasise anonymity of the companies to ensure that the answers from the interviews are as reliable as possible. It has been obvious during the interviews that some of the respondents have lacked the knowledge needed.

I princip hela IT-världen ser på och häpnar medan Blockchain-tekniken växer. Många spekulerar om fördelar och nackdelar med tekniken. Men hur ser egentligen samhället på detta nya sättet att lagra data på? Det finns väldigt lite forskning på hur Blockchain uppfattas i Sverige, hur tekniken uppfattas och vad folk vet om tekniken. Det har inte heller hittats någon undersökning som tar upp graden av tillit privatpersoner har till Blockchain i Sverige och vad för faktorer det är som påverkar privatpersoners tillit. För att tekniken ska kunna accepteras på en större skala behöver man veta vad privatpersoner och konsumenter tycker om tekniken, annars finns det risk att tekniken inte omfamnas i framtiden. Syftet med denna undersökningen är att, på ett explorativt sätt, ta reda på till vilken grad privatpersoner i Sverige har tillit för Blockchain som teknik. Undersökningen skall också, i ett explorativt syfte, identifiera faktorer till varför den svenska befolkningen litar mer eller mindre på Blockchain. Studien använder sig av både kvalitativa och kvantitativa datainsamlingstekniker. Det utfördes en kvalitativ studie i form av personliga intervjuer för att ta reda på vad privatpersoner vet om Blockchain, och vad folk anser är viktiga faktorer som påverkar deras tillit för tekniken. Den kvalitativa undersökningen utfördes för att säkra att den sedan kvantitativa undersökningen fick in så pålitlig data som möjligt. Den kvantitativa undersökningen var en enkätstudie. I enkäten var det frågor som behandlade tillit, kunskap om ämnet, generell inställning till ny teknik och bakgrundsfrågor om respondenten. I analysen har det framgått att 10,47% privatpersoner från undersökningen i Västra Götalands län litar mindre på Blockchain, 19,19% litar inte alls på tekniken, 63,95% litar neutralt på den, 4,1% litar ganska mycket på den och 2,33% litar fullt ut på den. Utifrån detta kan slutsatsen dras att tillitsgraden är relativt låg. Resultatet visade också att det fanns ett antal återkommande faktorer som påverkade privatpersoners tillit för Blockchain. Dessa faktorer var manipulering, decentralisering och att Blockchain anses vara relaterat till svarta marknaden. Vidare kan man utifrån denna undersökning utläsa både en låg kunskapsnivå samt en hög neutral attityd till tekniken. Detta skulle kunna anses som någonting positivt för teknikens framtid då få förutfattade meningar finns. Mer information om Blockchain skulle därmed kunna vara en möjlighet för ökad tillit. För vidare forskning föreslogs det att det bör forskas mer om detta utanför Västra Götalands län och att man bör undersöka om privatpersoner kan tänka sig använda tekniken även om de inte litar på tekniken fullt ut. / Developments in Blockchain technology has grown so rapidly that it has, in a short time, become a core business in the IT industry. These developments have come with positive and negative impacts and their overall perception by society has remained uncertain. Limited work has focused on understanding the societal perception of Blockchain, particularly the extent to which society trust such technology. Moreover, it is not only important to understand the level of trust for a technology such as Blockchain that is built on transparency, but even the factors that influence such trust. In order for the technology to be accepted on a larger scale, one needs to know what individuals and consumers think about the technology, otherwise there is a risk that that the potential of the technology may not be fully utilized. The purpose of this study is, therefore, to explore the extent to which individuals in Sweden trust Blockchain as a technology. The overall goals and approach can be applied anywhere else in the world. The report identifies factors as to why the Swedish population trusts more or less in Blockchain. The study uses both qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques. A qualitative study was conducted in the form of personal interviews to find out what individuals know about Blockchain, and what people consider to be important factors that affect their trust in Blockchain. The qualitative survey was conducted to build a foundation for the quantitative study. The quantitative survey was conducted with the help of questionnaires. The questionnaire addressed trust, knowledge of the technology, as well as respondent's general attitude toward new technology. The respondents were restricted to a sample of individuals living in Sweden between age range 18 to 65+. Based on the survey sample of about 172 participants, the analysis shows that 10.47% of individuals in the Västra Götaland county are less familiar with Blockchain, 19.19% do not count on the technology at all, 63.95% are neutral, 4.1% trust it fairly and 2.33% fully trust it. From this, the conclusion can be drawn that the trust is relatively low. The result also showed that there were a number of recurring factors that affected individuals' confidence in Blockchain. These factors were data integrity, decentralization and the fact that Blockchain is considered to be related to the black market. Furthermore, on the basis of this survey, it is possible to interpret both a low level of knowledge and a high neutral attitude towards the technology. This could be considered as something positive for the future of technology as few pre-defined opinions exist. More information about Blockchain could thus be an opportunity for increased trust. For further research, it was suggested that more research should be done involving a much larger sample in order to investigate if individuals would be willing to accept the technology even if they do not fully trust the technology.

The aim of diploma thesis is to suggest a mobile application for clothing stores. At the same time it takes into account how consumers and businesses are influenced by digital technologies. The app´s name is Digital Closet and its purpose is to organize your closet. Thesis includes a description of a mobile application in general and the well-known operation systems. Then one of the operation systems was set as a basic requirement for suggested application. This thesis also in part analyzes mobile applications at fashion industry. In conclusion, two surveys were conducted. First survey aimed at consumer market and the second one at clothing stores.

This master thesis concerns industrial workers’motivation and if it can be influenced by informationdissemination through an interactive interface. Focus hasbeen to research human motivators in theory to seehow these can be applied in an industrial environmentwith the hope of giving the workers a deeperknowledge of the company’s product and / or processand thus increasing her motivation. The project is basedon the assumption that an increased understanding intomore than what is limited by the worker’s tasks canhave a positive effect and strengthen his or her sense oftheir role in a wider context.The master thesis shows how a design process can beapplied to an organizational problem in industries,where the different phases of the process includeconcerned people repetitively to seek knowledge, ideasand solutions together with those who may be affectedby the results of the work.In industries today, the workload is usually distributedacross departments where staff are divided into teams.There is some circulation within the department but lesscommonly across departmental boundaries. This canlimit the worker’s perception of the entire process andresult in a detailed understanding of only a limited partof the process.Industry 4.0 is expected to be the solution for retrievingand retaining companies in Europe by building smartfactories with technology that allows the machines tocommunicate. Industry 4.0 is also expected to reduce thenumber who have work in industries, human interactionsand responsibilities. Which may have the negative effect offurther reinforcing one of today’s problems, the workerbeing further isolated from the process. Which are factorsthat, in theory, contribute to a reduced level of motivationand will therefore have a negative impact on their workaspirations.The work has been carried out with RISE Interactive inPiteå as client. RISE is part of our Swedish researchinstitute and works with user-centered technologicaldevelopment in many different industries.The degree project resulted in a large amount of ideas forhow work in industries could benefit from an interactiveinterface for disseminating information and knowledge.The final solution is presented in a stop motion movieshowing the solution that was chosen by industrialworkers. The solution shows how coloured lamps can beused to visualize progress-related information during thecourse of the work at the same time as it enables easycommunication between employees. / Detta examensarbete handlar om industriarbetaresmotivation kan påverkas av informationsspridning genomett interaktivt gränssnitt. Fokus i detta arbete har legat påatt undersöka mänskliga motivatorer i teorin för att sehur dessa kan appliceras i en industriell miljö medförhoppning om att ge arbetaren en djupare kunskap omföretagets produkt och/eller process och således ökadennes förståelse för det dagliga arbetet som bedrivs inomföretaget. Projektet bygger på ett antagande om att enökad insikt och insyn i mer än vad som begränsas avarbetarens arbetsuppgifter kan ha en positiv effekt ochförstärka dennes känsla för sin roll i ett störresammanhang och även ge en ökad motivation.Arbetet redovisar också hur en designprocess kanappliceras på ett organisatoriskt problem inom industrier,där de olika faserna i processen inkluderar berördamänniskor repetitivt för att söka kunskap, idéer ochlösningar tillsammans med dem som kan tänkas bliberörda av arbetets resultat.På industrier idag är det vanligt att arbetet är fördelat överavdelningar där personalen är indelad i olika team där detförekommer viss arbetscirkulation inom avdelning menmindre vanligt över avdelningsgränser. Detta kan limiteraarbetarens uppfattning för hela processen och resultera i endetaljerad förståelse endast för en begränsad del avprocessen.Industri 4.0 förväntas vara lösningen på att hämta hem ochbehålla företag i Europa genom att bygga smarta fabrikermed teknik som tillåter maskinerna att kommunicera.Industri 4.0 förväntas även att minska antalet som jobbatinom industrier, mänskliga interaktioner och ansvar. Vilketkan ha den negativa effekten att förstärka en av dagensproblem ytterligare, arbetaren blir ytterligare isolerad ifrånprocessen. Vilket är faktorer som enligt teorin bidrar till enminskad motivationsnivå och kommer därför ha en negativpåverkan på deras arbetsambitioner.Arbetet har genomförts med RISE Interactive i Piteå somuppdragsgivare. RISE är en del av vårt svenskaforskningsinstitut och jobbar med användarcentreradteknisk utveckling inom många olika branscher.Examensarbetet resulterade i en stor idémängd för hurarbetet inom industrier skulle kunna dra nytta av ettinteraktivt gränssnitt för att sprida information ochkunskap. Den slutliga lösningen är presenterad i enstopmotion film som visar den lösningen som blev framröstad av industriarbetare. Lösningen visar hur färgadelampor kan användas för att synliggöra progressrelateradinformation under arbetets gång samtligt som det möjliggörenkel kommunikation mellan medarbetarna.