Customers uses both offline and online channels before the final purchase, retailers that are operating and selling their products both online and offline can benefit from aligning the experiences on their channels by using an omni-channel strategy. The smartphone is becoming a natural part of our day-to-day life and keeping us connected, also when visiting abrick and mortar retailers. Mobile technology therefore possesses the opportunity to integrate in-store experience with the online world for creating value for customers. But many retailers are struggling in their integration efforts towards an omni-channel strategy due toall the possible technologies to invest. Therefore, the purpose of this thesis was to investigate the acceptance of mobile technologies in a brick and mortar retail setting, the chosen technologies are beacons and augmented reality.This research investigated the mediating effect of the four technology readiness dimensions:optimism, innovativeness, discomfort and insecurity, on the constructs of the technology acceptance model: perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. The research was carried out with a positivist research philosophy, inductive approach and lastly with an explanatory research design including a quantitative method. The data was collected through a survey, which got answered by 224 participants. The data was further statistically analyzed. The result showed that several of the dimensions of technology readiness had a significant effect on the constructs of technology acceptance model, especially the dimension: optimism. Thus, retailers that wants to introduce mobile technology into their stores should put emphasis on customizing their offerings towards the customers’ different level of technology readiness, especially optimism.

The quantity and variety of product information available online today has increased significantly in recent years. This situation has exacerbated user information overload perceptions and made it difficult for online shoppers to choose between various online products and services. This is especially true for older adults, who typically have limitations in cognitive abilities due to the natural aging process and, as such, may perceive additional difficulties processing large amounts of information online. In response, Recommendation Agents (RAs) have become popular as decision support tools for online consumers in general, and older adults in particular. However, in the information systems literature, there is a lack of understanding regarding the design of RAs to suit the needs of different segments of the population, including older adults. Grounded in the theory of planned behaviour, and the “aging and IS adoption” literatures, this study investigates the impact of cognitive age and RA comprehensiveness on user perceptions towards the complexity of the input and output stages of an RA, and their subsequent impact on the antecedents of a user’s intention to utilize the RA for online shopping. This experimental study finds that: (i) an individual’s cognitive age significantly increases perceived RA input and output complexity perceptions; (ii) higher levels of RA comprehensiveness increases a user’s RA input and output complexity perceptions significantly; (iii) RA output complexity plays a more critical role than RA input complexity in shaping user perceptions of the overall complexity of an RA; and, (iv) increased levels of RA comprehensiveness increases individual perceptions of RA usefulness. Additionally, and as expected, cognitive age moderates the relationship between RA comprehensiveness and input/output complexity such that the effect is stronger for older adults. Surprisingly, however, cognitive age also moderates the relationship between RA comprehensiveness and perceived RA usefulness such that it is stronger for older adults. Theoretically, this study helps us to better understand how different levels of RA comprehensiveness, in terms of both the input and output stages of the RA operation, impact the intention of users of different cognitive ages to use online RAs. For practitioners, the results highlight the importance of customizing the design of RAs, in both their input and output stages, for consumers with different cognitive ages. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Technology has been an integral part of human life since the 19th century’s Industrial Revolution, and the advancement of technologies has continued into the 21st century. Of all new emerging technologies, the computer has been identified as the most important, most complex and fastest emerging technology. In order for businesses to compete and survive within the business world, they are compelled to adopt new computer technologies. However, computers alone cannot improve organisational performance. Computers need to be accepted, optimally used and utilised by employees in order for an organisation to succeed. One such technology is SAP AG’s Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system which is a real-time, fully integrated business system used by more than 170 000 organisations in 120 countries. Measuring information system success has been a concern since its inception due to its complexity and difficulty to appraise. Researchers traditionally attempted to measure success by the delivering of a functional information system product within certain monetary and time constraints. Subsequently, evidence suggested that a more accurate measure of success lies within the field of system use. One model of assessing and predicting user acceptance and which has gained popularity in recent years is the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Apart from accepting the SAP ERP system, users should also be of the intention to continuously use it as a job requirement. The model for measuring user commitment is psychological attachment which determines whether the commitment is insincere and temporary, or long-lasting. Further, not only do users need to accept and continuously use an information technology like SAP ERP; they also need to be able to cope while using it. If not, psychological stress known as techno stress develops and prevents the optimal use of this system. With these three possible explanations for computer technology avoidance as a premise of departure, this study aims to determine the congruence, if any, between the sub-constructs of the TAM (perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, attitude toward using, behavioural intention to use and actual system use), psychological attachment (compliance, identification and internalisation), and techno stress (negative computer thoughts) within a South African SAP ERP user environment. A cross-sectional survey design was used rendering a convenience sample of N = 241 from among the SAP ERP user fraternity at a South African steel manufacturer. The measuring instruments used were the 23-item Technology Acceptance Questionnaire (TAM), the 10-item Psychological Attachment Questionnaire (PAQ) and the 20-item Computer Thoughts Survey (CTS-C). Study 1 which was a literature review confirmed conceptual congruence in that although the technology acceptance model was the most parsimonious, powerful and widely applied theoretical model, it was constrained due to the omission of social influence (psychological attachment) as a contributing factor in the processes of behavioural change towards technology acceptance. Furthermore, it was found that techno stress lowers employee efficiency and creates dissonance in the work environment, resulting in acceptance, hesitance or resistance towards the technology in question. Congruence was established between the system itself (technology acceptance), social relationships (psychological acceptance), and inherent psychological stress (techno stress). The aim of study 2 was to test the technology acceptance model within a South African SAP ERP user environment. Structural equation modelling confirmed that positive inter-construct relationships exist between all TAM constructs. Actual system use, which is the measurement for technology acceptance, was directly affected by behavioural intention to use and indirectly by perceived usefulness. In turn, behavioural intention to use was directly affected by perceived usefulness, attitude toward using and indirectly by perceived ease of use. Attitude toward using was directly affected by perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness. Perceived usefulness was directly affected by perceived ease of use. Study 3 revealed that internalisation had a direct positive effect on behavioural intention to use and an indirect effect on actual system use via behavioural intention to use. Furthermore, in this study identification had direct positive effects on internalisation, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and actual system use. Indirect effects emerged between identification and behavioural intention to use via internalisation as well as behavioural intention to use via perceived usefulness. Compliance, on the other hand, had negligible, negative direct effects on all TAM constructs of which the most prominent was that on attitude toward using. Results acquired from structural equation modelling in study four confirmed that weak negative relationships existed between techno stress and all TAM constructs. This finding is contrary to other studies and can be attributed to the fact that participants in this study were at large, proficient around SAP ERP and therefore experienced low levels of techno stress. Furthermore, aspects such as effective training, clear deadlines, effective teamwork, recurrent performance evaluations, job security, career development and realistic job load are all antidotes for techno stress which is believed to be current within the participant fraternity. In a concluding chapter the conclusions derived from the literature review, as well as the empirical research were presented and recommendations flowing from this research study were made. / PhD (Psychology), North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2014

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Information and Communications Technology, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2016. / Existing literature indicates that the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and the inclusion of Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKSs) in the school curriculum have the potential to increase academic performance. However, formal education is still unable to integrate ICTs into the teaching and learning of school subjects, especially, those that are related to IKSs. This research therefore aims to construct a model of the factors shaping learners’ perceptions on the usefulness of ICTs for the teaching and learning of IKSs. This aim is sub-divided into four research objectives: (a) to identify appropriate technology diffusion theories for the investigation of the factors shaping learners’ perceptions on the usefulness of ICTs for the teaching and learning of IKSs, (b) to construct a theoretical model of the factors shaping learners’ perceptions on the usefulness of ICTs for the teaching and learning of IKSs, (c) to perform an empirical confirmation of the above announced theoretical model of the factors shaping the perceptions of learners on the usefulness of ICTs for the teaching and learning of IKSs, and (d) to suggest new ideas for future research on learners’ perceptions on the usefulness of ICTs for the teaching and learning of IKSs. A review of existing literature on eLearning adoption by students and learners was conducted in order to achieve objectives a, b, and d. As for objective c, it was achieved through the survey of 115 Hospitality studies learners from the ILembe and UMgungundlovu municipality districts in the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) province of South Africa. The study’s findings can be summarized as follows: (a) The Technology Adoption Model (TAM) is the backbone of the model designed by this study on the factors affecting learners’ perceptions of the usefulness of ICTs for the teaching and learning of IKSs; (b) Learners’ perceived usefulness of ICTs is hypothetically affected by the following factors: demographics, computer self-efficacy, trust in ICTs, and level of conscientiousness, (c) All these factors were empirically confirmed through a survey conducted by the current study, except that the only validated demographics were : school location, cell phone access, class grade and preferred subject; (d) This research recommends further investigation on the factors affecting learners’ perceived usefulness of ICTs for the teaching and learning of IKSs, mainly because of the insufficient literature on this subject. / M

Technology has been an integral part of human life since the 19th century’s Industrial Revolution, and the advancement of technologies has continued into the 21st century. Of all new emerging technologies, the computer has been identified as the most important, most complex and fastest emerging technology. In order for businesses to compete and survive within the business world, they are compelled to adopt new computer technologies. However, computers alone cannot improve organisational performance. Computers need to be accepted, optimally used and utilised by employees in order for an organisation to succeed. One such technology is SAP AG’s Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system which is a real-time, fully integrated business system used by more than 170 000 organisations in 120 countries. Measuring information system success has been a concern since its inception due to its complexity and difficulty to appraise. Researchers traditionally attempted to measure success by the delivering of a functional information system product within certain monetary and time constraints. Subsequently, evidence suggested that a more accurate measure of success lies within the field of system use. One model of assessing and predicting user acceptance and which has gained popularity in recent years is the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Apart from accepting the SAP ERP system, users should also be of the intention to continuously use it as a job requirement. The model for measuring user commitment is psychological attachment which determines whether the commitment is insincere and temporary, or long-lasting. Further, not only do users need to accept and continuously use an information technology like SAP ERP; they also need to be able to cope while using it. If not, psychological stress known as techno stress develops and prevents the optimal use of this system. With these three possible explanations for computer technology avoidance as a premise of departure, this study aims to determine the congruence, if any, between the sub-constructs of the TAM (perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, attitude toward using, behavioural intention to use and actual system use), psychological attachment (compliance, identification and internalisation), and techno stress (negative computer thoughts) within a South African SAP ERP user environment. A cross-sectional survey design was used rendering a convenience sample of N = 241 from among the SAP ERP user fraternity at a South African steel manufacturer. The measuring instruments used were the 23-item Technology Acceptance Questionnaire (TAM), the 10-item Psychological Attachment Questionnaire (PAQ) and the 20-item Computer Thoughts Survey (CTS-C). Study 1 which was a literature review confirmed conceptual congruence in that although the technology acceptance model was the most parsimonious, powerful and widely applied theoretical model, it was constrained due to the omission of social influence (psychological attachment) as a contributing factor in the processes of behavioural change towards technology acceptance. Furthermore, it was found that techno stress lowers employee efficiency and creates dissonance in the work environment, resulting in acceptance, hesitance or resistance towards the technology in question. Congruence was established between the system itself (technology acceptance), social relationships (psychological acceptance), and inherent psychological stress (techno stress). The aim of study 2 was to test the technology acceptance model within a South African SAP ERP user environment. Structural equation modelling confirmed that positive inter-construct relationships exist between all TAM constructs. Actual system use, which is the measurement for technology acceptance, was directly affected by behavioural intention to use and indirectly by perceived usefulness. In turn, behavioural intention to use was directly affected by perceived usefulness, attitude toward using and indirectly by perceived ease of use. Attitude toward using was directly affected by perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness. Perceived usefulness was directly affected by perceived ease of use. Study 3 revealed that internalisation had a direct positive effect on behavioural intention to use and an indirect effect on actual system use via behavioural intention to use. Furthermore, in this study identification had direct positive effects on internalisation, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and actual system use. Indirect effects emerged between identification and behavioural intention to use via internalisation as well as behavioural intention to use via perceived usefulness. Compliance, on the other hand, had negligible, negative direct effects on all TAM constructs of which the most prominent was that on attitude toward using. Results acquired from structural equation modelling in study four confirmed that weak negative relationships existed between techno stress and all TAM constructs. This finding is contrary to other studies and can be attributed to the fact that participants in this study were at large, proficient around SAP ERP and therefore experienced low levels of techno stress. Furthermore, aspects such as effective training, clear deadlines, effective teamwork, recurrent performance evaluations, job security, career development and realistic job load are all antidotes for techno stress which is believed to be current within the participant fraternity. In a concluding chapter the conclusions derived from the literature review, as well as the empirical research were presented and recommendations flowing from this research study were made. / PhD (Psychology), North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2014

L’italia è un paese che invecchia rapidamente. Oggi il marketing dedica una rinnovata attenzione a questo fenomeno, cercando di valorizzarne appieno le potenzialità. La ricerca analizza le caratteristiche peculiari del cliente “over 65” con l’obiettivo di comprenderne specificità e value driver e di orientare correttamente le azioni volte alla creazione di valore. L’analisi è stata condotta in tre ambiti distinti: 1) Grande distribuzione organizzata indagando il ruolo dell’in-store design rispetto alla progettazione dell’esperienza di acquisto del cliente silver con un focus specifico sul ruolo della nostalgia; 2) Settore bancario focalizzando l’attenzione sulle variabili più rilevanti per la creazione di fiducia e sulle relazioni tra fiducia ed importanza attribuita ad un set di variabili; 3) Settore sanitario, indagando la propensione alla spesa a fronte di elementi migliorativi del servizio ed il grado di accettazione di logiche di prezzo dinamico. La metodologia adottata è una survey condotta per mezzo di un questionario. I dati sono stati raccolti mediante interviste interpersonali e interviste CATI. Complessivamente, è stato raggiunto un campione di 1550 soggetti. I dati sono stati elaborati con analisi di moderazione/mediazione e analisi cluster. I risultati ottenuti hanno consentito di profilare i segmenti senior limitatamente ai loro value driver, evidenziando il ruolo della sfera sociale e relazionale, che si conferma la variabile più critica nell’orientare comportamenti e preferenze. / Italy is a rapidly aging country. Today marketing is showing a renewed attention to this phenomenon, trying to fully exploit its potential. The research analyzes the specific characteristics of the "over 65" customer with the objective of understanding its value drivers in order to correctly guide managerial actions aimed at providing value. The analysis was conducted in three different contexts: 1) Mass retailers, looking at the impact of in-store design solutions on silver customers experience with a specific focus on the role of nostalgia; 2) Banking sector, to identify the variables which impact the most on trust in banks and the financial sector and on the relationships between trust and the importance attributed to a set of other variables; 3) Healthcare sector, investigating the willingness to pay for service improvements and dynamic pricing degree of acceptance. The adopted methodology is a survey developed through questionnaires. Data were collected through personal interviews and CATI. Overall 1550 respondents were reached. Moderation/mediation analysis and cluster analysis were performed on the collected data. Results allow to define different segments of silver customers by identifying their value driver, especially highlighting the specific role played by social interactions.

Magister Commercii - MCom / The research focuses on the acceptance of new technologies within the telecommunications industry. The study examines three models namely Innovation theory, Theory of Reason Action (TRA), and Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). This study explores the technology acceptance models in order to explain why certain monitoring officers at ICASA would prefer specific technologies over others. Models of interest could be the innovation theory, TRA and TAM. After reviewing both models, the author will examine the TAM in detail as a model of interest in this study. In turn, this model is expected to assist us to understand why monitoring officer's at ICASA would prefer a particular frequency monitoring technology over the other. / South Africa

The purpose of this thesis is to clarify the reasons and consequences of failed implementations and poor adoption of CRM / SFA tools in sales teams, that have been recorded in recent years. Almost 70% of initiatives to introduce new technologies for sales teams have failed in the return on investments. The goal of the thesis is to create requirements for a new CRM / SFA, which will support salesmen and sales teams in a better way. It describes the way the sales team work, it describes business cases and determinates its key activities. Using perceived usefulness, I create a set of system requirements for CRM / SFA tool, which will support salesmen and improve their sales performance.

With Virtual Reality (VR),   education can be made possible for people who work in hazardous situations or   in dangerous environments and that otherwise are difficult or impossible to   recreate. The problem is that the use of VR at the present time only seems to   have been studied in conjunction with training of hazardous situations within   physical work operations. As threats and violence in many workplaces   increases, staff also need to be trained to be able to handle and respond to   threatening and violent situations. The purpose of the study is to evaluate   the use of VR in conjunction with training of managing threats and violence   in the workplace through stress-reducing treatment, in order to elucidate   which factors are important to the users. Based on the Technology Acceptance   Model, the knowledge of perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use is   used to investigate which factors are important. By doing a case study,   users' experiences were captured through observations, recording and interviews.     The result showed that   individual differences in the habit of using the technology affect the   perception of perceived usefulness. For the system properties, factors   related to communication, interaction, realism, scenario and individual   settings were most important to the perceived usefulness. Since the training   simulator was still under development, the study could only give an   indication of the influence of social influence and what kind of the facilitating conditions that would   be needed. The conclusion is that communication is the most important factor   for the perceived usefulness and that education and experience of using VR   are most important for the perceived ease of use for stress-reducing training using VR. / Med Virtual Reality   (VR) kan utbildning möjliggöras för personer som arbetar med riskfyllda   situationer eller i farliga miljöer och som annars är svåra eller omöjliga   att återskapa. Problemet är att användandet av VR för närvarande endast verkar ha   studerats i samband med träning av riskfyllda situationer inom de fysiska   arbetsmomenten. I och med att hot och våld på många arbetsplatser ökar   behöver personal även tränas för att kunna hantera och bemöta hotfulla och   våldsamma situationer. Syftet med studien är att utvärdera användningen av VR   i samband med träning av att hantera hot och våld på arbetsplatsen genom   stressreducerande bemötande, för att belysa vilka faktorer som är viktiga för   användarna. Utifrån Technology Acceptance Model används kunskapen om användbarhet   och användarvänlighet för att undersöka vilka faktorer som är viktiga. Genom att göra en fallstudie fångades användarnas upplevelser genom   observationer, inspelning och intervjuer.      Resultatet visade att individuella skillnader vad   gäller vanan av att använda tekniken påverkar uppfattningen av uppfattad   användarvänlighet. För systemegenskaperna var det faktorer som rör   kommunikation, interaktion, realism, scenario och individuella inställningar   som var viktigast för den upplevda användbarheten. Då träningssimulatorn   fortfarande var under utveckling kunde studien endast ge en indikation om det   sociala inflytandets påverkan samt vad för underlättande förhållanden  som skulle behövas. Slutsatsen är att kommunikation   är den viktigaste faktorn för den upplevda användbarheten samt att utbildning   och erfarenhet av att använda VR är viktigast för den upplevda   användarvänligheten för stressreducerande träning med VR.

Till följd av Covid-19 pandemin som bröt ut fick Malmö Universitet i mars 2020 förflytta merparten av utbildningar till att genomföras digitalt över Zoom. Universitetet, lärarna och studenterna var snabbt tvungna att anpassa sig till den nya situationen utan vidare förberedelser. Zoom blev snabbt det videokonferensverktyg som flera universitet kom att använda sig av vid övergången till digitala studier, vilket även Malmö universitet valde att använda sig av. Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka om studenterna på Teknik och Samhälle upplevde att deras motivation och engagemang påverkats sedan den digitala övergången. Detta utforskades genom frågeställningen: ”Hur påverkar Zoom studenters motivation och engagemang vid digital undervisning?”. Studien undersökte huruvida det fanns en koppling mellan hur studenterna upplevde Zooms användarvänlighet och användbarhet, deras studiemotivation samt engagemang i form av deltagande. Metoderna som användes för studien var observationer samt en enkätundersökning.   Slutsatserna av studien var att studenterna ansåg att Zoom var användarvänligt men inte lika användbart och att studenternas motivation och engagemang hade påverkats negativt. Slutligen indikerade även slutsatsen på att studiemotivation hade ett samband med användarvänlighet, användbarhet och engagemang. Men engagemang hade dock endast ett samband med motivation och användarvänlighet. / As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic Malmö University had to transfer most of their educations to be carried out digitally in March 2020. The university, teachers and students were quickly forced to adapt to the new situation without further preparation. Zoom quickly became the video conferencing tool that several universities came to use in the transition to digital studies, which Malmö University also chose to use. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the students at the faculty of Technology and Society felt that their motivation and engagement had been affected since the digital transition. This was explored through the research question: “How is the motivation and engagement of students affected when attending lectures through the digital tool Zoom?”. The study examined how students experienced Zoom's perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness, their study motivation and finally their engagement in the form of participation. The methods used in the study were observations and a questionnaire survey. The conclusions of the study were that the students felt that Zoom was easy to use, but not as useful and that the students' motivation and engagement had been negatively affected. Finally, the conclusion also indicated that study motivation had a correlation with perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness and engagement. But engagement only had a correlation with perceived ease of use and motivation.