Educational loan defaulting is a problem increasing on a worldwide scale. In Malaysia, the default rate is almost 50% in the case of loans advanced to students in higher education. With this in mind, for the first time, this study analyses this chronic problem in-depth with consideration to primary data collected from a cross-section of students currently studying in public universities in Malaysia. With help from the Theory of Planned Behaviour, the empirical analysis establishes that loan defaults are influenced by a complex interaction of personal-, social- and psychology-related variables: students’ attitude, intention to repay loan, parental influence, perceptions that loan repayment will affect quality of life after graduation, perceptions towards loan agreement, and an awareness of loan repayment issues created by the media. This study succeeds in disentangling the precise impact of such variables in regard to loan defaults. The findings are of great relevance to government-funding agencies, which can better plan the loan advancement and recovery process once they understand the true reasons behind defaults. The novel method utilised for the first time with the objective to study the default issue should also be useful to academic researchers seeking to conduct similar studies in the context of other countries. This study should also assist policy makers in planning long-term strategies in terms of assessing, designing and evaluating new loan schemes. Developing countries, such as Malaysia, face competing demands on their limited financial resources. An increase in the recovery rate will bring in funds that can be lent to additional students or used for strengthening educational infrastructure. These measures add useful value to the social and economic set-up of the country.

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to investigate behavioral factors influencing investment intentions.   Design/methodology/approach – A descriptive quantitative study was conducted utilizing an online questionnaire with a total of 121 respondents.   Findings - The results of the study indicated that Subjective Norm, Perceived Behavioral Control, and Perceived Consumer Effectiveness are positively related to Intention to Invest. Attitude and Perceived Risk did not reach statistical significance and no conclusions could therefore be drawn regarding the concepts.   Research limitations/implications - The greatest limitation of the study is that it measures intention and not actual behavior which could be of more value, both from a theoretical and managerial perspective. The implication of the study is that it contributes to the Socially Responsible Investment literature from the intentional perspective and that it considers Generation Y, two aspects that have previously been neglected. The study further provides companies operating in SRI industry with a framework to use when acquiring customers within Generation Y.   Originality/value - As recent Socially Responsible Investment research has focused almost exclusively on financial performance this study offers value in that it instead explains behavioral factors influencing the Intention to Invest. It further focuses on Generation Y which is the upcoming generation when it comes to investing that has to a large extent been neglected in the SRI literature.

This thesis takes a deeper look into customer behaviours when it comes to buying new mobile phones. We take a look at four main types of planned obsolescence we’ve found, which include: economic obsolescence, obsolescence of function, obsolescence of desirability and obsolescence of quality. With a questionnaire and focus group study we try to find out the underlying reasons why users buy new phones while their old ones are still functional. Since this is not a new subject, we try to map the problems we encounter in our study to the four already defined forms described above, and we try to see if there are other forms that are not yet defined. What we found out was that these four categories hold up very well, but are not as separate as one would have thought when reading. While we find out many reasons why people change their phones we do not offer a solution. But we do offer a better understanding of the problem and hope the consumer will take part of the knowledge.

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are chronic and pervasive developmental disorders; children with ASDs require more multidisciplinary services than children with other developmental, behavioral, and emotional disorders (Kogan et al., 2008). Little research has been done on the practices and perspectives of the professionals providing services to children with ASDs. Evidence-based practice (combining use of evidence-based interventions [EBIs], family-centered care [FCC] respecting patient/family values, and clinical expertise) leads to the best outcomes for children with ASDs (APA Presidential Task Force on Evidence-Based Practice, 2006). The aim of this study was to assess the extent to which psychological constructs (attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control) within the Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1991) are helpful for understanding the behavior of professionals in regards to two areas of evidence-based practice: recommending and/or providing EBIs and using a FCC approach to care with children with ASDs. Professionals (N=709) providing direct services to children with ASDs were recruited from different disciplines (Education, Medicine/Nursing, Occupational and Physical Therapy, Psychology, Social Work, Speech Language Pathology/Audiology) and were asked to fill out an Internet or paper survey including measures on TPB constructs and EBI and FCC behavior. Participants were recruited from a convenience Internet sample and a stratified random sample of online provider listings (from professional and autism-specific organizations). Professionals’ attitudes and familiarity with EBIs significantly predicted their self-reported recommendation and provision of EBIs in the positive direction. Professionals’ attitudes, perceived-behavioral control, and years in practice significantly predicted self-reported use of an FCC approach with children with ASDs in the positive direction. There was a trend for explicit training on EBI or FCC to predict professionals’ behavior, but these findings did not reach conventional levels of significance. Subjective norms did not significantly predict EBI or FCC behavior. Discipline membership did not moderate the relationship between TPB and EBI and FCC self-reported behavior measures. The TPB is a useful framework for better understanding professionals’ evidence-based practice behavior. This study sheds light on practices and perspectives of professionals working with children with ASDs and highlights areas for future research and training with this population.

The purpose of the present study is to examine the pathways between gender and behavioral intention to engage in sexual HISB through application of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). It was found that feminine and masculine gender role stress differentially influence perceived behavioral control and behavioral attitudes, and that intention to engage in HISB was higher among women than men. Attitudes and PBC significantly predicted behavioral intention in this model. Further, women in the sample were more likely to search for sexual health information, with online sources being the most frequently reported resource. Additionally, past HISB was a significant predictor of sexual health literacy, eHealth literacy, and sexual health knowledge. These findings indicate that gender role stress may play a role in the maintenance of attitudes and perceived behavioral control about sexual health information seeking behaviors, and that HISB in general is higher among women.

Implementations of information technology solutions to address specific information problems are only successful when the technology is utilized. The antecedents of technology use involve user, system, task and organization characteristics as well as externalities which can affect all of these entities. However, measurement of the interaction effects between these entities can act as a proxy for individual attribute values. A model is proposed which based upon evaluation of these interaction effects can predict technology utilization. This model was tested with systems being implemented at a pediatric health care facility. Results from this study provide insight into the relationship between the antecedents of technology utilization. Specifically, task time provided significant direct causal effects on utilization. Indirect causal effects were identified in task value and perceived utility constructs. Perceived utility, along with organizational support also provided direct causal effects on user satisfaction. Task value also impacted user satisfaction in an indirect fashion. Also, results provide a predictive model and taxonomy of variables which can be applied to predict or manipulate the likelihood of utilization for planned technology.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Geography / Bimal K. Paul / Medical tourism comprises a phenomenon where over five million patients a year are traveling across international borders to obtain various forms of health care. Most of these patients travel from developed countries to developing countries, seeking highly invasive medical treatments to less invasive and recreational medical procedures. By the year 2012, the medical tourism industry generated over $100 billion with over 50 countries making it a priority in trade for their country. With active government promotions, India has become one of the leading destinations for medical tourism. The objective of this research was to answer the questions: 1) how do the attitudes and behaviors of patients towards the concept of medical tourism influence their decision to become a medical tourist; 2) why do medical tourists seek treatment in India; and 3) what are the issues and challenges they face before coming to India as well as while in India. Interviews of thirty-four foreign patients were conducted in six sites spread across the South-Indian cities of Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Chennai which revealed useful information in addressing the research objectives. The three most important reasons that these medical tourists chose India for their treatments were: 1) the high quality of the doctors and medical facilities in India, 2) the affordable cost of treatments, and 3) the availability of specific treatments that might not have been available in their home countries. Patients also researched the topic thoroughly before they came to India. Knowledge was gained primarily from the Internet, print media, television shows and friends. Overall, the patients had very positive attitudes towards medical tourism. Most of them felt that they could get treatment because of their positive opinion on medical tourism, their ability to get treatment if they desired, and support from their families and loved ones.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Human Ecology-Personal Financial Planning / Kristy L. Pederson-Archuleta / The purpose of this dissertation was to examine the factors associated with students’ intentions to not possess and use a credit card. This dissertation focused on exploring a sample of undergraduate college students who do not possess a credit card. There is little known research on this group of students. The dissertation was directed by the following over-arching research question: The goal of this study was to explore college students’ beliefs about not possessing a credit card using the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA). The research questions for this dissertation were: (a) How is personality (i.e., individual background factor) of undergraduate college students associated with their behavioral, normative, and control beliefs to not possess a credit card, (b) How are education level, age, gender, income level, religiosity, marital status, and ethnicity (i.e., social background factors) of undergraduate college students associated with their behavioral, normative, and control beliefs to not possess a credit card, and (c) How is financial knowledge (i.e., information background factor) of undergraduate college students associated with their behavioral, normative, and control beliefs to not possess a credit card. This study collected primary data. A pilot study was conducted to set the stage for the data collection of the current study. The data analysis methodology for this study consisted of the following four methods: (a) Factor Analysis, (b) Correlation Analysis, (c) MANOVA, and (d) Discriminant Function Analysis. Factor analysis identified questions were used to develop scales to measure the dependent variables. Strong reliability estimates were obtained, ranging from .84 to .94. The MANOVA test identified seven hypotheses with statistically significant results < .05. Control beliefs were significantly associated with personality. The five personality types, extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness, were all found to be significantly associated with either behavioral beliefs, control beliefs, or injunctive normative beliefs. Extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism were all found to be associated with control beliefs. While agreeableness was also associated with injunctive normative beliefs, openness was found to be associated with behavioral beliefs. Financial knowledge was found to be associated with control beliefs. Discriminant function analysis was performed as a confirmatory test of the results from the MANOVA test, and supported the results of the MANOVA for six of the hypotheses.

Master of Science / School of Journalism and Mass Communications / Nancy Muturi / This study was an examination of the determinants of disordered eating development among female collegiate distance runners. More specifically, the study examined the impact of thinness-emphasizing and thinness-promoting messages disseminated by mass media and running-specific media, and how those messages affected disordered eating among a sample of female collegiate distance runners. It also examines current female collegiate distance runners’ attitudes toward disordered eating, subjective norms from referent individuals close to female collegiate distance runners regarding disordered eating, and female collegiate distance runners’ perceived behavioral control regarding disordered eating—which was divided into various internal and external control factors either inhibiting or facilitating disordered eating among them. The study was qualitative in nature and assumed a multi-method approach. It included an online, anonymous, self-administered questionnaire among 166 current NCAA Division I female distance runners; four small, confidential focus groups with current NCAA Division I female distance runners from four different teams; and 16 in-depth interviews with professional distance runners, dietitians, coaches, physicians, and sports psychologists. The study sought to answer four research questions—each based on an element of the study’s guiding theory, the theory of planned behavior (Ajzen, 1991). Overall, the study found media messages, attitudes, subjective norms, and various internal and external control factors all facilitated disordered eating among NCAA Division I female distance runners. Based upon these findings, the study offers recommendations for practitioners in the field of health communication, coaches, academic institutions with cross country and track teams, and female collegiate distance runners.

Radio frequency identification (RFID) technology allows for the scanning of RFID-tagged objects and individuals without line-of-sight requirements. Healthcare organizations use RFID to ensure the health and safety of patients and medical personnel and to uncover inefficiencies in operations. The successful implementation of a system incorporating RFID technologies requires acceptance and use of the technology. Nurses are a group of employees who must use RFID in hospitals throughout the United States. However, due to their being tracked by RFID technology, some of these nurses feel like "big brother" is watching them. This predictive study used a theoretical model that assessed the effect of five independent variables, namely, privacy concerns, attitudes, subjective norms, controllability, and self-efficacy, on a dependent variable, nurses' behavioral intention to use RFID. A total of 106 U.S. registered nurses answered a Web-based questionnaire containing previously validated and adapted questions that were answered through a five-point Likert scale. Two statistical methods, linear regression and multiple linear regression, were used to investigate the survey results. The results of the linear regression analysis showed that privacy concerns, attitudes, subjective norms, and self-efficacy were each a significant predictor of nurses' behavioral intention to use RFID. The results of the multiple linear regression analysis showed that all the constructs together accounted for 60% of the variance in nurses' intention to use RFID. Of the five predictors in the model, attitudes provided the largest unique contribution when the other predictors in the model were held constant. Subject norms also provided a unique contribution. The other predictors in the model (privacy concerns, controllability, and self-efficacy) were not statistically significant and did not provide a significant unique contribution to nurses' behavioral intention to use RFID. The outcomes of this study constitute a significant original contribution to the body of knowledge in the area of information systems by enhancing understanding of the factors affecting RFID acceptance among nurses. The results of this research also provide hospitals and medical centers that require their nurses to use RFID technology with information that they can use to address barriers to their nurses' acceptance and use of RFID technology.