Online learning sessions are becoming increasingly common. In this study, we reviewed over 150 studies of online and blended learning, revealing that the factors that affect student preferences for online or in-person learning vary widely and compiled a table of these factors. They can be categorized as either learning preferences or current lifestyle conditions. To better understand these preferences, we implemented an intervention in which college-level engineering students were given the choice to attend either an online or in-person session for a class they normally attended in a different modality. We compared college students' stated preferences with demonstrated attendance for online or in-person instruction. We surveyed approximately 150 undergraduate students from two different courses in engineering who participated in both in-person and online learning experiences. We conducted a pre and post survey, created based on the categories formed from our literature review. Data were analyzed using a paired sample t-test, Phi correlations, and structural equation modeling in order to determine the most salient combination of preferences that affect students' choice to attend either an online or in-person class. Furthermore, this research specifically sought to understand why students' stated preferences may or may not align with their demonstrated attendance for online or in-person learning. Based on survey results, we used targeted interviews to understand student choices from 13 students whose choices did not match their stated preferences. We found that most students in our context of a typical in-person university prefer in-person instruction, but they also want some online class sessions if it is more convenient for them at the time. Through applying The Reasoned Action Approach and Model, we analyzed students' stated preferences and compared these with their demonstrated actions. The analysis revealed that students' self-prediction via a survey about whether or not they would attend an online class session was statistically significant at predicting their actual attendance, whereas stated preference for some online class sessions were not predictive. This finding suggests that preference-based surveys may not reliably predict students' actions in regards to attending online or in-person class sessions. Instead, we recommend using a survey with an appropriate predictive question, which will allow universities and professors to determine if it will be worth investing the time and resources in to creating online class sessions.

Social media is the undisputed leader regarding video streaming consumption at an international level, to the detriment of SVOD services. We arrived at this observation trying to understand consumer behaviors regarding this phenomenon. Surprised by this, we sought to understand what motivates consumers to watch streaming video. In the literature, scholars seeking to study the motivations and satisfactions (called gratification factors) of consumers in media use are working with the Uses and Gratification Theory. However, while this theory explains the use of a medium, it does not explain the preference of one medium over another. We therefore wanted to use the Uses and Gratifications framework to make this comparison between social media and SVOD, and thus find an explanation for our observation: the superiority of social media. We drew on previous work to construct gratification factors applicable to SVOD, social media and video streaming. To confirm the reliability and validity of these constructs, we conducted a factorial analysis in a quantitative study, using a questionnaire distributed to the French population. Moreover, we used the data from this survey to build explanatory models for the use of social media and SVOD. Therefore, our study shows that the Uses and Gratifications Theory can be used to explain consumers’ preference for social media over SVOD services, by highlighting that the gratification factors which are the most decisive are content, process and social. Moreover, the formation of our constructs (content, social, process and technology gratifications) is the result of our reorganization of the gratifications already considered in the existing literature so that they correspond most accurately to the current behaviors of streaming video consumers. We thus provide a new basic model of analysis, which could be used by other studies on video streaming. From a practical point of view, our study also allows us to suggest to video streaming companies the points on which they can work to meet consumers’ expectations: that is to say on the possibility for users to adapt their consumption to their available time and on the possibility for interactivity directly on the platforms.

In this thesis, I explore in two essays how to augment thin historical purchase data with other sources of information using Bayesian and probabilistic machine learning frameworks to better infer customers' preferences and their future behavior. In the first essay, I posit that firms can better manage recently-acquired customers by using the information from acquisition to inform future demand preferences for those customers. I develop a probabilistic machine learning model based on Deep Exponential Families to relate multiple acquisition characteristics with individual level demand parameters, and I show that the model is able to capture flexibly non-linear relationships between acquisition behaviors and demand parameters. I estimate the model using data from a retail context and show that firms can better identify which new customers are the most valuable. In the second essay, I explore how to combine the information collected through the customer journey—search queries, clicks and purchases; both within-journeys and across journeys—to infer the customer’s preferences and likelihood of buying, in settings in which there is thin purchase history and where preferences might change from one purchase journey to another. I propose a non-parametric Bayesian model that combines these different sources of information and accounts for what I call context heterogeneity, which are journey-specific preferences that depend on the context of the specific journey. I apply the model in the context of airline ticket purchases using data from one of the largest travel search websites and show that the model is able to accurately infer preferences and predict choice in an environment characterized by very thin historical data. I find strong context heterogeneity across journeys, reinforcing the idea that treating all journeys as stemming from the same set of preferences may lead to erroneous inferences.

The flexibility of future mobile networks exploiting modern technologies such as cloud-optimized radio access and software-defined networks opens a gateway to deploying dynamic strategies for live and on-demand content delivery. Traditional live broadcasting systems are spectral inefficient. It takes up a lot more radio spectrum than that of mobile networks, to cover the same size of an area. Furthermore, content caching at base stations reduces network traffic in core networks. However, numerous duplicated copies of contents are still transmitted in the unicast fashion in radio access networks. It consumes valuable radio spectrum and unnecessary energy. Finally, due to the present of numerous mobile receivers with a wide diversity of wireless channels in a base station coverage area, it is a challenge to select a proper modulation scheme for video broadcasting to optimize the quality of services for users. In this thesis, the challenges and the problems in the current strategies for content delivery are addressed. A holistic novel solution is proposed that considers user preferences, user mobility, device-to-device communication, physical-layer resource allocation, and video quality prediction. First, a system-level scheduling framework is introduced to increase the spectral efficiency on broadcasting live contents onto mobile networks. It considers the audience preferences for allocating radio resources spatially and temporally. Second, to reduce the redundant transmissions in radio access networks, a content distribution system that exploits user mobility is proposed that utilizes the urban-scale user mobility and broadcasting nature of wireless communication for delay-tolerant large size content. Third, to further reduce the energy consumption in network infrastructure, a content distribution system that relies on both user mobility, and device-to-device communication is proposed. It leverages the mobile users as content carriers to offload the heavy mobile traffic from network-level onto device-level. Fourth, to mitigate the multi-user channel diversity problem, a cross-layer approach is deployed to increase the video quality for users especially for those who have a low signal-to-noise ratio signal. Finally, data mining techniques are employed to predict video qualities of wireless transmissions over mobile networks. The holistic solution has been empirically developed and evaluated. It achieves high spectral and energy efficiency and mitigates the video quality degradation in mobile networks.

Orientation: Organisations operating in multiple countries and continents, referred to as multinationals, often experience cultural barriers when interacting with employees from the host county. These barriers, in turn, frequently result in counterproductive outcomes for the organisation. Being able to adapt Human Resource (HR) policies and practices to the cultural values and norms of the host country, multinationals will be better able to attract, motivate and retain their host country employees and achieve the strategic objectives they have set. Research purpose: The aim of the current study was to investigate the relationship between an individual's reward preference and his/her cultural orientation by means of a novel methodological approach, while further investigating this relationship in two culturally distinct countries to allow for a comparison to be made. Motivation for the study: Research linking rewards to cultural orientation is characterised by mixed findings, which could be related to cross-cultural measurement issues (for example, issues of level of analysis and the reference-group effect). By measuring at an individual level of analysis and exploring the use of choice-based conjoint analysis, the present study aimed to advance the field of cross-cultural remuneration research. The study aimed to show that, by linking cultural orientation and reward preference, multinationals can be helped to optimize their remuneration policies and practices in a way that brings about desired organisational outcomes. Research design: A descriptive research design using quantitative methods was employed. Data was collected from employees in both South Africa (n = 132) and the Netherlands (n = 152). Survey items, responded to on a Likert-type response scale were used to measure an individual's reward preference and cultural orientation. To explore the potential bias introduced by the reference-group effect in cross-cultural reward research, a choice-based conjoint analysis was included to measure reward preference. Data from the field survey was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Choice-based conjoint analysis was used to determine the relative importance of each reward element. Main findings: The results of the Multiple Regression analysis revealed that certain cultural orientations were significantly positively related to reward preference. These included the relationship between collectivism and group bonuses; uncertainty avoidance and job security; uncertainty avoidance and base pay; and long-term orientation and future oriented rewards. Uncertainty avoidance and long-term orientation were positively related to financiallyoriented reward elements. The conjoint analysis allowed for further differentiation between these elements. Practical implications: Multinationals will be able to better align their reward policies and practices with the preferences of employees who come from different cultures and who therefore possess differing cultural orientations. By doing so, multinationals will be able to improve their capability to attract, motivate and retain employees that come from distinct cultural backgrounds. Research contributions: By taking a different methodological approach using choice-based conjoint analysis, this study showed that the preference for particular reward packages can not be solely reduced to linear relationships. In contrast to previous studies, this study was able to incorporate a single sample for both the dependent and the independent variables by measuring the cultural orientations at an individual level of analysis.

The purpose of this study is to investigate what is most important of common race or common ethnicity in the choice of who you want to date. This study highlights how white swedes select and reason about whom one wants to date based on common race and common ethnicity​. Gordon ​Allport's theory of Social categorisation was chosen as a theoretical starting point, based on the purpose of this study. The analysis is based on 20 quantitative surveys and 6 qualitative interviews. The overall data that was collected focused on who you want to date in terms of common race and common ethnicity, but the surveys leaned towards the selection between common race or common ethnicity and the interviews leaned towards the reasoning behind the selection between race and ethnicity. The result shows that the majority of the respondents could consider to date anyone regardless of common race or common ethnicity. But having to choose between common race and common ethnicity, common ethnicity was more important.

Adapt -- “to make suitable to requirements; adjust or modify fittingly." Adaptability is a trait which has been attributed to Navajo2 Indians by anthropologists, educators, novelists, psychologists, artists) -- in fact, by almost everyone who has had dealings with them over a period of time. Yet, to identify specific examples of their adaptability and the attempt to measure the effect upon interpersonal relations of evidences of adaptation has proved to be no easy task.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / This pilot study examines the use of the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program by the Burmese population in Indianapolis, Indiana. A significant number of Burmese people migrated to the Indianapolis area starting in 2004. Many of them are families with young children and are enrolled in the WIC program. Language barriers and cultural differences make it more difficult for the WIC program to meet the needs of these families. To what extent is the WIC program meeting their needs? To answer this question, Burmese WIC participants enrolled in the Marion County WIC program were invited to participate in this study. Study participants received a survey at the time of their appointment at the WIC office. The survey included questions that focus on how the Burmese people feel about the foods provided and the nutrition education they receive on the program. Of the 30 study participants, 28 of them or 93.3% reported WIC as being very helpful. Some foods were reported as not being utilized as frequently by the Burmese population on the WIC program, including tortillas, brown rice, and whole wheat pasta. In addition, twenty six of the 30 participants or 86.7% reported the nutrition education they receive on WIC as being very helpful. Participants reported learning many new things through WIC nutrition education including how best to feed their infants and children, as well as breastfeeding being the best for their babies.

Aiming at exploring the issue of duality of the Swedish government system and the possible influence of a detached public administration, a study of bureaucrats’ characteristics, potential preferences and consequent willingness to pay (WTP) for certain policies was needed. This research attempts therefore at investigating how acceptance of CO2 emissions reduction programs among public agents is influenced by factors such as the cost of the program, concerns with air quality, impacts on biodiversity, improvements in the fuelling stations infrastructure, the use of electricity as fuel and individual characteristics such as gender. Subsequently what impact these predictors have on bureaucrats from different public agencies’ WTP for the same programs. For the estimates, binary probit regressions were performed. The results revealed significance of the attributes for the decision over accepting one of the scenarios, particularly the additional information of a budget constraint. However, it was possible to conclude that WTP did not vary significantly among agencies.

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