The Unified theory of Technology Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model suggest that the user acceptance before adopting a technology will greatly affect how the technology is accepted, and in effect its impact and performance in the organisation. A technology that is having an increasing presence in organisations is Procure-to-Pay (P2P) systems. P2P systems have been shown to achieve performance gains after a successful implementation in the form of increased efficiency, higher quality and better control in the procurement process. Being able to assess beforehand the performance gains of a technology before adoption is a crucial step for organisations seeking to lower uncertainties. This research assesses the importance of user acceptance as a precondition for a successful implementation of a P2P system. The research was conducted as a multiple case study at three organisations; Jernhusen, Akademiska Hus and Specialfastigheter. Jernhusen is considering adopting a P2P system. Akademiska Hus and Specialfastigheter have undergone the adoption of a P2P system. By measuring the user acceptance at Jernhusen the performance of a P2P system was assessed from a theoretical standpoint. The performance of a P2P system, and how well the implementation had succeeded was measured at Akademiska Hus and Specialfastigheter and put in relation to the measured user acceptance before adoption. This provided data to assess to what extent user acceptance is a precondition for a successful implementation of a P2P system. The study found that the user acceptance at Jernhusen, Akademiska Hus and Specialfastigheter was low before adoption. The theory indicate that this would lead to low adoption of a P2P system at Jernhusen and few performance gains. However, performance measurements made at Akademiska Hus and Specialfastigheter indicated that the P2P systems have led to medium to high performance gains respectively despite of low user acceptance before adoption. The research therefore concluded that user acceptance is not an important precondition for a successful implementation of a P2P system. / Unified Theory of Technology Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) modellen menar att användaracceptans innan en teknologi implementeras i en organisation är en avgörande faktor på hur organisationen kommer ta till sig teknologin och i sin tur teknologins effekt på organisationen. En teknologi som är allt mer framstående inom större organisationer är Procure-To-Pay (P2P) system. Effekterna av ett P2P system efter en framgångsrik implementation har påvisats vara förbättrad kvalité samt ökad effektivitet och kontroll av ingående steg av inköpsprocessen. Att kunna utvärdera systemets inverkan på en organisation i förhand är avgörande för organisationer som ämnar att minimera osäkerheter och risk vid systemimplementation. Denna studie utvärderar vikten av användaracceptans som en förutsättning för en lyckat implementation av ett P2P system. Studien var genomför som en flertalig fallstudie hos 3 organisationer; Jernhusen, Akademiska Hus och Specialfastigheter. Jernhusen överväger införandet av ett P2P system. Akademiska Hus och Specialfastigheter har infört ett P2P system. Genom att mäta användarnas acceptans hos Jernhusen utvärderades effekterna av införandet av ett P2P system ur ett teoretiskt perspektiv. Effekterna av ett P2P system och hur framgångsrik implementationen varit utvärderades vid Akademiska Hus och Specialfastigheter, och dessa effekter sattes i förhållande till användarnas acceptans innan införandet av systemet. Detta tillgängliggjorde data för att utvärdera till vilken grad användaracceptans är en förutsättning för en lyckad implementation av ett P2P system. Studien fann att användaracceptans hos Jernhusen, Akademiska Hus och Specialfastigheter var låg innan införandet av ett P2P system. Teorin föreslår att detta är dåliga förutsättningar för en framgångsrik implementation samt svårt att uppnå de önskade effekterna av systemet. Dock visade data från Akademiska Hus och Specialfastigheter att P2P systemen hade lett till de önskade effekterna trots den låga användaracceptans. Därmed drar studien slutsatsen att användaracceptans inte är ett avgörande förutsättning för en lyckad implementation av ett P2P system.

<p>The aim of this master thesis is to investigate how a procuring organization can use personas and scenarios to gather user-requirements in the procurement of software. To reach this understanding a case study is carried out to answer the questions of research; which is a definition that suits IKEA Components, which tools and how to use them; and what are the obstacles and enablers for working with personas and scenarios in procurement of software. The thesis consists of a theoretical study in the usability area followed by an empirical investigation with semi-structured interviews and observations. The study resulted in 4 personas and 8 connected scenarios that are based on user requirements. The first finding due to the question of research includes a usability definition applied to a real context. The second reveals examples of how personas and scenarios can make the development team understand the user requirements and thus contribute to procurement. The last finding is that the main obstacles and enablers for IKEA Components is the complexity of the main system, lack of resources and the management support.</p>

The aim of this master thesis is to investigate how a procuring organization can use personas and scenarios to gather user-requirements in the procurement of software. To reach this understanding a case study is carried out to answer the questions of research; which is a definition that suits IKEA Components, which tools and how to use them; and what are the obstacles and enablers for working with personas and scenarios in procurement of software. The thesis consists of a theoretical study in the usability area followed by an empirical investigation with semi-structured interviews and observations. The study resulted in 4 personas and 8 connected scenarios that are based on user requirements. The first finding due to the question of research includes a usability definition applied to a real context. The second reveals examples of how personas and scenarios can make the development team understand the user requirements and thus contribute to procurement. The last finding is that the main obstacles and enablers for IKEA Components is the complexity of the main system, lack of resources and the management support.

Les Jésuites du Québec œuvraient à l'accomplissement de la mission chinoise de Xuzhou que le Saint-Siège leur confiait en 1931. Ceux-ci captaient le soutien de nombreux bienfaiteurs canadiens-français gagnés aux causes missionnaires. Un musée d'art chinois et la revue missionnaire Le Brigand étaient les principales publicités de leurs activités en Chine. De juin 1931 à août 1950, plus de 1,1 million de dollars canadiens était donné à l'Église du Xuzhou via la Procure des Missions Étrangères de Chine, une institution jésuite fondée à Québec pour financer la mission. La pauvreté, les imprévus climatiques et l'instabilité politique maintenaient la communauté catholique du Xuzhou dans un état de dépendance face aux dons de l'Église canadienne-française. Favorisant le financement des institutions d'enseignement de l'Église du Xuzhou, les Jésuites du Québec ont formé peu de prêtres chinois avant leur expulsion de la Chine par le Parti communiste chinois à partir de 1949. / The Quebec Jesuits were given the Chinese mission of Xuzhou by the Holy See in 1931. They were supported by many French Canadian donors convinced of the importance of missionary causes. A museum of Chinese arts and the missionary review Le Brigand were the principal publicity of their activities in China. From June 1931 to August 1950, more than 1.1 million of Canadian dollars were given to the Church of Xuzhou by the Procure des Missions Étrangères de Chine, a Jesuit institution founded at Quebec to fund the mission. Poverty, climate instability and political insecurity maintained the Catholic community of Xuzhou in a state of dependence towards the French Canadian Church's generosity. Prioritizing the financing of the schools of the Church of Xuzhou, the Quebec Jesuits trained few Chinese priests before their exile of China by the Chinese Communist Party, starting in 1949.

[pt] A mediação internacional transformou-se nas últimas décadas devido a dois fatores: as mudanças nas características do conflito armado; e a entrada de novos atores. Os conflitos modificaram-se significativamente após o fim da Guerra Fria, apesar de já ser possível encontrar sinais destas transformações desde a década de 70. A entrada de novos atores, dos quais se destacam principalmente organizações não-governamentais (ONGs), foi uma resposta a essas novas necessitadas do conflito, a modificações na relação dos Estados com as ONGs e destas no campo da resolução de conflitos. As ONGs proporcionaram novas possibilidades à mediação internacional, abrindo o leque de possíveis soluções aos conflitos, por conseguirem atingir todos os níveis sociais durante o processo de resolução. As ONGs possibilitaram com que a mediação envolva toda a sociedade e desenvolva-se um longo processo de reconciliação. No entanto, como todo o mediador elas possuem vantagens e limitações que devem ser consideradas no momento da mediação. Além disso, é necessário ressaltar que a mediação pode envolver mais de um ator ou até mesmo mais de de um tipo de ator, desde que a ação deles seja coordenada. Objetivando analisar isto esta dissertação utilizará de três casos de estudo: Moçambique, Aceh e Burundi e as suas mediações. / [en] International mediation has been transformed over the last decades, primarily through two factors: the changed characteristics of armed conflict and the emergence of new actors. Conflicts were significantly modified after the Cold War, but races of these transformations can be found as early as the 1970s. The entry of new actors, principally Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), was a response to the exigencies of new conflict situations, and was due to the modification of the relationship between states and NGOs in the resolution of conflicts. Given this situation, this thesis analyzes the advantages and limitations of NGOs as international mediators, focusing on their role in three major conflicts: Mozambique, Aceh and Burundi.