xiii, 109 p. : ill. A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number. / Numeric information is often presented to consumers in order to communicate important and precise information that is not well communicated through non-numeric information. The assumption of marketers, then, seems to be that numeric information is useful for consumers in evaluating products. Do consumers understand and use such numerical information in product claims? Recent research suggests that many people are "innumerate" and about half of Americans lack the minimal mathematical skills needed to use numbers embedded in printed materials. This suggests that many Americans lack the minimal mathematical skills needed to use numbers embedded in product claims and other marketing communications. In a series of five experiments, I investigated if and how consumers understand and use numeric information presented in product claims in their evaluation of consumer goods. The results demonstrated that participants, and especially less numerate individuals, were susceptible to an Illusion-of-Numeric-Truth effect: they judged false claim as true when numeric meaning was inaccurately translated (e.g., "30% of consumers" inaccurately translated to " most consumers"). Mediation analysis suggested that highly numerate participants were better at developing affective reactions toward numeric information in product claims and using these affective reactions as information when they were faced with truth judgments. Highly numerate individuals were also more sensitive to different levels of numeric information in their product evaluations. This sensitivity also seemed to depend on their drawing affective meaning from numbers and number comparisons and using this information in product evaluations. Although less numerate individuals reported that numeric information is important, they were less sensitive to numeric information unless they were encouraged to process numeric information more systematically. The results from this dissertation indicate that not all numeric information will be used and be useful to all consumers. Therefore, simply presenting numeric information may not be sufficient for numeric information to be useful for all consumers. / Committee in charge: Peter Wright, Chairperson, Marketing; Lynn Kahle, Member, Marketing; Ellen Peters, Member, Not from U of O; Robert Madrigal, Member, Marketing; Paul Slovic, Outside Member, Psychology

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This thesis presents how circularity indicators successfully can be used to generate concrete design improvements for commercial machines with the aim of making them better adapted to the Circular Economy. By using a methodology based on workshops, assessment of circular maturity from BS8001:2017- Framework for implementing the principles of the circular economy in organizations – guide, and use of the circularity indicator Circularity Measurement Toolkit (CMT) a fully automated coffee machine became 4 percent improved in the circular performance and an 80 percent landfill waste reduction was achieved. As Circular Economy is becoming more accepted as the idea of moving forward towards a more sustainable future, topics on how to measure circularity for organizations and products are increasing. Apart from using circularity indicators together with ecodesign strategies in a case for the first time, this thesis also investigates how a  circular transition of a manufacturing company can be communicated to stakeholders.  With a slight modification of the circularity indicator CMT, the assessment provided a percentage on how circular a fully automated coffee machine is. Identified hotspots in the CMT, matched with areas with improvement potential at the case company, results in three concepts of improvement suggestions. The three concepts are: (1) a modular front to the machine to enable remanufacturing/recycling of the front, presents the option of changing the look of the machine without buying a new one, and lowers the amount of landfill waste, (2) The identity of Luna the barista is integrated into the interface of the coffee machine for emotional durability, and (3) suggestions of how a company can communicate their circular transition through sustainability reports are presented. Both the methodology, the use of circularity indicators to generate design suggestions, and the general idea of concepts are believed to be applicable to any commercial machine in order to improve the circular performance.

The focus in this project is on machine guards, which will be improved andmade more secure for efficiency and safety. The aim is to design machine guardswith a vertical opening panel for simpler machine access. The work iscorporated with Axelent Engineering in order to meet all standards withsustainability and quality to protect humans and the machine. The aim of thisproject is to examine the specified X-guards to open vertically with the height of1300 mm in order to generate a product that meets the specified standards. Thepurpose of this task is to develop a product that will meet the technicalrequirements and safety standards in order to permit vertical opening for AxelentEngineering’s X-guards.As for the result, the concept generated for the X-guard operates with linearbearings and counterweights, the concept is later presented to AxelentEngineering for manufacturing or further development. The result of the finalconcept is the most suitable of all the concepts generated, proven by usingselection methods.

Food labels are imperative in consumers‟ decision-making process of packaged food products as they communicate important information such as expiry dates, nutrition information and information about allergies to the consumer. Especially during a first-time purchase, consumers rely on food labels to assist them in making their product choice easier. In the heterogeneous context of South Africa, consumers‟ product needs vary and one may assume that consumer needs in terms of food label information differ. Although food labelling is regulated in South Africa, it is still important that consumers are satisfied with labels due to their significant communicative function. However, to the knowledge of the author, little previous research exists on South African consumers‟ satisfaction with food labels. Therefore, this study aimed to explore and describe consumers‟ satisfaction with food labels based on a typical in-store encounter. The confirmation/disconfirmation paradigm had been used as theoretical foundation in this study and consumers‟ expectations and performance judgement of food labels were therefore explored and compared within the confirmation/disconfirmation paradigm. This study furthermore aimed to explore the influence of food labels on consumers‟ product choice as well as to determine the influence of demographic characteristics on consumers‟ expectations and performance judgement of food labels. Lastly, this study aimed to make recommendations to food regulators and manufacturers on how existing food labels could be improved in order to enhance consumer satisfaction. Based on the literature, satisfaction with food labels might be influenced by the information on food labels such as ingredient lists, expiry dates and nutrition information as well as attributes of food labels such as the readability, understandability, credibility and adequacy. Exploratory factor analysis used in the present study indicated that the information on food labels can be classified as either primary (ingredient list, expiry date, health and nutrition information, information about allergies and quality guarantee) or secondary (name of manufacturer, well-known logos or symbols, country of origin or geographical region, usage instructions and number of servings). A quantitative research method by means of a survey approach was used in this study over a period of three weeks. A total of 400 self-administered questionnaires were distributed at office buildings and business premises in the urban Gauteng Province in September 2010 by means of a non-probability sampling method. A total of 279 useful questionnaires were retrieved and data analysis was performed by Statistical Consultations Services of the North-West University using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences). Results show that respondents were only partially satisfied with food labels as they were satisfied with secondary information, but dissatisfied with primary information as well as with label attributes. The results furthermore show that primary information tended to be more likely to influence respondents‟ product choice than secondary information. In addition, results show that demographics had little influence on respondents‟ expectations and performance judgement of food labels. Based on the findings of this study, recommendations can be made to regulators and manufacturers on how consumer satisfaction with existing food labels can be improved. Recommendations include the improvement of the overall readability, understandability, credibility as well as adequacy of food labels. Especially primary information and the way it gets portrayed should be considered for improvement to increase consumer satisfaction. / Thesis (M. Consumer Science)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011

With the continuous development in computer and communications technology the use of computer aided design in design processes is becoming more commonplace. A wide range of virtual prototyping technologies are currently in development, some of which are commercially viable for use within a product design process. These virtual prototyping technologies range from graphics tablets to haptic devices. With the compression of design cycles the feasibility of using these technologies for product evaluation is becoming an ever more important consideration. This thesis begins by presenting the findings of a comprehensive literature review defining product design with a focus on product evaluation and a discussion of current virtual prototyping technologies. From the literature review it was clear that user involvement in the product evaluation process is critical. The literature review was followed by a series of interconnected studies starting with an investigation into design consultancies' access and use of prototyping technologies and their evaluation methods. Although design consultancies are already using photo-realistic renderings, animations and sometimes 3600 view CAD models for their virtual product evaluations, current virtual prototyping hardware and software is often unsatisfactory for their needs. Some emergent technologies such as haptic interfaces are currently not commonly used in industry. This study was followed by an investigation into users' psychological acceptance and physiological discomfort when using a variety of virtual prototyping tools for product evaluation compared with using physical prototypes, ranging from on-screen photo-realistic renderings to 3D 3600 view models developed using a range of design software. The third study then went on to explore the feasibility of using these virtual prototyping tools and the effect on product preference when compared to using physical prototypes. The forth study looked at the designer's requirements for current and future virtual prototyping tools, design tools and evaluation methods. In the final chapters of the thesis the relative strengths and weaknesses of these technologies were re-evaluated and a definitive set of user requirements based on the documentary evidence of the previous studies was produced. This was followed by the development of a speculative series of scenarios for the next generation of virtual prototyping technologies ranging from improvements to existing technologies through to blue sky concepts. These scenarios were then evaluated by designers and consumers to produce documentary evidence and recommendations for preferred and suitable combinations of virtual prototyping technologies. Such hardware and software will require a user interface that is intuitive, simple, easy to use and suitable for both the designers who create the virtual prototypes and the consumers who evaluate them.

Approved for public release, distribution is unlimited / Configuration Management (CM) plays a vital role in the development of trusted computing systems. The Common Criteria (CC) provides a framework for performing Information Technology (IT) security evaluations of these systems and further emphasizes CM's role in the development and evaluation process by specifying a minimum set of CM qualities for each Evaluated Assurance Level (EAL). As an evaluation guide, the Common Methodology for Information Technology Security Evaluation, Part 2: Evaluation Methodology (CEM), recommends a set of minimum CM guidelines which can be used by evaluators in the performance of a CM evaluation at the lower Evaluated Assurance Levels. Evaluators and developers will quickly note the CEM's lack of recommended CM guidelines at the higher assurance levels. Thorough study of the listed references supports the hypothesis for this work: Configuration Management guidelines are useful in the evaluation of trusted computing systems. As an assurance mechanism, complete CM guidance helps users of high assurance products obtain a degree of confidence the system security requirements operate as intended and do not contain clandestine code. Complete CM guidance provides evaluators with a "completed assurance scale" and ensures only authorized changes were made to the TOE during development. Useful CM guidelines at the higher assurance levels (EAL5, 6, and 7) will help developers and evaluators ensure products meet the minimum requirements needed for high assurance systems. / Lieutenant, United States Navy

Title: The Country-of-Origin Effect in the Personal Care Market  Level: Final assignment for Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration Author: Simon Andersson and Gustaf Persson Supervisor: Jonas Kågström Date: 2019 – January Aim: The study aims to analyse Swedish consumers’ perceptions on the Country-of-Origin effects regarding Chinese products. Method: The study is based on a quantitative method. The data collection was done with a questionnaire with a deductive approach. The empirical data was collected through a web survey which was published on social media e.g. Facebook and LinkedIn. The data was then processed in the statistical program IBM SPSS Statistics (SPSS) to form models, figures and values. A descriptive-, correlation-, factor- and cluster-analysis was then formed. Result & Conclusion: The results showed how different variables correlate, different factors which the variables were grouped in and five different clusters of respondents. The conclusion is that there is a so-called COO-effect for Swedish consumers subconsciously. Furthermore, Swedish consumers are aware of the origin, but rank other quality and price as higher cues. Contribution of the thesis: This study aims, with help of previous research and a conducted survey, examine how Swedish consumer perceptions of Chinese personal care products regarding the COO-effect. Furthermore, it provides information on how Swedish consumers ranks certain cues. The study is unique since it provides insight on a market that has not yet been analysed with regard to the COO effect (Sweden) and with a certain product group where there is no current research available in relation to COOeffects. Furthermore, the study contributes to general COO-research, with certain implications deriving from previous research. There are both theoretical and practical contributions of importance, illustrating Swedish consumer perceptions of Chinese products. Suggestions for future research: This essay is limited to the Swedish market and focused on a particular product group. There are several other products groups that are yet to be researched in regard to COO-effects/consumer perception. Further research could compare two different product groups with high involvement to analyse the difference between certain product types. A comparison between two (or more) different countries would provide a vertical view of COO-effects, analysing the differences between different consumer perceptions and what cultural variables that may be vital for purchasing decisions. Keywords: Country-of-origin (COO), Country-of-origin effects, Product evaluation, Cultural differences, Made in China, Consumer behaviour, Purchase decision, Trust / Titel: The Country-of-Origin Effect in the Personal Care Market  Nivå: Examensarbete på Grundnivå (kandidatexamen) i ämnet företagsekonomi Författare: Simon Andersson och Gustaf Persson Handledare: Jonas Kågström Datum: 2019 – Januari Syfte: Studien syftar att analysera svenska konsumenters uppfattning om effekterna av ursprungsland för kinesiska produkter. Metod: Studien baseras på en kvantitativ metod. Datainsamlingen skedde med en enkätundersökning som utgår från ett deduktivt synsätt. Empiriska data har samlats in via en webbenkät som publicerades på sociala medier som exempelvis Facebook och LinkedIn. Data behandlades i statistikprogrammet IBM SPSS Statistics (SPSS) för att få ut resultat; modeller, figurer och värden. Sedan utformades en deskriptiv analys, korrelationsanalys, faktoranalys och en klusteranalys. Resultat & slutsats: Resultatet uppvisade hur olika variabler korrelerar, olika faktorer som grupperar variabler samt fem olika kluster med respondenter. Vi kan dra slutsatsen att det finns en så kallad ”country-of-origin” (COO) -effekt som svenska konsumenter inte är medvetna om. Svenska konsumenter är medvetna om produktens ursprung, men rankar variablerna kvalitet och pris högre. Examensarbetets bidrag: Denna studie syftar till, att med hjälp av tidigare forskning och en genomförd undersökning, analysera svenska konsumenters uppfattning av kinesiska hälsoprodukter när det gäller COO-effekten. Dessutom ger den information om hur svenska konsumenter rankar olika variabler vid köp. Studien är unik eftersom den ger insikt om en marknad som ännu inte analyserats med avseende på COO-effekten och med en viss produktgrupp som det inte finns någon forskning om samband av COO-effekter. Studien kommer dessutom att bidra till generell COO-forskning, med vissa avvikelser som härrör från tidigare forskning. Det finns både teoretiska och praktiska bidrag av betydelse, som ger en inblick i svenska konsumenters uppfattning av kinesiska produkter. Förslag till fortsatt forskning: Den här uppsatsen avgränsar sig till den svenska marknaden och riktade in sig på en särskild produktgrupp. Det finns flera andra produktgrupper som ännu inte undersöks med avseende på COO-effekter och dess inverkan på konsumenters uppfattning. Framtida forskning kan jämföra två olika produktgrupper för att analysera de skillnader som finns/inte finns. En jämförelse mellan två (eller flera) olika länder skulle ge en vertikal bild av COO-effekter och en sådan analys skulle öka förståelse för att förstå vilka kulturella skillnader som är avgörande i konsumentbeteende. Nyckelord: Country-of-origin (COO), Country-of-origin effects, Product evaluation, Cultural differences, Made in China, Consumer behaviour, Purchase decision, Trust

This study examines the ways in which the concept of &#039 / national design&#039 / informs evaluation of products and their designers, through the example of the field of industrial design in Turkey and the recently influential design magazine Art+Decor. For this purpose, first of all, &#039 / evaluation&#039 / is analyzed as a means in which meanings are imposed on products, and as a tool in struggles for positions and status within the field of industrial design. Then, the role of &#039 / nationality&#039 / in such a function of evaluation is investigated. Finally, a case study is provided, in which the employment of the concept of &#039 / Turkish design&#039 / in evaluation of products and designers is analyzed within the texts published in Art+Decor magazine between 2003 and 2005.

Food labels are imperative in consumers‟ decision-making process of packaged food products as they communicate important information such as expiry dates, nutrition information and information about allergies to the consumer. Especially during a first-time purchase, consumers rely on food labels to assist them in making their product choice easier. In the heterogeneous context of South Africa, consumers‟ product needs vary and one may assume that consumer needs in terms of food label information differ. Although food labelling is regulated in South Africa, it is still important that consumers are satisfied with labels due to their significant communicative function. However, to the knowledge of the author, little previous research exists on South African consumers‟ satisfaction with food labels. Therefore, this study aimed to explore and describe consumers‟ satisfaction with food labels based on a typical in-store encounter. The confirmation/disconfirmation paradigm had been used as theoretical foundation in this study and consumers‟ expectations and performance judgement of food labels were therefore explored and compared within the confirmation/disconfirmation paradigm. This study furthermore aimed to explore the influence of food labels on consumers‟ product choice as well as to determine the influence of demographic characteristics on consumers‟ expectations and performance judgement of food labels. Lastly, this study aimed to make recommendations to food regulators and manufacturers on how existing food labels could be improved in order to enhance consumer satisfaction. Based on the literature, satisfaction with food labels might be influenced by the information on food labels such as ingredient lists, expiry dates and nutrition information as well as attributes of food labels such as the readability, understandability, credibility and adequacy. Exploratory factor analysis used in the present study indicated that the information on food labels can be classified as either primary (ingredient list, expiry date, health and nutrition information, information about allergies and quality guarantee) or secondary (name of manufacturer, well-known logos or symbols, country of origin or geographical region, usage instructions and number of servings). A quantitative research method by means of a survey approach was used in this study over a period of three weeks. A total of 400 self-administered questionnaires were distributed at office buildings and business premises in the urban Gauteng Province in September 2010 by means of a non-probability sampling method. A total of 279 useful questionnaires were retrieved and data analysis was performed by Statistical Consultations Services of the North-West University using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences). Results show that respondents were only partially satisfied with food labels as they were satisfied with secondary information, but dissatisfied with primary information as well as with label attributes. The results furthermore show that primary information tended to be more likely to influence respondents‟ product choice than secondary information. In addition, results show that demographics had little influence on respondents‟ expectations and performance judgement of food labels. Based on the findings of this study, recommendations can be made to regulators and manufacturers on how consumer satisfaction with existing food labels can be improved. Recommendations include the improvement of the overall readability, understandability, credibility as well as adequacy of food labels. Especially primary information and the way it gets portrayed should be considered for improvement to increase consumer satisfaction. / Thesis (M. Consumer Science)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011