In this report we examine the NFC (Near Field Communication) technology as far as the development has come until today. We adress different use areas and explain the technical funcionality. By using data collection methods as a specialist interview and also a survery we want to detect potential risks and safety-issues in implementation of the new technology. Our main-focus in this report is to examine how NFC can play an important role in the developement of social interaction and social media. By compiling our data and research materials we will analyze and present a report conslusion. In our conclusion we will introduce our thoughts about the technology as NFC gets more and more common in our physical lives and also propose further research-areas. We will share potential risks about the technology as it is developing to alert future researchers and developers, but also pay attention to the opportunities the technology may bring. / Med vår studie har vi valt att undersöka tekniken NFC (eng. Near Field Communication) så långt som utvecklingen har kommit i dagsläget. Vi redogör kring vad det finns för olika användningsområden och hur NFC fungerar ur ett tekniskt perspektiv. Genom att intervjua en person som arbetar nära tekniken samt utföra en enkätundersökning vill vi upptäcka potentiella säkerhetsrisker som medföljer implementeringen av tekniken. Studiens huvudfokus är att undersöka hur och om NFC kan ha en viktig roll i utvecklingen och framtiden för sociala medier och interaktion. Med den data vi samlar in under studiens gång kommer vi analysera, diskutera och komma fram till en slutsats. Vi kommer att delge våra tankar kring teknologin då den blir mer och mer vanlig i våra fysiska liv och föreslå vidare forskningsområden. Vi vill uppmärksamma framtida forskare och utvecklare av NFC om potentiella risker som tekniken medför, men också de möjligheter som tekniken öppnar upp.

摘要 本研究探討印尼家傭，使用智慧型手機維護家庭親密關係的經驗。透過對台灣20名印尼家傭工進行深入訪談並觀察他們的在臉書的活動來究探討智慧型手機在跨國母親和遠距離婚姻中的複雜性，同時強調了家庭中的性別權力動態。部分由於智慧型手機作為相對較新的出現，智慧型手機與跨國母親尚未得到系統的研究。雖然已有若干研究探究了印尼家傭雖使用智慧型手機的經驗，但其獨特的社會文化特徵尚未得到充分和獨立的探究。 研究發現，智慧型手機是家傭維持家庭親密關係的不可或缺的工具。WhatsApp和LINE的語音通話和簡訊，是最被偏好的通訊模式。他們的溝通方式常受雇主控制;然而，一般來說，他們享有使用智慧型手機的通訊自由。智慧型手機的永續連結性為家傭提供了一個虛擬環境創造與孩子的共存感，增溫了他們的關係，並且使家傭能夠向子女提供宗教指導，履行他們作為穆斯林母親的教育責任。智慧型手機也用於配偶間的溝通，儘管頻率往往由妻子或其就業情況決定。 以Goffman的被寵壞的認同（spoiled identity）作為視角，本研究指出印尼家傭在工作期間遭受「作為與雇主同居女傭」之污名化，他們使用各種策略，用智慧型手機進行形象管理來應對他們的生活，包括與丈夫選擇性的分享他們的生活。這項研究進一步假定，在女性移工透過智慧型手機進行密集的網路互動不僅可以作為再現性別角色規範的場所。相反來說，它也是性別規範不斷被挑戰和重建的場所。本研究強調，受污名化的印尼女性家傭移工在其所居的社區之地位的再協商、。控制、賦權、應對策略之要素。 / Abstract This study explores the experience of Indonesian domestic workers in using smartphones to maintain family intimacy. By conducting in-depth interviews with 20 Indonesian domestic workers in Taiwan and observing their Facebook activities, this study examines the intricacy of smartphone use in transnational mothering and distant marriage while highlighting the gender power dynamics in the family. Partly due to its relatively recent emergence, smartphone use for transnational mothering has not been systematically investigated. While Indonesian domestic workers have been included in several studies on this subject, their unique sociocultural characteristics have not been sufficiently and independently examined. The findings suggest that smartphones are an indispensable instrument for family intimacy among domestic workers. Voice calls and text messages via mobile application such as WhatsApp and LINE are the most preferred modes of communication. Their communication practices are often conditioned by their employers; however, in general, they enjoy freedom to use smartphones for communication. Perpetual connectivity of smartphones gives the domestic workers the perception of co-presence with their children in virtual environment which enhances the warmth of their relationship and allows domestic helpers to fulfil their spiritual duties as Muslim mothers by providing religious guidance to their children. Smartphones are also used for spousal communication although the frequency is often dictated by the wives or their employment circumstances. Based on Goffman’s concept of spoiled identity, this study argues that Indonesian domestic workers face social stigma during their work as live-in maids and device various strategies in order to cope with their living condition by using smartphone activities for impression management, including with their husbands by selectively share their life stories. This study further posits that the intensive networked interaction via smartphones during feminized migration does not only serve as a site for the reproduction of normative gender roles. Instead, it is also a venue where these gender norms are challenged and reconstructed constantly. This study highlights the elements of control, empowerment and coping strategies of Indonesian maids to renegotiate their position within their communities during feminized (and stigmatized) migration.

As there are more than 1.4 billion smartphones sold every year in the world and around four million smartphones in Sweden. In recent years there has been a growing concern to move from a linear economic system to a circular economic system. Smartphones and other electronic equipment stand for the largest growing waste streams in the European Union. The rising prices of raw materials used in smartphone manufacturing over the last decades, along with the fact that these minerals are being mined in conflict stricken areas and the growing environmental awareness among people makes the refurbished smartphone’s market very current. Thus, it is of great interest to investigate consumer behaviour linked to refurbished smartphones as it is still in its early stages. As such, many of the barriers identified in this thesis can be linked to the communication of refurbished smartphones. The purpose of this thesis is to get a deeper understanding of how companies can communicate to break the barriers that exists for the consumer acceptance of refurbished smartphones in the Swedish market. Earlier studies have also focused on refurbishment as a concept rather than the consumer’s responses towards it. The study will be conducted in Sweden which has not been done previously. Therefore, our study will contribute to a deeper understanding of the consumer behaviour in the refurbished smartphone market in Sweden and thus aid companies in their communication of refurbished smartphones. To fulfil the purpose, a qualitative study has been conducted through semi-structured interviews. The sample groups were environmental enthusiasts, technology experts, refurbished product buyers, second hand buyers and companies. From the interviews five themes were derived: initial response, benefits, risks, barriers and communication. The findings and conclusions of the thesis are derived from the themes and subthemes that were created. There are many barriers and risks that make people avoid purchasing refurbished smartphones. The findings suggest that the consumers’ initial response are generally very positive and many consumers would consider a refurbished smartphone as their next smartphone purchase. Another finding is that a lack of knowledge about refurbishment lead to doubts about refurbished smartphones. The barriers found were lack of awareness, lack of thrill of newness, naming of refurbished products and lack of knowledge. The largest barrier, was lack of awareness. A solution to resolve this barrier could be to communicate the refurbishment process. A major finding was that that the environmental aspects were a vital purchase criteria for the consumers, however, not the most vital aspect. Moreover, societal benefits were raised regarding refurbished products in terms of benefitting the entire society. The biggest risk detected in the study was the performance, risk as the consumer may believe that the smartphone will be in a poor condition even though it has been refurbished. A big risk was the financial risk in terms of the substantial price for a refurbished smartphone. To reduce this the companies could adapt to the market standard and sell their refurbished smartphones in package deals. Our findings suggest that price should be communicated in combination with warranty and also environmental aspects, however, the environmental aspect is often abstract. The companies should consider using branding more to communicate these messages. Word of mouth was seen to be important and companies should utilise customer reviews more. In terms of emotional and rational appeals both should be used, however, what appeal that the companies should focus on emphasise on is not obvious.

The research project evolved from my concerns and those of parents and teachers about students’ inability to regulate their smartphone use in schools. A preliminary review of literature revealed growing concerns worldwide about adolescent smartphone dependence which was affecting students’ academic and social development, amongst many others. It also revealed the area of adolescents’ smartphone dependence to be scantly researched especially in developing countries. Hence, this study. The purpose of the study was to explore levels of smartphone dependence in adolescents at a private school in Myanmar. The study was set in a social constructivist framework and the methodology was qualitative in nature, incorporating a literature review. Participants were purposively selected. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews, observations, focus group discussions and questionnaires. The study found that the level of smartphone use at the school was a cause of concern for the stakeholders; adolescents at the target school could be considered dependent on their smartphones. Recommendations to reduce the adolescents’ total screen time were made. Further studies into the management of children’s smartphone use were recommended. / Educational Foundations / M. Ed. (Comparative Education)

En la última década, el uso y consumo de smartphones (teléfonos inteligentes) ha ascendido de manera constante, así mismo la manera en la que los consumidores interactúan con las marcas se ha transformado a causa del acceso a conexión internet en smartphones, por ello, es fundamental conocer los factores que podrían influir en la decisión de compra de smartphones en los consumidores. En el presente paper, mediante un análisis cuantitativo buscará identificar la relación de las variables brand awareness, brand association, perceived quality y repurchase intention en la categoría de smartphones. / In the last decade, the use and consumption of smartphones has grown steadily, likewise, the way in which consumers interact with brands has changed due to access to internet connection on smartphones. It is essential to know the factors. In that way, it is essential to know the factors that could influence the purchase intention of smartphones in consumers. In this paper, through a quantitative analysis it seeks to identify the relationship of the variables brand awareness, brand association, brand loyalty, perceived quality and repurchase intention. / Trabajo de investigación

In Wissenschaft und Praxis herrscht Einigkeit über die Notwendigkeit der Unterstützung von Dienstleistungen durch mobile Informationssysteme (IS). Der primäre Untersuchungsgegenstand der vorliegenden Dissertation ist die Gestaltung eines mobilen IS zur Unterstützung produktbegleitender Dienstleistungen. Innovativ an der im Rahmen dieses Promotionsverfahrens entwickelten Lösung ist die Verwendung der neu auf dem Markt erschienenen Smart Glasses, die u. a. dadurch, dass sie freihändig bedient werden können, einen Mehrwert zur Unterstützung während der Dienstleistungserbringung bieten. Ziel der Arbeit ist die Entwicklung von Gestaltungswissen zum Design, zur Implementierung und zur Evaluation mobiler Informationssysteme. Die Bearbeitung der Zielsetzung beinhaltet (1) die multi-methodische Analyse zentraler Anforderungen an das IS in Form der zu deckenden Informationsbedarfe der Leistungserbringer und der zu implementierenden Anwendungsfälle. (2) Die fachlichen Anforderungen adressierend, wird das Design, die Implementierung und die Evaluation des mobilen Informationssystems selbst durchgeführt. Hierzu werden zusätzlich technische Funktionalitäten der Smart Glasses erfasst. (3) Aus der Analyse, dem Design und der Evaluation des mobilen Informationssystems wird anschließend methodisches Gestaltungswissen abgeleitet. (4) Abschließend erfolgt die Anwendung des Gestaltungswissens innerhalb weiterer Dienstleistungssektoren (Logistikdienstleistungen, Gesundheitsdienstleistungen). Hierbei werden ein Smart Glasses-basiertes IS für die Unterstützung von Logistikdienstleistungen und eine Smartphone-Applikation zur Unterstützung von Gesundheitsdienstleistungen für das Entwicklungsland Papua-Neuguinea konzipiert. Die vorliegende Dissertation leistet einen Beitrag zum Service Systems Engineering als Teildisziplin der Wirtschaftsinformatik. Sie füllt die Forschungslücke zu evidenzbasiertem Gestaltungswissen in der Disziplin, indem durch einen gestaltungsorientierten Ansatz sowohl mobile Informationssysteme selbst, als auch methodische Erkenntnisse generiert werden.

The theoretical part of the thesis presents the evolution of the fields of human-computer interaction (HCI) and user experience (UX) including hedonic-pragmatic model of user experience. It further presents platforms and ecosystems in general, the evolution of smartphone market and the platforms of Android and iOS, and explains the basic concepts of information and consumer behaviour. A part of the thesis is a qualitative study examining the differences between the preferences towards smartphones of Android and iOS users, and differences in their information behaviour. It was found out that the participants - users of both platforms have mostly pragmatic reasons for their platform preference but describe them differently; that Android users seek more information at the time of smartphone purchase decision and that some iOS users, unlike Android users, started using their platform based on observation of others' good user experience with it.

Considering the rapid increase in the ICT (Information & Communication Technology) products in use, there is a risk of an increase in GHG emissions and electronic waste accumulation in the ICT sector. Therefore, it becomes important to account for the emissions in the ICT sector in order to take steps to mitigate them. There are several methods put forward under ETSI, ITU-T, GHG protocol, etc., which can be used to measure the emissions in the ICT sector. Two such methods are Product Life Cycle Assessment (PLCA) and Spend-based, which are used in this study to account for scope 3, category 1 emissions in the ICT sector. Scope 3, category 1 emissions are released during the raw material acquisition and part production phase of the ICT product’s life cycle and account for a major portion of the overall emissions. As the ICT sector is a very huge field of study in itself, two ICT products, namely smartphones and laptops, are considered in this study to calculate their overall scope 3, category 1 emissions. A list of influential components in smartphones and laptops is defined to be included in the Excel Management Life Cycle Assessment (EMLCA) tool to calculate the scope 3, category 1 emissions. A comprehensive comparison between PLCA and Spend-based methods is also studied during the process of calculating their emissions. These observations are then used to make critical analyses and compare the two methods under results and discussions based on various parameters described under them. Both the methods were found to be suitable for calculating the emissions, with some uncertainty, although the Spend-based method was a quicker approach to do so. The PLCA method, although more complex, was found to be more suitable for ICT product eco-design. Both methods required a different set of primary data and were sensitive to various components in smartphones and laptops. This study illustrates the parameters that affect PLCA and Spend-based methods and discusses the pros and cons of them depending on the situations they are used in.

No description available.

This research thesis is an exploration into what possibilities lie beyond the representation of analog material when it transcends into the digital realm. Specifically, how printed comics can be altered in realtime by creator- allowed user interaction, when adapted for presentation within the digital sphere of mobile smartphones and computer tablets. Using legacy computer-game techniques like parallax scrolling with modern digital layer filters, device sensors and applying them in realtime to the comic creators digitally layered content, alternative forms of presentation arise.This is an investigation into the comic creator’s will of allowing possibilities of added depth perception, interactivity and alternative visual narratives in their comic, manga or graphic novels when employing new techniques based on sensor data input from a reader, like accelerometer-, gyroscope- or eye-tracking sensors. Several different techniques are evaluated. The focus is mainly on the context of creators of comics or manga who use digital tools and layer compositions when producing their work. Several aspects of the user-centered experience are also explored.Although mainly an interaction design project, most of the design methods are used from a service design approach, emphasizing co-design techniques like interviews, observations and user tests. The results are digital prototypes and proof-of-concepts featuring technology tests that support final design conclusions.The results will show both enthusiasm and reluctance from test subjects towards the new technologies presented. The professional craft of comic, manga and graphic novel creation has a deeply rooted aesthetic and production cycle in its history of the printed form. It could be difficult to alter its standard, reverence and nostalgia in the eyes of its readers and creators, when pursuing the digital format and narrative possibilities of the future. A video explaining the project’s “Drawn To Life” technology is available online.