Thesis (LLM)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This dissertation examines the conclusion of contracts on the Internet in English and South African law on the one hand, and German law on the other. Because these legal systems have not developed specific rules for the formation of contracts by way of this medium of communication, the question is whether the traditional doctrines are adequate to the demands of tecnological innovation. The study accordingly proceeds from a detailed discussion of the traditional rules of offer and acceptance developed in each of the systems. To this end, the leading cases and of English and South African law are considered with an emphasis on the points of difference between the approach of the courts in these systems. Where there is uncertainty or different points of view, regard is had to the critical points of view of English and South African commentators. In respect of the codified German civil law, the authoritative provisions of the general part of the civil code are discussed against the background of the commentary of academic authors. An investigation of the technical structure of the Internet and the various methods of communication afforded by it, provides a foundation for an examination of the application of the general principles of the various legal systems to contract formation on the Internet. It is concluded that despite fundamental differences in the of approach of the systems under consideration, the general principles of each system are capable of application in the context of electronic contracting. The dissertation endeavours to develop proposals regarding adequate solutions to the problems typical of the process of contract formation on the Internet. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis is afgestem op die hantering van kontraksluiting op die Internet in die Engelse en Suid-Afrikaanse Reg aan die een kant, en die Duitse Reg aan die ander kant. Omrede geeneen van hierdie stelsels tot op hede spesifieke maatreëls daargestel het vir kontraksluiting deur middel van hierdie kommunikasiemiddel nie, is die vraag of tradisionele beginsels afdoende is met die oog op eise van die nuwe tegnologie. Die ondersoek gaan derhalwe uit van 'n behandeling van die tradisionele reëls van aanbod en aanname soos wat dit in elkeen van die stelsels ontwikkel het. Met die oog hierop, word sleutelvonnisse van die Engelse en Suid-Afrikaanse reg ontleed, veral dan ook met klem op verskille in die benadering van die howe in hierdie twee stelsels. In geval van onsekerheid en verskille van mening, word verwys na die kritiese standpunte van Engelse en Suid-Afrikaanse kommentatore. Met verwysing na die gekodifiseerde Duitse stelsel word die gesaghebbende bepalings van die Burgerlike Wetboek behandel teen die agtergrond van die kommentaar van Duitse akademiese skrywers. 'n Ontleding van die tegniese struktuur van die Internet en die verskillende kommunikasiemetodes wat dit bied, verskaf die grondslag vir 'n ondersoek na die toepaslikheid van die algemene beginsels aangaande kontraksluiting van die onderskeie regstelsels in die konteks van elektroniese kontraktering. Die gevolgtrekking is dat ten spyte van fundamentele verskille in benadering, die algemene beginsels van die verkillende stelsels wel aanwendbaar is in die nuwe omgewing. Die verhandeling poog om 'n bydrae te lewer tot die ontwikkeling van aanvaarbare oplossings tot die probleme wat tipies is aan kontraksluiting deur middel van die Internet.

O presente estudo foi desenvolvido no porto de Santos em que a empresa que o administra passou por profunda reestruturação administrativa e operacional na última década, em função da Publicação da Lei de Modernização dos Portos, em 1993. A empresa na necessidade de procurar um melhor controle das informações como fator principal para o seu faturamento no qual não existia um alinhamento estratégico de negócios com a tecnologia de informação, firmou um convênio e parceiras para o desenvolvimento de um sistema para atender as suas necessidades. Esta dissertação aborda através de levantamento bibliográfico a utilização de sistemas de informações gerenciais nas empresas do setor portuário. O objeto do estudo é o sistema supervia eletrônica de dados, que consiste em receber via internet essa massa de dados, sua metodologia de desenvolvimento e integração com os demais sistemas existentes. Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa, como objetivo pretendeu-se analisar as vantagens com a implantação das transmissões eletrônicas de dados, os ganhos na eficiência dos processos e a redução nos custos operacionais. Os dados foram levantados através da análise da base de dados e planilhas fornecidas pela empresa e posteriores levantamentos estatísticos. / This study was developed in the port of Santos, where the company that manages the port went through a thorough managerial and operational restructuring process during the last decade, as a result of the publication of the Port Modernization Law in 1993. The company due to the need to seek better information control as a prime factor for its revenues, which had not so far been strategically aligned with information technology, entered an agreement and established partnerships to develop a system to meet its requirements. This dissertation contemplates by way of a bibliographic survey the use of management information systems in the port companies industry. The object of this study is the electronic data superhighway, which consists in receiving through the internet this volume of data, its development methodology and integration with the other existing systems. This is a qualitative research effort, and its purpose is to analyze the advantages of the implementation of electronic data upload, the gains in efficiency of processes and the reduction of operating costs. Data has been collected by means of database analysis raised by analyzing database and spreadsheets provided by the company and further statistical surveys.

O presente estudo foi desenvolvido no porto de Santos em que a empresa que o administra passou por profunda reestruturação administrativa e operacional na última década, em função da Publicação da Lei de Modernização dos Portos, em 1993. A empresa na necessidade de procurar um melhor controle das informações como fator principal para o seu faturamento no qual não existia um alinhamento estratégico de negócios com a tecnologia de informação, firmou um convênio e parceiras para o desenvolvimento de um sistema para atender as suas necessidades. Esta dissertação aborda através de levantamento bibliográfico a utilização de sistemas de informações gerenciais nas empresas do setor portuário. O objeto do estudo é o sistema supervia eletrônica de dados, que consiste em receber via internet essa massa de dados, sua metodologia de desenvolvimento e integração com os demais sistemas existentes. Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa, como objetivo pretendeu-se analisar as vantagens com a implantação das transmissões eletrônicas de dados, os ganhos na eficiência dos processos e a redução nos custos operacionais. Os dados foram levantados através da análise da base de dados e planilhas fornecidas pela empresa e posteriores levantamentos estatísticos. / This study was developed in the port of Santos, where the company that manages the port went through a thorough managerial and operational restructuring process during the last decade, as a result of the publication of the Port Modernization Law in 1993. The company due to the need to seek better information control as a prime factor for its revenues, which had not so far been strategically aligned with information technology, entered an agreement and established partnerships to develop a system to meet its requirements. This dissertation contemplates by way of a bibliographic survey the use of management information systems in the port companies industry. The object of this study is the electronic data superhighway, which consists in receiving through the internet this volume of data, its development methodology and integration with the other existing systems. This is a qualitative research effort, and its purpose is to analyze the advantages of the implementation of electronic data upload, the gains in efficiency of processes and the reduction of operating costs. Data has been collected by means of database analysis raised by analyzing database and spreadsheets provided by the company and further statistical surveys.

Public press and companies have increasingly strong interests in the impact on businesses brought about by virtual communities. In recent years, virtual communities have become significant sources of information for consumers and businesses by offering unprecedented opportunities for information sharing. Scholars recognize that information posted in virtual communities has important implications for the behaviors of community members and subsequent economic decisions and market performance. However, relatively less is explored about how the informational value of virtual communities results from an aggregated or fragmented community of information. In particular, the underlying motives and mechanisms of user interactions in virtual communities are challenging to understand because of the amount of information available and the potential noises. To investigate user dynamics and the resulting informational value in virtual communities, I explore three major issues in my dissertation. First, I empirically examine whether community fragmentation or aggregation prevails in the context of virtual investment communities. Results indicate that instead of the common belief of virtual communities serving as melting pots that comprise opinions, online investors, in particular, show strong homophily behavior in virtual investment communities. Second, using data from virtual investment communities, I investigate the interactions among online investors that drive homophily and community fragmentation. I find that psychological needs for supportive opinions mainly drive the information seeking and interaction behaviors of online investors as compared to economic rationales. Following this line of exploration, I also identify the informational impact of virtual communities on user behaviors in the context of electronic markets. With data from online retailers, I examine the possible shrinkage of consumer product consideration that is reinforced by online recommendations. A resultant change of consumer consideration leads to a landscape shift of product competition for online retailers, suggesting strategic implications to manufacturers. All in all, my dissertation contributes to an understanding of the value of virtual communities as informational media, how virtual communities shape online user opinions, and how online user preferences impact businesses and markets in a networked economy. My research pushes the frontier toward understanding virtual communities and sheds light on the insights into exploring online network dynamics. / text

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Electrical and Electronic Engineering / Master / Master of Philosophy

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Wollongong,2004. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references: leaf 346-373.

Thesis (M.A.) - Carleton University, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 143-145). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

Thesis (M.A.) - Carleton University, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 206-215). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2008. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M. Ed.), Memorial University of Newfoundland, 1999. / Bibliography: p. 80-83.