Tesis (maestría en ciencias)--Colegio de Postgraduados, Escuela Nacional de Agricultura. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Bibliography: leaves 135-137.

Thesis--University of Wisconsin. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Bibliography: leaves 194-197.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1970. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph.D.)(Engineering Management)--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Includes summary. Includes bibliographical references. Available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 1984. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 131-139). Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center.

There has been an increased interest on small-scale pumped irrigation (SSPI) in Sub Saharan Africa (SSA), however little is known on the adoption processes behind this technology. Moreover, the conditions for successful SSPI adoption remain largely unexplored. This research aims to achieve a deeper understanding of the present adoption processes to inform future policy. The thesis was framed around the diffusion of innovations model (Rogers 2003), using the systematic review methodology and field surveys. Interviews involving 212 farmers and 25 other stakeholders were conducted between 2013 and 2014 within 3 districts in Malawi. The responses were analysed using descriptive statistics and content analysis. The systematic review revealed that evidence relating to pump performance in SSA was limited, lacked standards and confined within particular regions. The field surveys identified that four different pumped systems have been adopted by farmers in Malawi; group treadle, individual treadle, group motorized and individual motorized. Farmers generally prefer individually managed pumps that are easy to operate and fit in with their existing farming practices. Adoption is driven either by the attributes of self-motivated farmers or by incentives such as free or subsidized pumps. While adoption by self-motivated farmers is consistent with Rogers (2003) model, adoption due to incentives shows differences. The research proposes a modification to the Rogers (2003) model and revised definition of success in SSPI adoption, leading to a new framework showing pathways of success. This framework identifies the routes taken by farmers who successfully adopt or discontinue using pumps. Incentive farmers are typically the poorer; these need continued external support to survive the learning curve. For self-motivated farmers, their higher socio-economic status supports successful adoption. To ensure sustainability, SSPI promoters need to offer continued support to incentive farmers and/or reduce barriers to accessing the pumps for self-motivated farmers.

The problem with which this research is dealing is the lack of any explanatory model which explains both the perception and the adoption of new products. One objective of this study is to advance a new conceptual framework concerning both the perception and the adoption of new products. The second objective of this study is to evaluate this new framework theoretically and empirically. Bunge's evaluative criteria are used to evaluate the new model theoretically while Hunter, Schmidt, and Jackson's meta-analysis technique is used to evaluate the model empirically. An extensive review of literature pertaining to the definition of innovation, the adoption process, and innovativeness is included in the second chapter. Chapter three covers research plan and methods. The new model and its assumptions are presented in chapter four. The results of both theoretical and empirical investigations of the new model are reported in chapter five. Finally, chapter six includes a discussion of the main findings and provides some suggestions for future research. An interpretive and postulational model is introduced in this study. The model is built on three main assumptions and contains thirty-one different theoretical constructs. Those constructs are bounded together by forty-six theoretical propositions. Those propositions are the postulates or the axioms which state the nature of the interrelationships among all constructs included in the model.

In this research, it was proposed that self-efficacy is the missing underlying psychological factor in innovation diffusion models of higher education. This is based upon research conducted in the fields of innovation-diffusion in higher education, technology adoption, self-efficacy, health and behavioral change. It was theorized that if self-efficacy is related to adoption, it could provide a quick-scoring method for adoption efficiency and effectiveness that would be easy to administer. The innovation-diffusion model used in this study was Hall and Hord\'s (1987) Concerns Based Adoption Model (CBAM) and it\'s Seven Stages of Concern (SoC) About an Innovation. The SoC measures a user\'s perception of"and concerns about"an innovation over time.  The self-efficacies under study were general, teaching, and technology.  The scales used in this research instrument were Chen\'s New General Self-Efficacy (NGSE), Prieto\'s College Teaching Self-Efficacy Scale (CTSES), and Lichty\'s Teaching with Technology Self-efficacy scale (MUTEBI), respectively.  This research hoped to uncover a relationship between self-efficacies and a Stage of Concern in the adoption of an instructional technology innovation, Google Apps for Education, at a large university institution.  Over 150 quantitative responses were collected from a pool of 1,713 instructional faculty between late Fall 2012 and early Spring 2013 semesters.  The response group was not representative of the larger population. Forty-six percent represented non-tenure track faculty compared to the expected 19 percent.  Analysis using nominal logistic regression between self-efficacy and Stages of Concern revealed that no statistically significant relationship was found.  Of note is that nearly all participants could be classified as being in the early-stages of an innovation adoption, possibly skewing the overall results. / Ph. D.

No description available.

No description available.