Security is becoming an increasingly important issue for business, and with it comes the need for appropriate authentication; consequently, it is becoming gradually more important to develop secure e-commerce systems. Fraud via the web, identity theft, and phishing are raising concerns for users and financial organisations. In addition, current authentication methods, like passwords, have many problems (e.g. some users write them down, they forget them, or they make them easy to hack). We can overcome these drawbacks by using biometric authentication systems. Biometric systems are being used for personal authentication in response to the rising issue of authentication and security. Biometrics provide much promise, in terms of preserving our identities without the inconvenience of carrying ID cards and/or remembering passwords. This research is important because the securing of e-commerce transactions is becoming increasingly important. Identity theft, hacking and viruses are growing threats to Internet users. As more people use the Internet, more identity theft cases are being reported. This could harm not only the users, but also the reputation of the organisations whose names are used in these illegal acts. For example, in the UK, online banking fraud doubled in 2008 compared to 2007. More users took to e-shopping and online banking, but failed to take necessary protection. For non-western cultures, the figures for web security, in 2008, illustrated that Saudi Arabia was ranked ninth worldwide for users who had been attacked over the web. The above statistics reflect the significance of information security with e-commerce systems. As with any new technology, user acceptance of the new technology is often hard to measure. In this thesis, a study of user acceptance of biometric authentication systems in e-transactions, such as online banking, within Saudi society was conducted. It examined whether Saudis are practically willing to accept this technology. This thesis focuses upon Saudi Arabia, which has developing economy. It has achieved a rapid rate of growth, and therefore makes an interesting and unique case study. From an economist¿s point of view, Saudi Arabia is the powerhouse of the Middle East. It has the leading regional economy, and, even though it is still relatively young. It has a young and rapid growing population; therefore, this makes Saudi Arabia an attractive potential market for all kinds of e-commerce applications. Having said that, with more than half of population under the age of 30 are more to be expected to take the risk of accepting new technology. For this work, 306 Saudi participants were involved in the experiments. A laboratory experiment was created that actively tested a biometric authentication system in combination with a survey. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) was adopted in the first experimental phase as the theoretical basis on which to develop the iv research framework, the model has proven its efficiency as a good predictor for the biometric authentication system. Furthermore, in a second experimental phase, the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) with moderating variables such as age, gender and education level was examined as a proposed conceptual framework to overcome the limitations of TAM. The aim of the study was to explore factors affecting users¿ acceptance of biometric authentication systems. The findings from Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) analysis indicate that education level is a significant moderating factor, while gender and age do not record as significant. This thesis added new knowledge to this field and highlighted the importance of the perceptions of users regarding biometric security technologies. It helps determine the factors affecting the acceptance of biometric technology. To our knowledge, this is the first systematic study of this issue carried out by academic and non-biased researchers in Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, the thesis presents security technology companies and developers of information security products with information to help in the determination of what is significant to their user base when taking into account the introduction of new secure systems and products.

This ethnographic study investigates how ChatGPT meets information needs, andthe difference in functional outcomes when using ChatGPT in a reference transaction compared to a librarian. The theoretical starting point is Taylor's theories on information needs and filters, commands and questions. The study is based on empirical material consisting of observations of libraries and of ChatGPT. The empirical material is analyzed using analytical autoethnography, thick description, and Childer's system for evaluating reference transactions. The purpose of the thesis is to investigate how ChatGPT performs in reference transactions compared to librarians. The study shows that ChatGPT meets information needs in a different way than librarians. The biggest difference in functional results is that ChatGPT's responses are incorrect more frequently than the librarians. ChatGPT not only makes dubious claims, it also hallucinates and recommends books that do not exist. This thesis can be used as a basis for further research, as well as support for public libraries that want to use AI technology in reference transactions.

This thesis aims to explore if the existence of portfolio price premiums can be verified and if they differ in time and over property segments. The purpose is to contribute with valuable insights within the field of portfolio premiums in the real estate industry. In order to explore this further a regression model was developed. The model includes six portfolio variables controlling for size in the aspect of transactional value and number of properties included in the portfolio. We further test if the premium varies over property segments and over time. The data was provided by Cushman & Wakefield and consists of 825 property transactions. The results show that a portfolio premium for small, medium and large portfolios with a transactional value over 500 million SEK, and a discount on small portfolios with a transactional value below 500 million SEK is present. The premium was found to be 17.5% for small portfolios, 16.8% for medium sized and 26.3% for large portfolios. While premiums were found for portfolios with a transactional value over 500 million SEK an 13.7% discount was found for small portfolios with a transaction value below 500 million SEK. Which indicates that investors are willing to pay a premium, but only for larger portfolios. Furthermore, the only segment test with significant results were residential and industrial of which residential indicated a discount on small and medium portfolios with a transactional value over 500 million SEK and industrial indicated a discount on small portfolios with a transactional value over 500 million SEK. The test of variation of a portfolio premium over time gave mixed results and showed that investors payed a premium for medium and large portfolios with a transactional value over 500 million SEK during 2010 - 2015. / Detta masterarbete syftar till att undersöka fenomenet portföljpremier och bidra till utökad kunskap om premier och möjliga förklaringar till varför de uppkommer. Författarna har undersökt om det går att kvantifiera den påstådda portföljpremien och om denna skiljer sig över fastighetsegmenten och tid. Syftet med arbete är att bidrag med värdefulla insikter och kunskap om portföljpremier inom fastighetsbranschen. För att kunna besvara frågeställningen utvecklade författarna en regressionsmodell. Modellen innehöll sex portföljvariabler som bland annat kontrollerade för storlek i förhållande till transaktionsvärde samt antal fastigheter inkluderade i portföljen. För att undersöka om premien varierade över fastighetssegment och med tid utfördes fem olika segmentstest och två års tester. Data som användes i regressionerna tillhandahölls av Cushman & Wakefield. Resultatet av studien visar att det finns en portföljpremie på små, medelstora och stora fastighetsportföljer med ett transaktionsvärde över 500 millioner kronor. Premien noterades till 17,5% för små portföljer, 16,8% för medelstora portföljer och 26,3% för stora portföljer. Medans en premie noterades för portföljer med ett transaktionsvärde över 500 millioner kronor kunde en rabatt om 13,7% hittas för små portföljer med etttransaktionsvärde under 500 millioner kronor. Segmenttesten som genomfördes gav blandade resultat. De test som gav signifikanta resultat var segmentstest för industri och bostäder. Resultatet av regressionen visade att det finns en rabatt för små och medelstora bostadsportföljer med ett transaktionsvärde överstigande 500 millioner kronor samt en rabatt för små industriportföljer med ett transaktionsvärde över 500 millioner kronor. Utöver segmentstesten gjordes även två tester där författarna testade om premien varierade över tid. Likaså här gav testerna blandade resultat. Det kan konstateras att en premie återfinns för portföljer handlade under perioden 2010 - 2015.

No / Rapid advances in software systems, wireless networks, and embedded devices have led to the development of a pervasive and mobile cyberspace that provides an infrastructure for anywhere/anytime service provisioning in different domains such as engineering, commerce, education, and entertainment. This style of service provisioning enables users to freely move between geographical areas and to continuously access information and conduct online transactions. However, such a high mobility may cause performance and reliability problems during the execution of transactions. For example, the unavailability of sufficient bandwidth can result in failure of transactions when users move from one area (cell) to another. We present a context-aware transaction model that dynamically adapts to the users' needs and execution environments. Accordingly, we develop a new mobility management scheme that ensures seamless connectivity and reliable execution of context-aware transactions during mobility of users. The proposed scheme is designed and developed using a combination of different queuing models. We conduct various experiments in order to show that the proposed scheme optimizes the mobility management process and increases the throughput of context-aware transactions.

For over 30 years, federal and state governments have been engaged in a collective effort to improve the water quality and living resources in the Chesapeake Bay (CB), focusing particularly on reducing delivered nitrogen and phosphorus loads. However, achievement of water quality objectives remains elusive. In Virginia, agriculture represents the single largest source of nutrient loads to the Chesapeake Bay. Despite aggressive regulatory efforts in other nutrient source sectors, state authorities rely on educational programs and voluntary financial assistance programs to induce landowners to adopt best management practices (BMPs) that reduce agricultural nutrient loads. This study explores two economic aspects of efforts to reduce agricultural nonpoint source (NPS) pollution in the Virginia portion of the CB watershed. Firstly, current and possible future transactions costs associated with specific aspects of agricultural NPS participation in water quality trading (WQT) programs are examined in Chapter 1. A case study approach is used to consider the possible cost consequences of expanding the use of NPS credits from agricultural 'working lands' BMPs in Virginia. Findings indicate that overall transactions costs for nutrient trades involving agricultural NPS in Virginia are currently relatively low, due to the type of activities being credited: simple land conversions. Based on best available evidence, the administrative transactions costs of creating credits on agricultural 'working lands' using management and structural BMPs will be 2 to 5 times more costly on a per project basis than for credits generated from land conversions. Compliance monitoring protocols were found to be a significant driver of costs for credits generated from working agricultural lands. These results suggest an important cost/risk tradeoff between verification cost and compliance certainty for program designers to consider. The second study (Chapter 2) considers the economic cost of meeting pollution reduction targets for the Virginia portion of the CB Watershed. Existing cost models are based on simplifying behavioral assumptions about public transactions costs, conservation adoption rates, and implementation costs of agricultural BMPs. This study builds on the existing literature and uses the estimates of transactions costs from Chapter 1 together with information on producer BMP adoption rates to examine the implications of including transactions costs and differential BMP costs and adoption rates when estimating the minimum costs of achieving specified nutrient reduction goals in Virginia. The paper uses a cost-minimizing mathematical programming approach and models a number of different cost scenarios. Results indicate that inclusion of transactions costs substantially affects estimates of total costs of meeting nutrient reduction goals; on average total costs increased by 44 percent, but ranged between 19 and 81 percent depending on the scenario analyzed. Analysis of the modelled scenarios shows that those BMPs that account for the most implementation costs do not necessarily account for the most transactions costs (and vice versa). This suggests that transactions costs should be acknowledged to vary with the type of practices being implemented, rather than being approximated as either a fixed amount or a fixed proportion of implementation costs. In addition, the analysis highlights the disproportionate costs associated with achieving nutrient reductions via high-cost adopters, and suggests there may be a role for education or extension to assist landholders to lower opportunity costs of participating in conservation. / Master of Science

This thesis aims to explore the time variation of liquidity and transaction prices in the Swedishcommercial real estate market. The purpose is to contribute with insights about price dynamics and liquidity on the Swedish commercial real estate transaction market. A price index was therefore estimated based on the output of a hedonic regression model. The model controls for different locations, segments and years and further includes variables controlling for size, portfolio transactions and investor nationality. The regression model is based on transaction data provided by Cushman & Wakefield which consists of 10 194 observations over a 20-year period between the years 2003-2023. Further the relationship between transaction prices and liquidity was investigated. The liquidity measure used is turnover rate which was calculated for each year based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB). Granger causality tests were conducted for different geographic aggregation levels to explore if liquidity can predict transaction prices and vice versa. The results show that market liquidity in terms of turnover rate in city and regional locations can be used to forecast the development of transaction prices and therefore“leads” the price development. The test results, in combination with a correlation analysis that showed strong correlation between prices and previous year’s turnover rates, suggests evidence of a sequential relationship between the variables. For the nation as a whole and for the rural location, the results of the causality tests were insignificant and the hypothesis that there does not exist a Granger causality between price and turnover could not be rejected. It was also concluded that since liquidity leads prices, information about turnover rates can be used to help forecast property cycles in the short term. / Detta examensarbete syftar till att undersöka sambandet mellan likviditet och transaktionspriser på den svenska kommersiella fastighetsmarknaden. Syftet är att bidra med insikter om prisdynamik och likviditet på den svenska kommersiella fastighetstransaktionsmarknaden. Ett prisindex estimerades baserat på en hedonisk regressionsmodell. Modellen estimerar transaktionspriser för olika geografiska delmarknader, segment och år och inkluderar vidare variabler som kontrollerar för storlek, portföljtransaktioner och investerarnationalitet. Regressionsmodellen är baserad på transaktionsdata från Cushman & Wakefield som består av 10 194 observationer under en 20-årsperiod mellan åren 2003 och 2023. Vidare undersöktes sambandet mellan transaktionspriser och likviditet. Likviditetsmåttet som används är omsättningsandel som beräknats för respektive år baserat på data från SCB. Test av Grangerkausalitet genomfördes för olika geografiska delmarknader för att undersöka om likviditet kanprediktera transaktionspriser och vice versa. Resultaten visar att marknadslikviditet i form avomsättningsandel i storstäder och regioner kan användas för att prognostisera utvecklingen avtransaktionspriser och därmed "leder" prisutvecklingen. Testresultaten, i kombination med enkorrelationsanalys som visade på en stark korrelation mellan priser och föregående årsomsättningsandelar, tyder på att det finns ett sekventiellt samband mellan variablerna. För landet som helhet och för landsbygden gav kausalitetstesterna inget signifikant resultat och hypotesen att inget kausalitetssamband existerar mellan likviditet och priser kunde därmed inte förkastas. En annan slutsats som drogs var att eftersom likviditet leder priserna kan information om omsättningsförändring användas för att prognostisera fastighetscykler på kort sikt.

Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit ist es, die Kritik an der Vorsatzanfechtung nach § 133 Abs. 1 InsO a.F. herauszuarbeiten und zu diskutieren. Zudem gibt die Arbeit einen Überblick über die Gesetzesreform vom 29.03.2017 (BGBl. I S. 654). Zunächst werden die Voraussetzungen der Vorsatzanfechtung dargestellt und die Auslegung dieser Voraussetzungen durch die Rechtsprechung anhand von Beispielen herausgearbeitet. Die Arbeit zeigt die Kritik an der dargestellten Rechtsprechung auf und setzt sich mit verschiedenen Lösungsansätzen und Argumentationssträngen der juristischen Lehre auseinander. Die Autorin entwickelt einen eigenen Ansatz, der an dem Vorsatzbegriff anknüpft und unterbreitet einen Vorschlag für eine Gesetzesänderung. Im Anschluss wird die Reform der Insolvenzanfechtung besprochen. Dabei fragt die Autorin kritisch, ob die Reform als Erfolg zu bewerten ist. / The aim of this paper is to elaborate and discuss the critique of the contestation of an intentional preference according to § 133 para. 1 InsO previous version. In addition, the work gives an overview of the legal reform dated 29.03.2017 (BGBl. I p. 654). First of all, the prerequisites for contesting an intentional preference are presented and the interpretation of the prerequisites by the jurisprudence is displayed on the basis of case law. The work illustrates the critique of the reviewed case law and discusses the different solutions and lines of reasoning presented in legal academia. Subsequently the author develops her own approach, which ties in with the concept of intent, and submits a proposal for an amendment of the law. Finally, the reform of the contestation of an intentional preference is discussed. The author critically evaluates whether the reform should be considered a success.

Deviations from arm’s length prices (prices charged between independent persons) charged between connected cross-border companies are corrected by primary transfer pricing adjustments, effected by the tax authorities of a country, resulting in secondary transactions classified as constructive loans, constructive dividends or constructive equity contributions. Tax could be imposed on the secondary transaction, giving rise to a secondary adjustment. For years of assessment commencing on 1 April 2012 secondary transactions, previously regarded as constructive dividends with Secondary Tax on Companies, were amended to be treated as constructive loans with interest adjustments. The primary research problem addressed by this literature study was to establish whether the constructive loan is the appropriate treatment of secondary transfer pricing transactions in the South African context and if not, whether the other alternatives suggested by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (“OECD”) guidelines should be considered. The OECD suggests that a transaction should be characterised in accordance with its substance. Determination of the subjective economic substance may be established by the motives of multinational groups for setting transfer prices. Multinational groups could have various motives for setting transfer prices that deviate from the arm’s length principle, influencing the economic substance of secondary transactions. In order to determine if the treatment of a secondary transaction, as a constructive loan, would be appropriate and reflect the economic substance of adjustments arising as a result of these motives, the characteristics of each alternative were analysed. The characteristics determined for each of the alternatives were then applied to the economic substance arising from a motive, to determine the appropriateness of each of the alternatives as a secondary transaction. Based on the motives for entering into these transactions, an analysis was performed. The findings led to the conclusion that in the case of the economic substance of transactions, which give rise to transfer pricing adjustments, a constructive dividend appears to be the appropriate treatment for a secondary transaction in most circumstances, as opposed to the constructive loan currently applied by South Africa. Constructive loans or constructive equity contributions may be reflective of the economic substance in exceptional circumstances. The study makes recommendations that South Africa should consider amending the current treatment of a secondary transaction as a constructive loan, to a constructive dividend. It was also recommended that overlapping criteria in the dividend definition be eliminated and that further research should be undertaken in order to determine how the exceptional circumstances for characterisation as a constructive loan or constructive equity contribution, should be provided for in the Income Tax Act (58 of 1962). / MCom (South African and International Taxation), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The central task in this study is to discover and analyse the legal framework applicable to input errors in electronic contracts. The study analyses the law of South Africa, the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 of 2002 (hereinafter referred to as the ECT Act) to be more specific, and the United Nations Convention on the Use of Electronic Communications in International Contracts (2005) (hereinafter referred to as the UNECIC). The ECT Act is the statute regulating electronic communications and transactions in South Africa. It was passed by the South African parliament in 2002. Almost all provisions of the ECT Act are based on the United Nations Model Law on Electronic Commerce (1996) .However, section 20 thereof, which deals with input errors, was not based on the Model law, but on provisions from statutes of leading jurisdictions.1 The UNECIC is a new international convention by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (hereinafter referred to as UNCITRAL). The Convention came into operation on the 1st of March 2013,2 and is the first United Nations convention that deals with electronic communications. Article 12 thereof deals with automated transactions, and section 14 with input errors. These are the two provisions that shall be analysed in relation to the UNECIC in this work. With the UNECIC having come into full operation, there is a real need to harmonise domestic laws with it. In various jurisdictions, including Singapore3 and Australia,4 the statutes governing electronic communications have been amended with some provisions of the UNECIC. Article 14 is one of the provisions of the UNECIC which have been domesticated in both jurisdictions. Judged against the UNECIC, a number of issues relating to input errors in the ECT Act are inconsistent with the new international standards embodied in the UNECIC. This work recommends that South Africa must adopt the UNECIC, and secondly that some of the provisions dealing with input errors in the ECT Act must be aligned with the UNECIC by amendment. / LLM (Import and Export Law), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Deviations from arm’s length prices (prices charged between independent persons) charged between connected cross-border companies are corrected by primary transfer pricing adjustments, effected by the tax authorities of a country, resulting in secondary transactions classified as constructive loans, constructive dividends or constructive equity contributions. Tax could be imposed on the secondary transaction, giving rise to a secondary adjustment. For years of assessment commencing on 1 April 2012 secondary transactions, previously regarded as constructive dividends with Secondary Tax on Companies, were amended to be treated as constructive loans with interest adjustments. The primary research problem addressed by this literature study was to establish whether the constructive loan is the appropriate treatment of secondary transfer pricing transactions in the South African context and if not, whether the other alternatives suggested by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (“OECD”) guidelines should be considered. The OECD suggests that a transaction should be characterised in accordance with its substance. Determination of the subjective economic substance may be established by the motives of multinational groups for setting transfer prices. Multinational groups could have various motives for setting transfer prices that deviate from the arm’s length principle, influencing the economic substance of secondary transactions. In order to determine if the treatment of a secondary transaction, as a constructive loan, would be appropriate and reflect the economic substance of adjustments arising as a result of these motives, the characteristics of each alternative were analysed. The characteristics determined for each of the alternatives were then applied to the economic substance arising from a motive, to determine the appropriateness of each of the alternatives as a secondary transaction. Based on the motives for entering into these transactions, an analysis was performed. The findings led to the conclusion that in the case of the economic substance of transactions, which give rise to transfer pricing adjustments, a constructive dividend appears to be the appropriate treatment for a secondary transaction in most circumstances, as opposed to the constructive loan currently applied by South Africa. Constructive loans or constructive equity contributions may be reflective of the economic substance in exceptional circumstances. The study makes recommendations that South Africa should consider amending the current treatment of a secondary transaction as a constructive loan, to a constructive dividend. It was also recommended that overlapping criteria in the dividend definition be eliminated and that further research should be undertaken in order to determine how the exceptional circumstances for characterisation as a constructive loan or constructive equity contribution, should be provided for in the Income Tax Act (58 of 1962). / MCom (South African and International Taxation), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014