1.
Angulo, Julio, 1980-
(author)
Usable privacy for digital transactions : Exploring the usability aspects of three privacy enhancing mechanisms
2012
Licentiate thesis (other academic/artistic) abstract
The amount of personal identifiable information that people distribute over different online services has grown rapidly and considerably over the last decades. This has led to increased probabilities for identity theft, profiling and linkability attacks, which can in turn not only result in a threat to people’s personal dignity, finances, and many other aspects of their lives, but also to societies in general. Methods and tools for securing people’s online activities and protecting their privacy on the Internet, so called Privacy Enhancing Technologies (PETs), are being designed and developed. However, these technologies are often seen by ordinary users as complicated and disruptive of their primary tasks. In this licentiate thesis, I investigate the usability aspects of three main privacy and security enhancing mechanisms. These mechanisms have the goal of helping and encouraging users to protect their privacy on the Internet as they engage in some of the steps necessary to complete a digital transaction. The three mechanisms, which have been investigated within the scope of different research projects, comprise of (1) graphical visualizations of service providers’ privacy policies and user-friendly management and matching of users’ privacy preferences “on the fly”, (2) methods for helping users create appropriate mental models of the data minimization property of anonymous credentials, and (3) employing touch-screen biometrics as a method to authenticate users into mobile devices and verify their identities during a digital transaction. Results from these investigations suggest that these mechanisms can make digital transactions privacy-friendly and secure while at the same time delivering convenience and usability for ordinary users.
2.
Ljung, Lennart, 1946-
(author)
Utveckling av en projektivitetsmodell : om organisationers förmåga att tillämpa projektarbetsformen
2003
Licentiate thesis (other academic/artistic) abstract
I dagens affärsdrivande organisationer genomförs projekt inte enbart för att skapa förändringar av organisation, arbetssätt eller infrastruktur. Marknadens rörlighet och kundspecifika krav på komplexa produkter, medför att projekt även genomförs inom den ordinarie operativa verksamheten för att hantera temporära, komplexa engångsuppgifter i form av både kundorder och produktutvecklingar. Projektarbetsformen kan öka engagemanget och samarbetet över organisationsgränserna, men det är vanligt att organisationer även upplever problem med projekten. En stor del av problemen kan antas bero på organisationens förmåga att tillämpa projektarbetsformen – organisationens projektivitet. Avhandlingens övergripande forskningsfråga lyder: Hur kan en organisations projektivitet beskrivas i en modell? Med utgångspunkt i Ericsson Infotechs projektivitetsmodell har syftet med forskningsarbetet varit att utveckla en ny projektivitetsmodell som skall kunna tillämpas vid fortsatt utveckling av en metod för projektivitetsanalys. En explorativ studie har genomförts i fem etapper, där valideringen av modellversioner varit ett viktigt inslag. Resultatet av arbetet är dels ett utvecklat projektbegrepp med en klar åtskillnad mellan projektuppgift och projektarbetsform, dels en multidimensionell projektivitetsmodell (MDP-modellen) med fyra dimensioner: projektfunktioner, triader, influerande faktorer samt organisatoriskt lärande. Avhandlingens resultat är avsett att ligga till grund för framtida forskning inom området, exempelvis fortsatt utveckling av en projektivitetsanalys eller organisatorisk lärande genom tillämpning av projektmodeller.
3.
Bellström, Peter
(author)
View Integration in Conceptual Database Design : Problems, Approaches and Solutions
2006
Licentiate thesis (other academic/artistic) abstract
View integration is a complex and time-consuming task because there are several problems that need to be addressed. Two such problems are conflict identification and conflict resolution. Conflicts occur because end users may define concepts on different levels of abstraction and because end users may name concepts differently. Therefore there is a need for methods that can cope with these problems when applying the chosen conceptual modeling language. The aim of this thesis is to develop a method for view integration in conceptual database design in which the dependencies of the Enterprise Modeling approach are applied. For this purpose four research studies have been conducted and each study is presented in one paper. In the first study the problem of semantic loss during view integration is addressed; in the second, the problems of identification and resolution of the homonym conflicts are addressed; in the third, the problem of how to define both databases and software components using Enterprise Modeling as a generic and integrated approach are addressed; and finally, in the fourth study, the problems of applying inference rules for conflict simplification or resolution and for interschema property simplification or resolution are addressed. These research studies together with the five introductory chapters contribute to answering the overall research question: In what way is view integration supported by applying the semantic dependencies of the Enterprise Modeling approach? In this thesis it is argued that using the dependencies of the Enterprise Modeling approach simplifies the view integration process and using the proposed resolution techniques for name conflicts reduces the possibility of semantic loss occurring.
4.
5.
Christiansson, Marie-Therese
(author)
Inter-organisatorisk verksamhetsutveckling : metoder som stöd vid utveckling av partnerskap och informationssystem
1998
Licentiate thesis (other academic/artistic) abstract
Dagens sätt att bedriva affärer sker allt mer i form av partnerskap. Kunder, leverantörer och partners fördelar aktiviteter och resurser mellan varandra i inter-organisatoriska (IO) affärsprocesser för att skapa vinna-vinna situationer och gemensamma konkurrensfördelar. Denna samverkan innebär bl a att koordinera aktiviteter, resurser och datautbyte mellan parter då affärsrelationer är beroende av att information, material och betalningar flödar på ett strukturerat sätt mellan parter. Informationsutbyte krävs för att tillgodose kunskapsbehov och stöd för personers handlingar. Att utforma inter-organisatoriska informationssystem (IOIS) innebär att utforma IS/IT-stöd för parter internt och i samverkan och möjliggöra nya sätt att bedriva affärer. Syftet med mina studier är att klargöra vad inter-organisatorisk verksamhetsutveckling (IOVU) kan innebära för att utveckla partnerskap och IOIS. Studier har bedrivits i form av gemensam kunskapsutvecking med konsultföretaget Frontec, litteraturstudier, metodanalyser och metodprövande aktionsforskning under en IO förändringsanalys som PartnerTech AB gemensamt bedrivit med en kund. En väsentlig del av arbetet har inneburit vidareutveckling och anpassning av metoder för IOVU. Metodutveckling har i första hand baserats på SIMMetoden och Frontec:s arbetsmetodik. Uppföljningsintervjuer har utförts med projektdeltagare för att lära av deras erfarenheter från metodtillämpning och projektets effekter på samverkan. Avhandlingen har resulterat i begreppsutveckling inom området, erfarenheter av metoder i användning och metodrekommendationer för att stödja IOVU. Synsätt och metodrekommendationer visar hur IOVU kan stödjas i form av projektstrategi, metodkomponenter och arbets-former för att utveckla partnerskap och IOIS. Denna licentiatavhandling är baserad på arbete inom forskningsprojektet VINST som bedrivitsmed ekonomiskt stöd från forskningsprogrammet "Samarbete och Teknik", NUTEK och Rådet för Arbetslivsforskning. Övrig finansiering med hjälp av Högskolan i Borås, Högskolan i Karlstad, Frontec och PartnerTech AB
6.
Flodström, Raquel, 1965-
(author)
A Framework for the Strategic Management of Information Technology
2006
Licentiate thesis (other academic/artistic) abstract
Strategy and IT research has been extensively discussed during the past 40 years. Two scientific disciplines Management Science (MS) and Management Information Science (MIS) investigate the importance of IT as a competitive factor. However, although much research is available in both disciplines, it is still difficult to explain how to manage IT to enable competitive advantages. One reason is that MS research focuses on strategies and competitive environments but avoids the analysis of IT. Another reason is that MIS research focuses on IT as a competitive factor but avoids the analysis of the competitive environment. Consequently, there is a gap of knowledge in the understanding of the strategic management of information technology (SMIT).The strategic analysis of IT as a competitive factor is important for achieving the competitive advantages of IT. This thesis explores factors related to strategy and IT that should be considered for the strategic analysis of IT as a competitive factor, and proposes a framework for SMIT. The research is conducted by means of a qualitative analysis of theoretical data from the disciplines of MS and MIS. Data is explored to find factors related to SMIT.The results of the analysis show that the strategic management of information technology is a continuous process of evaluation, change, and alignment between factors such as competitive environment, competitive strategies (business and IT strategies), competitive outcome, and competitive factors (IT). Therefore, the understanding of the relationships between these factors is essential in order to achieve the competitive advantages of using IT.This thesis contributes to strategic management research by clarifying the relationships between strategic management, competitive environment, and IT as competitive factor into a holistic framework for strategic analysis. The framework proposed is valuable not only for business managers and for IT managers, but also for academics. The framework is designed to understand the relationship between competitive elements during the process of strategic analysis prior to the formulation of competitive strategies. Moreover, it can also be used as a communication tool between managers, in order to achieve alignment among company strategies. To academics, this thesis presents the state-of-the-art related to strategic management research; it can also be a valuable reference for strategic managers, as well as researchers interested in the strategic management of IT.
7.
8.
Jakobsson, Lars
(author)
Component Based Software - Implications on the Development Process and Modeling Techniques
2004
Licentiate thesis (other academic/artistic) abstract
Component based software represents one of the new trends in the software development community. Although many years have passed since the concept of software components was first presented, it has not been a feasible approach until today. This is because of the added complexity which is a result of software component interconnectivity and multiplicity of life cycles in component based software systems.Ê To resolve the increased complexity, component based software needs a new approach in dealing with the development process as well as a new way of modeling the software.This thesis presents a step towards a new approach to the development process and the life cycle of component based software. Furthermore, empowerment of existing modeling techniques have been initiated through the incorporation of component based thinking in the modeling techniques presented in this thesis. Combining the Enterprise modeling technique with UML, results in a more powerful and comprehensive modeling than using the two modeling techniques separately.
9.
Johansson, Niklas
(author)
Self-Service Recovery : Towards a Framework for Studying Service Recovery in a Self-Service Technology Context from a Management and IT Perspective
2004
Licentiate thesis (other academic/artistic) abstract
The infusion of information technology (IT) into the service industry has been apparent in many respects. Positive aspects, such as greater flexibility, shorter lead-times and the improved use of resources, belong to the advantages gained by infusing IT into services. However, there are some negative aspects as well. Services, by their very nature, are seldom error free. This has not changed as a result of the infusion of IT. What has changed, however, is the role of the customer. Many of the services of today, which have been developed in close association with IT, do not offer customers the possibility to obtain face-to-face help from the service provider. One example is the software industry, where customers very often need to identify the failure, search for a solution and then apply it. And, most importantly, they do this unaided. This study describes the process that occurs when a customer solves a problem with an IT-based service when the service provider offers no human interaction. This process is labelled self-service recovery. This is achieved by developing a framework that describes self-service recovery from a management and IT perspective. The framework is developed on the basis of three research studies, plus additional literature studies. Niklas Johansson is a doctoral student at Karlstad University and member of the Swedish research school of Management and IT (MIT)
10.
Molin, Lennart
(author)
Multimediautveckling - konst eller teknik? Reflektioner kring produkt, process, kravarbete och kunskapsutbyte
2002
Licentiate thesis (other academic/artistic) abstract
Multimedia involves using a combination of text, sound, still graphic images, motion graphics, and animation in the user interface of computer based products. The general aim of the study has been to explore, describe and analyse the concept of multimedia in relation to the concept of information systems and thereby contribute with knowledge that could be used to improve the methods for multimedia development.The main research question has been: What are the distinguishing features of multimedia and how can multimedia be characterised from an information systems perspective? The thesis consists of four investigation areas: product, process, requirements work and knowledge exchange between developers of multimedia systems and developers of information systems. The work has been carried out with a qualitative and explorative approach where literature study and an interview survey have been the primary data collection methods.The investigation has shown that multimedia development demands co-operation between people from many different expertise areas who respect each others knowledge and share a holistic view. The development work requires creativity, rationality and a systematic approach. One difference between multimedia development and information systems development is that information system developers often clearly separate the problem-oriented analysis phase from the solution oriented design phase. This separation was not common among the studied multimedia developers. Another result was that quality in multimedia products is hard to describe and measure. The developers claim to have higher demands on quality than their clients have.The investigation further showed that detailed explicit requirements specifications seldom are produced in the studied companies. When they occur, it is often the vendor, not the client who produces the requirement specification. To specify requirements for multimedia products is complicated which seems to stem from the nature of multimedia which makes the products hard to describe using traditional means as text. Finally, the investigation showed a knowledge gap between vendor and client concerning the use of multimedia
