Cybercrime precursors: towards a model of offender resources

This thesis applies Ekblom and Tilley’s concept of offender resources to the study of criminal behaviour on the Internet. Offender predispositions are influenced by situational, that is the environmental incentives to commit crime. This thesis employs non-participation observation of online communities involved in activities linked to malicious forms of software. Actual online conversations are reproduced, providing rich ethnographic detail of activities that have taken place between 2008 and 2012 from eight discussion forums where malicious software and cases of hacking are openly discussed among actors. A purposeful sample of key frontline cybercrime responders (N=12) were interviewed about crimeware and their views of the activity observed in the discussion forums. Based on the empirical data, this thesis tests a number of criminological theories and assesses their relative compatibility with social interactions occurring in various online forum sites frequented by persons interested in the formation and use of malicious code. The thesis illustrates three conceptual frameworks of offender resources, based on different criminological theories. The first model ties ‘offender resources’ to the actual offender, suggesting that certain malicious software and its associated activities derive from the decisions, knowledge and abilities of the individual agent. The second model submits that ‘offender resources’ should be viewed more as a pathway leading to offending behaviour that must be instilled and then indoctrinated over a length of time through social interaction with other offenders. The third model emphasises the complex relationships that constitute or interconnect with ‘offender resources’ such as the nexus of relevant social groups and institutions in society. These include the Internet security industry, the law, and organised crime. Cybercrime is facilitated by crimeware, a specific type of computer software, and a focus on this element can help better understand how cybercrime evolves

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IN ROMANIA

The purpose of this paper is to identify the main opportunities and limitations of corporate social responsibility (CSR). The survey was defined with the aim to involve the highest possible number of relevant CSR topics and give the issue a more wholesome perspective. It provides a basis for further comprehension and deeper analyses of specific CSR areas. The conditions determining the success of CSR in Romania have been defined in the paper on the basis of the previously cumulative knowledge as well as the results of various researches. This paper provides knowledge which may be useful in the programs promoting CSR.Corporate social responsibility, Supportive policies, Romania

Factors Influencing Customer Satisfaction towards E-shopping in Malaysia

Online shopping or e-shopping has changed the world of business and quite a few people have decided to work with these features. What their primary concerns precisely and the responses from the globalisation are the competency of incorporation while doing their businesses. E-shopping has also increased substantially in Malaysia in recent years. The rapid increase in the e-commerce industry in Malaysia has created the demand to emphasize on how to increase customer satisfaction while operating in the e-retailing environment. It is very important that customers are satisfied with the website, or else, they would not return. Therefore, a crucial fact to look into is that companies must ensure that their customers are satisfied with their purchases that are really essential from the ecommerce’s point of view. With is in mind, this study aimed at investigating customer satisfaction towards e-shopping in Malaysia. A total of 400 questionnaires were distributed among students randomly selected from various public and private universities located within Klang valley area. Total 369 questionnaires were returned, out of which 341 questionnaires were found usable for further analysis. Finally, SEM was employed to test the hypotheses. This study found that customer satisfaction towards e-shopping in Malaysia is to a great extent influenced by ease of use, trust, design of the website, online security and e-service quality. Finally, recommendations and future study direction is provided. Keywords: E-shopping, Customer satisfaction, Trust, Online security, E-service quality, Malaysia