The study explored the effect of different factors affecting attitude formation towards Internet banking (online banking) in Finland. The purpose of this paper is to determine those factors that influence the formation of attitude towards Internet banking on the one hand, and their relation to the use of online banking services, on the other. To attain these, a large survey (1,167 responses) was carried out during the summer of 2000 in Finland. Attitude formation was studied by the use of a structural equation model. The results are expected to provide both theoretical and practical contributions in the area of electronic retail banking and understanding of consumer behaviour in the turbulent financial services industry.

Finland is a world leader in electronic banking, and over 39.8 percent of all retail banking transactions were made over the Internet in August 2000. Using the data of a large survey, we analyzed mature customers' Internet banking behavior. Internet banking was the third popular mode of payment among mature customers. Household income and education were found to have a significant effect on the adoption of the Internet as a banking channel, so that over 30 percent of wealthy and well-educated mature males make e-banking their primary mode of making payments. Perceived difficulty in using computers combined with the lack of personal service in e-banking were found to be the main barriers of Internet banking adoption among mature customers. Internet banking was also found to be more unsecured among mature customers than bank customers in general.

The increasing turbulence in the financial service industry sector since the mid-1990s has created a whole new delivery channel for banking: Internet banking. The purpose of this paper is to describe the current state of Internet banking in Finland and to study consumer perceptions, beliefs and reactions to electronic banking in general and Internet banking in particular. The results of this study indicate that bank managers can, by knowing the basic beliefs consumers hold about Internet banking, create more effective customer communication, improve software and target prospects better concerning Internet banking. There is wide agreement that Internet banking will on the one hand have a great impact on the whole bank market, and on the other hand will be considered the most important retail banking delivery channel in the near future. A total of 3,000 questionnaires was prepared and sent to MeritaNordbanken customers in Finland. Using a mailed questionnaire with a response rate of 38.9 per cent, it was found that 40 per cent of the Finnish consumers who responded to this survey were already using Internet banking services. The results of this study provide interesting additions to knowledge of electronic banking and consumer behaviour.

This paper discusses the generation of process waste in printed paper recycling and some factors affecting the amount of de‐inking waste. The effects on waste generation by paper grades, which are designed for improved recyclability, are pointed out. The amount of waste generated is considered as the improvement in recyclability. This corresponds to a reduction in the use of materials that cannot be recycled, which, in the case of paper means lowering their mineral content. Two scenarios of a dynamic model of the fluxes of printed paper in Germany between 1993 and 2000 are used to analyse the amount of waste generated. No product changes are assumed in the first scenario, whereas improved recyclability in the form of less non‐recyclable materials is presumed in the second scenario. Results show that improved product recyclability would produce around 800000 tonnes less waste annually by the year 2000.

No abstract