Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Information technology Social aspects Case studies'
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Forsyth, Rowena Public Health & Community Medicine Faculty of Medicine UNSW. "Tricky technology, troubled tribes: a video ethnographic study of the impact of information technology on health care professionals??? practices and relationships." Awarded by:University of New South Wales. School of Public Health and Community Medicine, 2006. http://handle.unsw.edu.au/1959.4/30175.
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Whilst technology use has always been a part of the practice of health care delivery, more recently, information technology has been applied to aspects of clinical work concerned with documentation. This thesis presents an analysis of the ways that two professional groups, one clinical and one ancillary, at a single hospital cooperatively engage in a work practice that has recently been computerised. It investigates the way that a clinical group???s approach to and actual use of the system creates problems for the ancillary group. It understands these problems to arise from the contrasting ways that the groups position their use of documentation technology in their local definitions of professional status. The data on which analysis of these practices is based includes 16 hours of video recordings of the work practices of the two groups as they engage with the technology in their local work settings as well as video recordings of a reflexive viewing session conducted with participants from the ancillary group. Also included in the analysis are observational field notes, interviews and documentary analysis. The analysis aimed to produce a set of themes grounded in the specifics of the data, and drew on TLSTranscription?? software for the management and classification of video data. This thesis seeks to contribute to three research fields: health informatics, sociology of professions and social science research methodology. In terms of health informatics, this thesis argues for the necessity for health care information technology design to understand and incorporate the work practices of all professional groups who will be involved in using the technology system or whose work will be affected by its introduction. In terms of the sociology of professions, this thesis finds doctors and scientists to belong to two distinct occupational communities that each utilise documentation technology to different extents in their displays of professional competence. Thirdly, in terms of social science research methodology, this thesis speculates about the possibility for viewing the engagement of the groups with the research process as indicative of their reactions to future sources of outside perturbance to their work.
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Baduza, Gugulethu Qhawekazi. "A needs-ICTD strategy alignment framework foundation for the measurement of ICTD impact." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011116.
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Many Information and Communication Technologies for Development (ICTD) projects are established with the overall aim of positively developing the communities they are implemented in. However, the solutions that are provided are often commonly developed without the needs of these communities being sufficiently investigated beforehand. As a result the ICTD strategy of the project ends up not well aligned with the aims and targets of the needs of the community. As a result of this, an appropriate programme theory for the project and relevant impact indicators fail to be adequately developed. Consequently, when an impact assessment is conducted it is often found that the intended effects are not directly linked to the needs of the community or what the community had hoped to gain from the ICTD initiative. The purpose of this research serves to develop a needs-ICTD strategy alignment foundation that supports the identification and formulation of impact assessment indicators. Through this research, a framework is developed to support the alignment of ICTD strategy, the development and the promotion of contextual needs of rural communities and other frequently marginalized areas. The Needs-ICTD strategy alignment framework is composed of eight main components that describe the process that can be used to align ICTD strategy with community needs. These components include: collaboration between the internal and external stakeholders, the development of the community, conducting baseline studies, the needs assessment, the ICTD strategy, linking of the needs-ICTD strategy, and lastly the identification of impact indicators. An interpretive research approach is used to explore and inform the framework through a multi-case study investigation of the Siyakhula Living Lab and two projects in the Systems Application Products (SAP) Living Lab. Two main case study questions drive the exploration of the framework, that being: 1) How are the needs of the community elicited and how is the ICTD strategy aligned to the needs of the community? 2) And, why were the selected approaches chosen for aligning the needs of the community and ICTD strategy? Data for this research was collected qualitatively through interviews, document analysis and participant observation. Key findings indicate that the involvement of internal (local) stakeholders in the development and alignment of ICTD strategy to the needs of the community is still lacking. As a consequence, many community members end up not fully understanding the project objectives and how these objectives aims are to be achieved. The research also finds that ‘solution specific’ projects also fail communities as they focus specifically on one target group and repeatedly fail to assist the community holistically in supporting their information and their community development needs.
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Mortehan, Olivier. "Etude des aspects stratégiques du processus de formation d'accords de collaboration chez les grands constructeurs informatiques." Doctoral thesis, Universite Libre de Bruxelles, 2003. http://hdl.handle.net/2013/ULB-DIPOT:oai:dipot.ulb.ac.be:2013/211301.
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Cette recherche a eu pour but principal de montrer, à travers l’exemple de l’industrie informatique dans les années 90, que la stratégie de partenariat est aujourd’hui devenue un outil essentiel pour permettre aux entreprises à la tête d’une industrie à forte innovation technologique, confrontée à des changements structurels importants, et en particulier à la désintégration menant au leadership technologique partagé, de maintenir leur position dominante.
Les quatre parties du travail constituent une suite logique d’étapes contribuant chacune à valider la thèse: la partie I porte sur la synthèse des principaux courants de la littérature scientifique sur les accords de collaboration et leur relation avec l’évolution des industries. Le but poursuivi dans la partie II est de décrire les changements intervenus dans l’industrie informatique au cours des années 90 et de formuler l’hypothèse d’une relation entre ces changements et la stratégie des firmes dans le domaine des accords de collaboration. Cette hypothèse est vérifiée empiriquement dans les parties III et IV à l’aide d’une banque de données sur les accords de collaboration. La partie III du travail présente les résultats descriptifs et la partie IV les résultats analytiques permettant de valider l’hypothèse.
Doctorat en sciences de gestion
info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished
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Wyche, Susan Porter. "Investigating religion and computing: a case for using standpoint theory in technology evaluation studies." Diss., Georgia Institute of Technology, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/1853/37317.
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This research focuses on the development and study of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) that support religious practices and the use of standpoint theory in ICT evaluation studies. Three phases makeup this work: formative studies to understand how megachurches, their members and leaders use ICT in ways tied to their Protestant Christian faith and the design of a technology probe, a photo sharing website named ChurchShare. The final and most significant phase is the evaluation of this probe in two churches.
I deployed ChurchShare in a Christian church comprised of U.S. born individuals and argue this initial deployment took place with â ideal users,â or those I intended to use the application and who represent the traditional targets of HCC (Human-Centered Computing) research. More than 200 photos were uploaded to ChurchShare and findings suggest that the technology probe was successfully integrated into the churchâ s worship services. Standpoint theory guided the second deployment study that was conducted with individuals who are marginalized in HCC researchâ "Kenyan immigrants. Participants rejected ChurchShare and zero pictures were uploaded to the website. I compare findings from both deployments and conclude that conducting ICT evaluation studies with marginalized users leads to more objective findings than conducting such studies with ideal users. I end with a discussion describing how standpoint theory can be incorporated into HCC, focusing on how this approach offers a practical way for researchers to uncover value differences between themselves and the people who interact with their work.
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Pinnock, William Jacob Amadeus. ""Your information station": A Case study of rural radio in the 21st century." PDXScholar, 2014. https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds/2115.
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The study examined how the introduction of high-speed internet into a rural community affected audience members' use of their local radio station. A qualitative case study was guided by uses and gratifications and niche theory. The author conducted interviews with KMMR FM audience members in Malta, Montana, to investigate how the introduction of high-speed internet impacted listener habits. Twenty participants who either listened to or produced content for KMMR FM were interviewed. The author performed a thematic analysis of different uses for the radio guided by typologies created by Rubin (1983), Palmgreen and Rayburn (1979), and Katz, Haas, and Gurevitch (1973). The results showed the internet and the radio gratify different needs for audience members: radio was used the most for local information and the internet for more specialized needs that could not be met by the radio. The findings also showed that the radio is important in fostering a sense of social cohesion within the community
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Rafea, Ahmed Mohammed. "Power, curriculum making and actor-network theory : the case of physics, technology and society curriculum in Bahrain." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1999. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk1/tape7/PQDD_0016/NQ46407.pdf.
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Konta, Kaori. "Computer-mediated communication as the paradigm: Resistance to technology and the new style of human communication." CSUSB ScholarWorks, 1997. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/1481.
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Sedumedi, Boitshoko Kaelo. "Organisational and industrial practice in the steel industry : a sociology of science study." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/50053.
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Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2004.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The study investigated the nature of a steel production process in South Africa. The Iron and Steel Corporation of South Africa (Iscor) was analysed within various theoretical approaches within the sociology of science and technology. Iscor follows the production processes that are based on a particular paradigm practiced throughout the world by steel-making organisations. The study aims to unlock this paradigm by using specific theoretical (ANT, SCOT and SSR) and disciplinary (MOT) approaches. Each approach provides a unique analytical dimension to the study: the influence of various human and non-human actors, the influence of social pressures, the historical evolution of the current practices and the management of risk. The study explores how Iscor adheres to mainstream scientific work. Hence there is a focus on endogeneous approaches - "processes of technological change and their outcomes are part of what has to be explained and understood" (Rip et ai, 1995). It is also noted that the technologies are derived from practical experiences and processes of scientific research. There is an ongoing attempt to formulate an understanding between technical and social content of steel-making processes because automated plant machinery continue to replace manual labour. Finally, the study investigates how dominant steel-making technologies within lscor's Vanderbijlpark (VP) and Saldanah Bay (SB) plants have evolved to achieve a position of stability.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die studie het oorsake van die staal produksie proses in Suid Afrika geondersoek. Die Yster en Staal Korperasie van Suid Afrika (Yskor) was geanaliseer binne die verskillende teoretiese benaderings in die sosiologie van wetenskap en tegnologie. Yskor volg 'n produksie wat gebaseer is op 'n spesifieke paradigm wat deur alle staal vervaardigde organisasie wereld wyd gepraktiseer word. Die studie beoog om hierdie paradigm te ontbloot, deur spesifieke teoretiese (ANT, SCOT and SSR) en disiplinere (MOT) benaderings te gebruik. Elk van hierdie benaderings sal 'n unieke analiese demensie voortbring aan die studie: die invloed van verskillende menslike en nie-menslike aspekte, die invloed van sosiale druk, die geskiedkundige evolusie van die huidige praktyke en die bestuur van risikos. Die studie ondersoek hoe Yskor riglyne volg in die wetenskaplike veld. AI te mits is daar 'n mikpunt op endogeniese benadering - "tegnologiese prosese verandering en die resultate wat deel vorm van hoe die proses verduidelik word en verstandbaar moet wees" (Rip et al, 1995). Dis is dus duidelik dat die tegnologie verkry word deur praktiese ondervinding en wetenskappe navorsing prosese. Daar is voortdurend pogings om die verwantskap tussen tegniese en die sosiale inhoud van die staal vervaardigings prosese te formuleer, deurdat auto-matiese mashienerie all deurgans oorneem van werkers. Laastens die studie ondersoek hoe die dominante staal vervaardigde tegnologie binne in Yskor Vanderbijlpark (VP) en Saldanha Baai (SB) verander het om 'n stabiele stands poort te verkry.
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Malenkovich, Ilona Yurivna. "Grief Lives Online: An Empirical Study of Kübler-Ross' Categories of Bereavement on MySpace Profiles." PDXScholar, 2013. https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds/1441.
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With the widespread use of the Internet, grief has been extended in its representation. Specifically, social networking sites, like MySpace, have turned grief presentation from private expressions into public displays of mourning. This study utilizes the theoretical foundations of the grief presentation process of Kübler-Ross' (1969) five categories of bereavement (denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance) to determine whether the grief presentation process is present in an online setting. In this study, the researcher conducted an empirical investigation of 4,931 comments, resulting in 22,263 bereavement themes outlined by Kübler-Ross, which were condensed into 2,288 time-point comparisons posted to 140 MySpace profiles of users who have passed-on. Results revealed noteworthy practices surrounding grief presentation on the MySpace profiles of the deceased. Specifically, bereaved commenters post a significantly greater number of bereavement narratives in the first three months post-mortem as opposed to months four through six. Additionally, race and sex of the deceased, as well as sex of the bereaved, did not prove to be mitigating factors in online grief presentation. Moreover, across observed races and sexes, the bereavement category of acceptance was found most often, followed by depression, denial, anger, and bargaining. Findings suggest that post-mortem commenting behavior blends current memorializing practices while also extending the space for communication and grief presentation. Additional implications for understanding grief communication on MySpace and future directions for research conclude this study.
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Scott, Joshua. "An analysis of coordination, communication and collaboration of information in the warehouse. : A case for RFID and Wireless sensor technology." Thesis, Karlstads universitet, Handelshögskolan (from 2013), 2018. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kau:diva-68381.
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The cost of packets or pallets handling at the studied freight company has increased considerable through the years due to increase in online shopping. As a result of this, the company has tried different methods of processing packets and pallets at the warehouse without effective result. The primary aim of the study is to analyze communication and collaboration of information in the warehouse and come up with a possible improvement suggestion to the multinational freight company. The result from the analysis shows the weak points in information sharing between different areas of warehouse operations of the multinational freight company. The outcome of the study recommends use of information technology such as Radio Frequency Identification and Wireless Sensor Network. The recommendation will allow extension of information sharing to all processes involved in packets or pallets handling at the warehouse.
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Simbi, Nadia, and Koukouvinou Panagiota. "Managing Open Digital Technology in the Cluster Environment : A case study of the Cluster of Forest Technology." Thesis, Umeå universitet, Institutionen för informatik, 2019. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-160771.
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The role of open innovation is becoming increasingly important for organizational competitiveness, while digital technologies provide new opportunities for organizational innovativeness. Regardless of domain and industry, digital technologies have reshaped structure, business logic and organizational dynamics. In that spirit, the forestry industry moves from the traditional model to the open paradigm, embracing the significance of purposive external exploration and internal exploitation of knowledge and technologies. Although the importance of digital technologies has been highlighted by academia, their enabling role in the open innovation process is insufficiently explored. Moreover, little research showcases the systematic way to organize for open innovation in the digital world. This process towards openness creates new opportunities as well as challenges. In order to investigate these emerging challenges and opportunities for open innovation in a digital world, we conducted a qualitative exploratory case study in the Cluster of Forest Technology in northern Sweden. Our results illustrate that challenges such as trust, power asymmetries, knowledge flow and coopetitive activities need to be managed. This study contributes to the existing literature by providing a way to address these challenges, seize more opportunities and bridge the gap between open innovation and digital technologies.
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Martell, Richard. "The participatory design of an ecosystem approach to monitoring in support of sense-making: What's the Point?" Thesis, University of Waterloo, 1999. http://hdl.handle.net/10012/1005.
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Environmental monitoring initiatives are typically conceived as strictly scientific affairs designed to provide support for managerial decision-making; as a consequence most initiatives are centered on a formal mandate or an overarching mission statement that provides direction for monitoring activity. But official frameworks tend to marginalize lay perspectives as experts pursue disciplinary rigor at the expense of public input, a situation not in keeping with the spirit of the biosphere reserve concept. This thesis argues that an alternative design approach that reaches beyond scientists and resource managers is necessary. Environmental monitoring under an ecosystem approach is subject to scientific, social, and bureaucratic demands that defy easy disentanglement. A medley of factors influence how data are collected, interpreted, and used; neglect of these 'soft' dimensions runs the risk of failing to win the enduring support of stakeholders. There is a need to coordinate activity and to partially align multiple perspectives-this is the 'soft underbelly' of integrated monitoring that gets short shrift in most designs. While there is much monitoring being done in and around the Long Point World Biosphere Reserve, there is little coordination among monitoring groups and no obvious way to combine disparate data sets in a meaningful way. This thesis describes the elements of a locally-sensible framework for monitoring practice that is mainly concerned with trying to make sense of confusing and ambiguous situations; it strives to integrate the 'why', 'what', and 'how' of monitoring in as transparent a manner as possible by crafting 'boundary objects' that help to congeal understanding and provide centers of coordination. Using principles of participatory design in the soft-systems tradition, the overall intent is to primarily support sense-making, not decision-making; to generate searching questions, not final solutions; to facilitate learning, not control.
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黃恩平 and Yan-ping Agnes Wong. "The geography of Internet production and consumption in the Asia-Pacific." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2002. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B35319999.
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Costa, Karla Patrícia Gomes. "Articulação de tecnologias de informação e comunicação - TIC, no ensino de biologia para estudo interdisciplinar de uma área urbana: ilha dos Valadares-PR." Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná, 2015. http://repositorio.utfpr.edu.br/jspui/handle/1/1354.
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Acompanha: Articulação de tecnologias de informação e comunicação, TIC, no ensino de biologia para estudo interdisciplinar de uma área urbana: ilha dos Valadares-PRAs transformações sociais e tecnológicas contemporâneas fizeram emergir a necessidade por mudanças significativas no sistema educacional, citam-se: a análise do perfil dos sujeitos, estrutura e enfoque curricular, expectativas de aprendizagem, formação inicial e continuada dos docentes, inserção de Tecnologiasde Informação e Comunicação - TIC no planejamento e na prática pedagógica, abordagens metodológicas ativas, interdisciplinares e contextualizadas. A partir desse contexto, a pesquisa desenvolvida propôs a análise do potencial interdisciplinar e contextualizador das TIC, representadas pela Internet e pelo software Google Earth® no ensino de Biologia com ênfase ao estudo multitemático de uma área urbana. Contemplou uma amostra de 11 estudantes cursistas do 3o ano do Ensino Médio de uma instituição da rede privada de ensino do município de Paranaguá-PR, na qual a pesquisadora é regente. A área de estudo foi a Ilha dos Valadares, localizada no mesmo município e sua seleção ocorreu porque a mesma apresenta aspectos propícios ao desenvolvimento da proposta, tais como: localização, peculiaridades do processo de ocupação antrópica, densidade demográfica, pressão sobre ecossistemas vulneráveis e especificidades do contexto social, ambiental e cultural. O referencial teórico que subsidiou essa dissertação está vinculado à interdisciplinaridade e contextualização sócio-histórica, aliando-os a adequações metodológicas com o uso de TIC, através da análise do software Google Earth® e do site Laifi segundo critérios pedagógicos e ergonômicos.A estratégia de metodologia utilizada neste trabalho foi o estudo de caso, por ter um objeto de pesquisa definido, e a pesquisa-ação, uma vez que lança aos estudantes o desafio de usar as tecnologias já referidas para traçar um perfil abrangente da área estudada. Os instrumentos de coleta de dados aplicados foram: questionários diagnóstico e avaliativo, construção de um arquivo de registro para os trabalhos dos estudantes com o software, observação participante e focus group que permearam os eventos de aprendizagem ofertados durante o trabalho: seminário sobre sensoriamento remoto, apresentação inicial da área de estudo, oficina com o software Google Earth®, saída de campo pela baía de Paranaguá, pesquisa bibliográfica e socialização dos resultados em uma rede social denominada Laifi e um mural para atender a comunidade escolar.Observou-se que a maioria dos estudantes não possuía conhecimentos a respeito da área, mas seu interesse foi crescente durante o desenvolvimento dos trabalhos, trazendo sugestões para discussão e explorando outras áreas do conhecimento, demonstrando o potencial interdisciplinar e contextualizador das TIC utilizadas. Também foi possível identificar o desenvolvimento de competências e habilidades dos estudantes durante o trabalho. São produtos da pesquisa: uma sequência didática, postagem no Laifi na categoria educação e cultura e um tutorial para o uso do software que pode ser adaptado pelos professores de acordo com área pretendida.
Contemporary social and technological changes have made emerge the need for significant changes in the education system, we can mention the analysis of the personal characteristics, structure and curriculum focus, learning expectations, initial and continuing training of teachers, Information Technologies and insertion Communication - ICT in planning and teaching practice, active methodological approaches, interdisciplinary and contextualized. From this context, the research developed proposed the analysis of the interdisciplinary potential and contextualizing of ICT, represented by the Internet and Google Earth® software in teaching biology with emphasis on multi-theme study of an urban area. Included a sample of 11 course participants of the 3rd year students of the High School of an institution of private schools in the city of Paranaguá, in which the researcher is regent. The study area was that of Valadares Island, located in the same municipality and their selection was because it presents favorable aspects to the development of the proposal, such as location, peculiarities of human occupation process, population density, pressure on vulnerable ecosystems and specificities the social, environmental and cultural context. The theoretical framework that supported this thesis is linked to interdisciplinary and socio-historical context, combining them to methodological adjustments with the use of ICT by analyzing Google Earth® software and site Laifi second pedagogical and ergonomic criteria. The methodology strategy used was the case study, to have a defined research object, and action research, once it launches to students the challenge of using the technologies mentioned above to chart a comprehensive profile of the studied area. The applied data collection instruments were: diagnosis and evaluation questionnaires, building a log file to the work of the students with the software, participant observation and focus group that permeated the learning events offered at work: seminar on remote sensing, initial presentation of the study area, workshop with Google Earth® software, field trip across the bay of Paranaguá, literature and socialization of results in a social network called Laifi and a wall to meet the school community. It was observed that most students had no knowledge about the area, but his interest was increasing during the development of the work, bringing suggestions for discussion and exploring other areas of knowledge, demonstrating the interdisciplinary potential and contextualizing of ICT used. It was also possible to identify the development of skills and abilities of students at work. Are research products: a didactic sequence, posting Laifi in the category education and culture and a tutorial for using the software that can be adapted by teachers according to desired area.
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Mahundu, Fabian G. "E-governance in the public sector : a case study of the central admission system in Tanzania." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1020845.
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This thesis sets out to answer the following central research question: what are the influences, challenges, benefits and costs of the Central Admission System (CAS) as an e-Governance initiative in improving undergraduates’ admissions service delivery and quality assurance in Tanzania’s higher education institutions?’ In answering this key question, three sub-questions were explored: (1) To what extent and in what ways does the implementation of the CAS influence the organisation of admissions work and workplace relations in higher education institutions? (2) What are the sociotechnical challenges of implementing the CAS? (3) What are the advantages of the CAS in improving admissions service delivery and quality assurance in higher education institutions? The sociotechnical theoretical framework is an ideal for exploring these issues as it accommodates the understanding of dual relationship between social and technological aspects of the CAS in line with the contextual issues in its implementation. The focus of the thesis is on Tanzania’s higher education institutions where the CAS is being implemented. The study is informed by data collected through interviews and documentary analysis. Data organization and analysis was done using NVivo 10 QSR software. The study demonstrates that, notwithstanding the fast development and uptake of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), the implementation of the CAS in Tanzania is hampered by the fact that most of the end-users of CAS (particularly applicants) have relatively low access to the ICT infrastructure. Several factors continue to have a significant effect on the implementation of CAS, which in turn lead to implications for the uptake of improved admissions service delivery and quality assurance. A digital divide, resistance to change by some higher education institutions (HEIs), poor ICT skills among applicants, the costs of internet services, unreliable electricity supply, and inadequate IT experts continue to frustrate the objective of improved admissions service delivery and quality assurance. As a technological innovation in the workplace, the CAS has led to a restructuring of admissions work tasks among admissions officers, a need to review job descriptions, introduced tighter controls over admission work processes, and has shaped admission workers’ professional identities and self-presentations.
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Kazeem, Ganiat Omolara. "Technology In Policing : An ethnographic study of the use of information and communication technology within Bedfordshire police force." Thesis, Linnéuniversitetet, Institutionen för informatik (IK), 2018. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:lnu:diva-76419.
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Policing in The United Kingdom is an intricate business, balancing the enforcement of statute and other laws while dealing with public safety and security. Policing engages a diverse and complicated set of organisational structures and processes relying heavily on the skill and expertise of officers on the ground. Their role in preventing and or intercepting crime before, during and after it occurs is integral to sustaining peace, security, law and order in communities. The police operational and logistics staff work day to day with information and communication technologies, ranging from conventional databases and information systems to ubiquitous and specialised tools. Understanding the use of technology and its management in policing has formed the backbone of this research conducted through a qualitative approach. This study adopted an interpretive paradigmic analytical lens using ethnography situated in the workplace as a methodology. The qualitative study took the form of field immersion for nine months using interviewing, and shadowing/observation to suit the complexity of the socio-technical context. Analysis was conducted using thematic analytical methods. Understanding how the police force interact with and shape the way that information and communication technologies enable them to fight crime is, then, the subject of this thesis. The findings highlighted the complexities and intricacies involved in the use of technology, identifying unique differentiations in the way technology is engaged and integrated into policing including comparative understanding relative to other sectors and industries. On the whole the central features of this work highlight understanding of the role information and communication technologies; usefulness, usage in practice and operational activity, strategic business goals, knowledge management, business intelligence and intelligence led architecture, governance and performance models in policing the county of Bedfordshire, England.
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陳嘉詠 and Ka-wing Chan. "A GIS approach to spatial analysis of crime in urban areas: a case study of Mongkok, Hong Kong." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2003. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B26650836.
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Barnett, Karen Rae. "Transformation of communication practices : a case study of older adults' participation in the information society." Thesis, Queensland University of Technology, 2002.
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The info1mation society marks a shift from the dominance of the industrial to the rise of the "informational" (Castells, 1996, p. 21 ). The effects of this shift on social arrangements generally have been greeted in diverse ways, ranging from the enthusiasm of Negroponte (1995) to the more cautious scepticism of Postman (1992). While recognised as an inevitable and ongoing process, the wider social imperatives for change have brought people and technology together in ways that are often highly problematic. Older people, as one group among others identified as experiencing the disadvantage in the information society, face challenges of adaptation to a new form of literacy and communicative practice. A large body of research is developing to investigate the needs of older people in the new information society, yet little of this
focuses on the full complexity of relationships that exist between the wider institution of communication technologies and the management of these changes in everyday places.
Everyday, mundane activities of older people, as they interface with the discourses and practices of the information society, are, therefore, prioritised in this qualitative study. A purposively structured case study applies Bourdieu's concepts of field and habitus (Bourdieu, 1990) in an ethnomethodological investigation. Levels of social phenomena representative of the field in the context of older people's experiences are assembled in the case study. Qualitative methods of data collection bring three
elements of the field together. Firstly, discourses of the digital divide set the contextual scene for examining persuasions towards computer literacy for older people. Then observations in settings for older learners provide information about building computer competencies. In addition, interviews with geographically dispersed older people allow a range of users, from novices to experts, to contribute to the study. Data analysis based on the dramaturgical perspective of Goffman (1973a, 1973b) and the grammar of motives advocated by Burke (1969a) produce an
interpretive ethnography in which older people's strategies and motives are revealed. The thesis finds that within the full set of relationships in the field of older people's
use of ICT, a complex network of influences operates as discursive and interactive strategies. Motives implied in discourses of the digital divide direct attention towards
the field of ICT and the settings of older people's active engagement with information and communication technologies. Within such settings a range of dispositions towards
technology become obvious. These dispositions are critically important to the ways in which technology is integrated into everyday practices of individuals. In a field of opportunities and constraints computer technology is involved in creating particular communities of interest. Practices with technology promote self-esteem, secure
networks of friendship, and connect the person within the home to the world beyond in real and virtual ways. The case study effectively describes the field of older people's
engagement with computer technology as a microcosm of strategic everyday practices, a contingent set of experiences that enjoin older people with the process of change to an information society.
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Bolson, Camille Rossato. "Tecnologia social e inclusão social: um estudo de caso da Cooperativa Catamare." Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná, 2015. http://repositorio.utfpr.edu.br/jspui/handle/1/1323.
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Esta pesquisa apresenta como tema central as tecnologias sociais e a inclusão social. Seu objetivo geral é a análise das potencialidades e limitações da cooperativa CATAMARE como alternativa para o desenvolvimento de tecnologias sociais e de promoção da inclusão social. Para tanto, tornaram-se objetivos específicos do estudo a análise da cooperativa no que diz respeito ao seu processo produtivo e organizacional, bem como a condição socioeconômica e ambiental dos cooperados a partir da constituição da CATAMARE. Para alcançar os objetivos propostos pela pesquisa deste trabalho, a metodologia utilizada foi estudo de caso, com abordagem qualitativa, sustentada pelo uso de questionários estruturados, entrevistas semiestruturadas e observação participante. A pesquisa se desenvolveu em três fases: a primeira foi exploratória, a segunda fase foi descritiva; já a terceira fase foi analítica uma vez que se interpretaram e analisaram as respostas obtidas nas entrevistas de forma integrada as informações obtidas através da observação participante. A relevância dessa iniciativa encontra-se na possibilidade de expandir o entendimento sobre os processos de desenvolvimento de tecnologias sociais bem como a conjuntura institucional que se desenvolve a partir dessas experiências. Entre os resultados obtidos foi constatado que, embora a adesão a cooperativa tenha melhorado a condição social, econômica e política dos cooperados, ainda há limites estruturais da cadeia produtiva da reciclagem e características organizacionais do empreendimento que dificultam avanços para o desenvolvimento de tecnologias sociais e para a inclusão social dos catadores da CATAMARE.This research has as a central theme the social technologies and social inclusion. Its overall objective was to analyze the potential and limitations of Cooperative CATAMARE as an alternative to the development of social technologies and to promote social inclusion. Become specific objectives of the study an analysis of the productive and organizational process and the socio economic and environmental condition of the cooperatives. To achieve the objectives proposed by the research, the methodology used was a case study with a qualitative approach supported by structured questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and participant observation. The research was developed in three phases: the first one was exploratory, the second phase was descriptive, and the third phase was analytic, since the responses obtained from the interviews will be interpreted and analyzed in an integrated manner to the information obtained in non-participant observation. The relevance of this initiative is the possibility of expanding the understanding of the processes of development of social technologies and the institutional environment that develops from these experiences. Among the results it was found that, although membership of the cooperative has improved the social, economic and political condition of members, there are still structural limits of the production chain of recycling and organizational development that hampering progress towards the development of social technologies and the social inclusion of the waste pickers from CATAMARE.
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Letsoalo, Maredi Bernard. "Rankings of science and technology related global problems : a comparison of gender differences among school pupils in the Northern and Western Cape Provinces." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 1996. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/17498.
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Bibliography: pages 83-106.In 1984 Bybee used 262 science educators from 41 countries to develop an instrument for measuring their ranked priorities of science and technology related global problems. In 1995 the original Bybee scale was updated and clarified, and a new 15-item-version, the Le Grange Global Priorities Instrument (LGPI), was piloted, refined and validated. The new Le Grange Global Priorities Instrument (LGPI) was administered to 421 North Sotho, 433 urban Xhosa and 348 suburban Coloured high school pupils in the Northern Province and Western Cape Province respectively. The study is an enlargement of the work of Bybee and Mau (1986); Bybee and Najafi (1986); Ndodana, Rochford and Fraser (1994); and Le Grange, Rochford and Sass (1995) and it is to date the first one of its kind to be extended to school pupils. Data was collected during a seven month period from January to July 1995 as part of the normal class schedule, with the help of science teachers and school principals. The data gathered were analysed with the Statgraphics package available in the standard computer. More than 96 percent of the data gathered were used for this analysis.
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Matti, Sara. "Communication – the road to innovation : A qualitative case study of a municipality's use of social media for innovation." Thesis, Umeå universitet, Institutionen för informatik, 2017. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-136378.
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Social media for innovation have been used by organizations all over the world to involve users in the innovation process. However, it has not been studied to a great extent within the public sector. The public sector context is different from other organization and focus on innovation to improve citizens’ service. This study aims to investigate how the public sector uses social media for innovation purposes, by conducting semi-structured interviews with employees at a municipality. The study showed that the public sectors adoptions of social media in their innovation process are sporadically applied. It showed that they do involve users in innovation, but mainly through face-to-face meetings. Communication is the common denominator in both the innovation procedures and the social media usage within the public sector. In conclusion, communication can be the road to innovation for the public sector.
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Rosenberg, Lauren. "Exploring the idea of the creative class in an African city : a case study of ICT professionals in Nairobi." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/80081.
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Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2013.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study is an exploration of Richard Florida’s Creative Class theory within an African city context. The economic value of the Creative Class is that their work revolves around innovation, a quality seen as essential to ‘new economy’ urban growth. Quality of place (that which makes ‘New York, New York’) is said to attract the Creative Class to certain cities, as lifestyle amenities are valued as much as employment opportunities. Nairobi is an example of an African city currently attracting both Kenyan and expatriate Creative Class workers, particularly in the information and communication technology (ICT) sector. The research aimed to understand why this group chose to live in Nairobi and to describe Nairobi’s quality of place, with a particular focus on infrastructure disruption. Overall, the Western city is the reference point for Creative Class literature and quality of place is embedded within a framework of urbanisation through industrialisation - a period known as the first urbanisation wave. The fastest growing cities on the African continent (Nairobi included) are part of the second urbanisation wave, an urbanisation process spurred by a set of vastly different dynamics in which industrialisation is virtually inconsequential. Urbanisation through industrialisation induced concomitant investments into infrastructure and thus it is unsurprising that the Creative Class literature assumes that urban infrastructure is ‘always on’ – available at all times as an inherent attribute of place. The point of the study was not to draw modernist comparisons, but rather to emphasise that notions of quality of place are incomplete given the rise of technological innovation in urban Africa, where cities often suffer from disruption of basic infrastructure. Until more recently, African cities did not feature in the Creative Class literature; the predominantly rural focus of ICT diffusion in the literature is a contributing factor to the lack of information on the Creative Class in African cities. The case study revealed that Nairobi’s quality of place is fundamentally different to normative prescriptions given to urban planners and, in some instances, is highly frustrating and unattractive. Contrary to Florida’s theory, those interviewed were not leaving Nairobi in search of cities with higher quality of place attributes or better infrastructure provision – individuals were rooted to the city because of their work and the professional networks with which they were associated.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie is ‘n verkenning van Richard Florida se teorie van Kreatiewe Klas binne die konteks van ‘n Afrika-stad. Die ekonomiese waarde van die Kreatiewe Klas is dat hul werk rondom innovasie draai, wat as noodsaaklik beskou word vir die stedelike groei van die “nuwe ekonomie”. Plekkwaliteit (dit wat ‘New York, New York’ maak) lok luidens Florida se teorie die Kreatiewe Klas na sekere stede, aangesien hulle leefstylgeriewe net so hoog soos werksgeleenthede op die prys stel. Nairobi is ‘n voorbeeld van ‘n Afrika-stad wat tans beide Keniaanse en buitelandse werkers van die Kreatiewe Klas lok, veral na die plaaslike Informasie- en Kommunikasietegnologiesektor (IKT-sektor). Die navorsing het gepoog om te verstaan waarom hierdie groep gekies het om in Nairobi te woon asook om Nairobi se plekkwaliteit te beskryf, met ‘n spesifieke klem op die onderbreking van infrastruktuur. Oor die algemeen is die Westerse stad die vertrekpunt vir literatuur oor die Kreatiewe Klas. Daarby word plekkwaliteit gewoonlik beskou binne die raamwerk van “verstedeliking deur industrialisering”, wat bekend staan as die eerste verstedelikingsgolf. Die vinnig groeiendste stede op die Afrika-vasteland (insluitend Nairobi) is deel van ‘n tweede verstedelikingsgolf wat deur gans ander dinamika gedryf word, waarvan industrialisering ‘n feitlik weglaatbare faset is. Verstedeliking deur industrialisering het tot gelyktydige beleggings in infrastruktuur aanleiding gegee, dus maak dit sin dat literatuur oor die Kreatiewe Klas aanvaar dat stedelike infrastruktuur “altyd aan” is – dit wil sê, immerbeskikbaar as ‘n onafskeidelike kenmerk van die plek. Die doel van die studie was nie om modernistiese vergelykings te tref nie, maar om te beklemtoon dat begrippe van plekkwaliteit onvolledig is gegewe die opkoms van tegnologiese innovasie in stedelike Afrika, waar stede dikwels ly aan onderbrekings van basiese infrastruktuur. Tot baie onlangs is Afrika-stede nie genoem in literatuur oor die Kreatiewe Klas nie; die oorwegend landelike fokus van die verspreiding van IKT dra ook by tot die gebrek aan inligting aangaande die Kreatiewe Klas in Afrikastede. Die gevallestudie het onthul dat Nairobi se plekkwaliteit in wese anders is as die normatiewe voorskrifte wat aan stadsbeplanners voorgehou word en dat dit selfs, in sommige gevalle, uiters frustrerend en onaantreklik is. In teenstelling met Florida se teorie was diegene met wie onderhoude gevoer is, nie van plan om Nairobi te verlaat op soek na stede met hoër plekkwaliteitkenmerke of beter infrastruktuur nie – dié individue was gevestig in die stad weens hul werk en die professionele netwerke waarmee hul geskakel het.
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Beban, Ana, and Huseyin Ok. "Contribution of Tourism to the Sustainable Development of the Local Community : Case Studies of Alanya and Dubrovnik." Thesis, Blekinge Tekniska Högskola, Sektionen för teknokultur, humaniora och samhällsbyggnad, 2006. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:bth-1507.
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The Mediterranean is the world’s number one tourist destination and the biggest tourism region in the world, which has been visited by 260 million tourists in 1990 and what is more, it is expected that this number will increase to 655 million by the year 2025. In the last 10 years Croatia and Turkey became two of the most popular Mediterranean destinations, and joined the trend of a growing number of European cities that are promoting the development of tourism in order to overcome the post-industrial crisis, or as in the case of Croatia, the post-war crisis. Consequently, today both countries see tourism as their economic future. However, to achieve continuous and sustainable development of tourism, three interrelated aspects should be taken into consideration: economic, social, and environmental. The main question that we tried to answer is in what ways tourism is contributing to the sustainable development of the local community - based on the case studies of Alanya in Turkey, and Dubrovnik in Croatia. Both communities have experienced rapid development of the tourism sector in the last 10 years, which still seems to rise continuously. As a result, various impacts have occurred. Some of them are positive and there is an obvious contribution to sustainable development, while some of the impacts have negative influence on sustainability. Alanya is characterized by the 3S or mass tourism, while Dubrovnik is a world heritage city, which is offering cultural tourism. Notably, mass tourism in Alanya and cultural tourism in Dubrovnik have different impacts on a place. Although Alanya has the opportunity to diversify their tourism, mass tourism is still the main tourism activity. Since mass tourism generally involves a large number of people visiting a small area, it can change an area dramatically. What is interesting about Dubrovnik is that its tourism has suffered a series of devastating events throughout history, such as a major earthquake in 1979 and war between 1991 and 1995, which has left the local tourist economy in tatters. However, cultural tourism in Dubrovnik has been proven as a more sustainable type of tourism than the mass tourism in Alanya, which can be mostly seen through the environmental impacts. In Dubrovnik, tourism is used to increase environmental awareness of the local population, and moreover, the city has recognized the financial values of cultural sites, which are used for the protection and preservation of the heritage.While Dubrovnik is putting a lot of effort to preserve its culture and heritage, Alanya’s main aim is to attract more tourists. For that reason, Alanya is much more sensitive than Dubrovnik concerning the possible threats to become an overdeveloped and overcrowded destination. The rich cultural and historical heritage make Dubrovnik a special and unique tourist destination, and therefore it is facing less risk than Alanya that it will be replaced by the other destinations in the near future. What is important for both communities is to be aware that positive consequences of tourism can arise only if, and when tourism is carried out and developed in a sustainable way. In order to achieve positive correlation between tourism and the local community, an involvement of the local population is essential. In Dubrovnik, the local population has been already involved in the implementation of the tourism, but the potential is still not completely used and there is much more to be done. On the other hand, the priority for Alanya perhaps should be a development of the alternative types of tourism with the special focus on the cultural tourism, which would enable Alanya to become a year-round tourist destination and provide more jobs for the local population, as well as greater income for the community. Moreover, earned money could be used for the protection of the environment and cultural heritage, and involvement of the local population in the planning process would arguably lead to more sustainable tourism.Ana Beban +385 98 389 420 +385 1 3768 230 anabeban@yahoo.com Huseyin Ok huseyinok@gmail.com
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Alder, Simone. "CoMIC : an exploration into computer-mediated intercultural communication." Scholarly Commons, 2007. https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/uop_etds/682.
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This thesis explores how cultural differences manifest themselves in computermediated intercultural communication (CoMIC). This study particularly looks at the role and use of digital nonverbals (DNVs) and their regulatory functions. The data analyzed is from a global virtual team working together for a period of three months. The grounded theory method has been employed to code the electronic transcript of the team's communication. Furthermore, the participants were surveyed regarding their personal backgrounds, their work, and their perception of the communication processes that took place. The study shows that in an intercultural communication process DNVs are used to avoid intercultural misunderstandings and to underline the various communication styles. The different styles, hand in hand with the DNVs used, vary depending on the team's overall situation. However, the absence of DNVs can be an indicator for a state of crisis.
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Piva, Fabio Rogério 1982. "Addressing human factors in the design of cryptographic solutions = a two-case study in item validation and authentication." [s.n.], 2014. http://repositorio.unicamp.br/jspui/handle/REPOSIP/275510.
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Orientador: Ricardo DahabTese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Computação
Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-25T09:03:51Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Piva_FabioRogerio_D.pdf: 7931626 bytes, checksum: 2a9d167e0a1fd625d636fd24d4c0028e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014
Resumo: O projeto de soluções criptográficas seguras a partir de uma perspectiva puramente teórica não é suficiente para garantir seu sucesso em cenários realistas. Diversas vezes, as premissas sob as quais estas soluções são propostas não poderiam estar mais longe das necessidades do mundo real. Um aspecto frequentemente esquecido, que pode influenciar em como a solução se sai ao ser integrada, é a forma como o usuário final interage com ela (i.e., fatores humanos). Neste trabalho, estudamos este problema através da análise de dois cenários de aplicação bem conhecidos da pesquisa em Segurança da Informação: O comércio eletrônico de itens digitais e Internet banking. Protocolos de trocas justas tem sido amplamente estudados, mas continuam não sendo implementados na maioria das transações de comércio eletrônico disponíveis. Para diversos tipos de itens digitais (e-goods), o modelo de negócios atual para comércio eletrônico falha em garantir justiça aos clientes. A validação de itens é um passo crítico em trocas justas, e recebeu pouca atenção dos pesquisadores. Nós acreditamos que estes problemas devam ser abordados de forma integrada, para que os protocolos de trocas justas possam ser efetivamente implementados no mercado. De forma geral, acreditamos também que isso seja um reflexo de paradigmas de projeto orientado a sistemas para soluções de segurança, que são centrados em dados em vez de usuários, o que resulta em métodos e técnicas que frequentemente desconsideram os requisitos de usuários. Contextualizamos como, ao subestimar as sutilezas do problema da validação de itens, o modelo atual para compra e venda de itens digitais falha em garantir sucesso, na perspectiva dos compradores, para as transações ¿ sendo, portanto, injusto por definição. Também introduzimos o conceito de Degradação Reversível, um método que inerentemente inclui o passo de validação de itens em transações de compra e venda com a finalidade de mitigar os problemas apresentados. Como prova-de-conceito, produzimos uma implementação de Degradação Reversível baseada em códigos corretores de erros sistemáticos (SECCs), destinada a conteúdo multimídia. Este método é também o subproduto de uma tentativa de incluir os requisitos do usuário no processo de construção de métodos criptográficos, uma abordagem que, em seguida, evoluímos para o denominado projeto de protocolos orientado a itens. De uma perspectiva semelhante, também propomos um método inovador para a autenticação de usuários e de transações para cenários de Internet Banking. O método proposto, baseado em Criptografia Visual, leva em conta tanto requisitos técnicos quanto de usuário, e cabe como um componente seguro ¿ e intuitivo ¿ para cenários práticos de autenticação de transações
Abstract: Designing secure cryptographic solutions from a purely theoretical perspective is not enough to guarantee their success in a realistic scenario. Many times, the assumptions under which these solutions are designed could not be further from real-world necessities. One particular, often-overlooked aspect that may impact how the solution performs after deployment is how the final user interacts with it (i.e., human factors). In this work, we take a deeper look into this issue by analyzing two well known application scenarios from Information Security research: The electronic commerce of digital items and Internet banking. Fair exchange protocols have been widely studied, but are still not implemented on most e-commerce transactions available. For several types of digital items (e-goods), the current e-commerce business model fails to provide fairness to customers. A critical step in fair exchange is item validation, which still lacks proper attention from researchers. We believe this issue should be addressed in a comprehensive and integrated fashion before fair exchange protocols can be effectively deployed in the marketplace. More generally, we also believe this to be the consequence of ongoing system-oriented security solution design paradigms that are data-centered, as opposed to user-centered, thus leading to methods and techniques that often disregard users¿ requirements. We contextualize how, by overlooking the subtleties of the item validation problem, the current model for buying and selling digital items fails to provide guarantees of a successful transaction outcome to customers, thus being unfair by design. We also introduce the concept of Reversible Degradation, a method for enhancing buy-sell transactions concerning digital items that inherently includes the item validation step in the purchase protocol in order to tackle the discussed problems. As a proof-of-concept, we produce a deliverable instantiation of Reversible Degradation based on systematic error correction codes (SECCs), suitable for multimedia content. This method is also the byproduct of an attempt to include users¿ requirements into the cryptographic method construction process, an approach that we further develop into a so-called item-aware protocol design. From a similar perspective, we also propose a novel method for user and transaction authentication for Internet Banking scenarios. The proposed method, which uses Visual Cryptography, takes both technical and user requirements into account, and is suitable as a secure ¿ yet intuitive ¿ component for practical transaction authentication scenarios
Doutorado
Ciência da Computação
Doutor em Ciência da Computação
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Cele, Mlungisi B. Gabriel, and Johann Mouton. "The utility of university-industry partnerships : a case study of the University of Cape Town (UCT) and SASOL." Thesis, Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2003. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/4480.
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116 leaves single sided printed, preliminary pages i-viii and numbered pages 1-106. Includes bibliography.Scanned using a Hp Scanjet 8250 Scanner to pdf format (OCR).
Thesis (MPhil (Sociology)--University of Stellenbosch, 2003.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In South Africa few systematic studies have been done on university-industry partnerships. This research investigated the evolution of the University of Cape Town (UCT) and SASOL partnership involving heterogeneous catalysis. As part of this investigation, I analysed the driving force and sought to determine the motivations and benefits that UCT and SASOL have since accrued as a result of their partnership. I also analysed knowledge transmission or technology transfer processes such as the hiring of graduates, intellectual property etc. In light of all of these I sought to draw lessons that could be learnt from UCT-SASOL partnership for future purpose. I followed four themes or sections in order to situate the study. These were, (a) the socio-economic context (global and knowledge economy, innovation, knowledge society etc.), the changing modes of knowledge production ("Mode 2") and the changing ways of interactions among stakeholders industry, university and government (Triple Helix). The key argument here is that the university industry partnership cannot be seen as an independent development, but is interrelated or partly the consequence of changes in the socio-economic, science, technology and higher education fields, (b) The driving force behind the partnership, (c) motivations, benefits, and (d) knowledge or technology transfer/transmission processes. I used the case study research design. I conducted interviews with the UCT Chemical Engineering Department, UCT Centre for Research and Innovation and SASOL officials. I collected several documents related to the study and also visited the laboratories in which UCT-SASOL partnership research activities were happening. Some of the findings of the study include the following. The partnership demonstrates the significant role of an individual academic, who steered transformation in terms of research activities and culture in the Chemical Engineering Department. The legacy of the individual academic's strong personality and commitment to research is evident and continues to stimulate high levels of research interest and teamwork among staff members which is characteristic of this department. A strong link is maintained between the basic disciplinary "Mode 1" teaching and research on the one hand and the multidisciplinary "Mode 2" applied and strategic research and training on the other: This is evident in the strong emphasis on the solid undergraduate disciplinary education as a basis for a high quality multidisciplinary postgraduate education. All staff members are involved in both teaching and research. A strong link is maintained between academic, research and postgraduate activities: The department utilizes surpluses generated through industrial-oriented research to cross-subsidize the academic and postgraduate activities.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Daar is weinig sistemiese studies in Suid-Afrika reeds uitgevoer oor universiteit-industrie samewerking. Hierdie studie ondersoek die ontwikkeling van 'n vennootskap tussen die Universiteit van Kaapstad (UK) en SASOL wat heterogene katalise insluit. Ek analiseer in hierdie studie die dryfkrag van die vennootskap, en probeer die motivering en voordele bepaal wat beide die UK en SASOL toegekom het as deel van hulle vennootskap. Ek analiseer ook die oordrag van kennis of oordrag van tegnologiese prosesse, die aanstelling van graduandi, intellektuele eiendom, ens. Ek probeer op grond hiervan lesse van die UK-SASOL vennootskap uitlig vir toekomstige doeleindes. Ek het vier temas of afdelings gebruik om hierdie studie te vestig. Dit is, (a) die sosio-ekonomiese konteks (globale en kennis ekonomie,innovasie, kennis samelewing ens.), die veranderende modus van kennis produksie ("Modus 2") en die veranderende wyses van interaksie tussen belanghebbendes - industrie, universiteit en regering (Triple Helix). Die sleutel argument hier is dat die universiteitindustrie vennootskap nie gesien kan word as 'n onafhanklike ontwikkeling, maar dat dit verband hou met of deel is van die gevolge van die veranderinge in die sosio-ekonomiese, wetenskap, tegnologie en hoer onderwys arenas; (b) die dryfkrag agter die vennootskap; (c) motivering en voordele; en (d) die oordrag van kennis of tegnologie/oordrag van prosesse. Ek gebruik die gevallestudie metodologie in hierdie studie. Ek het onderhoude gevoer met die UK Chemiese Ingenieurswese Departement, die UK Sentrum vir Navorsing en Innovasie, asook die SASOL betrokkenes. Ek het die projekdokumentasie versamel en het ook die laboratoriums besoek waarin die navorsingsaktiwiteite van die UK-SASOL vennootskap plaas vind. Die bevindinge van hierdie sluit dus die volgende in. Die vennootskap demonstreer die belangrike rol van 'n individuele akademikus wat transformasie bewerkstellig het in terme van navorsingsaktiwiteite en die kultuur in die Chemiese Ingenieurswese Departement. Die nalatenskap van die individuele akademikus se sterk persoonlikheid en toewyding tot navorsing is duidelik en stimuleer steeds hoe vlakke van belangstelling in die navorsing en spanwerk in die departement. Dit is ook een van die kenmerke van hierdie departement. Daar is 'n sterk skakel gehandhaaf tussen die basiese dissiplinere "Modus 1" onderrig en navorsing aan die een kant, en die multidissiplinere "Modus 2" toegepaste en strategiese navorsing en onderrig aan die ander kant. Dit is duidelik in die sterk kleim wat gele word op die stewige voorgraadse dissiplinere onderrig as 'n basis vir 'n hoe kwaliteit multidissiplinere nagraadse onderrig. Alle personeel is betrokke by beide onderrig en navorsing. 'n Sterk skakel is behou tussen akademiese, navorsings- en nagraadse aktiwiteite: die departement gebruik die oorskotte van industrieverwante navorsing om akademiese en nagraadse aktiwiteite te kruissubsideer.
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Rathore, Animesh S. "The Influence of Gender and Ethnicity on the Use of ICT in Higher Education: A Case of Arts and Social Sciences Students in Universiti Malaya." Ohio University / OhioLINK, 2008. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1227064208.
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Dimou, Anastasia. "Knowledge management practices in academic libraries : The case of NTUA Central Library." Thesis, Linnéuniversitetet, Institutionen för informatik (IK), 2018. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:lnu:diva-80599.
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The last years, libraries and information centers, as well as other organizations are attempting to survive in a knowledge-driven society. Moreover, they are called upon to redefine their structure and management processes in order to increase their competitive advantage through their learning capability and their knowledge assets. Knowledge has become their core element that contributes to the development and improvement of their services through knowledge management (KM) initiatives, connected with knowledge assets creation, sharing, and exploitation. This study is a qualitative research that has been conducted in NTUA Central Library with main research object the Department of Information and Users’ Services. The study examines the knowledge management (KM) perception in the Department and by extension, the library. It aims to identify the adopted KM practices, investigate the KM process through knowledge creation and sharing, collaboration and communication among employees and external collaborators and finally, to propose new methods and techniques through a KM strategy, for improving the Department and library’s internal operation and services provision. The study’s goal is to present the current situation of one of the biggest Greek academic libraries regarding KM initiatives and to draw attention on the academic libraries’ changing role in the new digital era and the opportunities that KM provides them to participate in the knowledge-based economy and the knowledge-based society. The importance of this study lies on the fact that few researches have been conducted in Greek academic libraries and the results have presented that they demonstrate little attempt to adopt KM practices and rather, to establish a clear KM strategy. In this context, the study is trying to clarify the importance of focusing on people as libraries’ knowledge resource connected with their knowledge and experience, which defined as “intellectual assets” that need to be recorded, classified, updated and definitely shared, in order to become searchable and accessible. It is a case study, conducted through an interpretive approach, following a holistic ethnography tradition. The research methods used for the data collection were the methods of participant observation and semi-structured interviews. The data collected have been analyzed through the six (6) phases of the thematic analysis, while methods data validation have been used to ensure their reliability. In conclusion, the study presents results connected with the Department’s knowledge specification (tacit and explicit), the process of knowledge sharing by mentioning the people involving, the methods and tools. Furthermore, the weaknesses the Department faces are presented regarding employees’ involvement – mostly connected with communication and collaboration – and the systems and resources management. Finally, the anticipated future challenges are presented and analyzed, as defined by the library’s role, the employees’ role and the KM role.
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Rörsch, Jonatan, and Mikael Johansson. "Social Networks : Creating Organizational Benefits out of an Online Conversation." Thesis, Uppsala universitet, Industriell teknik, 2013. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-207086.
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Scania is increasing its production by improving its efficiency. The company is striving to achieve its new productivity goals without making large investments. In large organizations such as Scania there are many competent and skilled employees. However, since many of their offices are located worldwide communication is not always efficient and optimal. The purpose of this thesis is to show the potential benefits when implementing and operating online social networks within global organizations including Scania. Through empirical studies of global organizations which have utilized online social networks for a relatively long period this study intends to collect information which can help generate knowledge about the implementation and operation of online social networks. Our research revealed that important aspects of the implementation of an organization's online social network are knowledge management, dissemination, social ties and links between micro-and macro-networks. Thereby we concluded that online social networks lead to the creation of benefits for the individual as well as for the organization. Based on the theoretical framework and empirical evidence gathered in this study, we have concluded that an implemented model of an online social network fosters such benefits as improved communication channels and increased efficiency in the workplace.
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Peacock, Maria Natasha. "Is constructivism a prerequisite to unlock the power of web based platforms in teacher training? : A case study on the enablers for web based learning platforms for teacher training in Cambodia." Thesis, Linnéuniversitetet, Institutionen för informatik (IK), 2019. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:lnu:diva-87491.
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This case study, executed in school network driven by a private foundation for underprivileged children in Cambodia, provides a perspective from a unique situation of technology enablement in an environment with a predominantly instructivist teaching tradition. The said environment is strongly influenced by private sector donors with strong constructivist traditions and expectations. The environment is thus unique in the sense that a relatively asset rich environment, with expectations of 21st century pedagogical skills, is transported into an asset poor environment that was/is strongly rooted in instructivism. The case study thus give a perspective on if technology itself is a possible solution for better teacher education/educational delivery, or if the underlying pedagogy first needs to be evolved to allow web-based platforms and tools to be fully leveraged. In the specific environment being studies, teacher in-service training plays a larger role than formal teacher qualifications, and peer-to-peer, in-person, learning is the cornerstone of development (offline connectivism). Rather than changing the way the teachers learn, there should be opportunity in further strengthening the current practices of communities. Connectivist MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) do provide the community engagement and together with technology mediated professional learning platforms there should be opportunity to provide enhanced support for teachers’ education. The two main hurdles to overcome, beyond functioning technology assets and web access, are teachers own comfort levels with technology platforms, as well as provision of platforms that support local language options. The comfort level with technology is important to address as, assuming technology and web access works, the openness and lack of control in a web environment is in direct contradiction to instructivist teaching. Unlocking the potential of the web requires that teachers are comfortable with the web itself and also truly support inquiry based learning over didactic teaching, and that they have the skills to help children navigate the openness of the web. As economies shift towards becoming knowledge societies, collaborative problem-solving and navigation to knowledge are skills of increasing in importance, relative static knowledge recall that was previously viewed as value adding. This case study contributes to pedagogical theory and in particularly gives one more perspective on the shift from instructivist to constructivist teaching as a pre-requisite for capturing the power of the internet, and the shift to leveraging networks in a connectivist pedagogical approach. This case study also calls out the need for evolved frameworks to better describe technology mediated learning in least developing country environments. The case study also provides contribution to practice to technology mediated teacher education as it specifically addresses some of the opportunities in strengthening the support to teacher education in least developed countries.
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Mosuoe, Teboho Priscilla. "The potential and reality of the Living Lab model of ICT for Development (ICT4D) in the rural development context : the case of Siyakhula Living Lab, Dwesa, Eastern Cape, South Africa." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1013289.
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This thesis explores the contribution of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in rural development processes. Within the framework of social capital theory, and in the context of the information society, the study examines how the collaborative and innovative model of ICT for Development (ICT4D) can enhance social networks and information channels in rural communities, thereby enabling the active participation of rural community members in their own development processes. The study examines networks and information channels both within the rural communities under investigation and between these communities and other sectors in the society. The thesis studies the case of the Siyakhula Living Lab (SLL), an ICT4D initiative in the Mbashe Municipality of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. During the investigation, four types of networks were identified: local organisations, social institutions, collective community projects and social ties. It was found that the Living Lab has so far influenced the creation of new forms of networks through the common spaces (computer labs) which have been made available by the Living Lab. The study further showed that the use of computers has enabled other community members to partake in the wider community of online/virtual social networks, allowing them to communicate and share information with those outside their own communities. The study also showed that the Living Lab has enabled the networking of these communities with other sectors such as academia. It was, however, found that so far the existence of the Living Lab has not influenced the already existing local networks in these communities. Also, the study showed that the relationship between these rural communities and their government and industry partners as stakeholders in the Living Lab is currently ineffective. Nevertheless, this situation has a potential to change in the future as there are ICT applications which have been developed through collaboration with rural community members, which will assist in enhancing communication between these rural communities and other stakeholders. The study finally revealed that social networks do contribute to the functioning of communities by providing both monetary and social support to community members, even though, in effect, the monetary benefits are somewhat limited by a number of factors. It is revealed that the engagement of ICT could go a long way in improving social and economic activities, governance and service delivery, as well as education in these communities.
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Schwede, Marcos Aurelio. "A ciência e a tecnologia entre projetos de sociedade em disputa: o caso do IFSC." Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná, 2014. http://repositorio.utfpr.edu.br/jspui/handle/1/1208.
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Esta investigação teve o objetivo de compreender como os projetos de sociedade em disputa influenciam na produção da ciência e da tecnologia e nas (im)possibilidades de acesso aos conhecimentos científicos e tecnológicos pelos trabalhadores. Para alcançar esse objetivo, analisaram-se as políticas e a produção de ciência e tecnologia no país; as aproximações e os distanciamentos do conhecimento científico e tecnológico da educação do trabalhador, suas determinações e condicionamentos para as políticas de educação profissional e tecnológica no Brasil; e a influência dessas questões no Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia de Santa Catariana – IFSC. Para a condução desta pesquisa, elegeu-se o materialismo histórico e dialético como referencial teórico e metodológico, trabalhando-se com revisão bibliográfica, análise documental, observação direta e entrevistas com professores e gestores do IFSC. Assim, a pesquisa partiu da realidade material, tomando sua historização como pressuposto de análise, em que, no movimento do real (em um processo dialético), buscou-se captar os aspectos intrínsecos a essa realidade. Como principais resultados, verificou-se que, no país, há um amplo processo de formação de consensos relacionando a produção da ciência e da tecnologia com o termo e o conceito de inovação. À inovação passa a ser tributado o crescimento econômico, a competitividade e, em especial, passa a ser ela mesma considerada uma condição para a transformação social e para a construção de um novo projeto de sociedade. Todavia, identifica-se que o sentido atribuído à inovação, que é compartilhado socialmente, relaciona-se com a política explícita de ciência e tecnologia, e esta é composta por construções ideológicas que legitimam a intervenção do Estado na infraestrutura produtiva e tecnológica, o que não é prática nova na realidade brasileira, pois trata-se de algo que há muito tempo é feito. Além disso, constata-se que a política implícita de ciência, tecnologia e também de inovação está comprometida com a lógica social posta e seus condicionantes. Os seguintes aspectos são reveladores para essa compreensão: os resultados das políticas de C,T&I (política explícita); os principais beneficiários das políticas em curso; o direcionamento dos recursos da política de C,T&I e da política industrial; os investimentos do setor empresarial em P&D e inovação; entre outros. Já ao analisar-se o acesso a uma educação que tenha em suas bases os conhecimentos científicos e tecnológicos, verificou-se que apenas um seleto grupo da sociedade pode atingi-la. Aos demais é ofertada uma educação que acompanha a extensa arquitetura social, ou seja, uma educação diferenciada e desigual oferecida para diferentes grupos da sociedade. Neste contexto, portanto, um grande contingente populacional acessa apenas uma educação fragmentada, pontual e de caráter simples. Esse processo contraditório ocorre porque, em um percurso dialógico que envolve a constrição da reprodução do capital e a contrainvestida do sistema capitalista, passam a ser utilizadas a mais alta tecnologia e a inovação de forma combinada com a ampliação da extração da mais-valia absoluta e relativa. Assim, amplia-se o processo de precarização das condições de trabalho de ampla parcela dos trabalhadores, contexto em que a “desqualificação” passa a ser um elemento estruturante da reprodução e da acumulação do capital. Identificou-se também que esses movimentos da realidade social se desdobram no contexto do IFSC, em que se verifica a existência de uma ampla arquitetura educacional que reproduz a arquitetura social existente, isto é, permanece restrito o acesso a uma educação que tenha a ciência e a tecnologia em suas bases. Identifica-se ainda que há um processo de naturalização das classes sociais ou a compreensão de que uma educação que prepara o trabalhador para ocupar um “papel” no “sistema social” (na extensa arquitetura social, que é extremamente desigual) seja inclusiva e também afeita aos interesses dos trabalhadores. Nessa instituição, também se verifica que há em grande medida um consenso acerca da importância da inovação, perspectiva utilizada para direcionar a produção da ciência e a da tecnologia por meio da pesquisa. Portanto, a partir desses resultados, identificam-se as necessidades de ampliação das discussões sobre os projetos de sociedade em curso e sua relação com a produção da C&T e do acesso aos conhecimentos científicos e tecnológicos por parte dos trabalhadores.The objective of this research is to understand the influence of competing society projects on science and technology productions, and the (im)possibility for the workers to have access to science and technology knowledge. To achieve this goal the country policies and the production of science and technology were analyzed; we have also analyzed how close or how far workers education is to the scientific and technological knowledge, its resolution and constraints to Brazilian professional and technological education policies and the influence of these questions in the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Santa Catarina - FIESTSC. The historical and dialectical materialism was elected as the theoretical and methodological framework to drive this research, working with literature review, document analysis, direct observation and interviews with professors and managers from FIESTSC. Thus, the research started with material reality, taking its history as analytical assumption: in the movement of this reality (under a dialectical process), it seeks to apprehend its intrinsic aspects. As a main result, it was identified, in the country, a broad process to shape consensus related to science and technology production with the innovation term and concept. Competitive edge and economic growth are attributed to the innovation capability. Innovation is then treated as a condition to achieve social transformation and to build a new society project. However, the meaning assigned to innovation, socially shared, relates to the explicit science policy and this is made by ideological constructions that legitimate the state intervention in technology and productive infrastructure, which is not new in Brazilian reality, since it is something that has been done since long ago. Besides, it is noted that the implicit science, technology and innovation policy is committed with the present social logic and its conditioners. The following aspects are revealing to this comprehension: the S,T&I policies results (explicit policy); the beneficiaries of the current policies; the resource usage of the S,T&I and industrial policies; the business sector investments in R&D and innovation, among others. When the access to scientific and technological knowledge based education is analyzed, it is verified that only a small selected portion of the society has access to it. To the others it is offered an education that follows the long social architecture, a distinct and unequal education to distinct social groups. In this context, a big contingent of the population has access only to a simple, punctual and fragmented education. This contradictory process happens because, under a dialogic process involving the constriction of the capital reproduction and the capitalist system counter attack, we see the use of the highest form of technology and innovation merged with the magnification of the absolute and relative value added extraction – therefore, magnifying the deterioration process of the work conditions from a broad portion of the workforce. In this context the worker "under qualification" begins to be a structural element to the reproduction and accumulation of capital. It was verified that these social reality movements also unfold inside the FIESTSC, where there is a broad educational architecture that reproduces the existing social architecture, which means that the access to a science and technology based education is still limited. Also it has been identified a naturalization process of the social classes or the comprehension that an education which prepares the worker to assume a "role" inside the "social system" (in the long social architecture, which is extremely unequal) is inclusive and in behalf of the workers. In this institution it is also verified a consensus about the importance of the innovation, which is then used to drive the production of science and technology through research. Therefore, these results indicate the need to magnify the debate about current society projects and its relations to S&T production and the workers access to scientific and technological knowledge.
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Fong, John. "Electronic word-of-mouth and country-of-origin effects a cross-cultural analysis of discussion boards /." Phd thesis, Australia : Macquarie University, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/1959.14/28611.
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Thesis by publication.Thesis (PhD) -- Macquarie University, Macquarie Graduate School of Management, 2008.
Bibliography: leaves 124-133.
Introduction - Literature review -- Online word-of-mouth: a comparison of American and Chinese discussion boards -- Electronic word-of-mouth: a comparison of stated and revealed behaviour on electronic discussion boards -- A cross-cultural comparison of electronic word-of-mouth and country-of-origin effects -- Conclusion.
The growth of electronic discussion boards has enabled consumers from different cultures to communicate with people of similar interests. Through this online channel, marketing concepts such as word-of-mouth (WOM) and country-of-origin (CoO) effects have the potential to become more important because of the potentially large number of participants involved. The US and China, being the largest and second-largest online population in the world respectively, are ideal countries to investigate the frequency and extent of these marketing concepts. --The thesis consists of three separate but inter-related papers which have been published in journals or have been accepted for publication. Each paper builds on the one before and analyses different aspects of online consumer behaviour such as information-giving, information-seeking and the CoO statements made by participants of discussion boards. By examining and comparing the frequency and content of discussion postings on discussion boards within US and China based websites, the thesis makes a comparison of the information-giving and information-seeking behaviour of the discussants and also looks at the extent and the content of CoO statements made. Online observation of discussion postings from six different discussion boards (three each from the US and China) was conducted over two 90-day period in 2004 and 2005 and a total of 5,993 discussion postings were downloaded for analysis. In addition, an online survey of 214 participants was conducted to compare the stated and actual (or "revealed") behaviour of discussants on the US and China based discussion boards. -- Overall, the findings indicate consistent differences over a 12-month period in the bahaviour of the US and Chinese discussants. The US discussants were found to provide more information than their Chinese counterparts while the Chinese discussants exhibited more information-seeking bahaviour on the discussion boards. The findings also indicate that the Chinese discussants demonstrated more negative CoO statements and these statements were observed to be related to Japan and/or brands that originated from Japan. The findings suggest that such negative CoO statements can increase rapidly online and it appears that the negative sentiments by the Chinese were apparently unrelated to product quality; instead they appear to have been predominantly associated with war related animosity. -- These findings have important implications for marketers selling to the Chinese as discussion boards appear to be more important as a source of information for the Chinese than the Americans. Also, given that the Chinese discussants demonstrated a high level of negative CoO statements relating to products from Japan, marketers selling Japanese products to the Chinese must understand the underlying issues related to these negativeCoO statements and take steps to prevent non-purchase of Japanese products.
Mode of access: World Wide Web.
vii, 133 leaves ill
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McLean-Anderson, Gloria. "A critical evaluation of the research experiences of master and doctoral students at Technikon Natal." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/49815.
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Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2004ENGLISH ABSTRACT: There are indications that the emergence of global trends in the production and dissemination of knowledge is influencing science policies worldwide, and compelling universities and technikons in South Africa to become more market oriented, competitive and entrepreneurial. Some of these trends include new modes of knowledge production, increased financial and academic accountability and distance education. The changing higher education landscape worldwide has implications for South African tertiary institutions. In addition, one of the objectives of the democratic government that took power in 1994 was to transform higher education. The publication of the White Paper on Education in 1997, the establishment of the Council on Higher Education (CHE) and the Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC), and the National Plan for Higher Education in 2001 heralded the beginning of change. Consequently, it became necessary for higher education institutions to deliberate on the future course of their undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and training programmes. In this context, it is important for universities and technikons to understand the needs of their postgraduate students. The overall aim of this study was to identify the perceptions of ex-Technikon Natal (now the Durban Institute of Technology) postgraduate students on their research experiences with regard to supervision, communication, the Technikon generally, availability of resources, finance, time, departments, faculties, research, research methodology, statistics, library and expertise. The particular focus was on postgraduate students registered at the Technikon Natal in 2001, whether or not they had submitted their research proposals. A postal survey was carried out to determine the students' perceptions of their research postgraduate experiences at the then Technikon Natal. The results of the survey indicate that the majority of postgraduate students have a negative perception of the Technikon. Students feel that there are insufficient experienced supervisors available for consultation, leading to unacceptable delays. With regard to communication, students feel that the Technikon does not disseminate enough information on processes and procedures about postgraduate issues. Overall, students in the Health Sciences are more dissatisfied than students in the other faculties. In fact, the postal survey reveals that students in these other faculties are more positive than negative about their postgraduate experiences. However, it is worth pointing out that a large proportion of Science and Engineering students (38%) are undecided on this matter. It is interesting to note that the open-ended comments section at the end of the questionnaire reveals far more negative perceptions than the closed questions. Students are dissatisfied about the lack of modern computer facilities and available funds. They also feel strongly that it takes too long to get a research proposal approved. The majority feels that a postgraduate information kit would assist greatly. Comments about Research Methodology as a subject are particularly negative with regard to statistics, and the course, which they feel is too general. Students do not seem to have any major difficulties with the library services. The Technikon has to put structures in place to improve these negative perceptions and manage the students' needs. Combined with the impact of the merger of the former Technikon Natal and M.L. Sultan Technikon, the effects of which are not yet fully understood, the new Durban Institute of Technology should give serious consideration to the needs of its postgraduate population, especially in the Faculty of Health.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Globale tendense in die produksie en disseminasie van kennis blyk wereldwyd 'n invloed op wetenskapsbeleid te he en noodsaak universiteite (en ook technikons in Suid-Afrika) om 'n groter markgerigtheid, mededingendheid en ondernemingsgees te openbaar. Hierdie globale tendense behels, onder andere, 'n verskuiwing na nuwe modi van kennisproduksie, sowel as 'n toename in finansiele en akademiese verantwoordbaarheid, en afstandsonderrig. Suid-Afrikaanse tersiere instellings kan hierdie wereldwye veranderinge in die landskap van hoar onderwys moeilik ontsnap. Daarbenewens het die demokratiese regering, wat in 1994 aan bewind gekom het, dit ten doel gestel om hoar onderwys in die land te transformeer. In 1997 het die eerste veranderinge ingetree met die publikasie van die Witskrif op Onderwys, en dit is in 2001 opgevolg met die totstandkoming van die Raad op Hoar Onderwys (CHE), die Hoar Onderwyskwaliteitskomitee (HEQC), en die Nasionale Plan vir Hoar Onderwys. Gevolglik het dit nodig geword dat hoar onderwysinstellings oorleg pleeg rakende die toekomstige verloop van voorgraadse en nagraadse onderrig- en opleidingsprogramme. Binne hierdie konteks is dit nodig vir universiteite en technikons om begrip te he vir die behoeftes van hul nagraadse studente. Die oorhoofse doel van hierdie studie was om die persepsies te identifiseer van nagraadse studente aan die eertydse Technikon Natal (nou deel van die Durban Instituut vir Tegnologie). Die fokus was op studente se navorsingservarings met betrekking tot supervisie, kommunikasie, die technikon in die algemeen, die beskikbaarheid van hulpbronne, finansies, tyd, departemente, fakulteite, navorsingsmetodologie, statistiek, biblioteekfasiliteite en kundigheid. Studente wat in 2001 aan die Technikon Natal geregistreer was, is by die ondersoek betrek, ongeag of die student 'n navorsingsvoorstel ingedien het of nie. 'n Posvraelys-opname is gebruik. Die resultate van die opname toon die meerderheid nagraadse studente het 'n negatiewe persepsie van die Technikon. Die studente voel daar is nie genoeg ervare studieleiers om te raadpleeg nie, en dit lei tot onnodige vertragings. Wat kommunikasie betref, voel die studente dat die Technikon nie genoeg inligting omtrent nagraadse prosesse en prosedures versprei nie. In geheel gesien, het studente in die Gesondheidswetenskappe 'n veel groter ontevredenheid uitgespreek as studente in ander fakulteite. In die ander fakulteite was 'n geringe persentasie studente meer positief as negatief omtrent hul nagraadse ervaring. 'n Redelike persentasie studente in die Natuur- en Ingenieurswetenskappe (38%) was egter besluiteloos in hul opinie. Verder het die oop vrae aan die einde van die vraelys, wat kommentaar versoek, veel meer negatiewe as positiewe persepsies ontlok. Die studente is ontevrede met die gebrek aan moderne rekenaarfasiliteite en beskikbare fondse. Hul voel dat dit te lank neem om 'n navorsingsvoorstel goedgekeur te kry. Die meerderheid is van mening dat 'n nagraadse informasiepakket van groot waarde sou wees. Die kommentaar omtrent Navorsingsmetodologie as 'n vak is besonder negatief, veral wat statistiek bet ref, en hulle voel die kursus is te algemeen. Die studente blyk nie ernstige probleme met biblioteekdienste te he nie. Die technikon moet derhalwe strukture in plek stel ten einde die negatiewe persepsies van die studente aan te spreek en hul behoeftes doeltreffend te bestuur. Tesame met die impak van die samesmelting (waarvan die effek nog nie ten volle begryp word nie), moet die instelling ook ernstige oorweging skenk aan die behoeftes van die nagraadse populasie, veral in die Fakulteit van Gesondheid.
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Ferrari, Maria Dolores. "Qualidade de vida no ambiente de trabalho: UTFPR - Curitiba e o desenvolvimento de pessoas." Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná, 2014. http://repositorio.utfpr.edu.br/jspui/handle/1/1009.
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Esta dissertação trata da Qualidade de Vida no trabalho, motivadora do desenvolvimento das pessoas, tendo como referência a Instituição de Ensino Superior nomeada Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná (UTFPR), tendo como representatividade os servidores que trabalham em Curitiba. Nela interagem docentes, discentes, técnicos administrativos e pessoas de serviços terceirizados. O objetivo principal do trabalho foi aprofundar as noções do termo “Qualidade de Vida” legitimadas pelo uso e apropriação dos tempos de trabalho e não- trabalho pelas pessoas que atuam em um ambiente institucional de ensino superior. A fundamentação teórica tem como pano de fundo os conceitos de trabalho, tempo de trabalho, tempo livre e Qualidade de Vida nas dimensões sociais e históricas que resgata as condições gerais de trabalho e as propostas específicas da UTFPR. A metodologia foi de natureza qualitativa, buscando a interação entre as variáveis do modelo Meaning of Working Research Team (MOW) com os dados levantados por meio de entrevistas para conhecer a percepção sobre os conceitos que permeiam o termo Qualidade de Vida no trabalho. O tema foi espacialmente delimitado pela escolha de servidores lotados na UTFPR em Curitiba e no aspecto temporal, resgatou depoimentos sobre históricos de atividades de Qualidade de Vida durante os anos de 2013 e 2014. Foram utilizados como instrumentos metodológicos as entrevistas por meio de perguntas abertas. Os resultados da pesquisa de campo confirmaram os conceitos escolhidos para a discussão do marco teórico, o qual estabeleceu correspondências entre tempo livre e tempo de trabalho. Os participantes da pesquisa aproximaram a noção de Qualidade de Vida no Trabalho com o uso e a apropriação do tempo livre deles. Assim, concluiu-se que foram tanto as práticas dos trabalhadores quanto as discussões teóricas que constroem as noções e os conceitos de Qualidade de Vida no trabalho.This dissertation deals with the quality of work life, motivating the development of people, with reference to the institution of higher education named Federal University of Technological- Paraná (UTFPR), Curitiba. It interact faculty, students, administrative staff and people of outsourced services. The main objective was to deepen the notions of the term "Quality of Life" legitimized the use and ownership of working hours and non-work by people who work in an institutional environment of higher education. The theoretical foundation has as a backdrop the concepts of work, working time, leisure time and quality of life in social and historical dimensions that rescues the general working conditions and specific proposals UTFPR. The methodology was qualitative in nature, aiming for the interaction between the variables of the Meaning of Working Research Team (MOW) model with the data collected through interviews to know the perception of the concepts underlying the term quality of life at work. The theme was spatially delimited by the choice of people working at UTFPR-Curitiba, and the temporal aspect, rescued testimony on historical Quality of Life activities during the years 2013 and 2014 interviews through open-ended questions were used as methodological tools. The results of the field research confirmed the concepts chosen for the discussion of the theoretical framework, which established correspondences between free time and work time. Survey participants approached the notion of quality of work life with the use and ownership of their free time. So we were both workers' practices as the theoretical discussions that build the notions and concepts of Quality of Life at Work were completed.
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Taubner, Helena. "DYSLEXI, INTERNET OCH STIGMA : en netnografisk studie av nätbaserad kommunikation hos personer med dyslexi." Thesis, Högskolan i Halmstad, Sektionen för hälsa och samhälle (HOS), 2013. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hh:diva-22570.
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Titel: Dyslexi, internet och stigma – en netnografisk studie av nätbaserad kommunikation hos personer med dyslexi Författare: Helena Taubner Handledare: Åsa Wengelin Examinator: Magnus Tideman Magisteruppsats (30 hp) i handikappvetenskap vid Högskolan i Halmstad, våren 2013 Uppsatsen är skriven på svenska. Vår kommunikation förändras ständigt, och internet är en viktig faktor i den utvecklingen. Nya sätt att effektivisera skriften, som till exempel förkortningar och specialtecken, växer fram. Vi blandar det skrivna språket med foton, filmer, ljudklipp och länkar. Normerna för vad som anses vara korrekt språk förändras. När omgivningens förväntningar på oss inte motsvaras av våra förmågor uppstår ett stigma. Detta är vad som händer för en person med dyslexi när kraven på läs- och skrivförmåga blir för höga. Vad händer när kommunikationen flyttas till den sociala miljö som internet utgör, med de nya normer som råder där? Studien behandlar följande tre forskningsfrågor: • Hur kommunicerar personer med dyslexi på nätet? • Hur resonerar personer med dyslexi om sin nätbaserade kommunikation? • Hur kontrollerar personer med dyslexi sitt stigma när de kommunicerar på nätet? Studien är en dubbel, kvalitativ fallstudie baserad på semistrukturerade intervjuer och netnografisk skuggning av två informanter, Andreas och Linda. Resultaten har analyserats med hjälp av begrepp från Goffmans teori om stigmatisering. Trots att Andreas har större svårigheter med att läsa och skriva än Linda, har han ändå ett mindre stigma när det gäller kommunikation på nätet, eftersom han mer medvetet kontrollerar sitt stigma. En avgörande faktor för båda informanterna är om nätforumet är synkront eller asynkront (det är omöjligt för dem att passera i synkrona forum). Studien visar alltså att graden av svårigheter att läsa och skriva inte nödvändigtvis styr graden av stigmatisering.Titel (translated from Swedish): Dyslexia, the internet and stigma – a netnographic study of online communication in people with dyslexia Author: Helena Taubner Supervisor: Åsa Wengelin Examinator: Magnus Tideman Masters thesis (30 ECTS) in Disability Studies, University of Halmstad, Sweden, spring 2013 The thesis is written in Swedish. Our communication continually changes, and the internet is an important factor in that development. New ways of making writing more efficient, for example the use of abbreviations and special symbols are emerging. We mix written language with photos, films, sound clips and links. Norms for what is considered to be the correct use of language are displaced. When our abilities do not match society’s expectations, stigmatization occurs. This is what happens to a person with dyslexia when the demands placed upon them for their reading and writing abilities become too high. What happens when the communication moves into the online environment? The following three issues are addressed: • How do individuals with dyslexia communicate online? • How do individuals with dyslexia relate to their online communication? • How do individuals with dyslexia control their stigma when communicating online? The study is a two-part qualitative case study based upon semi-structured interviews and netnographic shadowing with two informants, Andreas and Linda. The results were analysed with reference to Goffman’s theory of stigma. In spite of the fact that Andreas has greater difficulties with reading and writing than Linda, he experiences less stigma in relation to communication, since he more consciously manages to control his stigma. A crucial factor for both informants is whether or not the online forum is synchronous or asynchronous (it is impossible for them to pass in synchronous forums). Hence, the study suggests that the degree of stigmatization does not necessarily correspond to the degree of difficulties with reading and writing.
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Koliski, José Luiz. "A qualificação profissional de encarcerados da colônia penal agroindustrial do Paraná." Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná, 2015. http://repositorio.utfpr.edu.br/jspui/handle/1/1160.
Full textAbstract:
A presente pesquisa tem por objetivo analisar os limites e possibilidades da qualificação profissional para reinserção econômica e social de encarcerados, tomando como referência a Colônia Penal Agroindustrial do Paraná. Apoia-se nos fundamentos teóricos e metodológicos do Materialismo Histórico e Dialético, e utiliza como instrumento de coleta de dados a entrevista individual semiestruturada realizada com dezessete encarcerados participantes de atividades educativas e laborais. Os principais resultados apontam que o perfil socioeconômico da população carcerária, caracterizado pela baixa escolaridade, falta de qualificação profissional, e a ocupação de empregos precários, contribui para o ingresso na criminalidade e, consequentemente, o encarceramento. O segundo aspecto constatado foi o caráter contraditório da prisão em sua finalidade punitiva e ressocializadora, tendo por meta simultânea punir e reinserir o condenado à sociedade. Por fim a qualificação profissional, compreendida amplamente como uma relação social, articulando-se formação geral, profissional e prática, reduz-se a cursos curtos e aligeirados, prescindindo da escolaridade e da integração entre educação geral e profissional, sequer atendendo às demandas de mercado. As evidências apontadas permitem inferir que os programas de qualificação profissional são ineficientes e ineficazes na reinserção econômica e social dos encarcerados. O trabalho na prisão, de caráter produtivo e educativo, cumpre apenas a função produtiva, predatoriamente explorado por empresas privadas, significando para o encarcerado muito mais uma possibilidade de amenizar as condições carcerárias e de remição da pena, do que sua profissionalização.This research aims to analyze the limits and possibilities of professional qualification for economic and social rehabilitation of prisoners, with reference to the Penal Colony Agroindustrial of Paraná. It builds on theoretical and methodological foundations of the Historical and Dialectical Materialism and uses as data collection tool semi-structured individual interviews conducted with seventeen imprisoned participants of educational and professional activities. The main results show that the socioeconomic profile of the prison population, characterized by low education, lack of professional qualification, and the occupation of precarious jobs, contributes to entry into the crime and hence incarceration. The second aspect was noted the contradictory nature of the arrest at his punitive and ressocializadora purpose, with the simultaneous goal punish and reinsert the condemned to society. Finally the qualification, widely understood as a social relation, articulating general education, professional and practical, reduce the short and streamlined courses, regardless of education and integration between general and vocational education, even taking into account the market demands. The evidence presented allow us to infer that vocational training programs are inefficient and ineffective in the economic and social rehabilitation of prisoners. Prison labor, productive and educational, only fulfills the productive function, predatory operated by private companies, meaning for the imprisoned very much a possibility to ease prison conditions and redemption pen, your professionalism.
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Matyila, Pule Muzi Lincholn. "A model for digital literacy enhancement through technology adoption in resource-constrained environments." Diss., 2019. http://hdl.handle.net/10500/25815.
Full textAbstract:
The ubiquitous and pervasive nature of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) fosters societies driven by knowledge rather than traditional capital and labour through the simplified socio-economic participation. No longer are individuals impacted by spatial and environmental conditions when conducting personal, community and even national obligations and duties. However, the effective use of ICT is governed by personal, interpersonal and environmental factors. Nowhere else is this impact more evident than in rural areas.
Rural areas are plagued by a number of challenges which affect ICT use. Some of these challenges relate to the scarcity of income, education and infrastructure. A holistic investigation on the challenges experienced by rural areas was necessary. Based on the outcome of the investigation, rural areas were classified as resource-constrained environments. The study then set out to explore concepts that highlight the opportunities offered by ICT in rural areas and those that mitigate challenges posed by these environments on ICT use.
The theoretical grounding of the concepts identified in the study firstly set out to understand and explain general ICT use, then extended this ICT use to rural areas. A conceptual model explaining challenges posed by resource constraints inherent in rural areas on ICT use was incepted. This conceptual model was empirically investigated for evaluation and validation purposes resulting in the final model of the study.
The final model of the study facilitated the process of understanding and explaining the effective use of ICT in rural areas based on the inherent resource constraints in these environments. By mitigating the factors affecting ICT use in rural areas, the impact of effective ICT use can potentially be extended to resource-constrained environments, including rural areas.School of Computing
M. Sc. (Computing)
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Lee, Daniel Hae-dong 1970. "Profiles of IT payoff success : an IT capabilities and business environments perspective." 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/2152/13059.
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Silungwe, Wilson. "Communication across cultures and its implications: the case of black indigenous Zambians and white western migrants living in Zambia." Diss., 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10500/19032.
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Oyerinde, Oyeyinka Dantala. "Creating public value in information and communication technology: a learning analytics approach." Thesis, 2019. http://hdl.handle.net/10500/26446.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis contributes to the ongoing global discourse in ICT4D on ICT and its effect on
socio-economic development in both theory and practice. The thesis comprises five studies
presented logically from chapters 5 to 9. The thesis employs Mixed Methods research
methodology within the Critical Realist epistemological perspective in Information Systems
Research. Studies 1-4 employ different quantitative research and analytical methods while
study 5 employs a qualitative research and analytical method.
Study 1 proposes and operationalizes a predictive analytics framework in Learning Analytics
by using a case study of the Computer Science Department of the University of Jos, Nigeria.
Multiple Linear Regression was used with the aid of the Statistical Package for Social
Sciences (SPSS) analysis tool. Statistical Hypothesis testing was then used to validate the
model with a 5% level of significance. Results show how predictive learning analytics can be
successfully operationalized and used for predicting students’ academic performances.
In Study 2 the relative efficiency of ICT infrastructure utilization with respect to the
educational component of the Human Development Index (HDI) is investigated. A Novel
conceptual model is proposed and the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) methodology is
used to measure the relative efficiency of the components of ICT infrastructure (Inputs) and
the components of education (Outputs). Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) Regression Analysis
is used to determine the effect of ICT infrastructure on Educational Attainment/Adult Literacy Rates. Results show a strong positive effect of ICT infrastructure on educational
attainment and adult literacy rates, a strong correlation between this infrastructure and literacy
rates as well as provide a theoretical support for the argument of increasing ICT infrastructure
to provide an increase in human development especially within the educational context.
In Study 3 the relative efficiency and productivity of ICT Infrastructure Utilization in
Education are examined. The research employs the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and
Malmquist Index (MI), well established non-parametric data analysis methodologies, applied to archival data on International countries divided into Arab States, Europe, Sub-Saharan
Africa and World regions. Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) Regression analysis is applied to
determine the effect of ICT infrastructure on Adult Literacy Rates. Findings show a relatively
efficient utilization and steady increase in productivity for the regions but with only Europe
and the Arab States currently operating in a state of positive growth in productivity. A strong
positive effect of ICT infrastructure on Adult Literacy Rates is also observed.
Study 4 investigates the efficiency and productivity of ICT utilization in public value creation
with respect to Adult Literacy Rates. The research employs Data Envelopment Analysis
(DEA) and Malmquist Index (MI), well established non-parametric data analysis
methodologies, applied to archival data on International countries divided into Arab States,
Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa and World regions. Findings show a relatively efficient
utilization of ICT in public value creation but an average decline in productivity levels.
Finally, in Study 5 a Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) on the UNDP Human Development
Research Reports from 2010-2016 is carried out to determine whether or not any public value
is created or derived from the policy directions being put forward and their subsequent
implementations. The CDA is operationalized by Habermas’ Theory of Communicative
Action (TCA). Findings show that Public Value is indeed being created and at the core of the
policy directions being called for in these reports.School of Computing
Ph.D. (Information Systems)
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Gwala, Noxolo. "Information communication technologies and electoral violence in Africa: Kenya case study." Thesis, 2019. https://hdl.handle.net/10539/29338.
Full textAbstract:
A Research Report submitted at the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment for the degree of Master Arts in International Relations
Johannesburg, 2019Existing frameworks that seek to respond to the challenge of preventing and managing electoral violence often omit technology as a relevant factor. Yet there is resounding proof that technology has wielded a sizeable amount of influence in shaping voter behaviour and perceptions, mobilising support, lobbying and ultimately influencing electoral outcomes. The utilisation of technology is evidenced by many examples; such as the use of biometrics to register and identify voters, the establishment of situation rooms and drones that collect data in real time, campaigns messages that are sent via text messages, video footage, radio, internet and bots that are used to collect and transmit information. The main problem that this study seeks to interrogate is the bi-directional outcomes generated by the use of ICTs in elections. There are cases where ICTs have been deployed to ferment violence, whilst ICTs have also proven to be useful in preventing electoral violence. Therefore, there is a need for research that assesses how ICTs can be better harnessed as a tool for the prevention and reduction of electoral violence in Africa. Notably, by exploring the use of ICTs by actors in Kenya’s 2007, 2013 and 2017 elections, the study posits that collaboration and responsible use are key in the prevention of electoral violence. Moreover, the study highlights that the use of new ICTs in elections is important in the growing discourse about defining the parameters of electoral integrity.
NG (2020)
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Kituyi-Kwake, Alice Wafula. "The role of information and communication technologies in harnessing information for women in rural development : case studies of South Africa and Kenya." Thesis, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10530/255.
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Thesis submitted in fulfillment of the requirements or the award of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Library and Information Science) at the University of Zululand, 2007.The purpose of this study was to investigate and identify ICTs that provide access to information/ enhance quality of life, and improve the economic standards of rural women by conceptualizing a model for the development, management, exploitation and use of ICTs in an African rural environment. In order to obtain data from the respondents, two research methods were utilized, namely the case study and survey research. In the former, data was collected from key informants in organizations that work with ICTs and rural women. Using frame lists from both South Africa and Kenya, a total of four organizations were purposefully selected, i.e. Womensnet and the National Community Radio Forum (NCRF) in South Africa, and AfriAfya and the Arid Lands Information Network (ALJN-EA) in Kenya. The survey research method was used to interview women aged between 16 and 60 years. 400 respondents formed the sampling size, randomly selected from census household data. Survey data in Kenya was obtained from the sub¬divisions of the Kaplamai Division in Trans-Nzoia district, namely: Kimoson, Sinyerere, Sitatunga and Makutano. The sample frame included: small-scale traders (68; 34%); housewives (29; 14.5%); educators/teachers (27; 13.5); farmers (26; 13.0); students (11; 5.5%); domestic workers (10; 5.0%); preachers (10; 5.0%); farm workers (6; 3.0%); large-scale entrepreneurs (5; 2.5%); nurses (4; 2.0%); clerical workers (2; 1.0%); and community development workers (2; 1.0%). In South Africa, a similar sample frame included: small-scale traders (58; 29.0%); housewives/homemakers (48; 24.0%); farm employees (25; 12.5%); domestic workers (18; 9.0%); educators/teachers (16; 8.0%); students (15; 7.5%); entrepreneurs managing large-scale enterprises (3; 1.5%); clerical workers (9; 4.5%); community development workers (6; 3.0%); and two preachers (2; 1.0%). Sampling data was obtained from census household data belonging to the magisterial districts of Umlalazi, i.e. Eshowe, Amatikulu, Gigindlovu and Mtunzini. By using the snowball sampling technique, female respondents directly and indirectly connected to one another were identified and consequently interviewed. A few major recommendations stemming from the study include the need for: women to be involved in deciding which ICTs would directly and immediately benefit their lives; sensitization and training in the use of ICTS before project implementation; resource centers with skilled human resources and technological capacities to train communities about ICTs; more enhanced collaboration with rural women by being flexible and aware of their needs and requirements; collaborative efforts with other stakeholders at community level; the establishment of intermediary working committees at community level for enhanced communication processes; and a feasibility study that assesses the physical infrastructure and needs assessment survey before project implementation. The study concluded that there is a strong co-relation between the levels of education of a community, types of ICTs used, information seeking behavior, and the socio-economic landscape/environment. It was also established that the enactment of a National Policy on ICT development does not guarantee the efficient and effective use of ICTs, especially by marginalized rural communities. Special efforts must be made to involve rural communities. These efforts would require policies that: encourage competition between various stakeholders in the telecommunications industry, govern the costs of ICTs, and govern connectivity in areas that are not commercially viable. As women form the majority of most rural households, special efforts need to be made in order to involve women in development initiatives such as skills enhancement initiatives, participatory mechanisms and follow-up programs.
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LIEN, YI-CHEN, and 連怡禎. "A Study on Integrating Information Technology into Social Studies Instruction－A Case of Elementary School in Taoyuan County." Thesis, 2013. http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/z2a64b.
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碩士開南大學
資訊學院碩士在職專班
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The case study focused on the process and the outcome of how the elementary school teachers integrated information technology into Social Studies. The research data were collected by means of participant bservation, interviews, collection of data documents and reflection notes, and then researcher summarized the finding on integrated information technology in Social Studies. The conclusions were found as follows： 1.The IT integrated model can generate more classroom interactions among students in experiment group than control group. 2.The information technology has to be coordinated with appropriate teaching methods. A set of complete designed curriculum plans can promote student's learning achievement. 3.Applying information technology into instruction could transfer traditional teacher-pupils interaction faster. 4.While the information technology is only a tool, students are the first concern. The information technology can’t be fully utilized unless its characters have been completely grasped. 5.While teachers are planning to apply information technology to the teaching, teachers’ relevant knowledge and students’ computer proficiency shall be considered. 6.There were six main factors while effecting the outcomes, students’ poor computer skill, time limit, students who have computer or not, the computer equipment in school, teachers information skills, and human resources. 7.A researcher encountered three kinds of problems while implementing instruction, equipment in poor condition, teacher’s teaching andstudents’ learning problems. 8.School administrators should be a supporter and instruction director in integrating information technology into instruction. 9.A researcher and the elementary school teacher learned with each other and increase their ability. 10.In the end, concrete suggestions were made for researchers and practitioners.
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Sengara, Ryan, University of Western Sydney, and of Arts Education and Social Sciences College. "Redfern kids connect : technology and empowerment." 2005. http://handle.uws.edu.au:8081/1959.7/27868.
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Redfern Kids Connect is a community technology project that has run in inner-city Sydney since 2002. Redfern is known to many as the heart of urban Aboriginal Australia and as a diverse community facing challenges around poverty, crime and race relations. For three years, children (8-12 years old), and volunteers (university students and young professionals) have met each Saturday to play on computers and socialise. The project’s experiences with relationships, technology, and empowerment have been as confusing as they have been exciting. In the spirit of action research, this thesis explores the impacts the project has had. Uniquely embedded in the process of reflection occurring away from its on-the-ground activities, it tells the project’s story through the eyes of its volunteers. The research concludes that the project's main contributions to empowerment have been through building social capital (Cox, Putnam) and improving new forms of literacy (Warschauer). Vital to supporting and extending these outcomes have been taking a social approach to supporting technology use, shaping a safe and open environment (Marvin et. al), supporting critical thinking and expression (Freire) and examining the project 'behind the scenes'. The author takes the dual role of researcher and participant in the research.Master of Arts (Hons)
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Chilimo, Wanyenda Leonard. "Information and communication technologies and sustainable livelihoods : a case of selected rural areas of Tanzania." Thesis, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10413/188.
Full textAbstract:
Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have, in the recent past, attracted enormous attention as important tools for socio-economic development. However, the role of ICTs in fostering development and addressing the needs of the poor, especially in developing countries, has become the subject of a heated debate. This contestation is due to the high failure rate of the ICTs for development projects and a widening gap between the expectations of what ICTs can possibly do and the experiential reality of how these technologies are actually being used. More often than not ICTs have been regarded as a panacea or a „magic bullet‟ that will solve all development problems, with ill-conceived expectations of how they would be used. This study examined the relationship between ICTs and sustainable livelihoods in selected rural areas of Tanzania. The aim was to investigate how and for what purposes ICTs are used by people in the selected rural areas of Tanzania and to study the effect that ICTs have had on the various aspects of their livelihoods. A combination of the sustainable livelihoods framework and other ICTs for development models formed the theoretical foundation of the study. The investigation was carried out using ICT services provided by the telecentres and mobile phone services. The study was conducted in four rural districts in Tanzania which have telecentres. It used a multi-case study research design. A mixed paradigm methodology was adopted and the qualitative research was used as a dominant paradigm. Data was collected through structured interview protocols administered to 203 users and non-users of ICTs in communities surrounding the telecentres. Semi-structured interview protocols were administered to four managers of the telecentres. In addition, eight focus group discussions were conducted in communities surrounding the telecentres. An observation checklist was used to verify data obtained from managers, users and non-users of the telecentres. The study administered semi-structured interview protocols to officers from the ministry responsible for ICTs in Tanzania, that is the Ministry of Infrastructure Development (MoID), The Tanzania Communication and Regulatory Authority (TCRA) and a national research institution (The Commission for Science and Technology- COSTECH). The findings of the study indicated that, contrary to the use of mobile phones, which was characterised by greater uniformity across socio-economic groups and gender, telecentre users in the researched areas were generally young. The majority were males with higher levels of education. It was found that telecentres management have failed to take into consideration the appalling conditions of the extremely poor and disadvantaged individuals in their provision of ICT services to the community. The study established that the urban rural digital divide still exists and is still a reality in the areas reviewed, despite some efforts that are under way to bring ICTs to those communities. Old ICTs such as radio and television are not universally available. It was observed that inadequate road infrastructure makes it difficult for farmers to transport their produce to markets outside the districts, even in cases where farmers are provided with information on the availability of those markets. Inadequate electricity supply hinders large-scale uptake of ICTs in rural areas. The findings show that telecentres managers were not aware of the information needs of the communities they serve and therefore they were not in a position to meet such information needs. Due to personnel‟s inadequate skills and capacity the Ministry of Infrastructure Development did not play its policy-making function effectively. This problem, coupled with delayed implementation of important policy objectives such as the universal access policy and even the national ICT policy itself, affects the development of the ICT sector in rural areas of Tanzania. The findings further show that while the necessary conditions for access exist in all the telecentres involved in the study, sufficient conditions for access are still lacking, especially with regard to skills, awareness and affordability.
On the relationship between ICT and rural livelihoods the findings of the study show that while ICTs may not fully support and sustain socio-economic development in poor communities, the impact of these technologies extends to various aspects of the livelihoods of the rural people. Economically, these technologies lead to better earnings and savings. Socially, they help in community interaction and knowledge-sharing, better follow-up for remittances and creation of savings and credit co-operative societies. In relation to human capital, the technologies‟ implications extend to ICT literacy, improved farming techniques and better access to information on new cash crops. The use of ICTs in rural areas is still faced with many barriers. These range from affordability to language problems and the lack of basic infrastructure such as electricity. Language was particularly found to be a substantial barrier to effective use and application of ICTs. The study recommends that telecentre managers should re-design programmes with the aim of bringing the under-represented groups such as farmers back to the centre of their projects, rather than treating them as passive receivers of ICT services. On the issue of mobile phones, there is a need to develop services that are nuanced towards the real needs of the rural people and incorporate them into the mobile technology. The study recommends that universal access policies should involve old ICTs such as radio and television, or people in the rural areas, who have fewer resources, will eventually pay too much for basic communication services, as in the case of satellite television and radio. Capacity-building is important, not only in the regulatory authorities, but also in the ministries responsible for ICTs and other institutions involved with ICTs, so as to provide effective national ICT leadership. The study recommends that managers of telecentres learn about the different aspects of access, in order for them to go beyond the provision of physical access to ICTs. Continuous improvement and renewal of telecentre services is necessary to ensure survival of the telecentres. Collaboration of the telecentres and other organisations, such as academic institutions, is needed to create content both for the telecentres and the community radios. Telecentres and other information systems developed or adopted to serve the people must meet the needs of the people intended to be served. This can be done by regularly conducting information needs assessment.Thesis (Doctor of Phil. (Information Studies)) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2008.
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Singh, Sachil. "The political economy of Africa's cyberspace : understanding how South Africa's government policies on digital technologies are appropriated and influence development at grassroots level in Maputaland, KwaZulu-Natal." Thesis, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10413/395.
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"From online discussion to offline collective action: a case study of 2010 Cantonese protection movement." 2013. http://library.cuhk.edu.hk/record=b5884295.
Full textAbstract:
Yet, Kam Hon.Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2013.
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 128-134).
Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web.
Abstracts also in Chinese; appendixes includes Chinese.
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Buckmaster, Luke. "Constructing structurelessness : openness, closure and collective action - the case of Indymedia." Phd thesis, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/1885/150004.
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"The empowerment of subaltern groups in Chinese cyberspace: a case study of Gandanxiangzhao Forum." 2007. http://library.cuhk.edu.hk/record=b5893450.
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Tang, Li.Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2007.
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 130-137).
Abstracts in English and Chinese.
Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1
Chapter 2 --- Literature Review --- p.9
Chapter 2.1 --- Subaltern Public Sphere --- p.9
Chapter 2.1.1 --- Public Sphere: Liberal Model --- p.9
Chapter 2.1.2 --- Criticism on Unitary Public Sphere --- p.11
Chapter 2.1.3 --- Subaltern Public Sphere --- p.12
Chapter 2.1.4 --- Criteria for Subaltern Public Sphere --- p.14
Chapter 2.1.5 --- External Parties --- p.16
Chapter 2.1.6 --- Public Sphere in the Cyberspace --- p.17
Chapter 2.2 --- Public Sphere in Contemporary China --- p.19
Chapter 2.2.1 --- Application of the Concept of Public Sphere in China --- p.19
Chapter 2.2.2 --- Dominant Public Sphere in China --- p.21
Chapter 2.2.3 --- Subaltern Groups in China --- p.23
Chapter 2.2.4 --- Subaltern Public Spheres in Chinese Cyberspace --- p.25
Chapter 2.2.5 --- HBV Carriers Group and the Forum --- p.28
Chapter 3 --- Research Design --- p.32
Chapter 3.1 --- Overall Conceptual Framework --- p.32
Chapter 3.2 --- Research Questions --- p.33
Chapter 3.3 --- Research Methods --- p.36
Chapter 3.3.1 --- Textual Analysis --- p.36
Chapter 3.3.2 --- Interviews --- p.39
Chapter 4 --- Brief Overview of the Forum --- p.43
Chapter 4.1 --- Overall Development --- p.43
Chapter 4.2 --- Structure --- p.46
Chapter 4.3 --- Users --- p.50
Chapter 5 --- Empowerment on the Discursive Level --- p.53
Chapter 5.1 --- Characteristics of the Forum --- p.53
Chapter 5.1.1 --- Alternative Topic --- p.53
Chapter 5.1.2 --- Alternative Information of HBV --- p.54
Chapter 5.1.3 --- Discourse of Self-Narrative --- p.59
Chapter 5.1.4 --- Forum Accessibility --- p.61
Chapter 5.1.5 --- Relative Equality --- p.62
Chapter 5.2 --- Rhetoric of Innocence --- p.64
Chapter 5.2.1 --- Attribution of the Spread of HBV --- p.65
Chapter 5.2.2 --- Attribution of Discrimination --- p.68
Chapter 5.3 --- Summary --- p.70
Chapter 6 --- Empowerment and Collective Action --- p.73
Chapter 6.1 --- The State --- p.73
Chapter 6.1.1 --- State's Impact on HBV Carriers --- p.75
Chapter 6.1.2 --- Resistance Enabled by the Internet --- p.76
Chapter 6.1.3 --- Challenges from the State --- p.84
Chapter 6.1.4 --- Compromise with the State --- p.86
Chapter 6.2 --- The Market --- p.88
Chapter 6.2.1 --- Market Domination --- p.89
Chapter 6.2.2 --- Resistance against the Market --- p.91
Chapter 6.2.3 --- Challenges from the market --- p.99
Chapter 6.3 --- The Mass Media --- p.101
Chapter 6.3.1 --- Mass Media's Domination --- p.102
Chapter 6.3.2 --- Forum's Efforts to Get Favourably Represented --- p.106
Chapter 6.3.3 --- Mass Media's Influence over the Forum --- p.111
Chapter 6.4 --- Summary --- p.113
Chapter 7 --- Conclusion and Discussion --- p.116
Chapter 7.1 --- Assessing Empowerment Capacity --- p.116
Chapter 7.1.1 --- Formation of a Subaltern Public Sphere --- p.116
Chapter 7.1.2 --- Discursive Empowerment --- p.117
Chapter 7.1.3 --- Transformed Relationships with External Parties --- p.118
Chapter 7.2 --- Internet and Empowerment --- p.123
Chapter 7.3 --- Limitations of the study --- p.127
Bibliography --- p.130