Appraisal of the drivers of smart city development in South Africa
- Authors: Oke, Ayodeji Emmanuel , Aghimien, Douglas O. , Aigbavboa, Clinton O. , Akinradewo, Opeoluwa I.
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Information technology , Smart city , Smart technology
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/435579 , uj:37750 , ISSN: 2204-9029 , Citation: Oke, A.E., Aghimien, D.O., Aigbavboa, C.O., and Akinradewo, O.I. 2020. Appraisal of the drivers of smart city development in South Africa. Construction Economics and Building, 20:2, 109-126. http://dx.doi. org/10.5130/AJCEB.v20i2.6632
- Description: Abstract: The quest for smart cities and development has been on the increase among infrastructural development stakeholders, including clients, government agencies responsible for the management of infrastructures, construction professionals, sponsors, and financiers of these projects. However, studies around the world have shown that less attention is being paid by these stakeholders to various indices and measures of smart cities. These measures and indices, known as drivers, are smart environment, smart economy, smart people, smart governance, smart mobility, and smart living. Using these drivers and their indicators, a multiple-choice questionnaire was designed in line with existing and relevant literature materials in the subject area. These questionnaires were administered on construction professionals with relevant and adequate knowledge of smart construction. Smart environment was found to be a major driver of a smart city while smart people, smart governance and smart living are also key to the achievement of the goals and objectives of the concept. The developed key smart city drivers are a workable, adaptable and efficient city design mechanism and it will be useful for city planners, statutory agencies as well other stakeholders in the development of smart cities.
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Critical theory for women empowerment through ICT studies
- Authors: Joseph, Meera Kenkarasseril
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Women empowerment through ICT , Information technology
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/17520 , uj:15894 , Citation: Joseph, M.K. 2013. Critical theory for women empowerment through ICT studies. Qualitative Research Journal, 13(2):163-177. DOI: 10.101108/QRJ-01-2013-0002 , ISSN: 1443-9883
- Description: Abstract: Information and communication technology (ICT) is a powerful tool and an enabler of economic growth in under-developed areas. ICTs have played an important role in women’s development and provided opportunities for empowerment. ICTs have the potential to exchange information and empower marginalised communities. The purpose of this paper is to cover Habermasbased critical theory to understand the politics of women’s empowerment through the use of ICTs. Design/methodology/approach – The paper examines the role of ICTs in developing marginalised women from the coastal areas of southern India. The paper is based on a qualitative study and presents a set of questionnaires developed specifically to assess women’s development through the use of ICTs.
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Effects of outsourcing on employment generation : evidence from the telecommunications sector of Uganda
- Authors: Nalubega, T. , Kasumba, D. C. , Uwizeyimana, D. E.
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Telecommunications sector , Outsourcing , Information technology
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/404728 , uj:33955 , Citation: Nalubega, T., Kasumba, D.C. & Uwizeyimana, D.E. 2019. Effects of outsourcing on employment generation : evidence from the telecommunications sector of Uganda.
- Description: Abstract: Outsourcing has emerged as a globally embraced business strategy that involves restructuring geared at improving flexibility, inducing innovation and creativity, whilst simultaneously creating greater employment opportunities. Telecommunications companies worldwide have adopted outsourcing strategies leaving them to concentrate on their core business. In Uganda almost all telecommunications companies have also followed the outsourcing trend. However, despite the increasing adoption of outsourcing strategies, there is a dearth of literature about how outsourcing in the telecommunications sector has contributed to the generation of employment in Uganda. MTN Uganda and Airtel Uganda were selected as study sites and a mixed-methods approach was followed for the data collection and analysis. The quantitative data was analysed through descriptive statistics and inferential analysis using version 23 of the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS). The descriptive statistics were analysed, confirming that a multitude of business functions are being outsourced to other companies in Uganda...
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Evaluating the career status of IT professionals
- Authors: Dhanpat, N.
- Date: 2015-06-08
- Subjects: Information technology , Information technology - Management , Information technologists
- Type: Article
- Identifier: uj:6185 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/14071
- Description: Please refer to full text to view abstract
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Herzberg! Can we trust you in Africa?
- Authors: Marnewick, Carl
- Date: 2011-02
- Subjects: Information technology , Project management , Motivation , Herzberg’s two-factor theory
- Type: Article
- Identifier: uj:5824 , ISSN 1993-8233 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/7841
- Description: Information technology (IT) projects are implemented through individual team members. These projects are fairly long in duration, especially enterprise resource planning projects. The problem that IT project managers face is how to motivate the team members, particularly in an African context where a team consists of various cultures and races. This paper presents results of a quantitative research study in which team members were asked to rank their motivating factors on a scale of 1 to 12 based on Herzberg’s two-factor theory. The reason for using this theory is that, it was found to still be applicable after 50 years of its establishment. The purpose was to determine whether Herzberg’s two-factor theory is applicable in an African context and if so, what unique factors could motivate IT team members in Africa. The research indicates that race, age and gender are not indicators and that there is a general tendency that the motivating factors of Herzberg can be used to motivate team members. The implication is that IT project managers can use Herzberg’s two-factor theory to motivate individual team members. The research also adds to the current body of knowledge that Africans are not motivated by hygiene factors.
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Subsidy and revenue maximization in developing countries
- Authors: Sumbwanyambe, Mbuyu , Nel, A. L.
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Information technology , Subsidized communication services
- Type: Article
- Identifier: uj:6281 , ISSN 2078-0966 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/9884
- Description: Developing countries have embarked on the promotion of “ICT access for all” through subsidized Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), especially in underserviced areas of such countries. The main aim of the “ICT access for all” is to extend the communication services to the large areas of underserviced regions through subsidized communication services. In some instances, subsidies may lead to high ICT penetration and high resource utilization while in some instances unsubsidized services may lead to low utilization of resources and low ICT penetration, which may eventually lead to market failure and destroy market efficiency. With explicitly defined objectives, regarding subsidy policy, however, developing countries always fall short on the implementation of such subsidy policy due to economic reasons and unrealistic subsidy driven pricing models. In this paper we investigate the impact of subsidy driven pricing model on resource utilization and revenue maximization in a developing country. In this paper we try to find a middle ground between promoting “ICT access for all” (given a subsidy and diverse income variations between the groups) and resource utilization in a network.
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The impact of information communication and technology in rural development : a case of Moletjie, Limpopo Province
- Authors: Aigbavboa, Clinton O. , Thwala, Wellington Didibhuku
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Business entrepreneurship , Business innovation , Rural development , Information technology
- Type: Article
- Identifier: uj:4820 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/12261
- Description: Refer to full-paper
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The role of data and information security governance in protecting public sector data and information assets in national government in South Africa
- Authors: Masilela, Lucia , Nel, Danielle
- Date: 2021
- Subjects: Information technology , Digital government , Data governance
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/479811 , uj:43413 , ISSN: (Online) 2310-2152 , Citation: Masilela, L. & Nel, D., 2021, ‘The role of data and information security governance in protecting public sector data and information assets in national government in South Africa’, Africa’s Public Service Delivery and Performance Review 9(1), a385. https:// doi.org/10.4102/apsdpr. v9i1.385
- Description: Abstract: Background: The deployment of information and communications technology (ICT) in the public sector, has been exposed to increasing security breaches and cyber-related crimes that have resulted in unauthorised access, theft, fraud and misuse of highly confidential, classified and sensitive public sector data and information (PSDI) assets. The government, as one of the biggest collectors and distributors of PSDI assets, needs to be constantly aware of the risks associated with the collection, classification, storage and dissemination of critical PSDI assets. The lack of sufficient data and information security measures could pose significant security risks that could impact on state security, thus causing national working relationships to be strained, which presents gaps and opportunities for external intruders to capitalise on the mistrust of the government to infiltrate further attacks on critical Information Technology (IT) infrastructure and systems. In order to mitigate and counteract critical and sensitive data and information-related crimes, the government must understand and analyse the importance of data and information security governance (DISG) and how it should be institutionalised through an integrated approach to improve and protect PSDI assets. Aim: The aim of this article is to analyse the institutionalisation of DISG measures government has implemented towards the protection of PSDI assets. Setting: The research setting is in three national government departments, namely the Department of Energy (DoE), the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) and the Department of Science and Technology (DST). This study investigates how the strategic combination of data governance (DG) and information security governance (ISG) practices and principles could be implemented and incorporated as one of the various approaches in public sector institutions to improve the DISG management functions of an organisation’s overall data and information systems and processes. Methods: The research approach is qualitative, and the research methodology includes a multiple case study design. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and was triangulated with literature review. Primary data was analysed using thematic analysis. Results: The research findings are presented according to the McKinsey 7S model, which served as the analytical framework in the study. The research findings indicate that the institutionalisation of DISG management practices and functions in the South African public sector context are very limited, and there is a dominant focus on IT and IT security. It was also identified that DISG policies, practices, and systems have been found to be lacking in public sector management and governance functions. Conclusion: The study concludes that there is currently a lack of sufficient DISG policies, management practices and systems, particularly in the national sphere of government.
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The role of information technology in the risk management of businesses in South Africa
- Authors: Schutte, B. , Marx, B.
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Information technology , Risk management , Risk management of IT
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/289677 , uj:31434 , Citation: Schutte, B. & Marx, B. 2018. The role of information technology in the risk management of businesses in South Africa.
- Description: Abstract: Information Technology is a dynamic and constantly evolving field which has dramatically changed the way in which businesses operate. Organisations now have to ensure that information technology is incorporated into their risk management processes and the strategies to mitigate those risks. This study investigated the role of information technology in risk management processes, focusing on the type of information technology risks and threats that affect organisations. An empirical study of the integrated reports of the top 40 companies listed on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange was conducted to investigate the information technology risk management disclosure practices. The study was completed in 2016, before the King IV Code of Corporate Governance for South Africa became effective and accordingly, focused only on the King III principles of information technology governance and risk management. The study found that companies are mitigating information technology risks and have included information technology into their risk management processes. The results also revealed that awareness of information technology risk may be industry-driven, as companies operating in information technology environments were more likely to be exposed to information technology risk.
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