<div>Digital transformation greatly affects all segments of our society. There are three powerful trends unleashed by the digital revolution: machine, platform, and crowd. The first trend emphasizes that machine learning can either complements or supplements human capabilities, which leads to data-driven decision making. The second trend shows that value creation is moving from physical products to platforms (e.g., Uber and Airbnb) where network effects can have a great impact. The third trend is about the emergence of online crowds. Several good examples are crowdfunding platforms like Indiegogo and collaborative platforms such as Wikipedia. My research work studies these three trends from different aspects. </div><div><br></div><div>In the first project, we investigated how professional reviewers influence subsequent non-editor reviewers in their writing behaviors. Restaurants that receive editorial reviews are found to have reviewers who not only post more frequently, but also give lengthier and more neutral feedback. Further investigation of the mechanism finds that in terms of the topics, sentiment, and readability, following reviews of restaurants that receive editorial reviews become increasingly similar to their editorial reviews, indicating that a herding effect is the main driver of the shift in later reviews. In this study, we not only look at quantitative review characteristics such as rating and review length, but also extract qualitative review characteristics embedded in review text using Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques (e.g., Topic modeling and Sentiment analysis). </div><div><br></div><div>In the second project, we studied how AI-based shelf monitoring can help manufacturers with their shelf management efforts. In general, we've discovered that AI-powered shelf monitoring boosts product sales. We further reveal that the positive effect shall be attributed to independent retailers rather than chained retailers. More broadly, the finding further suggests that AI-powered monitoring is more scalable, allowing manufacturers to cope more effectively with more heterogeneous objects. In this study, we analyzed shelf photos using deep learning (e.g., image recognition). Furthermore, we conducted a qualitative study (i.e., interviews) as a supplement attempt to uncover the underlying mechanism behind the interesting phenomenon found in our field experiment. </div><div><br></div><div>In the third project, we tried to understand the dynamic contribution patterns caused by backers’ multiple roles and fundraisers’ strategic behaviors. We show that projects described by more subjective content (i.e., title and introduction) significantly repel potential donors. We further show that fundraisers’ contribution to their own projects might increase donor’ intention to donate and has no significant impact on reward pledging of subsequent backers. Above that, we find a positive interplay between donation and reward pledge, suggesting a cross-channel peer influence that will facilitate the fundraising progress. </div>

<p dir="ltr">In my dissertation, I delve into the moderation and economic dynamics of online platforms. With the proliferation of platforms facilitating user interaction, it becomes imperative to grasp the mechanisms underlying content creation and the economic ramifications of such policies on diverse user groups. Comprising three essays, my dissertation examines the influence of crowd-sourced misinformation monitoring, the effects of privacy on content creation by fact-checkers, and the likelihood of platform acquisition.</p><p dir="ltr">In the first essay, I investigate the impacts of crowd-based misinformation monitoring programs by examining how implementing crowd-based monitoring affects both the quality and quantity of user-generated content. Using data from Twitter's Birdwatch program, I find that content quality, measured subjectively through cognition, improves, while objective measures like user engagement show no significant change. Additionally, there's a decrease in sentiment extremity and machine-learning-calculated misinformation, indicating a potential improvement in overall content quality and reduction in misinformation. However, the program's launch leads to fewer tweets suggesting a trade-off with reduced content volume. </p><p dir="ltr">In my second essay, I analyze how privacy measures affect fact-checkers' content creation. Using Twitter's Birdwatch program, which assigns aliases to fact-checkers, I study the impact of anonymity on their behavior. The results show that privacy measures lead to more content creation on the main platform without any impact to fact-checking activity. Additionally, the content becomes more neutral and less negative. Users also feel more comfortable discussing political topics on Twitter afterward. These findings underscore the importance of privacy measures for effective misinformation monitoring.</p><p dir="ltr">In my third essay, I examine the likelihood of platform company acquisitions, a trend on the rise. These companies' multi-sided nature increases their complexity, presenting both challenges and opportunities in acquisitions. While complexity can lead to information asymmetry, it also enhances attractiveness as an acquisition target. Analyzing Crunchbase data, I find a positive correlation between platform company complexity and acquisition likelihood. </p>

Thesis (MBus) -- AUT University, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references. Also held in print (ix, 77 leaves : ill. ; 30 cm.) in the Archive at the City Campus (T 658.4038 TSC)

M.A. (Business Management) / Small businesses thrive in the developing economy of South Africa and address the important issue of unemployment and poverty that exist in the country. A large number of these business organisations can be found in the province of Gauteng because of the large and diverse economic contribution the province delivers to the economy of South Africa. With the increased use of technology in the small businesses of Gauteng and South Africa, the risks around cyber-security, information security and other IT-related threats that can harm the businesses increase. As part of the related IT risks comes the information security awareness of the businesses. Research findings show that little to no information security awareness exists in the small IT-dependent business organisations of Gauteng, South Africa. New knowledge has been gained from the information technology uses and information security awareness that exists in small business organisations. This knowledge is specific to the small business organisations of South Africa which places an African context to a global debate of information security awareness.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 65-69).

M. Tech. Business Information Systems

M. Tech. Business Information Systems / Business Intelligence is a broad category of applications and technologies used for gathering, storing, analysing, and providing access to data. It provides historical, current and predictive views of business operations. By so doing organizations are in a position of continuously improving their performance in congruency with their mission and vision. As a result, organizations need to have in place effective Business Intelligence systems that could enable them process and access quality information so as support business processes. The ineffective use of Business Intelligence tools and lack of trust on the integrity of data has led to the deployment of duplicate systems and roles within many organisations. This creates an environment where organisations often have multiple systems that are only known in one business unit. More so, it has created isolations and unnecessary independences of business units as they tend to work in silos. In addition, this creates a negative impact on the overall organisational performance leading to the organisation incurring unnecessary costs. This study aimed at developing a model for enhancing Business Intelligence utilization in order to improve organisational performance.

M. Tech. Business Information Systems / The study aimed at conceptualizing a framework for maximizing Information Systems project maturity. Two factors led to the conception of the study namely, delays in Information Systems project maturity within the South African context and the resultant cost-savings that could be realized from applying appropriate Maturity Models, coupled with the proposed framework, towards reaching project maturity on schedule and on budget. To limit the scope, the South African Weather Service has been selected as the case for the research.

M. Tech. Business Information Systems / Business Intelligence is a broad category of applications and technologies used for gathering, storing, analysing, and providing access to data. It provides historical, current and predictive views of business operations. By so doing organizations are in a position of continuously improving their performance in congruency with their mission and vision. As a result, organizations need to have in place effective Business Intelligence systems that could enable them process and access quality information so as support business processes. The ineffective use of Business Intelligence tools and lack of trust on the integrity of data has led to the deployment of duplicate systems and roles within many organisations. This creates an environment where organisations often have multiple systems that are only known in one business unit. More so, it has created isolations and unnecessary independences of business units as they tend to work in silos. In addition, this creates a negative impact on the overall organisational performance leading to the organisation incurring unnecessary costs. This study aimed at developing a model for enhancing Business Intelligence utilization in order to improve organisational performance.

The purpose of this study is to examine the extent to which the existing ICT infrastructure in Kenya affects the provision of e-banking services at Barclays Bank of Kenya. The study also compares e-banking applications in Kenyan banks with best practice examples from other countries. Other areas studied are the existing ICT and e-banking security systems as well as the policy and regulatory framework that governs e-banking systems in Kenya. The dilemma still facing the banking and ICT sectors in Kenya is whether the existing ICT infrastructure is adequate and efficient enough to satisfy the demand for voice and data communications required in the provision of e-banking services. The problems that require attention are lack of appropriate equipment to serve a modem financial system and provide the full range of e-banking services, inadequate telephone landlines due to vandalism and failure of Telkom Kenya to expand its network. Other problems include lack of reliable Internet connection, high access costs for landlines and Internet, inadequate capital investment for the provision of sufficient ICT services, dumping of contraband traffic on Telkom's network, cyber crime due to lack of proper e-banking security systems and lack of a suitable policy and regulatory framework for Information Communication Technologies. A qualitative research methodology and a typical case study research design are adopted in the study. Barclays Bank of Kenya is examined as a case study. The activities of the banking and ICT key industry players, Central Bank of Kenya, Telkom Kenya, Communications Commission of Kenya and Today's Online, are also examined. In addition four other commercial banks namely, Standard Chartered, Citibank, Kenya Commercial Bank and Commercial Bank of Africa are contacted and their senior management interviewed concerning this study. Data is collected from interviews, archives, newspapers, published reports and the Internet. The study findings reveal that Barclays Bank Kenya offers different forms of e-banking services namely, Internet banking, online banking, telephone banking and mobile banking. However, the poor state of the ICT infrastructure hinders the growth of ebanking services in Barclays and other Kenyan banks. The existing security measures for landlines and e-banking systems in Kenya are also incapable of preventing most forms of risks and threats and need to be improved. Kenya also lacks a sound policy and regulatory framework to efficiently curb these ICT and e-banking risks. The study concludes by recommending that the Kenyan government should encourage the private sector and development partners to invest in ICT infrastructure and that a comprehensive review of existing laws relating to ICT and e-banking systems be done and amendments formulated. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2006.