M. Tech. Information Networks (Structured) / Universities are currently spending huge sums of money on ICT both acquiring and maintaining. However, much as huge sums are spent, several complaints and strikes from the stakeholders are still prevalent. The stakeholders who happen to be mostly students are ever complaining of poor and slow services. The university has experienced intermittent network connections, leaving the staff both administrators and lecturers in a major dilemma as they can't effectively and efficiently apply to their work. These upheavals have at many times ended up destructing academic programs and to some extent vandalizing of university property has been a common face. Hence, the need for the assessment of cloud computing that could provide a stable and dependable network connection. The major goal of this study was to develop a conceptual framework that will systematically organize the assessment of factors needed to determine cloud computing readiness at South African Universities.

M. Tech. Business Information Systems / Business innovation driven by technology is widely seen as a key driver to transform enterprises and in particular, the development of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). Any organization eager to improve competitiveness, retain sustainability and cost effectively will require new and better technologies with great capabilities. However not all organizations are ready to adopt these innovative technologies, largely because new and rapidly changing technologies come with new and unique challenges. The emergence of cloud computing paradigm in recent years is rapidly gaining momentum as an alternative to the traditional approach to provide or consume Information Technology (IT) services and resources. It is a significant trend with the potential to increase agility and lower costs of IT. Although, embracing this paradigm promises several benefits to an organization, an effective adoption and implementation of cloud computing in an organization requires these organizations to understand different factors. Current literature have shown that there are inadequate guidelines to guide SMEs in developing economies to determine a company's degree of readiness to adopt technological innovations such as cloud computing to transform the operations of the organisation. The purpose of this study is to investigate factors influencing cloud computing readiness in South African small and medium enterprises.

M. Tech. Business Administration / The aim of this research is to explore the factors that drives the adoption of cloud computing within a South African information technology user organisation. It also identifies benefits and risks associated with the adopting of cloud computing within an information and communication technology (ICT) from a South African company perspective.

Doctors can experience difficulty in accessing medical information of new patients. One reason for this is that the management of medical records is mostly institution-centred. The lack of access to medical information may negatively affect patients in several ways. These include new medical tests that may need to be carried out at a cost to the patient and doctors prescribing drugs to which the patient is allergic. This research investigates how patients can play an active role in sharing their personal health records (PHRs) with doctors located in geographically separate areas. In order to achieve the goal of this research, existing literature concerning medical health records and standards was reviewed. A literature review of techniques that can be used to ensure privacy of health information was also undertaken. Interview studies were carried out with three medical practices in Port Elizabeth with the aim of contextualising the findings from the literature study. The Design Science Research methodology was used for this research. A Hybrid Model for Managing Personal Health Records in South Africa is proposed. This model allows patients to view their PHRs on their mobile phones and medical practitioners to manage the patients’ PHRs using a web-based application. The patients’ PHR information is stored both on a cloud server and on mobile devices hence the hybrid nature. Two prototypes were developed as a proof of concept; a mobile application for the patients and a web-based application for the medical practitioners. A field study was carried out with the NMMU health services department and 12 participants over a period of two weeks. The results of the field study were highly positive. The successful evaluation of the prototypes provides empirical evidence that the proposed model brings us closer to the realisation of ubiquitous access to PHRS in South Africa.

M. Tech. Business Administration / The main objective of this study was to identify and quantify the issues in implementing cloud computing by small and medium business in Pretoria. The empirical data were collected using an online self-administrated questionnaire. The respondents were taken using a mere random sampling of 120 SMEs in Pretoria. A total of 102 usable responses was obtained. A quantitative approach was applied.

M. Tech. Business Information Systems / The adoption of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) solutions offer several potentials for most organisations (private and public) such as enabling effectiveness, efficiency, competitive advantage among others. As a result, we have seen several IT solutions implemented not only by private sectors but also by the backbone of public entities in the drive for efficiencies in service delivery such as the South African (SA) government. The SA government adopted Open Source Software (OSS) with the aim to reduce IT services cost, less dependencies on imported technology, skills, and flexibility. The SA government was less successful in achieving this aim due to OSS implementation challenges. These challenges among other things include support, funding, training, awareness, and human factors. In the midst of the OSS challenges, a potential alternative to address the same objectives aimed by OSS is Cloud Computing adoption. Cloud Computing is the latest phenomena that promises better potentials especially IT cost reduction, effectiveness and efficiency of IT services. The purpose of this study is to explore the feasibility of Cloud Computing adoption in SA government as a cost effective approach for IT services.

In today’s knowledge-based economy, modern organisations understand the importance of technology in their quest to be considered global leaders. South African markets like others worldwide are regularly flooded with the latest technology trends which can complicate the acquisition, use, management and maintenance of software. To achieve a competitive edge, companies tend to leverage agile methods with the best possible combination of innovative supporting tools as a key differentiator. Software technology firms are in this light faced with determining how to leverage technology and efficient development processes for them to consistently deliver quality software projects and solutions to their customer base. Previous studies have discussed the importance of software development processes from a project management perspective. African academia has immensely contributed in terms of software development and project management research which has focused on modern frameworks, methodologies as well as project management techniques. While the current research continues with this tradition by presenting the pertinence of modern agile methodologies, it additionally further describes modern agile development processes tailored in a sub-Saharan context. The study also aims novelty by showing how innovative sometimes disruptive technology tools can contribute to producing African software solutions to African problems. To this end, the thesis contains an experimental case study where a web portal is prototyped to assist firms with the management of agile project management and engineering related activities. Literature review, semi-structure interviews as well as direct observations from the industry use case are used as data sources. Underpinned by an Activity Theory analytical framework, the qualitative data is analysed by leveraging content and thematic oriented techniques. This study aims to contribute to software engineering as well as the information systems body of knowledge in general. The research hence ambitions to propose a practical framework to promote the delivery of quality software projects and products. For this thesis, such a framework was designed around an information system which helps organizations better manage agile project management and engineering related activities. / Information Science / Ph. D. (Information Systems)

Cloud accounting software (CAS) emerged as part of the overall development of cloud computing. The cloud, as it is referred to, has heralded a new age in information technology and offers new and unique opportunities and challenges for organisations of all sizes. The aim of this study was to determine the awareness and perception of cloud computing technology by accounting firms in Cape Town. The findings of the survey reveal that significant awareness exists of CAS by firm managers and accountants. In some respects there are significant differences between small and medium-large firms regarding their perceptions of CAS. Smaller firms seem to be more positive toward CAS and also more agile and capable of deploying CAS than medium-large firms, and thereby are taking advantage of CAS more effectively. It is evident from the study that there are opportunities for both small and medium-large firms to make use of CAS in their attempts to grow their businesses and it is important that they become familiar with CAS and the opportunities and threats which it presents. Marketers of CAS products need to consider the firm’s size, as well as the organisational decision-making process for CAS acquisition, which can aid them in their marketing designs. / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)

This thesis was motivated by Roberts (2010) who found that 63% of SMEs in South Africa do not make it past second year of operation. To expand further on this problem, we reviewed literature to understand key business challenges experienced by SMEs in South Africa which contribute to this high failure rate. The challenges include red tape, labour legislation, lack of skills, lack of innovation, impact of crime, and lack of funds. The research project aimed to answer a key question: “How can information technology, in the form of Cloud Computing be used to address the challenges faced by small and medium businesses in South Africa?” To answer this question, data was collected from 265 SME companies and quantitatively analysed. It is important to note that the profile of SMEs targeted in this study are those that employed fewer than 200 employees, with a turnover of not less than 26 million rand per annum, and registered with South African Revenue Services (SARS) and also with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) of South Africa. Over 60% of the firms that responded to the survey were in business for more than 10 years which means we are mainly dealing with data from businesses that have past the survivalist stage and are matured businesses. These are businesses that can share their experiences and challenges they faced throughout their journey. The profile of SMEs in this study should not be confused with that of Very Small Medium Enterprise Businesses. The questionnaire was designed to address four themes being the Demographic profile, SME Business Environment, Threat of Survival, and lastly Technology Adoption. Key finding in this research is that 60% of the panellists stated that red tape is the overriding challenge that small businesses contend with. 67% of the panellists confirmed that they have not invested in their businesses in the past year; and 53% stated that they have not applied for finance from the bank for fear of being rejected. Only 30% of the SME market were found to use enterprise resource planning (ERP) and 62% do not have their own IT department. Of great concern is that 65% of the panellists have experienced server down time at least once in the past year. Inability to predict the rising IT costs in a firm has been cited as the main concern when running IT on premise. The cost predictability finding was also discovered to be a benefit enjoyed by the SMEs who use Cloud Computing. The conclusion is that there is a relationship between Cloud Computing, Small and Medium Enterprise businesses and the challenges they face in their business environment. To address the identified business challenges, technology adoption studies by Gumbi & Mnkandla (2015), Carcary, Doherty & Conway (2014), Lacovou et al (1995), Mohlomeane & Ruxwana (2014), Kshetri (2010), BMI Research (2018), Conway & Curry (2012), Li, Zhao & Yu (2015), Wernefeldt (1985), Schindehuitte & Morris (2001), Tornatzy & Flesher (1991) were reviewed. From these publications, the Technology, Organisational and Environmental (TOE) was found to be relevant and of interest for use in answering the main research question. This study developed the Cloud Adoption Framework which is the anchor of all SME challenges. Key study contribution is that the TOE model, which is predominantly used to understand the determinants of technology adoption like various industry applications, infrastructure innovations etc., are now used to address specific challenges that have contributed in the high failure rate of SME business. This is the first-time TOE model has been used to align with key SME challenges that contribute to firms’ failure. Specific technology across Software, Infrastructure and Platform services models are recommended for use by SMEs to ensure challenges are mitigated and improve the chances of survival for SMEs operating in South Africa. By following the recommended Cloud Adoption Framework, SMEs should be able to navigate the complexities brought about by the tough operating environment and also the technologies available to address those challenges. All six challenges have solutions in Cloud Computing and SMEs are educated on these solutions and also how to access these on a pay as you use model of consumption. / Business Management / D.B.L.

The emergence of cloud computing is influencing how businesses develop, re-engineer, and implement critical software applications. The cloud requires developers to elevate the importance of compliance with security policies, regulations and internal engineering standards in their software development life cycles. Cloud computing and agile development methodologies are new technologies associated with new approaches in the way computing services are provisioned and development of quality software enhanced. However adoption and use of agile and cloud computing by SMMEs in South Africa is seemingly constrained by a number of technical and non-technical challenges. Using Grounded Theory and case study method this study was aimed at exploring the development of a framework for agile methodologies to promote the adoption and use of cloud computing services by SMMEs in South Africa. Data was collected through survey and in-depth interviews. Open, Axial and Selective coding was used to analyse the data. In tandem with its main objective the study, besides exploring the development of the envisaged framework, also generated and made available valuable propositions and knowledge that SMMEs in South Africa using agile development methodologies can use to work better with cloud computing services in the country without compromising on software quality. The findings of this study and the emerging insights around the development of the framework, which in itself also constitutes an important decision making tool for supporting adoption and use of cloud computing services, are a substantial contribution to knowledge and practice in the ICT field of information systems in South Africa / Information Science / D. Phil. (Information Systems)