Thesis (M.Com. (Information Systems))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, School of Economic and Business Sciences, 2014. / Information systems discontinuance at the organisational level is an underrepresented research topic. However, it is an important problem in practice. The managerial decision to discontinue an existing information system by replacement, upgrade or abandonment requires extensive justification and evaluation. The timing of a system’s discontinuance is of strategic concern as the cost and impact of a packaged software application can be extensive. If the decision is made too early in the system’s life cycle, it can negatively affect the return on investment, but if the decision occurs too late, the system may become a liability to an organisation as it continues to consume resources in maintenance and support. A comprehensive framework is required that analyses the factors that determine discontinuance intentions of the decision makers within an organization. This study focuses on managerial perceptions of selected factors considered most important to discontinuance decisions. The study applies and extends the discontinuance framework proposed by Furneaux and Wade (2011) to develop a research model of the effects of these selected factors on organisational intentions to discontinue packaged software. Specifically, the research model hypothesizes the effects of ‘change’ forces that include the manager’s perceptions of system performance, system suitability and system supportability, as well as ‘inertia’ forces such as sunk cost, mimetic isomorphism and degree of the application’s integration into the enterprise architecture. The organisation’s ability to innovate, the age of the system and the presence of the initial sponsor are included as additional factors. To test the model, a survey methodology was employed to collect data from South African IT decision makers. The survey made use of a structured questionnaire instrument administered online. Useable data was collected from decision makers representing 103 organisations. Hypotheses were tested using regression and partial least squares structural modeling. Results showed that poor software performance, a lack of suitability and low levels of business and technical integration, were the strongest determinants of discontinuance intentions. The control effect of the software’s age relatively to the organisation’s portfolio of applications was proven to be significant in this research. This study has contributed by consolidating the effects of a number of factors drawn from the literature and developing an integrated framework of discontinuance. Results will help IT decision makers when considering a discontinuance decision by showing the relative effects of each factor and may be helpful to IT managers to determine the timing of the decision.

4-H members quit. It is part of every 4-H program, and according to the research, it is even part of growing up. If only we knew why they quit, we could possibly do something about it. To date, the reasons youth join 4-H have been more thoroughly researched than the reasons they quit. This study explores why youth choose to discontinue membership in 4-H, and goes a step further, asking current members what they know about the discontinuers, to explore whether current 4-H members can provide information to guide programmatic adjustments to decrease discontinuance. This study identified a need for better communication and implementation of 4-H enrollment procedures, as 51.9% of discontinuers indicated they were in 4-H, while Texas 4-H enrollment records indicated otherwise. This study also revealed a divergence from the literature. The more active a 4-H member is the more likely they are to re-enroll, according to the literature. In contrast, this study found that 54% of discontinuing 4-H members described themselves as active in their 4-H club, and another 45% describe themselves as active at the county level. The literature also suggests that youth may not be interested in 4-H programs, finding them un-cool or old fashioned, while this study found less than 8% of discontinuing 4-H members described 4-H as un-cool or old fashioned. This study asked whether any or all of nine different factors influenced the discontinuer to leave, and none was found to be a significant trigger for discontinuance on its own. Most discontinuers agreed with one to four of the factors, implying it takes no more than four factors for a decision to discontinue. There is no one single reason for discontinuance, but it only takes a few reasons to decide to leave. Responses from current 4-H members about why others leave statistically failed to accurately identify the reasons for discontinuance. This study developed a model of "knowingness" that provides a foundation for understanding how well a current member needs to know a discontinuer in order to accurately describe their reasons for leaving.

The topic of this thesis is conditional discontinuance of criminal prosecution. This institute is one of the alternative ways of handling the criminal case, which are collectively called diversions. Their theoretical basis is a concept called restorative justice. Conditional discontinuance of criminal prosecution is an institute of criminal procedure that is a significant manifestation of the subsidiarity of criminal repression. This institute represents the provision of certain privileges to the accused that lie in the fact that the criminal proceedings are not brought to its standard end in exchange for reimbursing the relationship with the victim, disturbed by the criminal offence. The thesis is divided into six chapters, which seek to render the chosen theme as well as its broader context. At thebeginning, attention is paid to the concept of restorative justice and the concept of diversions. The main part of this thesis is in the third chapter and is entirely exclusively devoted to conditional discontinuance of criminal prosecution. Author's goal is to cover all aspects of this concept and its application. The following chapter is devoted to other types of diversions. Given the limited scope for this thesis,this attention is however only marginal.. Within the penultimate chapter, the thorough...

Deferral and discontinuance of the enforcement of judgment (execution) Carrying out the enforcement of the judgement represents a rather great impact on the obliged person's rights. Despite the fact that it is this obliged person who has caused such enforcement by not fulfilling voluntarily what has been imposed upon him by the enforceable decision, the law has to provide a certain standard of protection. Thus, in the Czech legal environment, it creates above all a deferral and discontinuance of the enforcement of judgement (execution). The main purpose of this thesis is to focus on these two institutes and also on costs in connection with them as they are a concern not only for the obliged person but for the entitled person as well. The thesis is divided into four chapters. While the first one presents general information about the enforcement of judgement and execution, its legal sources and difference between both concepts, the main part of the thesis lies in the three following chapters. The second chapter deals with deferral of enforcement of judgement (execution), i.e. situation when the court (or executioner) may suspend carrying out the enforcement of the decision where (i) the obliged person has temporarily got without his fault into such a condition that an immediate enforcement of the...

This master thesis concerns itself with the alternative procedural measure, the institute of conditional discontinuance of criminal prosecution and some of its relating issues. Conditional discontinuance of criminal prosecution is a type of diversion. It is employed by public prosecutors, or courts, to suspend the further criminal prosecution of those who are accused of committing less serious criminal offence. This is carried on the condition that the accused individual is presented with the opportunity to observe the behavioural rules of proper life throughout the probationary period. Should there be proof of the individual's observation of the rules, the decision regarding his/her case becomes final. However, should the accused fail to observe such rules during the probationary period, then the public prosecutor, or the court, for that matter, rule in favour of furthering his/her prosecution (albeit this rarely takes place in practice). Conditional discontinuance of criminal prosecution is a type of diversion designed to reduce the burden on law enforcement authorities. It is based on the idea of restorative justice with an emphasis on the victim and his/her interests. The primary objective is to bring the accused to the victim and compensate the damages. Before the ruling, it is not necessary...

This diploma thesis focuses on issues connected with conditional discontinuation of criminal prosecution. This concept enables to temporarily suspend criminal prosecution with the provision that if the accused complies with certain set conditions during a certain probation period, the criminal prosecution will be discontinued with final effect. This paper chiefly aims to analyse in detail the conditions required by the Code of Criminal Procedure for the application of conditional discontinuation of criminal prosecution. The paper also presents a brief analysis of the conditions required for other diversions of criminal proceedings permitted under Czech laws. This diploma thesis consists of the introduction, five individual chapters, of which the third and fourth are further divided into subchapters, and the conclusion. The first chapter deals with the concept of restorative justice, which serves as the ideological basis for procedural diversions. An analysis of its individual values, principles and ideas is presented. The first chapter also includes an outline of the programmes under which restorative justice is being developed. The conclusion of this chapter contains the author's thoughts concerning the individual programmes and their implementation in the Czech legislation. The second chapter...

Conditional discontinuance of criminal prosecution is an institute that was introduced into Czech criminal procedure law more than twenty years ago. Over the years, this alternative way of handling criminal cases has become the most commonly used (in the last four years, the second most commonly used) means of all alternative ways called diversions. This diversion is used by both prosecutors and courts in cases of less serious criminal offenses. The point of conditional discontinuance of criminal prosecution is the decision of the prosecutor or the court not to initiate criminal court proceedings or cease them under certain conditions, the most important of them being the offender reimbursing the injured party for the damages caused by the crime. The goal of the author of this thesis is to briefly write about the history of alternative ways of handling criminal cases and their introduction into Czech criminal law, then to move on to specifically discussing the institute of conditional discontinuance of criminal prosecution, the conditions that must be met for its use, the benefits it brings into Czech criminal law and criminal proceedings and to compare it with other types of diversions, as well as with the use of the same institute in Slovak criminal law under slightly different conditions. The...

The master thesis addresses the institute of the conditional discontinuance of criminal prosecution. Being one part of divergences, the core of the conditional discontinuance of criminal prosecution lays in temporally suspension of further criminal proceeding with a premise of its definitive suspension if the legal requirements are met. Except for the introductory part and the conclusion, the thesis is divided into three main chapters. The first chapter is devoted to the concept of restorative justice and deals also with a concept of divergences. In addition to the definition of the divergence the thesis addresses adequately particular types of divergences as they appear in Czech criminal proceedings. The core of the thesis shall be found in the chapter number two, which provides a closer look at the conditional discontinuance of criminal prosecution itself. Through all the paragraphs in this chapter the conditions of an application of the conditional suspension, the course of the probation period and particularities of this proceeding are being dealt with. Furthermore, the chapter includes also a summarization of an evolution of the law, as well as a brief study of a Slovak conception of conditional discontinuance of criminal prosecution. In the closing chapter several de lege ferenda thoughts are...

Conditional discontinuance of criminal prosecution is a method for alternative dispute resolution of criminal cases, also labelled "diversions" by the professional public. It is a criminal procedural measure allowed to be used for case settlement by the court and at the pre-trial stage by the public prosecutor on conditions laid down in the Criminal Code. If the accused committed minor offence and afterwards pleaded guilty; compensated for damages; returned unjust enrichment, or concluded a contract to compensate for damages or to return the unjust enrichment; or he has taken other necessary measures to do so, the determining authority can - with consideration of the accused's character - thereafter decide to conditionally discontinue criminal prosecution. If the accused has committed a serious offense, the public prosecutor or the court may take such decision only if the accused fulfills additional and stricter condition. That is, a probationary period must be determined in the resolution phase, obligating the accused to behave in an orderly way for its duration. If this condition is met, the determining authority will rule that the accused proved himself and then subsequently discontinue criminal prosecution. Otherwise, prosecution will continue, which can potentially lead to indictment and...

Background: Even though the use of social media is one of the most popular activities of our time a decline in the number of active users can be observed at present. Users discontinue using social media platforms temporarily or stop the usage permanently. Thereby, the trend to do a social media detox has emerged, meaning users consciously take a break from social media platforms like Instagram, often for a set period of time. Instagram is one of the most widely used social media platforms of the younger generation, especially Generation Y, and is also noted for its addictive potential. Purpose: Previous studies and scholars have primarily concentrated on the permanent discontinuance of social media, whereby users permanently stop using social media platforms without actively planning to return. Thereby, the focus of the research was often on the social media network Facebook. By studying the journey of intermittent discontinuance of Instagram, the purpose of this research study is to explore Generation Y’s motivation before, experiences and feelings during and post-behavior after a 14-day detox by holistically representing the Instagram Detox Journey. Method: To fulfil the purpose of this thesis being of exploratory nature, a qualitative research design was applied. Empirical data were collected over 4 weeks, beginning with a focus group discussion before, followed by diary research during and 15 in-depth semi- structured interviews after the detox, and concluding with another focus group discussion at a later time. Using an inductive approach, the data was decoded, analysed, and interpreted using thematic analysis. Conclusion: The findings of the study show two main motivations before starting the detox: gaining back control and self-reformation. During the detox, five final themes were identified: mood & satisfaction, technological craving, mental well-being, physical well- being, and social relationships. Lastly, three different post-behaviors after completion were noted: the boomerang effect, conscious consumption, and an attitude change. The findings led to the development of the conceptual framework “Instagram Detox Journey”.