No description available.

This study involved a qualitative investigation of consulting engineers' information needs and information-seeking behaviour within the context of their project-related work roles and tasks. The research design includes a study of various information behaviour models, a systematic review of the subject literature and the exploration of relevant qualitative research methods. Data was collected through time-line interviews. The findings show how consulting engineers' work roles and tasks determine their information needs during various engineering project stages. These factors also determine the use of various sources during information seeking. Consulting engineers use a variety of information sources but rely mainly on interpersonal communication to gather information. Digital cameras are used by consulting engineers to record progress in a project. They also use Internet technologies such as email and FTP sites to communicate project related information. Recommendations were put forward for the development of an Internet-based information service for consulting engineers. / Information science / M.Inf.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the collection development practices of electronic resources at the University of Namibia (UNAM) library and its constituent branches. Collection development is one of the critical activities of any library management process; therefore, the goal of collection development in university libraries is to effectively provide relevant and up-to-date information resources. The main aims of the study were: to explore the collection development procedures and policies for electronic resources at the UNAM library; to investigate the factors that influence the collection development of information resources; to assess the extent which teaching staff and subject librarians are involved in collection development at the UNAM library; to discover the barriers to effective collection development of electronic resources at the UNAM library; and to determine the influence of the UNAM library budget allocation on the collection development of electronic resources. The population of the study comprised of 291 teaching staff from all eight faculties of UNAM. A total of 149 faculty members responded to the survey, which gave a response rate of 51.2%, while a total number of 16 library staff were interviewed. The study employed a quantitative approach, and the qualitative approach was applied on the part of the library staff. For quantitative data collection, the study used a self-administered questionnaire, while for qualitative data, the study used an interview schedule with library staff. The data from the interviews were used to complement the data from the survey. Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS, while the qualitative data were analysed using thematic content analysis. The study revealed that not all faculty members are aware of the guideline, procedure, and policies on the collection development activities. Eighty one percent (81%) of the respondents are aware of the importance of their role in selecting library materials, 72% are aware of acquiring books, and 67% are aware of the budget allocated to their faculty. The majority totaling 94% of the faculty members are not aware of weeding or disposal of library books, followed by 83% who are not aware of collection evaluation, and 81% are not aware of the collection development policy in place at the UNAM library. From the data collected, the study found that a majority (67%) of faculty members are aware of ICTs used in collection development activities. Even though the majority of faculty members are aware of ICTs used in collection development activities, (45%) faculty members are not aware that ICTs can be used in collection development. The major challenge facing the UNAM library is the absence of the collection development policy, which makes it difficult for the teaching staff, students, and library staff to understand all the issues related to the collection development of electronic resources in the library. Another challenge is the inadequacy of funds to cater for the increasing costs of electronic resources in various subject fields. / Information Science / M. A. (Information Science)

In becoming a signatory to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Treaties, Canada has undertaken the obligation to provide protection against the circumvention of technological measures designed to protect copyright works. While on its face the obligation appears simple, in reality it brings about an intersection of policy, law and technology; a complex situation with far reaching repercussions. The U.S., a co-signatory to the WIPO Treaties, responded to this tension by enacting the Digital Milennium Copyright Act (DMCA), which heavily regulated circumvention technology and garnered wide-spread criticism. Critics labeled the law as unpredictable and overbroad legislation, which has chilled free speech, violated fair use, stifled research and study and encouraged monopolies by eliminating competition. Drawing largely on the U.S. experience, this thesis aims to suggest a possible route for Canada to take when fulfilling its own obligations under the WIPO. It will begin with a review of the relevant provisions of the Treaties to determine the extent of Canada's obligation. It will then examine Canada's proposal papers and the responses of its citizens to the questioned posed regarding future anti-circumvention legislation. It will also examine the DMCA in detail and attempt to distil its flaws. Finally, it will investigate the extent of the need for new anti-circumvention legislation in Canada by examining Canada's existing laws dealing with the protection of technology measures. Such process will provide evidence that Canada has, to a large extent, complied with its obligations under the WIPO while maintaining the delicate balance between the stakeholders of copyright law. Thus while new anti-circumvention legislation may still be in order, Canada has the latitude to craft a law that fully recognizes the rights of all stakeholders in the copyright equation and is consistent with its own copyright policies.

The research reflected here examined in depth how one cohort of learners viewed and engaged in literature searches using web browser based resources. Action research was employed using a mixed methods approach. The research started with a survey followed by interviews and a screencast examining practice based on a series of search related exercises. These were analysed and used as data to establish what deficits in using the web to search for literature existed in the target group. Based on the analysis of these instruments, the problem was redefined and a workshop intended to help remediate deficiencies uncovered was run. Based on this a recommendation is made that a credit bearing course teaching digital research literacy be made available which would include information literacy as a component. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.

This study involved a qualitative investigation of consulting engineers' information needs and information-seeking behaviour within the context of their project-related work roles and tasks. The research design includes a study of various information behaviour models, a systematic review of the subject literature and the exploration of relevant qualitative research methods. Data was collected through time-line interviews. The findings show how consulting engineers' work roles and tasks determine their information needs during various engineering project stages. These factors also determine the use of various sources during information seeking. Consulting engineers use a variety of information sources but rely mainly on interpersonal communication to gather information. Digital cameras are used by consulting engineers to record progress in a project. They also use Internet technologies such as email and FTP sites to communicate project related information. Recommendations were put forward for the development of an Internet-based information service for consulting engineers. / Information science / M.Inf.

The aim of this study was to investigate the use of electronic information resources by postgraduate students at UNISA Regional Learning Centre in Ethiopia and to identify the problems they experience when using the UNISA online library. The literature review focuses on students’ information-seeking behaviour, with a particular emphasis on their usage of electronic information resources. Previous studies indicated that the context in which students’ information needs and their information-seeking behaviour arise can be determined by contextual and personal elements or factors. This study adopted a qualitative case study approach. Semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted to collect data from eight postgraduate students which were conveniently selected. The data were analysed by using a thematic data analysis technique. The study established that the majority of the respondents used electronic information resources. However, the availability of Internet connections and electricity determined the frequency with which e-resources were used. The students used information resources for various purposes, including for course work, doing assignments, preparing for examination, writing proposals, for literature reviews, for writing Master’s dissertations and doctoral theses, and for research. The study revealed that postgraduate students had basic computer and information literacy skills; however, they lacked more advanced skills and this negatively affected their usage of electronic information resources. The findings also reported that a lack of ICT infrastructure, such as limited Internet access, inadequate Internet connectivity and frequent electric power interruptions were the main factors that affected postgraduate students’ electronic information-seeking behaviour. Besides, the remoteness and poor facilities of the Akaki Branch Library also had a negative impact on students’ information usage. Recommendations are made in order to maximise the utilisation of electronic information resources and address students’ skills deficiencies experienced while they are using electronic information resource. / Information Science / M. A. (Information Science)

Ph. D. (Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Management Sciences), Vaal University of Technology. / The use of technology in supply chain management has increased over the years. Procurement is one of the primary supply chain management areas where the use of technology has gained momentum. This has been realised through the use of e-procurement systems. However, the adoption and implementation of e-procurement can be achieved more effectively if available models of technology adoption are taken into consideration. This study tested a conceptual framework integrating the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Unified Theory of the Acceptance and use of Technology (UTAUT) in the implementation of e-procurement practices in the South African public sector. Although there are several studies that have focused on procurement in the public sector in South Africa, there is no evidence of studies that extended the use of the TAM and the UTAUT within the public sector in South Africa. This study was conducted to fill this gap by proposing a framework combining the TAM and UTAUT and modelling their role in the adoption of e-procurement in the public sector. The study adopted a survey design and a quantitative research approach was used to evaluate relationships between different variables. The final sample for this study consists of 263 supply chain management (SCM) practitioners drawn from the public sector in the Gauteng Province, South Africa. A self-completion survey questionnaire was used to gather data to measure the eight constructs of the TAM and UTAUT. An Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) procedure was performed to assess the factor structure of the data collected in the study. Descriptive statistics were applied to examine the demographic profile of respondents and the perceptions of respondents towards the research constructs. Pearson correlations were used to test relationships and regression analysis was used to test the hypotheses. In the EFA, two new factors, labelled as Personal Competence and External Assistance, were identified. The results of the hypotheses tests showed that five factors, namely: perceived use, self-efficacy, facilitating conditions, personal competence and external assistance significantly predicted attitudes towards the use of e-procurement systems. However, perceived ease of use was statistically insignificant. The results further show that attitudes towards system use significantly predict behavioural intention, which in turn significantly influences actual e-procurement system use. The theoretical framework fusing the TAM and UTAUT models provides useful insights for other researchers and adds valuable knowledge to the factors that might contribute to the adoption of e-procurement in the South African public sector. The study further makes significant contributions to SCM professionals in the public sector. It reiterates the challenges faced in SCM in the public sector and then demonstrates how the adoption of e-procurement could improve the system, while reducing service delivery inequality. By indicating the factors either promoting or impeding the adoption of e-procurement in the public sector, the study provides practitioners and other decision makers in SCM with suggestions on how to facilitate more rapid adoption and circumvent the influence of irrelevant factors. Among other things, the study recommends that to improve the adoption and continued use of e-procurement systems in the public sector in the Gauteng Province, it is necessary to customise the e-procurement system to ensure that it responds to the needs of users. In addition, it is important to increase the confidence and competence of users of the systems, providing the relevant technical infrastructure and support to users in order to positively influence their attitudes and behavioural intention towards the use of e-procurement systems.

No description available.

This research reported in this thesis explores job search networking amongst 16-24 year olds living in Scotland, and the role of social media platforms (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn) during this process. Networking is treated as an information behaviour; reflecting this, the study is underpinned by a prominent model from the domain of information science. A sequential, mixed methods approach was applied to gather data. This included the use of interviews, focus groups, and a survey questionnaire. The interviews incorporated ego-centric network methods to develop a relational perspective of job search networking. The findings show that young people accrue different types of information from network contacts which can be useful for all job search tasks. Indeed, frequent networking offline and on social media is associated with positive job search outcomes. This is especially true of engaging with family members and acquaintances, and frequent use of Facebook for job search purposes. However, demographic and other contextual factors have a substantial impact on the nature of networking behaviours, and the extent to which they can influence outcomes. Additionally, young jobseekers face a range of barriers to networking, do not always utilise their networks thoroughly, and are more likely to use social media platforms as supplementary tools for job search. A key contribution of this work is that it provides a detailed insight into the process of networking that has been neglected in previous studies. Its focus on social media also reveals a new dimension to the concept which has received little attention in the job search literature. Given its focus on young jobseekers living in Scotland, the findings have also been used to create a detailed list of recommendations for practitioners.