Position of small and medium companies in the information technology sector plays important role in the functioning on any state's economy. Focusing on a specific local market and using the Czech Republic as a case study, one has to state that most Czech firms face difficulties when trying to achieve economic success. Based on this fact, small and medium enterprise rating seems to be appropriate approach to determine factors that influence their performance and thus the possibility to help with their situation. Aim of this Master thesis is to determine these factors and construct econometric success rate models. Questionnaire research among ICT enterprises, and further statistical analysis showed that the earnings- employee ratio, average revenues and the R&D importance ratio plays the most important role in their success. Both, financial and non-financial indicators perform significantly in these predictions. Bibliographic record Krejčí, M. (2013): Factors that influence the success of small and medium enterprises. Case study of ICT sector in the Czech Republic. Master thesis (Mgr.), Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Social Sciences, Institute of Economic Studies. Supervisor: PhDr. Wadim Strielkowski, Ph.D. JEL Classification C13, C51, C81, D02, L86 Keywords Success rate, ICT sector,...

A problem of non-acceptance of new information technologies becomes a predominant obstacle that results in companies’ losses and represents an arena of avid debate for researchers. Hereof this netnographic study explores changes in the individual beliefs that contribute to new information system acceptance such as autopilot in the light of the Technology Acceptance model (TAM). The research takes place within three automobile communities related to Tesla Motors and uses content analysis for its collected data. Based on the findings new influencers on individual beliefs emerge hence the research proposes to incorporate these determinants into the adopted TAM model. This study has theoretical, practical and methodological contributions.

This thesis describes subject of mergers and acquisitions with aim on information and communication technologies integration process. The first part contains general mergers and acquisitions classification and definition as well as its market development over time period extended with practical experiences. Second part is about ICT integration issues in M&A process including attitudes of various literature authors and experts. The goal of the thesis is to theoretically specify the subject of mergers and acquisitions including valuation. In addition my goal is to synthetize knowledge and best practices in the process of ICT integration as well as in the merger process itself. Main contribution is to synthetize experience from past contracts and research the role of ICT in integration process. Main reason for it was that despite information age we live in, technological aspect in M&A is often underestimated aside from crucial impact which it has on success of whole process.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / The experiences and perceptions of ICT access and usage by women in marginalised South African communities is sorely under researched. Where information from a gender-based perspective reflecting potential digital gender disparities exists, it is typically a statistical view of the ICT landscape (largely reflecting access). Exploration of the complex underlying socio-cultural factors affecting women’s ICT usage is under-represented. There is an urgent need to hear women’s own voices and perspectives on such intricate and often obscure subject matter. This research has aimed to bring traditionally overlooked perspectives to the fore by exploring the experiences and perceptions of women in marginalised South African communities regarding ICT access and usage. This qualitative study, guided by a feminist phenomenological perspective, focused on the individual lived experiences of twelve women living in three marginalised areas of the Western Cape of South Africa. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews and analysed through the Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) approach. The findings showed that the women had strong attachments to ICT and had integrated it into their own individual contexts, to fit their needs and activities. ICT had been interwoven into various social, economic, educational, political, cultural, recreational and spiritual dimensions of life. A range of factors emerged as having influence on women’s digital participation. Some of the more significant barriers were digital skills and confidence, poor social support systems, affordability of ICT, awareness of personally beneficial opportunities, time constraints, resistance from a male partner and poor literacy. Additionally, the women lived in highly gendered environments, with sociallyconstructed gender norms, roles and identities, which had a strong influence on digital experiences and perceptions. This socio-cultural gender inequality was fundamental in the time constraints, and in the power dynamics and resistance women faced from male partners. Findings indicated that gender identities and traits disadvantage females in the digital context, for example ideas of femininity being viewed as conflicting with a perceived ‘dirty’ ICT field. Detrimental perceptions associating sophisticated ICT activity with males were reportedly prevalent in the communities and some of the women interviewed subscribed to the essentialist theory which considers men inherently better suited to technology. These findings have important implications for policies and practices in view of enhancing the digital inclusion of women in marginalised South African communities. Recommendations towards this end are outlined, specifically centred on gendersensitive approaches in the planning and implementation of digital inclusion initiatives.

The purpose of this research is to investigate the performance of the Government Information Technology Officers (GITOs) in the implementation of e-government policy during the last decade. The CIOs in the South African public sector are referred to as GITOs, the position in government departments that was established by a Cabinet memorandum in the year 2000. By 2001, the South African government developed an e-government policy framework which presents the basis for implementation of e-government initiatives by several stakeholders including the GITOs. A qualitative study was undertaken based on the case study of four national departments to determine the performance of the GITOs in the implementation of this policy. The literature review has pointed out several hindrances to the implementation of e-government initiatives and critical success factors that are to be in place to ensure successful implementation. The findings identifies the barriers for the GITOs to implement the e-government policy to include, weak policy, lack of strategic leadership, critical ICT skills, infrastructure, uncoordinated funding and low levels of e-readiness by departments. The analysis categorised the factors into six themes, i.e. ICT governance framework, leadership, organisational structural arrangement, digital divide (infrastructure and access) and integration of services and systems. The analysis of the findings and lessons from the literature review constituted the basis for policy recommendations in the last chapter.

Ample evidence exists that suggests that Information and Communication Technologies (ICT’s) access and usage is structured along gender lines where social, economic, education barriers as well as attitudes impact negatively on female adoption and usage of ICT’s. Further, the ability to communicate and or own an ICT gadget is heavily reliant on disposable income and affordability (Hafkin, 2002). By investigating gender adoption and usage patterns of ICT’s, South Africa stands an opportunity to gather important data critical to circumvent possible negative aspects of gender difference in adoption and usage. According to Huyer, S., and Hafkin, N., (2007), “gender in relation to ICT use and access remains largely an uncharted domain” (Huyer & Hafkin, 2007, p.36). The report uses available ICT data covering between year 2005 to 2010 and the 2007 ICT access and usage survey data is the primary source for the key findings of the report. Key findings of the report suggest that no gender difference exists in adoption and usage of ICT’s in South Africa. However higher incomes, more advanced education, being young and living in an urban location increases adoption and usage. Thus, given the existing gender disparities in income and education and the location of a large proportion of the female population in rural areas, the analysis found that females are disadvantaged with respect to broad ICT access and usage beyond mobile voice communications. While ICT adoption cannot on its own address the broad challenges of socio-economic development, gender-based policy and regulation is necessary to unlock heightened ICT usage by women as a contributing factor to development.

Thesis (M.M. (ICT Policy and Regulation))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, Graduate School of Public and Development Management, 2013. / Developing countries face the challenge of devising ways to advance rapidly through developmental stages. At the turn of the millennium, South Africa focussed its attention on pursuing the twin goals of becoming a ‘developmental state’ and harnessing ICTs to become an advanced inclusive ‘information society’. Despite these pent up aspirations, it has failed to put in place concrete policy enablers and strategies to vigorously pursue these specific goals. Furthermore, while ICT policies express ICT for development (ICT4D) perspectives, few have delivered on their stated objectives. This policy analysis research investigated seven distinct ICT policies (or policy components) published between 2001 and 2012, examining the extent to which they reflect either developmental state or ICT4D themes. The developmental state perspective is based on four sub-themes, namely developmentalist ideology, state capacity and institutional arrangements, state autonomy, and country context. The ICT4D perspective is based on five sub-themes, namely enabling institutional environment, agile ICT industry, robust ICT infrastructure, human digital capability development, and ubiquitous e-services deployment. The findings illustrate that ICT policy fairs reasonably well on only one of the nine sub-themes presented above, namely attention to the enabling institutional environment, even if only at the level of principle. The research report notes further that South Africa is headed towards a captured welfare state rather than a capable competitive developmental state, while the major ICT policies exhibit glaring gaps in terms of reflecting either developmental state or ICT4D theories. Finally, the report proposes a series of new directions for policy thinking on ICT-enabled development.

As Information and Communication technology (ICT) has rapidly advanced in China, parental monitoring may invasively penetrate into children's privacy, while China is lagging behind on the issue of children privacy protection. Privacy is invaluable to human development, and children do have interests in their privacy. This thesis is going to investigate under which condition it is desirable for parents to apply ICT techniques to monitor children, which does not invade children's privacy. Before reaching the decision of carrying out monitoring, the intent and the necessity of monitoring should be considered. Children should be informed and their consent should be acquired before deploying monitoring. After the decision is made, the proportionality of monitoring practice requires parents to opt for the least invasive and the most necessary approach. Besides parental monitoring, states and schools can offer media literacy education to enable children to protect themselves from privacy infringement.

Orientador: Renato Eugênio da Silva Diniz / Banca: Maria Elisabette Brisola Brito Prado / Banca: Aguinaldo Robinson de Souza / Banca: Maria Inês Petrucci Rosa / Banca: Silvia Regina Quijadas Aro Zuliani / Resumo: A presente pesquisa foi realizada com o propósito de analisar e compreender um processo de formação continuada de professores visando promover a inserção da informática nas aulas de Química. Tal ação teve seu desenvolvimento pautado na racionalidade prática e na reflexão crítica sobre o trabalho docente, sendo mediada pela educação a distância. O estudo desenvolveu-se com um grupo de professores de Química de escolas públicas estaduais na região de Jaú (SP). Através de encontros presenciais e de interações em um ambiente virtual de aprendizagem, buscou-se estabelecer um vínculo constante entre a realidade do professor e a formação continuada. Foram utilizados diferentes recursos metodológicos que possibilitaram aos docentes o contato com materiais diversificados, a análise de softwares, a elaboração material didático, bem como a atuação com seus alunos na sala de informática das escolas. Na organização dos dados foram trabalhados três eixos principais: formação e trabalho docente, ensino de Química e uso da informática. A investigação evidenciou elementos-chave para subsidiar propostas de formação continuada e envolveu reflexão e planejamento como meios para desencadear reformulações tanto na percepção dos professores em relação ao papel da informática nas aulas de Química como na utilização desse recurso em sala de aula. / Abstract: This research was conducted with a view to analyze and understand a process of teachers training in-service aiming to promote the insertion of Information and Communication Technologies in the classes of Chemistry. This action had its development based on practical rationality and critical reflection about teaching practice, being mediated by Distance Education. The study was developed with a group of Chemistry teachers in state public schools in the region of Jaú (SP). Through presence meetings and interactions in a virtual learning environment, it was aimed to establish a constant link between the teacher reality and the training in-service. Different methodological resources had been used so that the teachers could have contact with diverse materials, analyse educational software, elaborate learning material, as well as the work with their students in the computer lab of the schools. In the organization of the data three main axes were considered: training and teaching work, teaching of Chemistry and use of Information and Communication Technologies. The investigation revealed key elements to subsidize proposals of teachers training in-service and involved reflection and planning as a mens to trigger recasts in both the perception of teachers concerning to the role of Information and Communication Technologies in the classes of Chemistry as the use of this resource in the classroom. / Doutor

This mixed method study sought to explore the perceptions of key stakeholders in education, on the role and contribution of ICT in Scottish secondary schools towards generic skills development among pupils for post school transitions. The timing of this study coincided with a period characterised by contextual pressures globally, marked with technology changes, youth unemployment and curriculum reviews. A review of literature was conducted systematically to evaluate the explicit permeation of ICT in Scottish schools. A sequential mixed method design was adopted for the two phased study commencing with a convenience sampling technique for the first phase, involving 1364 upper secondary school pupils from all eight schools, 64 teachers and the 17 employers in one local Council in Scotland. A purposive sampling technique was applied to select two sample schools for the second phase, based on best use and practices of ICT. Questionnaires were administered online and in person at the first phase, followed by a semi structured interview at the second phase. SPSS was used for descriptive statistics, correlation analysis and one way Anova, while Nvivo 10 software was used for thematic analysis from the interview transcript. The study offers a framework for personalisation starting with identification of pupils’ ability and ICT skill level at inception classes, followed by a personalised learning design incorporating pupils’ interest, ability and post school destination. The study also proposes separate roles for teachers and policy makers in order to maintain teachers’ autonomy, as policy makers’ interference has been identified to have an impact on teachers’ professionalism, effectiveness and confidence necessary for imparting generic skills in pupils. A series of recommendations are provided for future research, including a longitudinal evaluation of generic skills acquired from individual school subjects through the upper school years to post school destination, to ascertain effective transfer and sustainability of generic skills.