Software migrations are mostly performed by organisations using migration teams. Such migration teams need to be aware of how sensitive information ought to be handled and protected during the implementation of the migration projects. There is a need to ensure that sensitive information is identified, classified and protected during the migration process. This thesis suggests how sensitive information in organisations can be handled and protected during migrations by using the migration from proprietary software to open source software to develop a management framework that can be used to manage such a migration process.A rudimentary management framework on information sensitivity during software migrations and a model on the security challenges during open source migrations are utilised to propose a preliminary management framework using a sequential explanatory mixed methods case study. The preliminary management framework resulting from the quantitative data analysis is enhanced and validated to conceptualise the final management framework on information sensitivity during software migrations at the end of the qualitative data analysis. The final management framework is validated and found to be significant, valid and reliable by using statistical techniques like Exploratory Factor Analysis, reliability analysis and multivariate analysis as well as a qualitative coding process. / Information Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Information Systems)

Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Technology Design in the Faculty of Informatics and Design at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology Supervisor: Prof J Messeter Cape Town, 2013 / The aim of this research project was to provide an answer to the question: “How can an understanding of online trust be used to build valuable online applications in Higher Education?” In order to present an answer to this question, a literature survey was conducted to establish: • An understanding of the phenomenon of online trust • What the factors are that influence a loss of trust in the online environment The literature survey highlighted several factors that influence a loss of trust in the online environment, called trust cues. These factors, however, were often tested within the E-commerce environment, and not in organization-specific contexts, such as online platforms in use in Higher Education. In order to determine whether or not these factors would influence the development of trust in context-specific environments, the author of this research grouped the indentified trust factors into three focus areas, i.e. content, ease of use, and navigation. These factors were then incorporated into a series of nine different prototypes. These prototypes were different versions of a particular online platform currently in use at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT). The prototypes were tested over a three week period, with certain staff members at the institution in question recruited as test participants. During each week of user observations, a different focus area was targeted, in order to establish the impact that it would have on the perceived trustworthiness of the platform in question. User observations were conducted while test participants completed a standard process using the various prototypes. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted while participants completed the specific process. Participants were asked to evaluate each screen in the process according to its perceived trust worthiness, by assigning a trust level score. At the completion of the three rounds of user observations, in-depth interviews were conducted with test participants. The participants’ trust level scores for each prototype were captured and graphed. A detailed description for the score given for a particular screen was presented on each graph. These scores were combined to provide an analysis of the focus area tested during the specific round. After the three rounds of user observations were completed, an analysis of all the trust factors tested were done. Data captured during interviews were transcribed, combined with feedback received from questionnaires, and analysed. An interpretation of the results showed that not all trust factors had a similar influence in the development of trust in the online platform under investigation. Trust cues such as content organization, clear instructions and useful content were by far the most significant trust factors, while others such as good visual design elements, professional images of products, and freedom from grammatical and typographical errors had little or no impact in the overall trustworthiness of the platform under investigation. From the analysis done it was clear that the development of trust in organization-specific contexts is significantly different than developing trust in an E-commerce environment and that factors that influence the development of trust in one context might not always be significant in another. In conclusion, it is recommended that when software applications are developed in organization-specific contexts, such as Higher Education, that trust factors such as good content organization, clear instructions and useful content be considered as the most salient. Organization-specific contexts differ quite significantly in that the users of these systems often convey a certain degree of trust toward the online platforms that they work with on a daily basis. Trust factors that are geared toward developing an initial or basic trust in a particular platform, which is often the case with first time users engaging in an E-commerce platform, would therefore not be as significant in the development of a more developed level of trust, which is what is needed within the development of organization-specific online platforms.

This study investigated the management of information and communication technologies (ICTs) at academic libraries in selected public universities in Ghana. The purpose for this study was to investigate the managerial processes and challenges in terms of conceptualization, policies, planning, implementation and strategies involved in ICTs adoption in order to formulate strategies for their management in Ghanaian academic libraries. Specifically, the objectives of the study were to review and explore the status and level of ICT diffusion in Ghanaian university; audit the procedures, processes and factors that influence ICT adoption and implementation in Ghanaian university libraries; establish the institutional policies, strategies and human resource that is in place and available for the adoption; determine the factors that hinder the adoption and management of ICTs in Ghanaian university libraries; and design a framework for effective and efficient management of ICTs in Ghanaian public university libraries. The study adopted mixed-method research design approach combining both quantitative and qualitative approaches through the pragmatic worldview to achieve the main purpose of the study. Adopting a survey study design, data was collected from five selected Ghanaian public universities by interviewing the five university librarians/directors, using questionnaires on 313 library staff and making observations within the five libraries. The findings of the study established that the managerial tools/instruments required for effective ICTs management in Ghanaian university libraries include the availability of library ICT policies, a library ICT strategic plan, library ICT installation and maintenance manuals, library ICT integration plans, and standard operations manuals. In addition, adequate funds, skilled manpower, adequate and standard ICT infrastructures among others. However, the study also revealed that there are absence of library ICT policies, lack of processes and procedure guidelines, inadequate funds, lack of management support, inadequate ICT skills among libraries and staff ICT training policies in the academic libraries in Ghana. The study recommends the formulation of ICT policies and strategic plans purposely for the comprehensive management of library ICT systems. Furthermore, the university top management should support their libraries by providing the required resources and motivation for the library managers including the development of stakeholder partnership and collaboration. To galvanise these recommendations, the study proposes a framework for the ICTs adoption and management in Ghanaian university libraries. / Information Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Information Science)