Over the past decade, research conducted for the benefit of IT project management has pointed to numerous factors that contribute to organisational project success. Support from executives and top management is often cited as an imperative factor, whilst having clear business objectives for conducting projects follows closely behind. The linchpin between the executive leadership team and project managers is the project sponsor, who is in a position to directly contribute to the two aforementioned project success factors. The precise responsibilities of the sponsor, however, remain relatively poorly defined. As a result, it is important to focus on this very important role and provide those who are in this position with a set of activities that would facilitate greater project success. Further to this, the corporate governance scandals of the past few years and the consequent publication of relevant acts of legislation and governance standards has forced top management to become more interested in the conduct of their organisation’s portfolio of projects. This research study therefore addresses both the formal and informal aspects of the role of the project sponsor and has provided guidance to organisations and professional associations in defining the role and responsibilities of the project sponsor within a corporate governance framework. The first goal was therefore to establish a holistic corporate governance framework that encompasses the roles of IT and project management in the organisation. By doing so, executives are given a road map that aligns all IT projects with organisational strategy and a means to facilitate greater internal control over all IT project-related activities. This was developed by identifying the relevance and implications that recent corporate scandals around the world have had on IT and project management in general. This then led to combining COBIT (which is an IT governance Abstract ii framework) and a new project governance framework (known as the PG framework) to form a corporate governance framework. This is followed by the development of a generic project sponsorship competency framework that provides organisations with a benchmark that assesses whether an individual is appropriately suited for the role of sponsoring an IT project. Both frameworks provide a means to facilitate better strategic alignment and internal control of all IT project-related activities, and thus contribute to the improvement of IT project management capability within the organisation. / Labuschagne, L., Prof.

Dyscalculia implies difficulty in acquiring mathematical skills and requires intervention that focuses on the acquisition of the necessary basic mathematical skills. Against this background the purpose of this study was to investigate how Grade 6 learners with dyscalculia may be supported by implementing an Information Communication Technology (ICT) intervention, with a specific focus on number sense and basic mathematical skills. I followed a nomothetic quantitative approach and employed a quasi-experimental design, using a pre-test, followed by an ICT intervention and then a post-test with a small sample of Grade 6 learners that displayed learning difficulties in Mathematics. I combined convenience and purposive sampling to identify two full- service primary schools and utilised non-probable and purposive sampling to select 24 participants, randomly assigning them to either an experimental or control group. Following implementation of the six-week ICT intervention, the scores of all pre- and post-test were documented as data. For the ICT intervention, I used the Number Race application, the Sheppard Software mathematical applications, more specifically Math Lines (addition, multiplication), Math Man (rounding, addition, multiplication), Pop the Balloon (add and order), and The Rockseries. I then completed non-parametric data analysis by utilising the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS 25) to test the formulated hypotheses and draw conclusions about the possible value of the ICT intervention. The findings of the study indicate that an ICT intervention can have (i) a positive effect on some aspects of number sense with learners experiencing difficulties in Mathematics, however, (ii) although an improvement in mathematical skills was evident, it was not statistically significant. Better results may be possible when additional software are included or more time is spent on such an ICT intervention to teach basic mathematical skills like adding, subtracting and multiplying after the improvement of number sense. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2020. / Educational Psychology / MEd / Unrestricted

This study examines educational reform in Japan since 2006, when the first Abe administration added objectives to increase “love for the country” and “respect for tradition and culture” into Japan’s central edict on education. The Japanese education system has since been internationally criticized by academics and journalists as furthering a neonationalist revisionist history movement, but the initiative to remove ‘masochistic views’ of history from education is only one aspect of the reforms. This thesis argues that Prime Minister Abe’s educational reforms attempt to meet related demands coming from both the global and domestic environments. In fact, a close examination of Japanese educational reforms since the 2006 Basic Act reveals a strategic response to the new technologies and changing security environment of the Information Age, as well as an effort to make students think of themselves as members of a national community. This research contributes to understanding how Japanese educational policies are being affected by the changing global environment, and the ways in which efforts to meet different global and domestic demands can be negotiated with each other. / Graduate

No description available.

Yes / Purpose This study aims to provide insights into the scale and use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in managing medical devices in the NHS, with a focus on Reverse Exchange (RE) systems, as part of the broader Reverse Logistics (RL) systems, within which medical devices are returned and exchanged. Design/Methodology/Approach Two case studies were conducted with NHS Hospital Trusts, while another was built upon secondary resources. Primary findings were triangulated with information collected from the NHS Trusts’ reports, direct observation and a preliminary round of consultations with 12 healthcare professionals working in other NHS Trusts or Integrated Equipment Community Services. Findings The findings suggest that the sophistication of ICT implementation increases with the risks and value associated with medical devices. Operational attributes are derived from ICT implementations which can positively impact on RE performance. The forces that drive the adoption of ICT in the NHS include pressure from government, business partners and patients, competitive pressure, perceived benefits, organisation size, top management support and the availability of sufficient resources. Obstacles are mainly centred around the lack of sufficient resource. Research limitations/implications Although the Trusts that participated in this research are representative of different regions, the generalisation of the study results may be limited by the size of the sample organisations, so the results can only provide insights into the research problem. As this work is exploratory in nature, there is insufficient data on which to form definitive recommendations. Practical implications NHS Trusts may use the 6 operational attributes identified and verified by the case studies to benchmark their ICT implementation for device management. The actual and potential benefits of ICT implementation could inform technology development and encourage the uptake of ICT in healthcare. Governmental bodies can utilise this information to develop directives to actively drive ICT adoption in device management and the associated RE system. A well-considered training programme is needed to improve staff ICT skills in order to fully realise the potential of ICT systems which support the effective RE of medical devices. Originality/value The results suggest that ICT supported reverse exchange of medical devices backs up the supply chain reduces capital costs and medical risks and, facilitates the redeployment of funds to frontline medical treatment.

This study explores the contradiction of the heart of ICT: the technology presents to us all manner of possibilities yet it habitually fails to deliver on those promises. This failure is often seen as arising from either a problem with the technology or end-user proficiency. Thus better technology and/or more effective end-user education are seen as the solutions. This study is based on the premise that such approaches are inherently faulty and explores how applicable notions of alienation can be in researching the contradictory nature of ICT. By using a critical realist methodology allied to tools available through PAR, this investigation engaged with participants in three distinct settings: ICT professionals; scholars concerned with researching the ethical/societal implications of ICT; and a group of pensioners living in South East London, UK. The research interrogated the literature concerned with themes of alienation and ICT to show there is a consensus that something called alienation does exist but that the term is used as a poorly defined descriptor of dissatisfaction with ICT. It also revealed that minimal research in the subject area has been undertaken using theories of alienation and none which involve multiple settings. The thesis makes an original and distinct contribution to the field by utilising one approach to alienation, that presented by Marx, in three seemingly disconnected settings to draw out the underlying commonalities shared by participants of these settings. In doing so, the findings challenge widespread assumptions about end-user experience of ICT and offer new insights into the much mentioned but little understood alienated way we experience ICT. Moreover, the thesis, in moving beyond description of alienation, to reveal the genesis of the condition, indicates the inadequacy of simply using the term alienation as an ill-defined label to describe people’s experiences of ICT. It argues for embracing a more rigorous approach to the issue to realise the significant potential offered through investigating and applying theories of alienation in research. Additionally it advances knowledge in the area by emphasising shared experiences of user groups which has considerable implications for future research. Finally the thesis is unique in highlighting the prospective benefits to be realised by researchers in adopting a CR methodology working in tandem with PAR methods in ICT research.

This thesis investigates whether and how public policies can help build industrial clusters. The research applies a case study method based on 60 interviews to the emerging information communication technology (ICT) clusters in Scotland and Hong Kong. The analysis uses Molina’s sociotechnical constituency (STC) framework and its associated ‘diamond of alignment’, which help focus on two interrelated dimensions: 1) the complex technical and social aspects of the design, implementation and evolution of the Scottish and Hong Kong ICT clusters and 2) the difficulties of developing a cluster in the context of major diversity of organisational interests and patterns of interaction. This research revealed that the cluster building effort in the two regions has been fraught with difficulties due to misalignment between the perceptions and pursuits of policy makers and the interests of industry members. This thesis concludes that cluster building is an evolutionary process of sociotechnical alignment which can be facilitated by feedback and learning. It also suggests that for successful cluster building to take place, policy makers should focus on stimulating the processes of cluster formation, including the building up of the technological capabilities of the industrial actors, while facilitating the integration of the major actors’ interests and demands with the policy programmes. Cluster building involves the development of new ways of thinking as well as the practice of networking; it necessitates the coherent effort of collective learning and a long-term commitment to change the existing technological system. A long-term adaptive policy programme should be pursued to focus on effectively aligning the interests and pursuits of the different actors in the cluster at various stages.

This quantitative research study focuses on the capabilities of ICT tools used by virtualteams and seeks to find out what, if any, correlation between the ICT tools capabilitiesand challenges that virtual teams face exist. The study addresses four prominent virtualteam challenges: forming trust and relationships, information overload, communicationbreakdown, lack of team synergy and cohesion. It analyses ICT tools and establishhypothesis using MST theory and the existing research in this field. The data analysis isconducted using Spearman’s Rho correlation. The findings show that the correlationbetween ICT tools usage and the challenges that virtual teams face are not statisticallysignificant to establish a link between virtual team challenges and ICT tools usage. Thiscould mean that a significantly larger sample is required to establish the link betweenthese two variables. It could also mean that the virtual team challenges need to be reevaluatedas the collected data suggests that the discussed challenges are rarelyexperienced by virtual teams. Therefore, further studies are needed in order to establishthe correlation between the virtual team challenges and ICT tools usage.

A habilidade de uma organização em inovar é diretamente relacionada com a sua habilidade de alavancar ideias e gerenciar o conhecimento. As ferramentas baseadas na web viabilizam a interação e a colaboração, apresentando um papel muito importante no contexto do processo da inovação, e fundamentais no suporte à colaboração além fronteiras. A colaboração, por sua vez, é a competência que possibilita explorar o conhecimento com a finalidade de conduzir para a inovação. O potencial das ferramentas de TIC para a colaboração é demonstrado no emprego dessas ferramentas por muitas empresas para salientar e suportar a inovação colaborativa. Por esta razão, o presente trabalho teve como objetivo analisar, sob o uso de tecnologias baseadas na web como facilitadores, quais são os fatores preponderantes que impulsionam a Colaboração para a Inovação e, a partir daí, propor um modelo conceitual. Este estudo evidencia a utilização de métodos mistos da mesma unidade empírica, a organização multinacional MAHLE do segmento automotivo. Esta abordagem é caracterizada pela utilização de estratégias de pesquisa quantitativa e qualitativa, permitindo que as lacunas deixadas por uma abordagem possam ser preenchidas pela outra. Essa etapa constituiu-se da revisão sistemática da literatura pertinente ao tema. A abordagem qualitativa foi composta por entrevistas semiestruturadas, procurando captar em profundidade a perspectiva dos atores pesquisados e permitindo fundamentar a análise na questão de pesquisa e nas dimensões importantes contidas. Quanto à abordagem quantitativa, foi realizado um levantamento do tipo survey com os profissionais das áreas de P&D&I. A partir da análise crítica da literatura e com base na opinião dos entrevistados, foram desenvolvidos o modelo conceitual e seus respectivos itens de mensuração, testados e refinados pela técnica de modelagem de equações estruturais MEE-PLS em termos de sua confiabilidade e validade. Os resultados mostraram haver um impacto dos fatores relativos da TIC sobre a Colaboração para Inovação, bem como validaram as dimensões de Confiança, Comunicação, Comprometimento e Motivação propostas no modelo. Os resultados apresentados contribuem com o entendimento do processo da Colaboração com a finalidade da Inovação, por meio do uso das ferramentas baseadas na web, para as empresas que almejam alcançar sucesso na capacidade de inovar. / The ability for an organization to succeed in innovation is directly related with its ability to encourage ideas and manage the knowledge. The tools based on the web enable interaction and collaboration, representing a very important role in the context of the process for innovation, and being fundamental to the support of collaboration across boundaries. The collaboration, in turn, is the capability that enables to explore the knowledge with the goal to direct it to innovation. The potential of the ICT tools to the collaboration is demonstrated through the usage of these tools by many firms in order to stress and support the collaborative innovation. For this reason, the objective of the present job was to analyze, by having technologies based on the web as facilitators, what were the dominant factors that drive the collaboration to the innovation and, from then onwards, propose a conceptual model. This study reveals the usage of mixed methods from the same empirical unit, a multinational organization MAHLE from the automotive sector. This approach is represented by the category of completeness for addressing a wide answer for the research question by the usage of quantitative and qualitative research strategies, allowing for the gaps left by one method to be filled by the other. This step consisted of the systematic revision of the literature relating to the subject. The qualitative approach was composed by semi-structured interviews, seeking to take in depth the perspective of respondents and allowing to explain the analysis of research\'s question. While for the quantitative approach a survey was taken with employees from the areas of R&D&I. From the critical analysis of the literature and with base on the opinion of the interviewed, the conceptual model was developed and its measurements tools, tested and refined by the structural equation modeling (SEM-PLS), in terms of its reability and validity. The results showed an impact of the factors of ICT towards the Collaboration to Innovation, and validated the dimensions of Trust, Communication, Commitment and Motivation. The showed results contribute towards the understanding of the process of Collaboration with the goal of Inovation, through the use of the tools based on the web, for the firms that want to reach success in the capability to innovate.

Magister Artium (Development Studies) - MA (DVS) / Although many researchers have shown ICT can enable development it remains a great challenge to understand the link between JCT4D projects and the development of emerging commercial agriculture. There is a need to realise the potential of information and communication technologies (ICT) for emerging commercial farmer development in order to achieve agriculture expansion and transformation in South Africa. This is important in order for them to partake in the knowledge economy visualised in the 2030 National development plan of South Africa and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in 2030. However in South Africa, it is not yel established which spec(flc ICT are used, how they are used and the extent of deployment ((used in the emerging commercial agricultural sector. Few studies have focused on the faclors that influence the use of !CT in South Ajhcan emerging agriculture. This study investigates and attempts to understand the usage of ICT by emerging commercial farmers and the issues 1hat influence ICT use on the West Coast of the Western Cape Province in South Africa. The study investigates 1he different forms of JCT used, how they are being used, what they are used for, how important these technologies are as enablers of production, and the factors that affect their use. The study involved a survey response of 42 emerging commercial farmers and 46 of their farm employees in the Matzikama and Cederberg municipalities. A literature review draws from studies globally, regionally and in South Africa on how !CTs have penetrated and contributed to delivering development in emerging commercial agriculture. Although most emerging commercial farmers cannot afford to adopt !CT tools that are essential in their farming activities almost all who were interviewed acknowledged the importance of ICT to their businesses. However, among other ICT, mobile phones and television were found to be primarily used for social and entertainment reasons rather than for agricultural pwposes. The general findings showed that occupation on farm and JCT literacy influence the use of ICT by farm employees. On the other hand the gender, capacity of the farmer, off farm income and farm size influences the use of ICT by emerging commercial farmers. Our literature review established some examples ji'om the studies of other researchers and the efforts of multi-lateral institutions such as the FA 0 and ITU to illustrate how we can improve policy. 1 recommend that the South African government develop an e-agriculture strategy to monitor development and validation of good practices on the use of ICTs in agriculture and rural development. This strategy will examine emerging trends on the role of JCTs and the challenges faced in reaching scaled, sustainable informCIIion service models. This can increase the sustainability of emerging commercial agriculture to contribute to the improvement of the lives of the poor in rural areas. Finally I present research questions for future research.