Even if all the technical security solutions appropriate for an organisation’s network are implemented, for example, firewalls, antivirus programs and encryption, if the human factor is neglected then these technical security solutions will serve no purpose. The greatest challenge to network security is probably not the technological solutions that organisations invest in, but the human factor (non-technical solutions), which most organisations neglect. The human factor is often ignored even though humans are the most important resources of organisations and perform all the physical tasks, configure and manage equipment, enter data, manage people and operate the systems and networks. The same people that manage and operate networks and systems have vulnerabilities. They are not perfect and there will always be an element of mistake-making or error. In other words, humans make mistakes that could result in security vulnerabilities, and the exploitation of these vulnerabilities could in turn result in network security breaches. Human vulnerabilities are driven by many factors including insufficient security education, training and awareness, a lack of security policies and procedures in the organisation, a limited attention span and negligence. Network security may thus be compromised by this human vulnerability. In the context of this dissertation, both physical and technological controls should be implemented to ensure the security of the SANReN network. However, if the human factors are not adequately addressed, the network would become vulnerable to risks posed by the human factor which could threaten the security of the network. Accordingly, the primary research objective of this study is to formulate guidelines that address the information security related human factors in the rolling out and continued management of the SANReN network. An analysis of existing policies and procedures governing the SANReN network was conducted and it was determined that there are currently no guidelines addressing the human factor in the SANReN beneficiary institutions. Therefore, the aim of this study is to provide the guidelines for addressing the human factor threats in the SANReN beneficiary institutions.

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The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent of community college Learning Resources Centers' participation in automated library networking (ALN), to identify the factors which influenced or inhibited participation, to identify the benefits gained and the problems encountered due to participation, to identify the sources of funding for participation, to identify the involvement of LRCs in network related organizations and activities, to illuminate the influence of college staff in the decision making process for participation, and to assess the relationships, if any, which existed among the selected ALN activities and the institutional variables. A survey and interview approach was chosen to conduct the study which consisted of two phases. During the first phase, a survey questionnaire was developed, validated and mailed to 253 LRC directors of American public community colleges located in the southeastern United States. A total of 193 (76.3 percent) usables responses were received. Statistical procedures employed for this study were chi-square, MannWhitney U Test, and Kruskall-Wallis One Way ANOVA to test the appropriate samples at .05 level of significance. The second phase involved a site visit to three LRCs selected out of the 193 responses to further examine any significant trends or practices common or unique to networking which were not adequately addressed in the first phase. The results of the interviews from the site visits were recorded descriptively. The principal findings of the study indicated that community college . The majority of the LRCs had not yet automated the other functions. There were a few integrated or turnkey automated systems available in the LRCs. ln general, LRCs used regional and national networks for all functional activities. But, all four networks - local, state, regional and national - were used for interlibrary loan, resource sharing and union catalog database. Among the most important benefits gained by participation in ALN were sharing bibliographic databases, immediate access to network files, faster and improved services to users, and sharing of resources among network members. Participating LRCs mostly used their regular operating budget and received little or no external fundings. Incentive to participate primarily came from professional colleagues and involvement in network related organizations. Those LRCs which had no ALN reported that lack of financial support and limited institutional commitment were the main reasons for non-participation. The extent of automation and ALN could be predicted from the size of the institutions. Size of the institution played a major role in the participation in ALN. In most cases, there were significant relationships between institutional variables - location, enrollment, collection size, volume of circulation, number of LRC staff, size of annual budget and the extent of automation and ALN. / Ed. D.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The business and social environments are increasingly reliant on the information network, and the quality and integrity of the information to effectively conduct transactions, and "survive" in the new economy. These information networks facilitate communication and transactions between customers, suppliers, partners, and employees. Emerging technologies further encourage the extension of network boundaries beyond the branch office, to private homes, airports, and even the comer coffee shop, e.g. wireless internet access. Although technology advances contribute to significant increases in productivity, convenience, and competitive advantage, it also increases the risk of attacks on the integrity and confidentiality of any information interaction. One of the key questions is how to achieve the right level of information network security and implement effective protection systems, without impacting productivity by excessively restricting the flow of information. The issue of information security is not a localised problem, but a problem on global scale, and South African businesses are no less at risk than any other geographically located business. The risk of information security is even greater if aspects like globalisation are taken into account, and the growing inter-connectedness of the global business environment. The central question is: How does the South African business environment view information security, their perceived success in implementing information security measures, and their view of future trends in information security. Ingenue- Consulting is a global business focusing on technology consulting services, across a wide range of industries and technologies. Information security has been identified by Ingenue Consulting to be a global problem, and primary research into this business issue have been undertaken in different locations globally, e.g. Australia and South African executive level survey of what the perception and importance are of information security, of business leaders across public and private industries. Ingenue Consulting has an in-house research facility, and tasked them with conducting a survey in South Africa. The survey results can then be compared with global trends, and applied in the business environment, to highlight the impact of information security risks, and to help businesses to change and improve their information security processes and technologies. The research department started out doing an extensive literature study to identify global and local trends in information security, and to assist in the compilation of the survey questionnaire. A sample group of "blue chip" businesses across all industries was targeted at executive level to conduct a research survey - fifty interviews were conducted. The raw data was collated and analysed to formulate an opinion of the information security practices and perceptions of the business environment in South Africa. The survey confirmed that the South African market risks in terms of information security are very similar to global trends. Some of the key trends are: Information security agreements are normally signed at the onset of employment, but rarely updated or highlighted to ensure continued support and implementation. This is almost contradictory to the fact that information security are taken seriously by the executive level, and often discussed at board level. The mobility of information with the emergence of wireless networks is a key issue for most businesses - as information security is at its most vulnerable. Most of the respondents rated themselves ahead of the curve and their competitors - overestimation of competencies, could lead to larger future risks. The sensitive nature of information security industry makes benchmarking against local or global players difficult due to the sensitive nature -limited willingness to participate in a consultative forum. Companies that outsouree IT tend to "wash their hands off' security issues as the responsibility of the outsourcing vendor. Most local businesses haven't got a worldly view - they do not have an active process to find out what their peers are doing locally or globally, they rely mostly on vendor and consulting advice, or media coverage. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die besigheids en sosiale omgewings is toenemend afhanklik van die inligtings netwerke, en die kwaliteit en integriteit van inligting om transaksies effektief uit te voer, en om te "oorleef" in die nuwe ekonomie. Inligtings netwerke fasiliteer kommunikasie en transaksies tussen kliente, verskaffers, vennote, en werknemers. Nuwe tegnologiee verder veskuif netwerk grense, wyer as die tak-kantoor, na private huise, lughawens, of die koffie kafee - deur middel van draadlose internet toegang. Alhoewel tegnologie ontwikkelings bydra tot verbeterde produktiwiteit, en gemak van gebruik - dra dit ook by tot groter gevaar van aanvalle op die integriteit en konfidensialiteit van enige inligtings transaksie. Een van die sleutel vrae is hoe om die regte vlak van inligting netwerk sekuriteit te bereik, en om die regte beskermings metodes te implementeer - sonder om die produtiwiteit te inhibeer. Die inligting sekuritets vraagstuk is nie bloot 'n lokale vraagstuk nie, maar van globale skaal, en Suid-Afrikaanse besighede is nie minder in gevaar as enige ander besigheid in 'n ander lande nie, veral nie as aspekte soos globaliseering in ag geneem word nie. Die sentrale vraag is: Hoe sien die Suid-Afrikaanse besigheids wereld inligtings sekuriteit, en die waargenome sukses met die implementering van inligtings sekuriteit prosesse, en ook hoe hul die toekoms sien van inligtings sekuriteit. Ingenue* Consulting is 'n wereldwye besigheid, gefokus op tegnologie konsultasie dienste, oor 'n wye reeks industriee en tegnologiee. Inligting sekuriteit is deur Ingenue Consulting ge-identifiseer as 'n globale probleem, en primere navorsing in die area is al onderneem in verskillende geografiee, soos Australie en die Verenigde Koninkryk. Die Suid-Afrikaanse tak van Ingenue het vroeg in 2004 besluit om 'n lokale studie te doen oor top bestuur se persepsies van inligting sekuriteits risikos, in beide die publieke en privaat besigheids wereld. Die interne navorsings afdeling van Ingenue Consulting in Suid-Afrika is gevra om die nodige studie te ondeneem, om dit dan met globale studies te vergelyk, en te kan bepaal waar gapings mag wees, en hoe om die gapings aan te spreek. Die navorsings afdeling het begin deur 'n ekstensiewe literatuur studie te doen, as hulp tot die samestelling van die vrae-lys. 'n Teiken groep van top Suid-Afrikaanse besighede, verteenwoordigend van alle industriee is genader om 'n onderhoud toe te staan om die vrae-lys te voltooi - vyftig onderhoude was voltooi. Die rou data is gekollekteer en geanaliseer, om 'n opinie te formuleer oor die inligtings sekuriteit persepsies en praktyke van die besigheids omgewing in Suid-Afrika. Die navorsing het bevestig dat die Suid-Afrikaanse mark baie dieselfde is as ander geografiese markte - in terme van inligting sekuriteit. Van die sleutel konklusies is: Inligting sekuriteit ooreenkomste word meestal geteken met die aanvangs van diens, maar bitter selde dan weer opgevolg of hernu - dit is byna kontradikterend dat top bestuur ook baie besorg is oor inligting sekuriteit, en dat dit dikwels by raads vergaderings bespreek word. Die mobiliteit van inligting is 'n groeiende bekommernis, omrede inligting dan nog meer op risiko is. Meeste respondente sien hulself as beter of meer gevorderd as hul kompeteerders - 'n oor-estimasie van sukses in inligtings sekuriteit kan lei tot groter probleme in die toekoms. Die sensitiewe natuur van inligting sekuriteit maak ope vergelyking van gedetaileerde prosesse moeilik - en meeste besighede is nie bereid om deel te neem aan algemene gesprekke nie. Terwyl besighede wat hul tegnologie afdeling deur 'n derde party bestuur, neem geen verantwoordelikheid vir hul inligtings sekuriteit nie. 'n Groter bekommernis is dat besighede in Suid-Afrika nie 'n aktiewe proses het om op hoogte bly van wat die beste opsies is in inligtings sekuriteit nie, of wat hul teenstanders doen nie - maar vertrou op die advies van verkoops en konsultasie maatskappye, of media berigte.

The present study was a longitudinal analysis of the information needs of Red Angus cattle breeders and their use of networked information services. It was based on two surveys. The first, conducted in 1995--96, polled all 1067 ranches of the Red Angus Association of America. Responses from 192 Red Angus breeders were used to determine the value of different information types and to evaluate perceptions of the greatest barriers to the adoption of network information services. The second survey, mailed to 41 Red Angus breeders in 1998, focused on early adopters and likely users of network services. Responses from 15 breeders were used to evaluate perceptions of the greatest barriers to the effective use of Web-based information services.

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in the field of ICT Policy and Regulation / The research report examined the value brought by NRENs, by investigating the utilization of the South African National Research Network (SANReN) at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits). It explored the SANReN as the main international bandwidth service for the university and assessed how the university is able to efficiently provide a range of e-services in scientific research through the NREN. Wits scientists engaged in data intensive research and international research collaboration shared the view that the SANReN infrastructure is critical to such work, however due to infrastructure limitations at university level, it is sometimes difficult to maximize the value of this dedicated network, where data storage capacity is low. A wide range of e-services, such as grid computing, use SANReN, but are limited by international bandwidth. A further problem is the high cost of international bandwidth, particularly as the demand for bandwidth increases with the amount of data required in scientific research. The biggest challenge is the growth of demand and the ability to meet this demand. As scientific research relies on real time data, but experiences problems with data storage, advanced data infrastructure is needed in the form of a medium sized data centre, which would be used for storing and transferring large data sets and terabytes of data in and out of the country. In conclusion, although SANReN makes it possible for big science projects to take place at universities, it is somewhat difficult to measure the value that SANReN brings, due to the many limitations mentioned. Therefore a matrix to measure outputs and value of SANReN is required, as proposed in Chapter 6 of this research report. / GR2017

O objetivo deste estudo é investigar como vem sendo construído o processo de geração, disseminação e utilização do corpo de conhecimentos da Gestão Estratégica de Custos (GEC), sob a ótica da Teoria Ator-Rede (TAR). Entende-se que, ao transpor os conceitos da TAR para compreender a construção da GEC, abre-se um precedente para que outras situações dentro da Contabilidade Financeira ou de Gestão possam ser beneficiadas ao utilizar a mesma abordagem. Além de obter uma visão panorâmica sobre a GEC em termos de ensino e pesquisa, a ampliação da aplicação de métodos de outras áreas ao ambiente contábil (uma vez que a TAR vem da Sociologia) é benéfica ao desenvolvimento do campo. Nesse sentido, o referencial teórico abordou os principais conceitos da TAR e estudos anteriores de áreas correlatas que a tem utilizado. Adicionalmente, conceitos de estratégia foram retomados, a fim de compreender as bases sobre as quais a GEC está posta. Discussões sobre a GEC em relação ao conceito e estágio atuais, bem como estudos que mesclam abordagens de GEC e TAR, complementam o quadro teórico de apoio. A metodologia de pesquisa proposta, com o foco de captar a rede seguindo os atores (Latour, 2000), se utilizou de entrevistas semiestruturadas, observação participante e análise de conteúdo referente a periódicos, cursos e livros de referências na área. Foram entrevistados 22 indivíduos entre docentes, pesquisadores, coordenadores, editores, avaliadores etc. Desses, dezessete são brasileiros e cinco advindos de Alemanha, Estados Unidos, Inglaterra, Itália e Portugal. Também foram registradas 80 horas de observação em eventos da área, juntamente com material de oito periódicos, dezesseis livros e sete cursos de referência. Desse material emergiram três categorias que auxiliam na visualização da construção do campo: Domínio, Contexto (subdividida em Mercado Profissional, Ensino, Pesquisa e Funções Administrativas) e Conceito. A análise das categorias auxiliou a compreender as dificuldades existentes para estabelecimento de uma definição de GEC, entre outros aspectos. O que se nota é a diminuição de pesquisadores da área, induzida pelo mainstream e pela viabilidade de pesquisa em outros assuntos, como acesso facilitado a dados, menor dispêndio de tempo e não necessidade de deslocamento. Os temas de gestão em geral, no âmbito da Contabilidade, têm visto seu escopo diminuir em detrimento à Contabilidade Financeira. A ausência ou baixa expressividade de mecanismos específicos de fomento à GEC, como periódicos, instituições, material escrito e cursos, compõe outro fator que tem dificultado seu processo de difusão. O que se nota é uma área construída sobre diversos argumentos de autoridade e consistência retórica, expressando uma rede de convergência baixa em sua totalidade (Callon, 1991). A TAR se mostrou eficiente auxiliando na compreensão da construção da GEC como campo acadêmico. A análise de forma geral corroborou a maior parte dos estudos anteriores na área, destacando-se o de Shank (2006). A base controversa sobre a qual a GEC está posta esboça dificuldades para obtenção de coesão, ao mesmo tempo em que amplia possibilidades de pesquisa, especialmente se exploradas relações com outras áreas do conhecimento. De toda forma, a rede tem persistido e mobilizado diferentes atores, mesmo que em distintos níveis de consistência e interesse. / The aim of this study is to investigate how has been built the process of generation, dissemination and use of the body of knowledge of Strategic Cost Management (SCM), from the perspective of Actor-Network Theory (ANT). It is known that, in translating the concepts of ANT to understand the construction of SCM, it is opened up a precedent for other situations within the Financial or Management Accounting that can be benefited by using the same approach. Besides, getting an overview of the SCM in terms of teaching and research, the expansion of its applications methods from other areas to the accounting environment (ANT comes from Sociology) is beneficial to the development of the field. In this sense, the theoretical framework addressed the main concepts of ANT and earlier studies that related areas have used. In addition, strategy concepts were taken up in order to understand the basis on which the SCM is set. Discussions on ANT regarding the current concept and stage, as well as studies that mix approaches of SCM and ANT, complement the theoretical framework of support. The proposed research methodology, focused on capture the network by following the actors (Latour, 2000), used semi-structured interviews, participant observation and analysis of content related to periodicals, courses and reference books in the area. It has been interviewed 22 individuals among teachers, researchers, coordinators, editors, reviewers etc. Out of these, seventeen are Brazilian, five coming from Germany, USA, England, Italy and Portugal. It was also recorded 80 hours of participant observation in events along with eight journals, sixteen books and seven reference courses. From this material emerged three categories that aid in the preview of the field construction: Domain, Context (subdivided into Professional Market, Education, Research and Administrative Functions) and Concept. The analysis of the categories helped to understand the difficulties to establish a definition of SCM, among others. What is seen is a decrease of researchers in the field, induced by the mainstream and by the feasibility on other research themes, with easier access to data, less expenditure of time and no need to displacement. The management themes in general within the Accounting, have seen their scope decrease, over the Financial Accounting. The absence or low expression of specific mechanisms to promote SCM as journals, institutions, written material and courses, turn it into another factor that has hindered its diffusion process. What is seen is an area built on various arguments of authority and rhetorical consistency, expressing a network of low convergence in its entirety (Callon, 1991). The Actor-Network Theory proved effective in aiding understanding of the construction of the GEC as an academic field. The general analysis confirmed the majority of previous studies in the area, highlighting Shank (2006). The controversial basis, on which SCM is set, outlines difficulties in reaching cohesion, while it expands research possibilities, especially if it explores relations with other fields of knowledge. Anyway, the network has persisted and mobilized different actors, even if at different levels of consistency and interest.

This thesis provides strategies for multiple vehicles to explore unknown environments in a cooperative and systematic manner. These strategies are called Simultaneous Cooperative Exploration and Networking (SCENT) strategies. As the basis for development of SCENT strategies, we first tackle the motion control and planning for one vehicle with range sensors. In particular, we develop the curve-tracking controllers for autonomous vehicles with rigidly mounted range sensors, and a provably complete exploration strategy is proposed so that one vehicle with range sensors builds a topological map of an environment. The SCENT algorithms introduced in this thesis extend the exploration strategy for one vehicle to multiple vehicles. The enabling idea of the SCENT algorithms is to construct a topological map of the environment, which is considered completely explored if the map corresponds to a complete Voronoi diagram of the environment. To achieve this, each vehicle explores its local area by incrementally expanding the already visited areas of the environment. At the same time, every vehicle deploys communication devices at selected locations and, as a result, a communication network is created concurrently with a topological map. This additional network allows the vehicles to share information in a distributed manner resulting in an efficient exploration of the workspace. The efficiency of the proposed SCENT algorithms is verified through theoretical investigations as well as experiments using mobile robots. Moreover, the resulting networks and the topological maps are used to solve coordinated multi-robot tasks, such as capturing intruders.

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