Information is a crucial resource for improving organisational performance and ensuring the survival of the organisation. Managers occupy a strategic position and play a pivotal role in processing information and directing the activities of employees. The South African Constitution, Act 108 of 1996, mandates local government to adopt a developmental orientation (promoting social and economic development) in order to improve the quality of life of all inhabitants of the municipality. Local government managers therefore play a significant role in fulfilling this mandate of co-ordinating these developmental activities. The purpose of this study was to investigate the information behaviour of managers in the Msunduzi Municipality's business units, in order to adapt or design and deliver an information service that would be effective for the achievement of these managers' job objectives. Specifically, the study focused on the following research questions: 1) What are the information needs of managers? 2) How do managers meet these needs? 3) What are the managers' information source preferences? 4) What are the barriers experienced by managers during information seeking? The study adopted a quantitative approach, in which a structured self-administered questionnaire was distributed via the municipality's intranet, to 56 level four managers. The key findings of the study indicate that the main purposes for which level four managers in the Msunduzi Municipality require information is for keeping abreast of developments in their fields, broadening their knowledge and for decision-making. In terms of managers‟ information seeking patterns, managers spend a significant amount of time actively seeking information. They prefer seeking information themselves, as opposed to using intermediaries. The use of libraries for information seeking is minimal and managers accumulate information which gets deposited in their cognitive storehouses for when the need arises. The internet was by far the information source of preference. Reliability is the main factor that influenced source preference and a lack of time was the greatest barrier to information seeking. The study will have practical implications for the Msunduzi Municipal Library services, as well as for management practice. The researcher makes recommendations for adapting the existing library services according to the outcomes of the current study. Recommendations for further research, including qualitative studies which allow for further probing of the findings of this indicative study, are also made. / Thesis (M.I.S.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2013.

This PhD study was designed to characterise the nature and role of the information behaviour of trainee solicitors in the context of knowledge development within a law firm environment. The characterisations drawn and the propositions offered provide a deeper understanding of the information behaviour of trainee solicitors, and, of the relationship between information behaviour, knowledge behaviour and knowledge development. A constructivist approach to inquiry was adopted, where the research design emerged through 'doing'. As emergent design is unusual within Library and Information Science (LIS) an in-depth discussion of how the design emerged is included within this thesis. Six trainees formed the sample for the final presentation of the findings. The adoption of a narrative technique for the gathering of data, and the presentation of the analysis, taking a cross-trainee and cross-theme approach, enabled holistic, in-depth characterisations to be drawn. The themes emerged through an iterative process of analysis and were followed up through a review of the literature. Undertaking a more comprehensive literature review after data collection is a characteristic of the constructivist inquiry but is a unique approach within LIS research. Through the consideration and interpretation of the characterisations that emerged from the findings this research posits a set of theoretical propositions and practical solutions pertaining to the knowledge behaviour (incorporating information behaviour) and knowledge development of the trainee solicitors. These propositions alongside the practical solutions offered are transferable in that they can be taken by other firms or organisations and considered in relation to their own setting. In addition, a model depicting the knowledge behaviour and its role in the knowledge development of trainee solicitors is presented.

This PhD study was designed to answer the question; does access to electronic information resources have a role to play in breaking down barriers to learning encountered by young people? If so, how does it, why does it and what are the circumstances which influence this role? The answers would then provide a deeper understanding of the use of these resources. This is a constructivist inquiry; sixteen young people aged 13-14 years were selected using snowball sampling to provide maximum variation. Emergent design was a feature of the research model and due to the uniqueness of this approach in Library and Information Science, in depth discussion of the research model is included in this thesis. Prolonged engagement with the sixteen participants using data collection methods such as in-depth interviews, observations, logs, and document analysis created ‘rich pictures’ of the individuals in the form of holistic case studies. These case studies were used as the basis of a cross-case analysis in order to provide for transferability of case, based on contextual applicability and to generate a theory grounded in the data from cross-case themes as they emerge. This study has produced a model of learning opportunities based on tangible and perceived affordances. This model was then used to structure the variables identified as significant to the role of electronic information resources in the provision of learning opportunities. A framework of potential learning opportunities in the electronic information environment has resulted which identifies the tangible variables such as availablity and accessibility of technogies and perceieved variables such as motivation, interaction. These vairables impact on affordances of electronic information resources on learning opportunites.

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In the late 1990s a number of law firms and other organisations began to market online products which &quotpackage&quot legal knowledge. Unlike spreadsheets, word processing software and email, these products are not designed to provide efficiency improvements. Rather, online legal knowledge products, which package and apply the law, were and are viewed by many as having the potential to make major changes to legal practice. Many used the term &quitrevolution&quot to describe the anticipated impact. Like any new technology development, many intersecting factors contributed to their development. In many ways they built on existing uses of technology in legal practice. The various information technology paradigms which underpin them - text retrieval, expert systems/artificial intelligence, document automation, computer aided instruction (CAI) and hypertext - were already a part of the &quotcomputerisation of law&quot. What is new about online legal knowledge products is that as well as using technology paradigms such as expert systems or document automation to package and apply the law, they are developed using browser-based technologies. In this way they leverage the comparative ease of development and distribution capabilities of the Internet (and/or intranets). There has been particular interest in the impact of online legal knowledge products on the legal services provided to large commercial organisations. With the increasing burden of corporate compliance, expanding role of the in-house lawyer and pressure to curb costs, online legal knowledge products should flourish in commercial organisations and many have been adamant that they will. However, there is no convincing evidence that anything like a &quotrevolution&quot has taken place. Success stories are few and far between. Surprisingly few have asked whether this &quotrevolution&quot has failed, or seriously analysed whether it lies ahead. If it does lie ahead, what factors, if any, need to taken into account in order for it to take place? If there is to be no revolution, what value should be placed on online legal knowledge products? In this dissertation I use the findings of my own empirical work, supported by a literature survey, to demonstrate that the impact of online legal knowledge products has been modest. I argue that in order to build successful online legal knowledge products it is necessary to appreciate that a complex system of interacting factors underpins their development and use,and address those factors. I propose a schematic representation of the relationships involved in producing an online legal knowledge product and use the findings of some empirical work, together with a review the literature in related fields, to identify the factors relevant to the various components of this framework. While there are many interacting factors at play, four sets of considerations emerge from my research as particularly important: integrating different technology paradigms, knowledge acquisition, usability, and implementation. As a practical matter, the implication of these findings is that some online legal knowledge products are more likely to be successful than others, and that there are other technology applications that may represent a better investment of the limited in-house technology budget than many online legal knowledge products. I also argue that while most of the challenges involved in integrating different technology paradigms, improving usability, and effective implementation can be addressed with varying levels of effort, the problem of the knowledge acquisition bottleneck is intractable. New approaches to knowledge acquisition are required to overcome the knowledge acquisition bottleneck. I identify some potential approaches that emerge from my research: automation, collaboration and coalition, phasing and simple solutions.

For many organisations Information Technology (IT) enabled business initiatives and IT infrastructure constitute major investments. If these investments are not managed properly or the technological initiatives are not integrated correctly within the business, the organisation’s competitive position is impaired. Currently, both management and IT professionals are concerned with design, implementation, and assessment of IT governance strategies to ensure that technology truly serves the needs of the business. These strategies aim to align IT applications with the objectives of the business. The question addressed by this research is: How does a complex organisation devise, implement, and assess its IT governance arrangements? Devising IT governance arrangements is challenging because the success of IT strategies and procedures is contingent upon a variety of internal and external factors, such as workgroup interdependency and competitive strategy. Implementing an IT governance framework can be a complex endeavour because organisations must integrate the unique expertise of diverse stakeholders and service providers. This research explores the factors influencing the IT governance structures, processes, and outcome metrics. Using data from an in-depth case study conducted in a complex energy organisation, this research provides empirical evidence that increases our understanding of IT governance arrangements. Interview responses indicated that effective IT governance performance outcomes are characterised by a shared understanding of business and IT objectives; active involvement of IT steering committees; a balance of business and IT representatives in IT decision making; and comprehensive and wellcommunicated IT strategies and policies. IT governance plays a key role in fostering project success and delivering value. Effective IT project governance outcomes are characterised by the existence of executive leaders as project champions of IT, the use of appropriate measurement techniques during a priori and interim evaluations of IT projects, and extensive post implementation evaluation.

For many organisations Information Technology (IT) enabled business initiatives and IT infrastructure constitute major investments. If these investments are not managed properly or the technological initiatives are not integrated correctly within the business, the organisation’s competitive position is impaired. Currently, both management and IT professionals are concerned with design, implementation, and assessment of IT governance strategies to ensure that technology truly serves the needs of the business. These strategies aim to align IT applications with the objectives of the business. The question addressed by this research is: How does a complex organisation devise, implement, and assess its IT governance arrangements? Devising IT governance arrangements is challenging because the success of IT strategies and procedures is contingent upon a variety of internal and external factors, such as workgroup interdependency and competitive strategy. Implementing an IT governance framework can be a complex endeavour because organisations must integrate the unique expertise of diverse stakeholders and service providers. This research explores the factors influencing the IT governance structures, processes, and outcome metrics. Using data from an in-depth case study conducted in a complex energy organisation, this research provides empirical evidence that increases our understanding of IT governance arrangements. Interview responses indicated that effective IT governance performance outcomes are characterised by a shared understanding of business and IT objectives; active involvement of IT steering committees; a balance of business and IT representatives in IT decision making; and comprehensive and wellcommunicated IT strategies and policies. IT governance plays a key role in fostering project success and delivering value. Effective IT project governance outcomes are characterised by the existence of executive leaders as project champions of IT, the use of appropriate measurement techniques during a priori and interim evaluations of IT projects, and extensive post implementation evaluation.