The level of access to educational information is pertinent to the attainment of quality education by learners. Librarians play a key role in facilitating access to such information. Access to educational information equips the possessor with the power of knowledge to assert their rights under any right regime, and a right to education cannot be fully exercised without corresponding access to educational information. Set in the Fort Beaufort Education District of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, this study evaluates the level of access to educational information as an enabler of quality education. Research revealed that despite the acclaimed educational improvement in South Africa, the quality of education in many black constituencies and provinces remains low. Therefore, the objectives of this study include inter alia an investigation of the educational information needs of high school learners in the Fort Beaufort Education District, the educational information available and accessible to them, how the learners access information, the services and technologies accessible to the learners, challenges confronting their access and means of improving learners’ access to educational information in the district and by extension in South Africa.

Thesis (MTech (Information Technology))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2007 / With growing invesbnent in WWW technologies bye-Commerce businesses the measurement of Information Systems (IS) effectiveness in this area has become increasingly important over the last decade. As business users have become reliant on outsourced IS service providers for a wide range of services, the quality of service rendered by the latter is an important issue which impacts on IS effectiveness. Researchers have for many years recognised the importance of service quality as a measure of IS performance. Service quality measurement tools such as SERVQUAL from the marketing field, have been proven to be applicable to the IS domain. However, empirical studies in this regard are concentrated in the context of large, non- eCommerce organisations only. In South Africa, e-Commerce has been recognised as an important driver for growth in SMMEs. The literature suggests that IS service delivery to eCommerce businesses needs to be evaluated differently to that of traditional brick-and-mortar businesses. There is however a paucity of research regarding IS evaluation in e-Commerce environments, including that of the application of service quality principles. It is thus difficult for managers of IS service providers in this context to develop a complete picture of the effectiveness of the IS they deliver. Furthermore, because e-Commerce SMMEs are almost wholly reliant on these service providers for the supply of IS and support, their service expectations could be different from those in traditional businesses. The primary objective of this research was to investigate whether IS service quality criteria applied in large traditional businesses, are also applicable to SMME e-Commerce businesses. The applicability of a service quality measurement instrument, based on SERVQUAL, was tested in an ev Commerce SMME context. Specifically, this instrument measures the service quality expectations that e-Commerce SMMEs have of IS service providers. A SERVQUAL measurement scale from a recent MISQ paper was adapted and used to collect data concerning service quality expectations of e· Commerce SMMEs. Using a structured survey method, the research was delineated to e-Commerce enabled bed-and-breakfast and self-catering accommodation businesses in the Western Cape, South Africa. The research results indicate that, although SERVQUAL principles were applicable to the e-Commerce SMME context, the service quality dimensionality was different. There are four derived dimensions for service quality expectations of e-Commerce SMMEs in this research, viz., Credibility, Expertise, Availability and Supportiveness. A fifth dimension is the Tangibles dimension, which is retained from SERVQUAL. Furthermore the results indicate that the Credibility was the most important dimension in this research context, while the Tangibles dimension was the least important.

Thesis (MTech (Business Administration))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2010. / The company studied is a privately owned textile company, which is part of the CAP Germany Group of companies. It is one of the leading textile knitting mills in Southern Africa and has won several awards in this regard, whilst it has also been subject to quite a few changes over the last few years. The company recently appointed a new Chief Executive Officer to lead the textile mill into the technical market, and extend the range of the fashion apparel, which it focuses on as its main product. With the aim of keeping the company in the forefront of new development, it has become important to keep its management team well informed and for them to make strategic decisions with much focus on analysis of the information that is available to them. The textile mill has a SAP ERP system, which was implemented as to provide a source of information, hence management can analyse this information that is available to aid them in their decision-making.

Thesis (MTech (Tourism and Hospitality Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2012. / The reason for conducting this research was to evaluate the impact of information technology in the tourism industry, focusing mainly on tourism intermediaries, which include selected travel agencies and tour operators in Cape Town, and their awareness levels of the negative and positive impacts, as well as disintermediation that occurs owing to information technology developments. The research methodology for this thesis comprised a literature search and an empirical survey, which evaluated the impacts of information technology on tourism intermediaries in Cape Town. This research sought to establish whether disintermediation has occurred amongst travel agents and tour operators, whilst recognising strategies, which these tourism intermediaries can use to ensure survival in the competitive tourism industry. Relevant sources were referred to in the literature search. A number of appropriate normative measures were taken from the literature, followed by an empirical survey where randomly selected tourism intermediaries in Cape Town, namely small, medium to large companies were chosen to participate in the research questionnaire. The questionnaire responses were captured by the registered CPUT statistician in the form of frequency distribution analyses, and these were statistically analysed by the researcher and the registered statistician. The interpretations and findings of the statistical analyses were presented in tables and charts and were explained individually according to the statements' similarities, differences and verifications, as per the research questionnaire. A number of recommendations emanated from the literature sources and empirical survey, followed by concluding remarks in the form of conclusions.

Organisations within the South African automotive industry (SAAI) are always seeking innovative ways to remain globally competitive. In order to keep costs as low as possible, existing facilities are often adapted to either cater for a wider variety of products or, alternatively, to produce larger volumes than they were originally designed to produce. In every instance, some form of change needs to take place. When the change management processes are defined within the system, quick wins need to be identified. These quick wins may include the elimination of non-valueadding time that is spent moving paper work between offices or ensuring the correct checks are in place to prevent the process from moving to the next step until all the requirements for the current steps have been completed. Technology has been identified as a suitable support mechanism that would be able to integrate into the complex system that comprises processes to be followed in an order that can be predefined. Every organisation faces its own unique challenges when technology is introduced. These can include a lack of computer literacy and the unwillingness to accept that change can in fact benefit the organisation. Getting the users to take ownership of the new systems through comprehensive training initiatives will be shown to be the most effective manner in which to ensure that the systems are effective and used to their full potential. This treatise will investigate the change management systems currently being used in the SAAI and compare the most important factors against the perceived best practices of the resources that are involved in change management. Organisations that operate at various levels within the SAAI will be researched. A literature review of the best practices in change management systems combined with an investigation into how technology can assist in supporting these best practices will be conducted. The findings will then be summarised and recommendations based on the collected data and information will be formulated and put forward.

The well-known concept of a Project Manager managing an I.T. project in relative isolation is no longer a viable option for organisations that are running numerous projects simultaneously. Due to the enormous costs and risks involved in many of these projects, there needs to be a means to ensure success. This has led to the establishment of the concept of a Project Management Office (PMO). An autonomous business unit that is responsible for managing all projects within an organisation. The need for a Project Management Office (PMO) to effectively manage multiple projects is becoming more and more accepted worldwide. The benefits of a PMO are well documented, but whether these benefits will apply to organisations within the NMM area needed to be investigated. A detailed analysis of the benefits of Project Management and in particular a PMO, have been investigated by means of a literature study. An investigation into the effectiveness of PMO’s in South Africa in general, was conducted by means of a survey targeted at a group of I.T. Project Managers located in all the major centres. A further survey was conducted among local I.T. managers to determine their current level of success and their expectations for the future. When reviewing the expectations of local I.T. management against the performance of Project Managers that are currently operating within PMOs, it is clear that organisations within the NMM area are in need of PMO’s and would certainly benefit from their establishment.

Public libraries, globally, are adopting the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in order to improve services to the users. ICTs in public libraries are enhancing services to the users by ensuring that services are available to them quickly and efficiently. ICTs in public libraries include computers and their Internet-based facilities, printers, photocopiers, laminators, faxes, telephones, televisions, compact discs, (CDs) and digital video discs (DVDs). This study focussed on the utilisation of ICTs in public libraries at Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (EMM). The general aim of the study was to assess the utilisation of ICTs at EMM public libraries by the users. Both qualitative and quantitative research approaches through a survey research method were deployed. The study targeted all public libraries at Ekurhuleni and within the libraries; library users and control librarians (librarians in charge of libraries at Ekurhuleni) were targeted. Control librarians participated in the study as key informants. The researcher needed to find out if they would corroborate what users said. There is a total of 43 public libraries at Ekurhuleni and eight were included in this study. These eight libraries were selected through stratified sampling. Out of 24033 registered users at Ekurhuleni libraries, 332 were randomly selected to take part in the study. All eight control librarians of participating libraries were included in the study. The total response rate for the targeted library users was 51% (170). The findings of this study indicate that although ICTs in EMM libraries are highly utilised, staff attitudes, cost of ICTs services, users’ lack of ICTs knowledge and skills, slowness of ICTs and power failure, make it difficult for users to maximise the full benefits offered by ICTs. The study recommended that the cost of ICTs services be reduced, customer care workshops and ICTs training be prioritised for staff, structured ICTs training programmes be developed for library users, users’ access time to Internet be extended, subscription to online databases be prioritised, Internet bandwidth be increased, uninterrupted power supply be installed in libraries and that positions be created for librarians specialising on ICTs. / Information Science / MA (Information Science)

Public libraries, globally, are adopting the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in order to improve services to the users. ICTs in public libraries are enhancing services to the users by ensuring that services are available to them quickly and efficiently. ICTs in public libraries include computers and their Internet-based facilities, printers, photocopiers, laminators, faxes, telephones, televisions, compact discs, (CDs) and digital video discs (DVDs). This study focussed on the utilisation of ICTs in public libraries at Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (EMM). The general aim of the study was to assess the utilisation of ICTs at EMM public libraries by the users. Both qualitative and quantitative research approaches through a survey research method were deployed. The study targeted all public libraries at Ekurhuleni and within the libraries; library users and control librarians (librarians in charge of libraries at Ekurhuleni) were targeted. Control librarians participated in the study as key informants. The researcher needed to find out if they would corroborate what users said. There is a total of 43 public libraries at Ekurhuleni and eight were included in this study. These eight libraries were selected through stratified sampling. Out of 24033 registered users at Ekurhuleni libraries, 332 were randomly selected to take part in the study. All eight control librarians of participating libraries were included in the study. The total response rate for the targeted library users was 51% (170). The findings of this study indicate that although ICTs in EMM libraries are highly utilised, staff attitudes, cost of ICTs services, users’ lack of ICTs knowledge and skills, slowness of ICTs and power failure, make it difficult for users to maximise the full benefits offered by ICTs. The study recommended that the cost of ICTs services be reduced, customer care workshops and ICTs training be prioritised for staff, structured ICTs training programmes be developed for library users, users’ access time to Internet be extended, subscription to online databases be prioritised, Internet bandwidth be increased, uninterrupted power supply be installed in libraries and that positions be created for librarians specialising on ICTs. / Information Science / M. Inf.

M.Tech. (Operations Management) / The South African manufacturing sector is considered the main driver of economic growth, but is falling behind in adopting and adequately using information and communication technology (ICT) to improve productivity and competitiveness. This is creating a constraint that hinders the manufacturing sector, adversely affecting its ability to access the global market and produce high value-added goods, and also to compete globally. Thus, the main objective of this dissertation is to gain an in-depth understanding of the impact of ICT on service design and operations to address barriers to manufacturing sector growth and to improve productivity and competitiveness. This study proposes an ICT-based service design model to increase productivity and competitiveness in the South African manufacturing sectors. It argues that the challenges faced can be addressed and that some of the solutions lie in the integration of ICT into service design and operations processes. The research adopted an interpretive approach through qualitative methods and, was carried out as a single case study using ArcelorMittal South Africa for which a purposive sampling technique was considered appropriate. Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews, and tape recorded and analysed through descriptive procedures. The findings suggest that ICT diffuses rapidly, creating opportunities and challenges for manufacturing companies. In addition it was found out that the adoption and adequate use of ICT depends on the implementation phase. This is when most challenges and impacts are experienced: for example, technological capability, technical skills, resources and ICT infrastructure capabilities. In addition, the findings suggest that a more educated workforce possesses the capability to acquire the necessary skills, in the form of self-education to overcome any challenges encountered. Evidence also shows that companies are facing challenges in relation to the selection and integration of the right technologies due to lack of ICT expertise. Therefore, this research proposes an ICT-based service design model to increase productivity and global competitiveness in the manufacturing sectors in South Africa.

As ICTs become more and more ubiquitous in institutions of education, schools are faced with the challenge of integrating ICTs pedagogically. More schools in South Africa have ICT resources available; however, their integration levels have not advanced at the rate that technology is progressing (Pan African Research Agenda on the Pedagogical Integration of Information and Communications Technologies, 2008). There are several enablers and constraining factors that have an impact on the schools’ capacity to pedagogically integrate ICTs. This is a case study of an ex-model C primary school in the Gauteng province. The school under study is one of the ten South African institutions from which the Pan African Research Agenda on the Pedagogical Integration of ICTs (PanAfICT) collected data in 2008 stored in its observatory. The UNESCO model (2002) was used to position this school at a specific level based on factors affecting the teachers’ propensity to integrate ICTs pedagogically. The findings of this study suggest that the school has been in the applying (second) level, since 2008 and has not made much progress in the implementation of ICT pedagogical integration. It also emerged from this case study that the enabling factors (the availability of a wide range of ICT resources and teacher training in basic ICT application skills) are not enough to enable the school to progress to the next level. It is the quality of technical support, relevance of training, proactive leadership in ICT integration and provision of time, above availability of resources that determine progression in the use of technology in the classroom. The literature selected covers mainly the national ICT integration environments and general views of authors in this field. On the basis of these findings, it is proposed that there is a need for the Department of Education to address the lack of progress in ICT pedagogical integration in schools by monitoring the process and developing strategies that will improve quality in the implementation despite the constraining factors.