The “What” and “Why” in information system development in resource restricted environments is already well covered in literature. However, the “How” to do it still has not been explored. This thesis reports on the development of a locally flavoured participatory user requirements elicitation framework for the development of information systems in resource restricted environments. It uses existing participatory design practices, user requirements elicitation literature and local participatory norms and traditions to achieve this. In doing so, it takes a step towards the way information systems could be developed in resource restricted environments. The topic of this thesis is mainly motivated by the recent calls in existing literature for developing countries to start developing their own information systems in order to address their own requirements. Accordingly, and to lay a foundation towards the realisation of this goal, this research is positioned within the user requirements elicitation region of information systems development. Current user requirements elicitation methods use traditional methods where experts/designers ask system users questions through interviews or learn about their environment through observations. This research proposes a shift from this approach to one that not only views users as equal partners in the elicitation process but in the whole information systems development process. This is in the spirit of participatory design, which was developed in Scandinavia more than four decades ago. Further, recent research in participatory design emphasises the importance of its contextual nature and concedes that there is no single best practice for participatory design in information systems that applies to all contexts. This research explores the information systems development discourse in resource restricted environments in Africa. Its purpose is to enhance understanding of the local contexts, thus providing new insights on how to develop a framework that speaks to local challenges using norms and traditions in order to develop information systems that address local requirements. Thus, the main contribution of this research lies in laying a foundation for a locally flavoured participatory approach for information systems development in resource restricted environments. It contributes to the existing information systems development, participatory design and user requirements elicitation body of knowledge by developing a framework for participatory user requirements elicitation. In addition, it contributes to the participatory design body of knowledge by introducing an age-old African participatory decisionmaking approach to the academic participatory design community. In doing so, it adopts the meaning of participation from an African value system point of view, which is something that has only been previously explored in the Nordic countries and North America. Finally, recommendations for the application, limitations and avenues for further research are incorporated into the findings of this research.

Many development organisations are initiating programs in Sub-Saharan Africa bringing information technology to community centres, schools, universities, and government institutions. In the United States and more particularly Silicon Valley, California, people are convinced of the benefits of the Internet. An organisation started in this context, Schools Online, has initiated programs in over 31 countries and spent millions of dollars in the South. The study focuses on Schools Online's history, structure, and vision while researching its activities in a rural school in the town of Jinja, Uganda, in Sub-Saharan Africa. It is recommended that Schools Online listens and learns from its beneficiaries when planning an information technology project. / Development Studies / M. A. (Development Studies)

Text in English / In line with the World Summit on the Information Society and with the expectation that this would enable them to advance their development and improve the lives of the population, almost all the Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries had developed national information and communications technologies (ICT) policies. The purpose of this doctoral research was to investigate the theoretical underpinning(s) of the national ICT policies of the SADC countries in order to develop a theoretical framework for building an information society for development. The research employed a grounded theory design, utilising the NVivo11 software as a tool to support the analysis of the national ICT policies for the selected 12 of the 15 SADC countries, as well as the interviews of five knowledgeable informants. Content analysis and open-ended interviews were the research methods applied sequentially to develop the Capacitating Theory for Building the Information Society for Development (CaTBIS-4D) for SADC countries, which is the core of the theoretical framework that this thesis proposes. The research found that building an information society continues to remain relevant for SADC countries, and its achievement is dependent on capacitating human, infrastructure and financial factors. Significantly, the research concluded that the perceived failure of the information society project within the SADC countries is due to the arcaneness or obscurity of the recognition that development and the information society mutually reinforce upon each other such that the improvement of one contributes to the advancement in the other. Based on the research findings and conclusions, this research proposes a framework that contends that to build an information society for development, it is necessary/ crucial to capacitate the human, infrastructure and financial factors by focusing on identified economic sectors and social categories within an effective governing and implementation monitoring environment. The research recommends that as the national ICT policies within SADC countries are updated and implemented, the framework proposed in this research be utilised as a basis. Furthermore, the research recommends that the broadest range of local role-players should participate in the information society development project to ensure its endurance and relevance. / Information Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Information Science)

Many development organisations are initiating programs in Sub-Saharan Africa bringing information technology to community centres, schools, universities, and government institutions. In the United States and more particularly Silicon Valley, California, people are convinced of the benefits of the Internet. An organisation started in this context, Schools Online, has initiated programs in over 31 countries and spent millions of dollars in the South. The study focuses on Schools Online's history, structure, and vision while researching its activities in a rural school in the town of Jinja, Uganda, in Sub-Saharan Africa. It is recommended that Schools Online listens and learns from its beneficiaries when planning an information technology project. / Development Studies / M. A. (Development Studies)

Abstracts in English, Zulu and Xhosa / The information communication technology (ICT) sector has, arguably, grown in leaps and bounds over the years to assume a key role in every facet of economic activity. In the wake of the fourth industrial revolution, the major policy preoccupation of governments is how to harness ICT to spur economic growth. As such, the principal objective of this study was to examine the impact of adopting ICT on the development of African stock exchanges, determine whether ICT adoption and stock market development are co-integrated, and establish any causal links between ICT adoption and stock market development. The study examined a panel of 11 African stock exchanges for the period 2008-2017 and employed various econometric techniques to test its objectives. The dependent variable for this study was stock market development, while the independent variable was ICT adoption. The control variables employed were financial freedom and economic growth proxied by gross domestic product. In its findings, the study established that the adoption of ICT has a positive and statistically significant effect on the number of listed companies, stock market capitalisation and the total value of shares traded at the selected African stock exchanges. Hence, as an economy turns out to be progressively ICT-situated, expanded access to and utilisation of ICT advances, thus improving a nation's financial economy. Secondly, it established that ICT adoption and the stock market are cointegrated and positively related in the long run. The results further indicated a bi-directional causal relationship (complementarity) between ICT adoption and stock market development. In essence, ICT adoption and stock market development reinforce each other. This study contributes to the body of knowledge in a number of ways. This is the first study to examine the phenomenon of ICT-stock market nexus employing a panel study. Moreover, the study employed a robust methodology underpinned by using indices to proxy ICT and stock market development. Thirdly, unlike other studies on this topic, this study did not just end with the first inquiry of a deterministic relationship, but also probed for co-integration of the series tested for causality and proffers policy advice. The findings of the research imply that policymakers should be more resolute when formulating ICT policies that can drive stock market development for better economic growth and for better integration with other African stock exchanges. / Umkhakha wezethekinoloji yelwazi kanye nokuthintana (ICT) ngaphandle kokuphikiswa, ukhule wandlondlobala eminyakeni edlulileko ukobana uthome ukudlala indima eqakathekileko kiyo yoke imisebenzi yezomnotho. Ekuthomeni kwamatjhuguluko wesine wezamabubulo, into ekulu yokuthoma ngomthethomgomo karhulumende kuqala ukobana ihlelo le-ICT lingasetshenziswa bunjani ukobana lihlumise umnotho. Ngakho-ke, umnqopho omkhulu werhubhululo leli bekukuhlola umthintela wokutjhugulukela ku-ICT mayelana nokuthuthukiswa kwemaraga ye-Afrika yezokutjhentjhiselana ngamatjhezi, ukuqinisekisa ukuthi mhlambe ukutjhugulukela ku-ICT kanye nokuthuthukiswa kwemaraga yamatjhezi kungahlanganiswa na, begodu nokuhloma nginanyana ngiliphi itjhebiswano phakathi kokutjhugulukela kwi-ICT kanye nokuthuthukiswa kwemaraga yamatjhezi. . Irhubhululo belihlola iphanele yeemaraga ezili-11 zokutjhentjhiselwana mwamatjhezi esikhathini esiphakathi kuka 2008-2017 begodu lisebenzise iindlela ezahlukeneko zokumeda umnotho ukobana ihlole iminqopho yayo. Ivarebuli engakazijameli yerhubhululweli bekukuthuthukiswa kweemaraga zamatjhezi, kanti ivarebuli ezijameleko yona bekukutjhugulukela ku-ICT. Amavarebuli asetjenziswe ngeemedo kube kukhululeka ngokweemali nangokuhlumisa umnotho lokhu okukhambisana nomkhiqizo woke wangekhaya wenarha. Kilokho okutholwe lirhubhululo, irhubhululo lithole ukuthi ukutjhugulukela kwi-ICT kunomthelela omuhle khulu nokuqakatheka ngokwamanani phezu kwembalo yeenkhamphani ezitloliswe ngaphasi kwemaraga yokutjhentjhisana ngamatjhezi, phezu kokuqiniswa ngeemali kwemaraga yamatjhezi kanye nenani loke lamatjhezi athengiswa eemaraga ezikethiweko zamatjhezi ze-Afrika. Yeke-ke, njengombana ituthuko yomnotho ibonakala idzimelele phezu kwe-ICT, njengombana ukutholakala kanye nokusetjenziswa kwetuthuko ye-ICT, kanti lokho kuthuthukisa umnotho wezeemali wenarha. . Kwesibili, irhubhululo likghonile ukubona ukuthi ukutjhugulukela ku-ICT kanye neemarageni zamatjhezi kuzizinto ezihlangeneko nezihlobene ngendlela ehle esikhathini eside. Imiphumela iragele phambili nokuveza itjhebiswano elinikela indlela (complementarity) phakathi kokutjhugulukela ku-ICT kanye nekuthuthukisweni kweemaraga zamatjhezi. . Eqinisweni, ngokutjhugulukela ku-ICT neemarageni zamatjhezi kuyaziqinisa lezi zinto. Leli rhubhululo lifaka isandla kuziko lelwazi ngeendlela ezinengi. Leli kulirhubhululo lokuthoma elihlola indaba yethintano lemaraga yamatjhezi elisebenzisa irhubhululo lephaneli. Ngaphezu kwalokho, irhubhululo lisebenzisa indlela ekhutheleko esekelwa kusebenzisa amatshwayo ku-ICT esekelako kanye nokuthuthukiswa kwemaraga yamatjhezi. Kwesithathu, lokhu kuhlukile kamanye amarhubhululo amalungana nalesi sihloko, leli rhubhululo akhange aphelele nje ngokuthoma ukubuza itjhebiswano elivezako, kanti begodu leli rhubhululo belihlola ukuhlanganiswa ndawonye komlandelande ehlolwe ukudala ubujamo begodu nokunikela isiyeleliso somthethomgomo. Okutholwe lirhubhululo kutjho bona abenzi bomthethomgomo kufanele baqalisise khulu lokha nabatlama imithethomgomo ye-ICT leyo engakhozelela ituthuko yeemaraga zamatjhezi ukobana kuhlume umnotho begodu nokuhlanganiswa ncono neemaraga ze-Afrika zokutjhentjhana ngamatjhezi. / Icandelo leTheknoloji yoNxibelelwano loLwazi(i-ICT) nelinokuphikiswa, likhule kakhulu ngokukhawuleza eminyakeni egqithileyo ekudlaleni indima ephambili kwiinkalo zonke zemisebenzi yezoqoqosho. Ukuvela kwenguqu yesine yezoshishino, owona mgaqo-nkqubo uphambili koorhulumente ngowokufumana iindlela zokudibanisa ezobuchwepheshe ukukhuthaza uhlumo kwezoqoqosho. Kunjalo, injongo ephambili kolu phononongo ibikukuhlola impembelelo yokusebenzisa/ yokwamkela i-ICT kuphuhliso lotshintshiselwano lweempahla zase-Afrika, ukuhlola ukuba ukwamkelwa kwe-ICT kunye nophuhliso lweemarike zidityanisiwe, kunye nokumisa naliphi na ikhonco lonxibelelwano lonobangela phakathi kokwamkelwa kwe-ICT kunye nophuhliso lwemarike yotshintshiselwano lwempahla Uphononongo lwahlola iphaneli ezili-11 zotshintshiselwano lwempahla eAfrika kwisithuba sowama-2008 kuya ku-2017 kwaye kwasetyenziswa uthotho lweendlela zobugcisa kwezoqoqosho ukuvavanya iinjongo zalo. Into eguqukayo yoxhomekeko kolu phando yayikuphuhlisa imarike yesitokhwe, ngelixa okwakuyinto ezimeleyo yayikukwamkela i-ICT. Izinto eziguquguqukayo ezilawulwayo ezazisetyenziswa yayiyinkululeko yezemali nokukhula koqoqosho okwakucaciswa ngemveliso yasekhaya ngokubanzi. Kwiziphumo zalo zophando, lufumanise ukuba ukusetyenziswa kwe-ICT kunefuthe elilungileyo elibonakalayo ngokwamanani kwiinkampani ezidwelisiweyo, ukurhweba kwimarike yesitokhwe kunye nexabiso elipheleleyo lezabelo ezithengiswa kwiimarike zesitokhwe zotshintshiselwano ezikhethiweyo zase- Afrika.. Ngenxa yoko, njengoko uqoqosho luguquka ngokuqhubekekayo luba kwimeko ye ICT lwandise ukufikeleleka kunye nokusetyenziswa kwenkqubela phambili ye-ICT, ngaloo ndlela iphucula uqoqosho lwezimali lukazwelonke. Okwesibini, yafumanisa ukuba ukwamkelwa kwe-ICT kunye nemarike yesitokhwe kudityanisiwe kwaye ziya kusebenzisana kakuhle ekuhambeni kwexesha. Iziphumo zaye zaphinda zabonisa ubudlelwane bozalwano macala (ukuphelelisa) phakathi kokwamkelwa kwe-ICT kunye nophuhliso lwemarike yotshintshiselwano/yesitokhwe. Ngokubalulekileyo, ukwamkelwa kwe-ICT kunye nophuhliso lweemarike kwenza zomelezane. Olu phando lunegalelo kulwazi oluninzi olukhoyo ngeendlela ezininzi. Olu luphando lokuqala ukuvavanya uthotho lwamakhonco emarike yesitokwe ye-ICT-isebenzisa iiphaneli zophando. Ngaphaya koko, uphononongo lusebenzise indlela engqongqo exhaswa kukusebenzisa izalathiso (indices) zomelwano kwi-ICT kunye nophuhliso lwemarike. Okwesithathu, ngokungafaniyo nolunye uphando olwenziweyo kwesi sihloko, olu phononongo aluphelanga nje kuphando lwangaphambili olwalungobudlelwane lwezigqibo (zokuzimisela), kodwa lwaphinda lwaphandela ukuhlanganiswa kothotho oluvavanyiweyo lonobangela kunye nokuphakamisa ingcebiso yomgaqo-nkqubo. Iziphumo zophando zithetha ukuba abaqulunqi bemigaqo-nkqubo kufuneka bazimisele ngakumbi xa besenza imigaqo-nkqubo ye-ICT enokuqhubela phambili ukuphuculwa kwemakethi yesitokhwe ukwenzela ukukhulisa uqoqosho olungcono kunye nokusebenzisana kakuhle nezinye iimarike zotshintshiselwano zaseAfrika. / Business Management / D. Admin. (Business Management)