Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2005. / AENGLISH ABSTRACT: With the advent of the internet a few years ago many online communities have been formed from traditional communities. The ability of a traditional community to transform into an online community depends on the type of interaction that is required by that particular community. Based on the arguments of various critics of the online community, this study will focus on the feasibility of transforming the golfing fraternity from a traditional to an online community. The study project therefore proposes to understand online communities as a subset within the general concept of community. It will be determined if the golfing community that currently falls into the traditional framework is open to create itself into a modern online community. The characteristics of traditional communities include bonding, sharing of information and other items of common interest which is similar for online communities. It is within this objective that the characteristics of online communities and the relationship between traditional and modern communities will be discussed. The first phase was to develop a questionnaire based on desirability and expectations of an online golfing community and for the purposes of this study, the research population comprised of the registered golf members of golf clubs in the Western Province Golf Union (WPGU) in the Western Cape. Furthermore there is within the Western Cape golfing community, possibly scope for a universal understanding of this community as a whole. Golfing communities can be defined through their unique characteristics. Golf communities are traditional communities that have evolved over time. Since modern communities are no longer constrained by geography the question arises whether, golf which has all the characteristics of a traditional community would be able to migrate to a modern online community. From the empirical study it became evident that the current golf community is open to using the internet to gain information on golf. The potential for the success of an online golfing community especially an interactive one in the future is great as the survey results show that the current membership are open to the idea of an online community.FRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Met die koms van die internet 'n paar jaar gelede, is baie aanlyn gemeenskappe vanaf tradisionele gemeenskappe ontwikkel. Die vermoe van tradisionele gemeenskappe om na aanlyn gemeenskappe te verander, is afhanklik van die tipe interaksie wat in daardie spesifieke gemeenskap benodig word. In die lig van 'n literatuurstudie oor die verskillende standpunte oor aanlyn gemeenskappe, is 'n ondersoek gedoen na die aanneemlikheid van die verandering van 'n tradisionele gemeenskap, naamlik die gholf gemeenskap, na 'n aanlyn gemeenskap. Die studie het daarom ten doel om aanlyn gemeenskappe te ondersoek as 'n sub-afdeling van die algemene gemeenskap konsep. Deel van die ondersoek behels die openheid van die gholf gemeenskap, 'n tipiese tradisionele gemeenskap, om 'n moderne virtuele gemeenskap te vorm. Die samestelling van 'n tradisionele gemeenskap beskik oor soortgelyke eienskappe as die van 'n aanlyn gemeenskap soos verbondenheid, die deel van inligting en ander items van gemeenskaplike belang. Dit is die doelwit van hierdie studie om die eienskappe van die aanlyn gemeenskap en die verwantskap tussen tradisionele en aanlyn gemeenskap te bespreek. Die eerste fase, was die ontwikkeling van 'n vraelys met klem op die wenslikheid en behoeftes van 'n aanlyn gholf gemeenskap. Die populasie vir die studie was lede van die Westelike Provinsie Gholf Vereniging (WPGU) in die Wes Kaap. Die data wat ontgin is uit die navorsing van die WPGU kan ook moontlik bydra tot 'n verstaan van die universele gholf gemeenskap in Suid Afrika. Gholf gemeenskappe kan gedefinieer word deur hulle unieke eienskappe. Hulle is tradisionele gemeenskappe wat ontwikkel het deur die jare. Sedert moderne gemeenskappe nie langer geografies beperk is nie moet die vraag gestel word of 'n tradisionele gholf gemeenskap tot 'n moderne aanlyn gemeenskap kan ontwikkel? Uit die literatuurstudie het die duidelik geword dat die huidige gholf gemeenskap oop is vir die gebruik van die internet om inligting oor gholf in te win. In die lig van huidige lede se aanvaarding van aanlyn gemeenskappe lyk die potensiaal en moontlikheid vir die sukses van 'n aanlyn gholf gemeenskap in die toekoms belowend.

Intresset för den personliga hälsan ökar inom samtliga sociala grupper. Människor vill få utökad kontroll över hur sin hälsosituation och de tar till allt fler hjälpmedel för att kunna få bättre svar. Med det digitala samhället nära till hands dyker det upp allt fler tjänster och produkter som agerar hjälpmedel för att produktens användare ska kunna få en större och bättre kontroll över sin hälsa. Produkter och tjänster som gör detta ingår i området Internet of Sports. I samband med att fler användare ansluter sig till dessa tjänster och produkter ökar därmed också datamängden de samlar in. Skyddas denna data i överföringen mellan användaren och företagen och skyddar de som samlar in datan användarens personliga integritet? Uppsatsens syfte är att undersöka detta genom att granska utvalda företag som verkar inom Internet of Sports och se om det går att komma över användarnas personliga data genom man in the middle-attacker. / The interest for personal health is growing in all demographic groups. People want better control regarding their personal health and they are using more aids to get better answers. With the digital society close to hand new products and services are appearing to aid users to get a better knowledge and control of their personal health. The products and services that aim to do this are categorized as Internet of Sports. As more users are signing up for and using these products and services the gathering of data is growing. Is the data that these companies gather safely transfered from the user to the companies and are the companies protecting the user’s privacy? The thesis’ purpose is to examine chosen companies within Internet of Sports and to see if it is possible to access the user’s personal data through man in the middle attacks.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Online sport ventures seem promising and sure of success, if one considers reports on the success of on-line sport ventures and the size of the market such a venture attracts. These reports however, relate mostly to the United States and are based on a number of assumptions which might not ring true in the South African environment. Further investigation is required before committing resources to an Internet sport venture in South Africa. In this thesis the viability of such a business venture in South Africa is tested according to a well-structured model. The literature study reflects investigation into some specific Internet Business Drivers as identified, which can be related to sport in South Africa as well as investigation into typical problems faced by Internet Business Ventures. The Sports Information and Science Agency (1998) commissioned research to evaluate the impact of sport on the South African economy. Eskom (2000) commissioned research to analyse the lifestyle of South Africans in general. This useful information as well as other research will also be analysed and discussed regarding relevance to an Internet Sport Venture. The Venture Opportunity Screening Guide (Timmons, 1999: 117-156) provides a structured model to evaluate the viability of business ventures taking all available aspects into account. The model is based on a number of screening criteria used by venture capitalists, entrepreneurs and investors to screen business ventures. This model will be used as the foundation of this thesis to research a final conclusion on the viability of an Internet Sport Venture in South Africa. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Dit lyk asof Internet Sport ondernemings baie potensiaal het. Dit lyk asof die meeste verslae wat handel oor sulke ondernemings verwys na suksesse in Amerika. Die gevolgtrekkings gemaak geld nie noodwendig vir Suid Afrika nie. Verdere ondersoeke is noodsaaklik voordat die navorsing as toepaslik tot die Suid Afrikaanse milieu geïdentifiseer kan word. Die lewensvatbaarheid van 'n soortgelyke onderneming in Suid Afrika word in hierdie tesis ondersoek deur middel van 'n goed gestruktureerde model. Die literatuurstudie som navorsing in verband met spesifieke toonaangewende Internet ondernemings op, wat van toepassing is op die Suid Afrikaanse situasie. Tipiese probleme ondervind deur Internet ondernemings word ook bespreek. Navorsing in verband met die uitwerking van sport op die Suid-Afrikaanse ekonomie is aangevra deur Die Sport Informasie en Wetenskap Agentskap (1998). Navorsing aangaande die lewenstyl van Suid-Afrikaners is ook aangevra deur Eskom (2000). Data van hierdie en soortgelyke navorsing word geanaliseer en bespreek om die impak daarvan op 'n Suid Afrikaanse Internet Sport Onderneming te ondersoek. Die "Venture Opportunity Screening Guide" (Timmons, 1999: 117-156) verskaf 'n gestruktureerde model om die potensiaal van besigheids-geleenthede te ondersoek. Die model is gebaseer op die evaluerings-kriteria wat gebruik word deur finansiers, entrepeneurs, en beleggers om die potensiaal van geleenthede te ondersoek. Die model sal dien as basis van die ondersoek in hierdie tesis waarvan 'n finale slotsom in verband met die potensiaal van sodanige onderneming gemaak kan word.