The goal of this master's thesis "Project Management Evaluation in Selected Company" is to evaluate project management in the conditions of concrete Czech software company. The theoretical part is aimed at individual aspects of project management and activities connected to it. The practical part is aimed at information gained from questionnaire surveys and interviews with clients and company employees. These pieces of information are further analyzed using maturity model. Based on the gained results, the set of recommendations and suggestions are proposed to the director in order to improve the project management in the company. These concrete suggestions will become basis for future management decisions of the company.

In theoretical part, this thesis deals with evolution of term information which must be interpreted right way to continue to larger, more complex systems like information systems. This technical part is supported by proces analysis, which is needed to identify main processes of the organisation. This core proceses can be now supported by ICT in order to improve their efectiveness and performance. Increased quality of these processes is measured by applying maturity model, that can quantify diferencies between new processes and original ones.

This problem is two-fold: first, to determine the relationships between the traditional school marks and the test scores made by the Cleburne High School students on the California Test of Mental Maturity as a means of estimating the academic achievement students probably will attain in particular school subjects; second, to determine whether or not such relationships are of sufficient significance that their use will reduce student failures in Cleburne High School.

Business-Information Technology (IT) convergence is increasingly becoming a source of competitive advantage in the global economy and its importance has been widely discussed and documented in recent years. The management question that remains unanswered is: what are critical success factors for business-IT convergence in the South African banking sector?This report seeks to explore critical success factors for business-IT convergence in the South African banking sector via a quantitative data analysis approach which aims to incorporate leading theories and frameworks on business-IT governance. In analysing the critical success factors for business-IT convergence, it attempts to provide the South African banking sector with recommendations that should be considered within the framework of a generic business-technology maturity model. Furthermore challenges to the value of business-IT convergence research, divergent views and new perspectives on business-IT convergence are presented.In the research, the motivation for business-IT convergence research is first discussed. Next, business-IT convergence is defined and key dimensions and levels of the business-IT convergence construct are presented. Lastly a review of factor models of business-IT convergence is presented and outcomes of assessment within the four banking clusters are presented.The goal is to be inclusive of many different perspectives. It is hoped that the research will spark helpful conversation on the merits of continued investigation of business-IT convergence. In closing, reflections on the business-IT convergence research stream are provided and key implications for research and practice are provided. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

In this mini-dissertation the author, through a process of Dialectical analysis, using Interviews (with participants in ICT4D projects), Observations (of ICT4D projects) and Document analysis (of documentation about ICT4D projects), attempts to define what is necessary for the technical success of an ICT4D (Information and Communication System for Development) project. The author attempts this definition by using technical maturity models as a basis for determining what the current level of success or sustainability for an ICT4D project is. The author goes further by defining and creating his own technical maturity model, for ICT4D projects, and then refining it based on his Observations, a series of Interviews and Document analysis. This final revised model, and the process used to create it, is used to answer the question of whether a technical maturity model can be used in an ICT4D project and to what extent such a model will assist in the sustainability of an ICT4D project. / Dissertation (MPhil)--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Informatics / unrestricted

>Magister Scientiae - MSc / The Karoo in South Africa is an area in which petroleum studies are being reviewed with particular interest, especially within the Tanqua and Laingsburg subbasins of the Karoo. The particular formations of interest comprises of the Laingsburg, Fort Brown, Kookfontein and Vischkuil of the Upper Ecca group, located within the Laingsburg subbasin as well as the Kookfontein formation found within the Tanqua subbasin. The present work dealt with interpreting and distinguishing the different types of source rock lithologies, to identify the source rock zones and organic matter within the Laingsburg, Fort Brown, Kookfontein and Vischkuil formations. This was achieved by utilising different geochemical analyses (such as rock eval pyrolysis and TOC) and organic chemistry (XRD) to assess the maturity, mineralogy and the quality of the source rocks.

Banking through insufficiently coordinated and non-integrated channels (Multi-Channel) is slowly being discarded. With Omni-Channel banking, where channels are integrated and data and information are shared across cross channels, customers are in control of the channels they wish to use. Factors influencing the organisational decision to transition from Multi-Channel to Omni-Channel hasn't been fully explored. Is this decision responding to internal factors like efficiency improvements, or is it driven by external factors like customer demands, trying to enhance customer experience, gaining competitive advantage over the competitors, expanding the business by introducing new business models, or trying to gain access to smart technologies for financial benefit? This dissertation presents research findings into the investigation of factors that influence the organisational decision to transition from Multi-Channel to Omni-Channel banking. A positivist case study with inductive reasoning was adopted. Qualitative data was collected from a single organisation through interviews together with observations of the strategy documents between January 2019 and April 2019. An initial conceptual model was derived from the literature review to guide data collection, after which thematic analysis was used to analyse the data and develop an emergent theory. The key findings from the research study are that a customer centric approach informs the decision to transition. The customer is at the centre of the omni-channel strategy: that is through an enhanced customer experience or timeously responding to customer demands. Other factors are either enabling this strategy, like technological innovations, and efficiency improvements or are the outcome of the strategy like customer satisfaction, revenue or cost optimisation, and competitive advantage. The key implications are that organisations must pay more attention to the customer journey and ensure that they advance in the Customer Experience Capability Maturity Model. Most successful business transitions to the Omni-Channel strategy require a transformation in organizational culture, operations and processes, and the underlying technologies.

Grain sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] varieties fail to reach maturity in North Dakota’s short and cool growing season. The study objective was to evaluate seeding date and white grain sorghum genotypes. A randomized complete block design study was conducted at Carrington, Oakes, and Prosper, ND, in 2018 and 2019. Genotypes included two commercial hybrids and four open-pollinated genotypes. Reaching heading and anthesis, hybrids required more heat units (GDDs), compared with the open-pollinated genotypes. Highest grain yield was obtained from the first and second seeding dates. Earlier-maturing open-pollinated genotypes maintained yield across seeding dates, whereas yield was reduced at later dates for the longer maturity hybrids. Hybrids produced the highest number of kernels per panicle at the first seeding date with fewer seeds at each successive seeding date. Although the open-pollinated genotypes out-yielded the hybrids at later seeding dates, the risk of lodging is too great to recommend their commercialization.

The Construction Industry Indicators (CIIs) continue to reflect a steady growth in the level of client dissatisfaction with the performance of contractors and consultants on construction projects whilst firms in the industry battle for survival. In order to survive in the highly competitive construction market, firms within the industry, need a paradigm shift. To move from traditional project delivery methodologies which continue to yield unsatisfactory results to innovative project delivery methods and practices. With the advancements in computational technologies and processes, the industry needs to move towards integrated, collaborative and computable processes, to increase productivity, efficiency, infrastructure value, quality and sustainability, reduce lifecycle costs, lead times and duplications. Building Information Modelling (BIM) is the innovative project delivery method that helps reduce fragmentation and provides opportunities for enhanced collaboration and distributed project development. BIM is slowly gaining momentum in the South African construction industry. Even though there is an abundance of industry discussions and academic literature professing the ability of BIM methodologies to increase productivity, scholars have found that it has not yet been coupled with the availability of useful metrics, knowledge and tools to reliably measure BIM benefits. Few organisations and individuals have been exposed to some BIM tools whilst many still lack thorough understanding of BIM as a project delivery method. To capture the full benefit of BIM methodologies, firms in project networks must coordinate and develop interoperable business practices and procedures. This study assessed the level of BIM adoption, capability and maturity in consulting and construction firms and evaluated if there were differences in the level of adoption, capability and maturity of BIM between consulting and construction firms. The study also evaluated the relationship between level of BIM maturity and project performance of consulting and construction firms. The study found that there is a statistically significant relationship between the level of BIM capability and project performance. Lastly, the study reports on the current perceived benefits of BIM in the South African construction industry.

Recent environmental catastrophes such as the Deepwater Horizon oil spill by BP in the Gulf of Mexico and the rising acid mine water in Johannesburg, South Africa, have demonstrated the far reaching environmental, social and financial consequences of unsustainable environmental management practices. Mining is an activity that significantly contributes to South Africa’s Gross Domestic Product but has the potential to significantly impact the environment and a diverse set of stakeholders. As a result, it is imperative that mining activities are undertaken in a sustainable manner. This research studied the mining sector’s response to environmental sustainability on a company level. The study entailed the use of a mixed methods approach within a strategic framework to enable the researcher to confirm the maturity level of current practices and simultaneously explore the extent to which companies are preparing for the future. The key research findings suggest that South African mining companies have current practices that are relatively developed, with insufficient focus on innovation to meet the future sustainability challenge. Key recommendations to meet the sustainability challenge include industry collaboration, a change in paradigm by companies, integration of suppliers into product stewardship practices and adequately managing the tension between the local empowerment and environmental agenda. Copyright / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted