In May of 1967, Dr. L. F. Moore of the Faculty of Commerce and Business Administration at UBC received a grant from the Institute of Industrial Relations, in order to undertake a research study into the "Development of an Integrated Data Bank for Manpower Management and Research." In part, he stated that "It would appear that much of the data obtained on employee record forms may be made suitable for computer storage, retrieval and analysis. In addition, much of this data is usable in multiple areas of analysis and research." This thesis, "Personnel Management Information Systems" closely parallels the work of Dr. Moore, as the writer worked for him during the summer of 1967 in the capacity of a research assistant. The content of the thesis to a very large extent represents the work done for Dr. Moore, and is an attempt to lay much of the groundwork in what is eventually to become a more detailed and comprehensive study. The main problems dealt with in this thesis are fourfold. The initial problem was to ascertain the basic functions of the personnel department in terms of procedures, records and forms employed, information flows etc. and to determine if these functions could be centrally integrated through the use of a manpower data bank. A further area examined was the feasibility or practicability, in terms of advantages and limitations, inherent in the concept of computerizing personnel records. The third problem involved definition of some of the procedures and methods which are prerequisite to the installation of a manpower data bank. The fourth problem was met in ascertaining the extent to which such installations are presently employed by corporations. As the concept of personnel management information systems is relatively new, little information was available from the literature. The investigation therefore was carried out through the following procedures: personal interviews with firms in Vancouver; correspondence with large Canadian and U.S. Corporations and the United States government; a review of recent periodicals covering the Personnel function; and from occasional papers covering this aspect of computer applications. Several conclusions were reached as a result of this study. In view of the many forms, procedures and voluminous amounts of data, it was concluded that the personnel department functions can and should be adapted to computerization through the creation of a manpower data bank. The unlimited potential of such a system is obvious in light of the many functions it can perform. There may be disadvantages for certain firms to implement a system of this nature, but on the whole the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. The systems analysis approach to the problem of determining procedures to take in implementing the system was judged the best technique to follow. At the present time, computerized personnel records are being employed by many large corporations, with varying degrees of success. Many systems were initially designed with a limited purpose in mind and do not resemble the integrated manpower data bank as presented in this thesis. / Business, Sauder School of / Graduate

M.Com. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

published_or_final_version / Business Administration / Master / Master of Business Administration

It has become generally accepted to refer to today‟s global economy as a knowledge-based economy, since knowledge has increasingly become the resource, instead of a resource for wealth creation. The ability of businesses to harness the potential of intangible assets such as knowledge has become far more decisive than their ability to manage physical assets. In the implementation of knowledge management activities, knowledge sharing is recognised as an integral task and key enabler of knowledge management. Although knowledge sharing is regarded as one of the most crucial factors in the effective management of knowledge, in knowledge-intensive businesses in particular, it has also been established that most employees are reluctant to share knowledge. Research further confirms that the factors that promote or discourage knowledge-sharing behaviour in businesses are poorly understood and that knowledge management systems fail as a result of the misunderstanding of individual characteristics that could influence knowledge sharing. Moreover, the focus of knowledge-sharing literature, in terms of the unit of analysis, is rarely at an individual/micro level, although the role of individuals in the knowledge-sharing process is critical as tacit knowledge resides within the individual and knowledge sharing starts with individuals. Given the importance of understanding knowledge sharing of individuals in knowledge-intensive businesses – but noting the lack of existing systematic, integrated research that focuses on individual-related factors influencing knowledge sharing – the purpose of this study was to fill the gap in the current literature. As such, the primary objective of this research was to identify and empirically investigate the individual-related factors influencing the Knowledge-sharing intention of individual employees in knowledge-intensive businesses. The literature review revealed twelve constructs, namely Individuals’ awareness, Intrinsic motivation, Extrinsic motivation, Transactional psychological contract breach, Relational psychological contract breach, Relationship conflict, Task conflict, Extraversion, Neuroticism, Openness to experience, Agreeableness and Conscientiousness that could influence the dependent variable Knowledge-sharing intention in knowledge-intensive businesses. Various moderating relationships between the dependent and independent variables were also proposed, while seven demographic variables (Age, Gender, Language, Highest qualification, Ethnic background, Organisational tenure and Job tenure of the respondent) were identified as potential control variables. Each construct in the hypothesised model of individual-related factors influencing Knowledge-sharing intention was defined and operationalised using items sourced from validated measuring instruments in previous studies. Several self-generated items based on secondary sources were also formulated. A structured questionnaire was made available to respondents identified by means of the convenience sampling technique, and the data collected from 597 usable questionnaires was subjected to various statistical analyses. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted which confirmed the unique factors present in the data, and Cronbach-alpha coefficients were calculated to confirm the reliability of the measuring instrument. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was the main statistical procedure used to test the significance of the relationships hypothesised between the various independent and dependent variables. A subset of SEM, namely general linear modelling (GLM) was used to determine the influence of selected demographic variables on Knowledge-sharing intention and to assess various moderating relationships as proposed in the hypothesised model. The main findings of this study were that personality traits are strong predictors of individual employees‟ willingness to share knowledge, and that the maturity of individuals, in terms of realising the significance and value of sharing their knowledge with others, and in recognising the intrinsic benefits of sharing, influence Knowledge-sharing intention. The main limitations of the study were the use of a convenience sampling technique to collect the data, as well as the dependence of self-report by respondents, which could lead to response bias. This study has added to the body of knowledge management research, in particular knowledge-sharing research, by investigating selected individual-related factors influencing the Knowledge-sharing intention of individuals in a particular subset of businesses, namely knowledge-intensive businesses, and focusing on a particular type of knowledge, namely tacit knowledge. From a business‟s perspective, this study offers recommendations and suggestions for managing these individual-related factors in such a way as to increase knowledge sharing among employees, and as a result, the effectiveness and competitive advantage of knowledge-intensive businesses.

M.A. / Researchers and futurists like Alvin Toner state that we are currently moving into the information era. In the information economy, information is an alternative source of capital. The role of information in the management of an organisation is being realised by more and more high profile companies and organisations. Information management should form part of top management. Information management does not only consist of the management of information technology. It consists of the whole information spectrum which includes information technology, information services as well as information systems. It implies the management of information as an organisational resource. Many companies and organisations however do not recognise information as a resource. It is therefore not managed as such. In most organisations information management develops in different stages until it reaches a state of maturity. The question arises what the cost implication is if information in this day and age is not managed as a valuable resource. The value of information is often difficult to establish and measure. The value of information depends on its timeliness and usefulness in a specific situation. It is therefore important that the organisation should be aware of the nature of its information resources as well as its location and flow. This can be achieved by a thorough information audit. When the organisation is aware of the extent of its information resources as well as its usage, the relation between cost and value can be determent. A cost-benefit analyses will establish whether the costs spend on information is justified. Because of the intricate nature of information a cost-benefit analyses renders several problems. Its usefulness are often questioned. It goes without saying that where unnessary costs are avoided the organisation will benefit. The process of cost avoidance is seen as a form of cost-benefit analysis. Local government in South Africa is the third tier of government, and currently in a process of change. The principles of Public Administration plays an important part in the management of local government. The absence of the profit motive in local government is often used as a reason why general management principles are not applied. Information plays an important role in local government decision making. An information audit in the Roodepoort Administration identified several important information resources. Through interviews and a case study it was established that information management does not occur on top level. Information is not recognised as a resource. This does not lead to cost avoidance. This study concludes that the Roodepoort Administration is in an early stage of information management, where information technology is managed to a certain degree. The lack of information management in the Roodepoort administration causes unnessary costs, departmentalisation and duplication of information. The recognisation of information as an organisational resource in the Roodepoort Administration, and in local government as a whole will assure effective and cost-effective decision making and administration. Cost avoidance will lead to accountable administration of communities.

D.Litt. et Phil. / The problem addressed in this study is to determine whether information is recognized as a resource in South African manufacturing enterprises and whether these enterprises use information to their competitive advantage. The role of information as a resource for competitive advantage is discussed and it is shown that the competitive position of enterprises can be strengthened on the strategic level if the information resources are efficiently managed. As a result of the lack of knowledge on the information management situation in manufacturing enterprises, an empirical investigation was necessary and a questionnaire was sent to enterprises in the Guateng province. South African manufacturing enterprises were grouped according to the strategic types identified by the Miles and Snow typology. Of the 172 respondents 21,5% were classified as Prospectors, 36,6% as Analyzers, 29,7% as Defenders and 12,2% as Reactors. The majority of the respondents pointed out that they frequently scanned the environment, but formal environmental scanning systems existed at only 20% of the enterprises. The majority of South African manufacturing enterprises are currently in Strategic Management Phase 2. Attention is paid to the strategic management of products with the emphasis on market growth and market share in comparison to those of competitors. The way in which information is managed in manufacturing enterprises relates to the management typology applied in these enterprises. Information is managed very fragmentally in South African manufacturing enterprises and integrated information management systems exist at only a small percentage of enterprises. The majority of enterprises are in Development Phase 2 of information management, that is, the management of corporate automated technology. Formal information management departments are found more regularly at Prospectors and Analyzers than at Defenders and Reactors. Prospectors and Analyzers make more use of information management systems. The proportion of personnel involved with information management is higher at Analyzers than at any of the other strategic types. Analyzers also apply records management more frequently than the others. More than half of the respondents evaluated their investments in information management resources periodically in order to determine practical use and value. Employee development was encouraged with 94,9% of the respondents and 9,9% of the enterprises were classified as learning organizations. It is concluded that information management is applied in South African manufacturing enterprises but that it is not used to the competitive advantage of these enterprises. It is recommended that South African manufacturing enterprises integrate information management with the other enterprise functions and that information management be a strategic management function. Manufacturing enterprises should strive to reach the Strategic Management Phase 4 as well as Phase 5 of information management. Guidelines are provided on how information management can be implemented as a strategic management function within enterprises classified as Prospectors, Analyzers, Defenders and Reactors. Unstableness and change are the main characteristics of the South African manufacturing industry and this changing environment makes it necessary to react appropriately in order to obtain competitive advantage. South African manufacturing enterprises should therefore strive towards a new management typology called Renewers or learning organizations.

M.Ing. / Companies are seeking innovative ways of enhancing their competitiveness in their markets. Currently, one of the ways used to improve competitiveness by companies in a process environment is to implement an Enterprise Resource Planning system. An Enterprise Resource Planning system is a software system that automates and integrates data and information captured in an organisation. An analysis of the impact of implementing a maintenance management system depends on a number of factors that may include capabilities of chosen system, effective application and ownership of the system by those who use it. Central to implementation of a maintenance system is the maintenance philosophy adopted by an organisation, information system in place, availability of skilled maintenance personnel and execution of developed maintenance program. The implementation process itself also has a bearing on acceptance of the system by those who are supposed to use it. A review of literature on these important factors and on development of an Enterprise Resource Planning system was conducted to show influence each factor has in making maintenance activities effective. To determine the impact of implementing an Enterprise Resource Planning system in a process environment a case study on a company that has recently implemented such a system was conducted. From this case study recommendations on a number of issues were made.

M.Comm. (Business Management) / The objectives of this research project were identified as being as follows: • To identify the possible use of Decision Support Systems III financial institutions through a literature study with attention given to: • the relationship of decision theory to Decision Support Systems • the theory of Decision Support Systems • how Decision Support Systems are currently used, and • trends in the use of Decision Support Systems.• To identify the use and awareness of Decision Support Systems in a spectrum of financial institutions in South Africa by interviewing selected individuals from a number of financial institutions. The interviews were necessary due to the lack of specific South African literature. Aspects that were investigated and analysed are: • the current use of Decision Support Systems, • the planned implementation of Decision Support Systems, and • the comparison of international practices with the situation in South Africa. The institutions that were targeted are two of the major banks, a niche bank, an insurance company and a stock-broking company.

Access and use of information facilitate the improvement of agriculture in rural areas. It is therefore important to ensure that adequate and appropriate information flows to the rural areas, and that farmers are able to utilise it. This study investigated the access and use of poultry management information in three rural districts of Tanzania, namely Iringa Rural, Morogoro Rural and Mvomero. The survey method, supplemented by methodological triangulation, was used to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 360 poultry farmers in the selected rural communities. Sixteen focus group discussions were conducted, in which 160 farmers participated. Twenty-two information providers were interviewed. The SPSS® software was used to analyse quantitative data, while qualitative data was analysed using content analysis. The findings indicated that poultry farmers needed information on poultry disease control, poultry protection, shelter for poultry and poultry production. There was very low identification and prioritisation of farmers’ information needs by the information providers. Farmers accessed information that had a direct impact and was deemed relevant to their farming activities. It was revealed that farmers accessed information mainly from interpersonal sources. Likewise, farmers preferred interpersonal and informal sources to formal sources of information. The extension officers were considered to be the most effective information source, followed by family, friends, and neighbours. Various factors, such as lack of awareness, unavailability of extension officers and poor infrastructure, influenced access and use of poultry management information. It was concluded that most of the information providers were not aware of the farmers’ information needs, and as a result they were not in a position to disseminate relevant information. In addition, farmers were used to an oral culture, which means that they would probably continue to depend on interpersonal sources of information, regardless of the availability of formal channels and modern sources. The study recommended several measures, including the use of multiple sources of information and delivery of information in a variety of formats, in order to accommodate various categories of farmers. The study also suggested some areas for further research. Furthermore, a model for effective dissemination of poultry management information in rural areas was proposed. / Information Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Information Science)

Access and use of information facilitate the improvement of agriculture in rural areas. It is therefore important to ensure that adequate and appropriate information flows to the rural areas, and that farmers are able to utilise it. This study investigated the access and use of poultry management information in three rural districts of Tanzania, namely Iringa Rural, Morogoro Rural and Mvomero. The survey method, supplemented by methodological triangulation, was used to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 360 poultry farmers in the selected rural communities. Sixteen focus group discussions were conducted, in which 160 farmers participated. Twenty-two information providers were interviewed. The SPSS® software was used to analyse quantitative data, while qualitative data was analysed using content analysis. The findings indicated that poultry farmers needed information on poultry disease control, poultry protection, shelter for poultry and poultry production. There was very low identification and prioritisation of farmers’ information needs by the information providers. Farmers accessed information that had a direct impact and was deemed relevant to their farming activities. It was revealed that farmers accessed information mainly from interpersonal sources. Likewise, farmers preferred interpersonal and informal sources to formal sources of information. The extension officers were considered to be the most effective information source, followed by family, friends, and neighbours. Various factors, such as lack of awareness, unavailability of extension officers and poor infrastructure, influenced access and use of poultry management information. It was concluded that most of the information providers were not aware of the farmers’ information needs, and as a result they were not in a position to disseminate relevant information. In addition, farmers were used to an oral culture, which means that they would probably continue to depend on interpersonal sources of information, regardless of the availability of formal channels and modern sources. The study recommended several measures, including the use of multiple sources of information and delivery of information in a variety of formats, in order to accommodate various categories of farmers. The study also suggested some areas for further research. Furthermore, a model for effective dissemination of poultry management information in rural areas was proposed. / Information Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Information Science)