This study investigated the performance of health workers in the decentralised services in Uganda in order to develop a management framework that may be used to improve performance. The study followed a mixed research methodology and was descriptive. The survey design was used to collect quantitative data by means of a structured questionnaire. Qualitative data was collected using a semi-structured interview guide. The study population for the quantitative strand comprised 276 health workers including doctors, clinical officers, and professional nurses working in four districts: Kumi, Mbale, Sironko and Tororo. The health workers were selected using stratified random sampling. The population for qualitative strand was health services managers (N=21) from the same districts. The managers were selected purposively. Quantitative data was analysed using SPSS version 18.0, while qualitative data was coded and analysed manually. The findings revealed that the performance of health workers is generally affected by health systems and work environment related factors. The findings indicated that health workers are skilled, competent, and generally have positive attitudes and behaviours towards their clients. The study uncovered loop holes in performance management in the district health sectors. In most cases there is no target setting, no performance management planning, performance indicators are not clearly defined, and the schedules for performance measurement are not always followed. There is limited career progression and lack of functional performance feedback and rewarding mechanisms. Although health workers are committed, there is widespread political interference and nepotism in the district health sector management. Overall, the researcher is optimistic that if the proposed performance management framework is implemented, the performance of health workers might improve. / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)

This study investigated the performance of health workers in the decentralised services in Uganda in order to develop a management framework that may be used to improve performance. The study followed a mixed research methodology and was descriptive. The survey design was used to collect quantitative data by means of a structured questionnaire. Qualitative data was collected using a semi-structured interview guide. The study population for the quantitative strand comprised 276 health workers including doctors, clinical officers, and professional nurses working in four districts: Kumi, Mbale, Sironko and Tororo. The health workers were selected using stratified random sampling. The population for qualitative strand was health services managers (N=21) from the same districts. The managers were selected purposively. Quantitative data was analysed using SPSS version 18.0, while qualitative data was coded and analysed manually. The findings revealed that the performance of health workers is generally affected by health systems and work environment related factors. The findings indicated that health workers are skilled, competent, and generally have positive attitudes and behaviours towards their clients. The study uncovered loop holes in performance management in the district health sectors. In most cases there is no target setting, no performance management planning, performance indicators are not clearly defined, and the schedules for performance measurement are not always followed. There is limited career progression and lack of functional performance feedback and rewarding mechanisms. Although health workers are committed, there is widespread political interference and nepotism in the district health sector management. Overall, the researcher is optimistic that if the proposed performance management framework is implemented, the performance of health workers might improve. / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)

This study investigated the use and management of electronic mail (email) in Zimbabwe’s central government. Employing a mixed method research approach, the study used a pluralist ontological paradigm and a pragmatic epistemological paradigm within the convergent mixed methods research design. Quantitative responses from questionnaires were corroborated by qualitative findings from semi-structured interviews, personal observation and document reviews. The study was restricted to Zimbabwe’s central government, focusing on head offices of 22 government ministries situated in Zimbabwe’s capital city of Harare. The population of the study was 670. The Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown imposed in Zimbabwe as from 30 March 2020 negatively affected data collection as some targeted respondents could not be accessed as the researcher had initially planned, leading to an overall response rate of 37.3%. Nonetheless, 12 out of 22 government ministries participated in the study. Quantitative data were analysed using Microsoft Excel 2010® and descriptive statistics while qualitative data were analysed thematically using Atlas.ti®. The study conformed to ethical standards of research as espoused in the University of South Africa’s ethical review guidelines. The study revealed that due to the adoption of electronic government and the inherent relative advantages of email, among other factors, there was increase in use of email as an official record in Zimbabwe’s central government. Nonetheless, management of email was still in its nascent stages and was largely poorly articulated. Poor email classification, filing, appraisal, security, preservation and disposal were largely traceable to deficiencies in legal, policy and procedural frameworks as well as skills and information and communication technology infrastructural challenges. These in turn triggered email retrieval, access, preservation and authenticity challenges. This study was a first local research to address both the use and management of email in a single study and one which proposed a framework for the effective use and management of email where a call was made to match increase in use of email with increase in professional management of the same. The proposed framework may go a long way in influencing proper and professional use and management of email in Zimbabwe’s central government and similar organisations. / Information Science / D. Phil. (Information Science)

Big amounts of test data generated by the current used software testing tools (QA-C/QA-C++ and Cantata) contain a variety of different values. The variances cause enormous challenges in data aggregation and interpretation that directly affect generation of test metrics. Due to the circumstance of data processing, this master thesis introduces a database-centric test management framework for test metrics aims at centrally handling the big data as well as facilitating the generation of test metrics. Each test result will be individually parsed to be a particular format before being stored in a centralized database. A friendly front-end user interface is connected and synchronized with the database that allows authorized users to interact with the stored data. With a granularity tracking mechanism, any stored data will be systematically located and programmatically interpreted by a test metrics generator to create various kinds of high-quality test metrics. The automatization of the framework is driven by Jenkins CI to automatically and periodically performing the sequential operations. The technology greatly and effectively optimizes and reduces effort in the development, as well as enhance the performance of the software testing processes. In this research, the framework is only started at managing the testing processes on software-unit level. However, because of the independence of the database from levels of software testing, it could also be expanded to support software development at any level.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / The Energy Monitoring Framework, designed and developed by IAC, IUPUI, aims to provide a cloud-based solution that combines business analytics with sensors for real-time energy management at the plant level using wireless sensor network technology. The project provides a platform where users can analyze the functioning of a plant using sensor data. The data would also help users to explore the energy usage trends and identify any energy leaks due to malfunctions or other environmental factors in their plant. Additionally, the users could check the machinery status in their plant and have the capability to control the equipment remotely. The main objectives of the project include the following: • Set up a wireless network using sensors and smart implants with a base station/ controller. • Deploy and connect the smart implants and sensors with the equipment in the plant that needs to be analyzed or controlled to improve their energy efficiency. • Set up a generalized interface to collect and process the sensor data values and store the data in a database. • Design and develop a generic database compatible with various companies irrespective of the type and size. • Design and develop a web application with a generalized structure. Hence the database can be deployed at multiple companies with minimum customization. The web app should provide the users with a platform to interact with the data to analyze the sensor data and initiate commands to control the equipment. The General Structure of the project constitutes the following components: • A wireless sensor network with a base station. • An Edge PC, that interfaces with the sensor network to collect the sensor data and sends it out to the cloud server. The system also interfaces with the sensor network to send out command signals to control the switches/ actuators. • A cloud that hosts a database and an API to collect and store information. • A web application hosted in the cloud to provide an interactive platform for users to analyze the data. The project was demonstrated in: • Lecture Hall (https://iac-lecture-hall.engr.iupui.edu/LectureHallFlask/). • Test Bed (https://iac-testbed.engr.iupui.edu/testbedflask/). • A company in Indiana. The above examples used sensors such as current sensors, temperature sensors, carbon dioxide sensors, and pressure sensors to set up the sensor network. The equipment was controlled using compactable switch nodes with the chosen sensor network protocol. The energy consumption details of each piece of equipment were measured over a few days. The data was validated, and the system worked as expected and helped the user to monitor, analyze and control the connected equipment remotely.

This study of the legal and management frameworks for private higher education institutions in Swaziland provides a theoretical framework for the establishment and management of such institutions and especially the Southern Africa Nazarene University (SANU). A literature review of Swaziland’s education legislation and education system, the legal processes for the establishment of private higher education institutions, the types and legal status of these, their funding of, and their organisational and management structures provided the theoretical framework upon which the study was based. The review indicated that: a private higher education system in Swaziland was in the process of being developed; such institutions were established and operated within the overall higher education system; there were two legal instruments that could be used to establish these institutions – an Act of Parliament and a Certificate of Registration; the government was the major funder of private higher education institutions; and there are different organisational and management structures in existence. Against this background an empirical qualitative investigation was conducted. Data was collected from education managers, government officials, Church leadership, and legal representatives through in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and participant observation. The findings of the empirical investigation complemented the findings obtained from the literature review. The underdevelopment of the private higher education system resulted in two major implications: uncertainty of the legal process for the establishment of SANU, and the development as well as immediate implementation of education legislation and policies. The application of the legal procedures outlined by the Higher Education Bill of 2007 to the establishment, management and funding of SANU affords a good example. Even though the people entrusted with the establishment of SANU selected the Act of Parliament for this process and developed the SANU Bill, government officials instead advocated and implemented the certification process regarding the establishment and management of SANU. Subvention, tuition fees, commercial farming and provision of short term occupational training programmes were identified as income-generating strategies for SANU. A unique organisational and management structure was developed for SANU. Based on those findings, several recommendations for the improvement of the management of the process of establishment of universities in Swaziland and especially SANU were made. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Education Management)

This study of the legal and management frameworks for private higher education institutions in Swaziland provides a theoretical framework for the establishment and management of such institutions and especially the Southern Africa Nazarene University (SANU). A literature review of Swaziland’s education legislation and education system, the legal processes for the establishment of private higher education institutions, the types and legal status of these, their funding of, and their organisational and management structures provided the theoretical framework upon which the study was based. The review indicated that: a private higher education system in Swaziland was in the process of being developed; such institutions were established and operated within the overall higher education system; there were two legal instruments that could be used to establish these institutions – an Act of Parliament and a Certificate of Registration; the government was the major funder of private higher education institutions; and there are different organisational and management structures in existence. Against this background an empirical qualitative investigation was conducted. Data was collected from education managers, government officials, Church leadership, and legal representatives through in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and participant observation. The findings of the empirical investigation complemented the findings obtained from the literature review. The underdevelopment of the private higher education system resulted in two major implications: uncertainty of the legal process for the establishment of SANU, and the development as well as immediate implementation of education legislation and policies. The application of the legal procedures outlined by the Higher Education Bill of 2007 to the establishment, management and funding of SANU affords a good example. Even though the people entrusted with the establishment of SANU selected the Act of Parliament for this process and developed the SANU Bill, government officials instead advocated and implemented the certification process regarding the establishment and management of SANU. Subvention, tuition fees, commercial farming and provision of short term occupational training programmes were identified as income-generating strategies for SANU. A unique organisational and management structure was developed for SANU. Based on those findings, several recommendations for the improvement of the management of the process of establishment of universities in Swaziland and especially SANU were made. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Education Management)