Even if all the technical security solutions appropriate for an organisation’s network are implemented, for example, firewalls, antivirus programs and encryption, if the human factor is neglected then these technical security solutions will serve no purpose. The greatest challenge to network security is probably not the technological solutions that organisations invest in, but the human factor (non-technical solutions), which most organisations neglect. The human factor is often ignored even though humans are the most important resources of organisations and perform all the physical tasks, configure and manage equipment, enter data, manage people and operate the systems and networks. The same people that manage and operate networks and systems have vulnerabilities. They are not perfect and there will always be an element of mistake-making or error. In other words, humans make mistakes that could result in security vulnerabilities, and the exploitation of these vulnerabilities could in turn result in network security breaches. Human vulnerabilities are driven by many factors including insufficient security education, training and awareness, a lack of security policies and procedures in the organisation, a limited attention span and negligence. Network security may thus be compromised by this human vulnerability. In the context of this dissertation, both physical and technological controls should be implemented to ensure the security of the SANReN network. However, if the human factors are not adequately addressed, the network would become vulnerable to risks posed by the human factor which could threaten the security of the network. Accordingly, the primary research objective of this study is to formulate guidelines that address the information security related human factors in the rolling out and continued management of the SANReN network. An analysis of existing policies and procedures governing the SANReN network was conducted and it was determined that there are currently no guidelines addressing the human factor in the SANReN beneficiary institutions. Therefore, the aim of this study is to provide the guidelines for addressing the human factor threats in the SANReN beneficiary institutions.

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A research report submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in the field of ICT Policy and Regulation / The research report examined the value brought by NRENs, by investigating the utilization of the South African National Research Network (SANReN) at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits). It explored the SANReN as the main international bandwidth service for the university and assessed how the university is able to efficiently provide a range of e-services in scientific research through the NREN. Wits scientists engaged in data intensive research and international research collaboration shared the view that the SANReN infrastructure is critical to such work, however due to infrastructure limitations at university level, it is sometimes difficult to maximize the value of this dedicated network, where data storage capacity is low. A wide range of e-services, such as grid computing, use SANReN, but are limited by international bandwidth. A further problem is the high cost of international bandwidth, particularly as the demand for bandwidth increases with the amount of data required in scientific research. The biggest challenge is the growth of demand and the ability to meet this demand. As scientific research relies on real time data, but experiences problems with data storage, advanced data infrastructure is needed in the form of a medium sized data centre, which would be used for storing and transferring large data sets and terabytes of data in and out of the country. In conclusion, although SANReN makes it possible for big science projects to take place at universities, it is somewhat difficult to measure the value that SANReN brings, due to the many limitations mentioned. Therefore a matrix to measure outputs and value of SANReN is required, as proposed in Chapter 6 of this research report. / GR2017

This dissertation addresses the problem of a lack of a formal incident response capability in the South African National Research and Education Network (SA NREN). While investigating alternatives it was found that no clear method exists to solve this problem. Therefore, a second problem is identified: the lack of a definitive method for establishing a Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT) or Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) in general. Solving the second problem is important as we then have a means of knowing how to start when building a CSIRT. This will set the basis for addressing the initial problem, resulting in a prepared, improved and coordinated response to IT security incidents affecting the SANREN. To commence, the requirements for establishing a CSIRT are identified via a comprehensive literature review. These requirements are categorized into five areas, namely, the basic business requirements followed by the four Ps of the IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL). That is, People, Processes, Product and Partners, adapted to suit the CSIRT context. Through the use of argumentation, the relationships between the areas are uncovered and explored. Thereafter, a Design Science Research-based process is utilised to develop a generic model for establishing a CSIRT. The model is based on the interactions uncovered between the business requirements and the adapted four Ps. These are summarised through two views -- strategic and tactical -- together forming an holistic model for establishing a CSIRT. The model highlights the decisions required for the business requirements, services, team model and staff, policies and processes, tools and technologies, and partners of a CSIRT respectively. Finally, to address the primary objective, the generic model is applied to the SANREN environment. Thus, the second artefact is an instantiation, a specific model, which can be implemented to create a CSIRT for the SA NREN. To produce the specific model, insight into the nature of the SANREN environment was required. The status quo was revealed through the use of a survey and argumentative analysis of the results. The specific decisions in each area required to establish an SA NREN CSIRT are explored throughout the development of the model. The result is a comprehensive framework for implementing a CSIRT in the SA NREN, detailing the decisions required in each of the areas. This model additionally acts as a demonstration of the utility of the generic model. The implications of this research are twofold. Firstly, the generic model is useful as a basis for anyone wanting to establish a CSIRT. It helps to ensure that all factors are considered and that no important decisions are neglected, thereby enabling an holistic view. Secondly, the specific model for the SA NREN CSIRT serves as a foundation for implementing the CSIRT going forward. It accelerates the process by addressing the important considerations and highlighting the concerns that must be addressed while establishing the CSIRT.

This article maps the field of international comparative research in school social work. For this purpose, a systematic literature review was conducted and subjected to a narrative synthesis. The review reveals 11 publications that are predominantly non-empirical, take mainly Asian, European, North American countries and Australia and New Zealand into account, and are focused on profession-related and sociopolitical aspects of school social work. A synthesis of school social work practice themes transcending national boundaries emerged from the findings, covering child-, family-, school-, and community-related issues. Accordingly, children are predominantly confronted with similar issues, irrespective of the place where they live, such as violence toward themselves, at home, in school, and in their community. Bearing in mind methodological challenges when carrying out comparative studies, recommendations include the conduct of practice-focused studies that generate new stimuli to improve already well-developed practices in a culturally appropriate way and enable mutual learning among school social workers.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The changing South African policy context since 1994 (new science and innovation policies), and institutional changes at the National Research Foundation (NRF) have had an effect on different funding instruments and related modes of knowledge production. In this study we compare the modes of knowledge production utilized by researchers funded by the NRF and those funded by industry. We also compare the level of scientific productivity of these groups. This study makes two major contributions: first, we provided a reconstruction of the history of research funding in South Africa from 1918 (through the Research Grant Board – RGB), to date (through the NRF established in 1999 as a result of the merger of the Foundation for Research Development (FRD) and the Centre for Science Development (CSD). The second major contribution of this study concerns the relationship between funding sources and modes of knowledge production and dissemination. We found evidence that there is an increase in third stream funding for university research in South Africa. The study shows that respondents who received funding from both the Focus Areas and THRIP, concurrently, produced more average annual research outputs than those who received funding from either the Focus Areas or THRIP only. When we compared respondents who only received the Focus Areas or THRIP grant, we found that those who received the Focus Areas grant published more outputs annually than THRIP-funded researchers, despite the fact that those who received the THRIP grant had larger grant amounts, on average, than their Focus Areas-funded counterparts. We also found that industry/THRIP funding is utilised on problem-solving type of research, i.e. applied research, while public/NRF funding is utilised on basic/fundamental/curiosity-driven research. Overall, the findings show that there is no clear cut conclusion about the influence of funding on the mode of knowledge production. We could not prove that the two factors, that is, funding and mode of knowledge production, are related in a linear fashion. This is a much more complicated situation that requires more investigation. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die veranderende Suid-Afrikaanse beleidskonteks sedert 1994 (nuwe wetenskap- en innovasiebeleid), sowel as institusionele veranderinge aan die Nasionale Navorsingstigting (NNS), het 'n uitwerking gehad op verskillende befondsingsinstrumente en verwante vorme van kennisproduksie. In die lig hiervan vergelyk die huidige studie die vorme van kennisproduksie van navorsers wat deur die NNS befonds word met dié van navorsers wat deur die bedryf befonds word. Die twee groepe se onderskeie vlakke van wetenskaplike produktiwiteit word ook vergelyk. Die studie lewer twee belangrike bydraes. In die eerste plek bied dit 'n rekonstruksie van die geskiedenis van die finansiering van navorsing in Suid-Afrika, vanaf 1918 (deur die Navorsingstoekenningsraad), tot en met vandag (deur die NNS wat in 1999 tot stand gekom het met die samesmelting van die destydse Stigting vir Navorsingsontwikkeling – SNO – en die Sentrum vir Wetenskapsontwikkeling – SWO). Die tweede belangrike bydrae van hierdie studie is die ondersoek na die verband tussen befondsingsbronne en verskillende vorme van kennisproduksie en -disseminasie. Die resultate van die ondersoek dui op 'n toename in derdegeldstroom-befondsing wat universiteitsnavorsing in Suid-Afrika betref. Die studie toon verder dat respondente wat befondsing van beide die fokusarea- en THRIP-programme ontvang, se gemiddelde jaarlikse navorsingsuitsette beduidend hoër is as dié van respondente wat slegs binne een van die twee programme befonds word. ʼn Vergelyking van die navorsingsuitsette van respondente wat slegs fokusarea-befondsing ontvang en respondente wat slegs THRIP-befondsing ontvang, toon dat diegene met fokusarea-befondsing se jaarlikse publikasieuitsette gemiddeld hoër is, ondanks die feit dat die THRIP-toekennings groter bedrae behels. Daar is ook gevind dat befondsing deur die bedryf/THRIP gebruik word vir navorsing wat gerig is op probleemoplossing, d.w.s. toegepaste navorsing, terwyl publieke of NNS-befondsing aangewend word vir basiese/ fundamentele/nuuskierigheid-gedrewe navorsing. Die algehele beskouing is dat geen duidelike gevolgtrekking gemaak kan word met betrekking tot die invloed van befondsing op die vorme van kennisproduksie nie. Daar kan nie onomwonde gestel word dat die twee kernfaktore van ondersoek, naamlik befondsing en vorme van kennisproduksie, reglynig met mekaar verband hou nie. Die situasie is meer kompleks en vereis verdere navorsing.

Thesis (MBA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Centre of Excellence for Invasion Biology (C+B) is a research centre that provides bursaries for post-graduate students to study in the field of "Invasion Biology". One of the goals of the centre is to ensure that 50% of the funded students are from previously disadvantaged groups. However, since its inception in 2004 it has consistently been unable to meet this goal. The researcher, who has insight in the centre's marketing activities and has knowledge of marketing, is of the opinion that the reason for this failure is due to the lack of knowledge of the target market and the lack of a targeted marketing strategy. As background this report investigates the theory related to marketing and whether this is applicable to a centre such as the C-I-B. The conclusion that the marketing theory is relevant to the C-I-B, lead to a market research project that informed the development of a marketing strategy suggestion which the researcher believes will address the stated problem. The report concludes with recommendations to other stakeholders who should address the deeper lying problems which surface at secondary school level. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Sentrum van Uitnemendheid vir Indringer Biologie (S-I-S) is 'n sentrum wat beurse voorsien vir nagraadse studente wat studeer in die veld van "Indringer Biologie". Een van die sentrum se doelwitte is om te verseker dat 50% van sy studente deur voorheen benadeelde groepe verteenwoordig word. Sedert sy ontstaan in 2004 kon die sentrum nog nooit hierdie doel bereik nie. Die navorser, wat insae het in die bemarkingsaktiwiteite van die sentrum en kennis dra van bemarkingsbeginsels, is van mening dat hierdie probleem die gevolg is van gebrekkige kennis van die teikenmark en 'n gebrek aan 'n gefokusde bemarkingsstrategie. As agtergrond ondersoek hierdie verslag die teorie ten opsigte van bemarking en of hierdie teorie relevant is vir 'n sentrum soos die S-I-B. Die gevolgtrekking was dat die teorie wel relevant is vir die S-I-B en het gelei tot 'n marknavorsingsprojek wat bygedra het tot die ontwikkeling van 'n bemarkingsstrategie voorstel, wat die navorser glo die probleem sal aanspreek. Die verslag sluit af met voorstelle aan die ander belanghebbendes wat verantwoordelikheid behoort te neem vir die dieperliggende probleme wat op sekondere vlak geidentifiseer is.

Cette étude porte sur la violence meurtrière en Haïti, qui selon plusieurs auteurs est maintenant à l'état endémique. Pourtant, son taux d’homicide officiel (10.2 par 100 000 habitants) se situe seulement légèrement au-dessus de la moyenne mondiale, mais demeure beaucoup plus bas que celui d'autres pays des Caraïbes ou d'Amérique Centrale. Le premier objectif de ce mémoire est de déterminer si le taux officiel proposé par l’Office des Nations Unies contre la drogue et le crime (UNODC) représenterait une sous-estimation du phénomène. Afin de répondre à cet objectif, de nouvelles données provenant de la Commission Nationale Épiscopale Justice et Paix (CÉ-JILAP), qui recense les homicides s’étant produits dans l’ensemble du pays durant l’année 2012, ont été employées. Ces données ont été colligées à l’aide d’une grille comprenant des informations au sujet des victimes, des suspects et du motif du crime. Le second objectif de cette recherche est d'examiner la situation en Haïti face à celle de ses pays voisins. Pour ce faire, nous utilisons le cadre conceptuel et les données de l'Enquête mondiale sur l'homicide (EMH). Le but est de présenter les facteurs macro qui peuvent avoir un impact sur les taux de criminalité en Haïti. Les données de la CÉ-JILAP révèlent que le taux d’homicide de 10.2 par 100 000 habitants serait une sous-estimation du taux réel des homicides. Celui-ci se situerait plutôt entre 12.5 et 17.9 par 100 000 habitants. En ce qui concerne les données de l’EMH, les résultats démontrent que, comparativement aux autres pays, Haïti était plus touché par les conditions sociales adverses ce qui expliquerait la prévalence plus grande de l'homicide. En Haïti, l’on note la présence de types d'homicides rares que l'on retrouve peu dans les autres pays, soit des homicides liés au lynchage et à la sorcellerie. / This study pertains to deadly violence in Haiti, which, according to scholars, has reached an endemic state. However, its homicide rate (10.2 per 100 000 inhabitants) is slightly above the global average. The first objective of the current study is to determine whether this rate, suggested by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) represents an under estimation of the total number of homicides being perpetrated in this country. In order to meet this objective, disaggregated data on homicides in Haiti will be presented. Data from the Commission Nationale Épiscopale Justice et Paix (CÉ-JILAP), compiling homicide incidents which took place in 2012 are used (n = 1 133). The information was collected by using a coding sheet, which included information pertaining to victims, suspects and crime motive. The second objective of this project is to present these factors in the Haitian context, and to compare them to the situation in other countries across North America, Latin America and the Caribbean. We used the data and dynamic theory of homicide proposed by the World Homicide Survey (WHS) to this end. Questionnaires were distributed to informants hailing from 11 countries in order to further understand the manifestations of crime in this region. The data from the CÉ-JILAP reveal that the figure proposed by the UNODC is an underestimation of the actual homicide rate in Haiti. The estimated rate would be between 12,5 and 17,9 per 100 000 inhabitants. With regards to the WHS, results show that, compared to other countries, adverse social conditions such as poverty and inequality were very present in Haiti. Furthermore, informants noted a higher frequency of rare forms of homicides, such as lynching and homicides related to witchcraft.

The primary aim of this thesis was to explore the role culture plays in service delivery, more specifically on consumers' perceptions of service quality and its potential impact on complaint behaviour. A key premise of the thesis was that prominent models of service quality are conceptualized largely in western contexts without considering conceptual meaning in various contexts or nuances of meaning. Furthermore, there may indeed be unique aspects of culture in each context not yet identified in the extant literature. With this in mind, a qualitative approach was employed in order to gain an in-depth understanding of consumers' perceptions. The thesis was conducted in three stages culminating in three separate papers. Stage 1 involved a student sample of Trinidad and Tobago nationals currently enrolled at university in the North West region of the UK. Generally this stage served as a pilot for the larger cross-national study. Interview data and subsequent thematic analyses culminated in a holistic, multi-dimensional hierarchical framework labelled Conceptualization of Service Quality in Cultural Context (CSQCC). Within this framework two key cultural triggers called Culture of Closeness and Culture of Servitude where found to have an overarching influence on all variables in the model. As well as uniquely including culture, the CSQCC also encompasses human resources and operational variables not included in traditional service quality models namely Employee Work Ethic/Attitudes, Organizational Responsibility and Customer Responsibility. Stage 2 which included samples of British and Trinidad and Tobago nationals, all currently living in their country of birth were part of the larger study sample. Findings from both country contexts indicate that the general structure of the CSQCC identified in Stage 1 is upheld demonstrating universality in terms of the range of factors consumers utilize in their evaluations of service quality, at least in Britain and the UK. Notwithstanding the similarities, the importance weightings for the universal aspects of the CSQCC framework appear to vary. Furthermore, cultural triggers again were found to have an overarching influence consumers' perceptions, two such triggers were identified for British nationals-British Reserve and Culture of Cordiality, and for Trinbagonian nationals two additional triggers-Festive Culture and Culture of Entitlement. Data for Stage 3 was collected at the same time at Stage 2 and involved a cross-national analysis of consumer complaint behaviour. Based on the empirical data a Cultural Framework of Consumer Complaint Behaviour (CFCCB) was proposed inclusive of consumers' behavioural processes and post-interaction behavioural outcomes. There are four key processes-cognitive, motivational, environmental and emotive-with emotions playing a central role. The unique cultural triggers identified in Stages 1 and 2 were also found to influence these behavioural processes which in turn impact behavioural outcomes. To the best of the researcher's knowledge such a holistic model as the CFCCB has not been previously conceptualized. There is no such thing as "culture-free" behaviour; culture and human behaviour are deeply intertwined, and thus multinationals and global firms need to be environmentally sensitive, identify the cultural triggers in potential markets, and assess their likely impact on service quality delivery.