The central research problem of this study was the challenges that occur with the United States Joint Warfighters Center's (JWFC) implementation of information systems (IS) requirements-gathering process. Thus, this study investigated the contribution of perceived security clearance (PSC), developer perceived user involvement (DPUI), and computer self-efficacy (CSE) to efficiency of the perceived requirements-gathering process (PERGP). Due to the perceived efficiency of IS development, the U.S. Department of Defense statutory document called the Joint Capability Integration and Development System (JCIDS), mandated that as an IS development requirement, the rapid development of IS was needed to sustain U.S. warfighters. As a result, the central aim of this study was to look at several variables that may predict the efficiency to the IS requirements-gathering process at JWFC. The central research question behind this study was: What are the contributions of PSC, DPUI, and CSE to the PERGP at the JWFC? This study proposed a theoretical model, and two statistical methods were used to formulate models and test predictive power: Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) and Ordinal Logistic Regression (OLR). The sample size of this study included 61 IS developers from JWFC. The results of this study indicated a strong reliability for the measures of all variables (PSC, DPUI, CSE, and PERGP). Moreover, results of both models developed indicated that DPUI is a significant contributor to PEGRP, while CSE was demonstrated to be significant contributor to PEGRP only via the OLR model providing the indication that the relationships among the measured variables was non-linear. Additionally, results demonstrated that DPUI was the most significant contributor to PEGRP in both models, while PSC had little or no contribution to the dependent variable, PEGRP. This study also identified two key implications for practice and research. The first impaction of this study is the investigation of unique factors such as PSC and PEGRP in the context of military-based IS development within DOD organizations. Results of this study can help managers in government organizations that are faced with security clearance issues to identify contributors in the early phase of IS development that could possibly hinder PEGRP. The second implication of this study is the non-significant results related to PSC in this investigation. For researchers, such results may need future validation in other governmental and military-based organization. Moreover, such results may indicate to managers in government organizations that are faced with security clearance issues that security clearance, at least as indicated by the results of this study, has no major hindering on the PEGRP. These results maybe profound in their implications and, as such, needed additional validations.

The present study investigated the relationship between level of security clearance in engineering occupations and stress. A total of 63 male employees in the field of engineering and design with varying levels of security clearance employed by a large Southwestern defense company participated in the study. Data was obtained utilizing the Engineering Stress Questionnaire which measures sources of stress, work locus of control, social support, job difficulty, job characteristics, perceived stress, and demographic variables. T-tests revealed no statistically significant differences between employees with low security clearances and high security clearances with regard to perceived stress level. However, correlational support was found for hypotheses involving social support, job difficulty, job characteristics, sources of stress, and perceived stress. Path analysis was performed to investigate the impact of variable relationships.

This study analyses parliamentary intelligence oversight in South Africa by assessing the understanding of members of the JSCI of its core business, its mission and vision and powers and functions as are stipulated by law. The study locates the JSCI within an international intelligence oversight milieu through a review and evaluation of selected countries’ intelligence oversight mechanisms. Furthermore, international best practice is sought and applicable lessons are drawn for South Africa. The study is bases on a literature review and interviews with members of the JSCI to gather information and draw insights to evaluate and test the propositions in the context of international and national best practice. The propositions, which are supported by the research, are that: · Intelligence oversight in South Africa under the JSCI has hitherto been relatively effective although there is room for improvement. · The JSCI has good relations with the other arms of the state that are responsible for the oversight of Intelligence in South Africa – making parliamentary intelligence oversight, overall, quite effective. · Despite this effectiveness there are legislative gaps and problems pertaining to the modus operandi of the JSCI that need the attention of both the Executive and Legislature and which could be part of a package of legislative reform. The research supported these propositions whilst pointing out that new initiatives need attention if the culture of oversight is to find root. These are the need to widen the scope of accountability to build a culture of accountability among middle and senior management members of the Intelligence structures and secondly the way Parliament resources the JSCI. / Dissertation (M (Political Sciences))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Political Sciences / unrestricted