D. Tech. Business Information Systems / Review of previous and related works highlighted significant gaps in the previous strategic information systems planning studies, and these gaps need to be addressed. Firstly, the examination of strategic information systems planning success and five contextual factors (environmental uncertainty, organisational structure, government and policies, business strategy orientation and information systems maturity) has not yet been thoroughly and empirically researched simultaneously, notably in the context of a developing country like South Africa. The investigation of the moderating role of contingency variables in the relationship between strategic information systems planning process phases and strategic information systems planning success in the context of South African medium enterprises provided an empirically informed understanding of these factors and their effect, which tend to be different from that of studies conducted in the developed countries. Secondly, literature lacks a developed and empirical validated contingency model for measuring the success of strategic information systems planning. The present study developed such model, using a Structural Equation Modelling and analysis in the context of South African medium enterprises. That is, the use of Structural Equation Modelling helped provide a validated contingency model which indicates the pertinent factors for measuring strategic information systems planning success, in the context of South African medium enterprises.

This thesis focuses on the identification of experience required for solving IT (Information Technology) problems in small to medium sized enterprises. It is aimed to utilize information retrieval and data mining techniques to automatically extract information from publicly available experience data on the internet to automatically generate a knowledgebase for dynamic IT management support. In this thesis, similarity distance measures as Jaccard Index, Cosine Similarity Measure and clustering algorithms as K-Means, EM, DBScan, CES, CES+ are employed on three different datasets to evaluate their performances. CES+ algorithm gives the highest performance results in these evaluations. Moreover, Multi Objective Genetic Algorithm (MOGA) is used and is evaluated on three different data sets to aid the usage of CES+ in real life senarios by automating the selection of necessary parameters. Results show that MOGA support is not only automating the CES+, it also provides higher performance results.

In order to investigate the use of fuzzy logic in decision-support systems (DSS) for dairy cattle breeding, a first-generation prototype software system was developed. The objectives were to determine the advantages and limitations of fuzzy logic for this type of application, and to establish a basis for the development of more complete DSS in the future. The goal of the prototype DSS was to make culling decisions on the basis of monthly production data. An analysis of the development process of this prototype demonstrated the importance of creating a thorough methodology for the elicitation and implementation of knowledge. A framework for the development of fuzzy decision-support systems was established, consisting of four phases: the project groundwork phase, elicitation of knowledge from the expert, implementation of that knowledge, and system validation. In this framework, it is proposed that, in the case of multiple experts, knowledge can be amalgamated or aggregated. Once this framework was established, a second-generation prototype DSS was developed. Contrary to the first-generation prototype, where the encoded expertise was limited to three experts from the same domain, the second-generation prototype considered the knowledge of two individuals from each of three domains (Dairy researchers, Producers, and Dairy herd improvement specialists). An aggregation approach was used which involved the development and maintenance of separate modules, each containing the compiled expertise of one of the six experts.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

A Decision Support System for the design and planning of soil conservation systems on a watershed scale was conceived and applied to southwestern Quebec. The system integrated Geographical Information System, distributed parameter hydrologic modeling and Expert System technologies. Maps of appropriate soil conservation practices were produced for two small rural basins representative of the study region. The effect of the selected practices on runoff and sediment was assessed using the ANSWERS model. Erosion sites were targeted using a once-in-25 year design storm. It was observed that small portions of the study basins produced large amounts of eroded sediment. The expert system was designed to select appropriate conservation practices for the 1-ha cells which had more than one ton of erosion as a result of the design storm. The results demonstrated that the selected conservation practices would reduce sediment yield and average erosion rates by 50% in each of the study basins.

This research explores the meaning that older persons ascribe to the friendships in which they engage. Previous research mostly focuses on the strain that the older population places on the self-reliant community. The older person is faced by many challenges, such as sickness, loss of social and emotional support and death. Friendships serve as a support for physical and emotional needs which could not always be addressed by the family. The aim of this research is to explore the type of friendships in which older persons prefer to engage and the meanings they assign to it. A qualitative study was identified as the most appropriate method and focus groups and personal interviews were used as methods of data collection. Data was analysed by means of thematic content analysis. Findings indicated that different types of friendships exist and that different meanings were attached to friendships. Meaning in friendships is promoted by trustworthy friends who are able to form a deepened level of connection through the support and the compassion they are able to give each other. The experience of connection in friendships is furthermore enhanced through mobility, proximity and technology that facilitate better emotional as well as physical support for the older individual. Informal friendships with younger people ensure that older people are more mobile and are able to maintain their friendships. It is also a great source of support in cases where family members are not able to provide support, due to whatever reason. Further exploration of the value of friendships is recommended, so as to plan more specific intervention strategies. Some insights have already been gathered in this study concerning the way in which mobility, proximity and modern technology can make it possible to sustain a friendship. Further studies could explore ways to empower older people through providing better mobility, proximity and the use of modem technology. Such studies may also explore the needs which an old age home fulfils, such as improving the residents' access to one another, for mutual support. Proximity might be a solution for the immobility experienced in the older community, and when older people are taught to use modern technology they will be enabled to maintain their friendships better. / Thesis (M.A. (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 201-208). / Microfiche. / xv, 208 leaves, bound ill., col. maps 29 cm

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 132-137). / Microfiche. / xviii, 137 leaves, bound maps (some col.) 29 cm