Thesis (M.S.I.S.)--Baylor University, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 59-60).

Thesis (MScEng (Industrial Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / Thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Engineering Science at Stellenbosch University / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Innovation capability is undoubtedly an essential attribute for organizations that wish to survive and grow in a modern economy. Innovation is however widely misunderstood and subsequently mismanaged. Common misconceptions include that innovation only consists of a single moment of inspiration, and that it is therefore dependent on a single person or department within the organization. In reality the Innovation Process has a distinct life cycle and involves a wide array of roleplayers. Effective innovation management is reliant on efficient cooperation between these role-players. This cooperation however extends beyond collaborative organizational structure, bilateral agreements and partnership contracts. Role-players in the Innovation Process form a Knowledge Supply Chain and should be connected in a way that promotes knowledge exchange between them. Several modern approaches to Knowledge Management are available, but few grasp the complexity of Innovation. A wide variety of knowledge sources and formats exist within a set of parties like those involved in Innovation. The preferred Knowledge Management strategy to accompany the Innovation Process should therefore take a holistic view on knowledge while embracing its dynamic nature. Knowledge Networks provide exactly this approach by encompassing a number of people and resources and the relationships between them. These actors within the network are allowed to capture, transfer and create knowledge for the purpose of creating value. This Knowledge Network is supported by a Knowledge Network Architecture consisting of a combination of organizational and information system tools. On an organizational front, the Knowledge Network Architecture is customized to reach across organizational boundaries, thereby creating the collaborative environment that is needed to support the Innovation Process. By allowing actors from different organizations to join the network, an Integrated Knowledge Network is formed. The Information and Communication Technology element of a Knowledge Network Architecture that suits the needs of the Innovation Process features an online Information System. This Information System employs a network model in its approach to the handling of content and supports all the knowledge transfer and creation processes within the Knowledge Network. Although such an Information System provides a single point of entry to the network’s knowledge base, it may be configured to allow access to individuals from multiple organizations. This functionality links it to the requirements of an Integrated Knowledge Network, thereby combining the elements of the Knowledge Network Architecture to form a solution framework instead of remaining modular tools. Fully supporting the Innovation Process within an Information System Architecture does however involve more than simply connecting role-players and facilitating knowledge management between them. Successful Innovation Management requires an understanding of the full Innovation Life Cycle, and ensuring that a comprehensive roadmap is followed to guide innovation projects that develop within the Integrated Knowledge Network. The required Information System should therefore facilitate an Integrated Knowledge Network, while providing support for the full life cycle of innovation projects that develop within the network. This study develops an architecture specification that functionally describes the aforementioned Information System. Using this architecture specification as a guideline, the Information System is subsequently designed and developed with the use of an online content management toolset and a showcase of the system’s functionality is provided. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Innoveringsvermoë is ‘n kritiese eienskap vir organisasies wat poog om in ‘n moderne ekonomie te oorleef en te groei. Innovasie word egter gereeld misverstaan en gevolglik wanbestuur. Algemene wanopvattings sluit in dat Innovasie slegs ‘n oomblik van inspirasie behels en daarom slegs van individue of ‘n enkele departement binne die organisasie afhang. In realiteit word die Innovasieproses deur ‘n definitiewe lewenssikuls gekenmerk en neem ‘n wye verskeidenheid rolspelers daaraan deel. Effektiewe Innovasiebestuur maak tot ‘n groot mate op doeltreffende samewerking tussen bogenoemde rolspelers staat. Hierdie samewerking strek egter verder as kollaboratiewe organisasiestrukture, bilaterale ooreenkomste en gevestigde vennootskappe. Rolspelers in die Innovasieproses vorm ‘n Kennisvoorsieningsketting en moet verbind word op ‘n wyse wat die uitruil van kennis tussen hulle bevorder. Daar is verskeie moderne benaderings tot Kennisbestuur, maar weinig van hierdie strategieë spreek die volle kompleksiteit van Innovasie aan. ‘n Wye verskeidenheid kennisbronne en –formate bestaan tussen ‘n groep rolspelers soos dié wat in die Innovasieproses betrokke is. Die ideale Kennisbestuurstrategie om die Innovasieproses te vergesel moet daarom ‘n holistiese uitkyk op kennis bied en terselfdertyd die dinamiese aard daarvan in ag neem. Kennisnetwerke bied dié benadering deur ‘n aantal persone en hulpbronne, asook die verhoudinge tussen hulle, te omsluit. Hierdie spelers in die netwerk word toegelaat om kennis onderling vas te vang, oor te dra en te skep met die doel om waarde te genereer. Laasgenoemde Kennisnetwerk word ondersteun deur ‘n Kennisnetwerkargitektuur wat uit ‘n kombinasie van organisatoriese en inligtingstelselgereedskap bestaan. Op die organisatoriese front word die Kennisnetwerkargitektuur pasgemaak om oor organisasiegrense te strek. Die kollaboratiewe omgewing wat benodig word om die Innovasieproses te ondersteun, word hierdeur geskep. Deur spelers vanuit verskillende organisasies toe te laat om by die netwerk aan te sluit, word ‘n Geïntegreerde Kennisnetwerk gevorm. Die Inligting- en Kommunikasietegnologie onderafdeling van ‘n Kennisnetwerkargitektuur wat die Innovasieproses pas, sluit onder andere ‘n aanlyn Inligtingstelsel in. Hierdie Inligtingstelsel gebruik ‘n netwerkmodel in sy benadering tot inhoudsbestuur en behoort verder alle kennisoordrag en – skeppingsprosesse binne die Kennisnetwerk te ondersteun. Hoewel so ‘n Inligtingstelsel die ‘n enkele toegangspunt tot die netwerk se kennispoel bied, kan dit opgestel word om toegang aan indiwidue vanuit verskillende organisasies te verleen. Hierdie funksionaliteit koppel dit dus aan die behoeftes van ‘n Geïntegreerde Kennisnetwerk en verenig die verskillende onderafdelings van die Kennisnetwerkargitektuur. Die Kennisnetwerkargitektuur vorm gevolglik ‘n oplossingsraamwerk, eerder as ‘n modulêre gereedskapstel. Om die Innovasieproses volledig binne ‘n Inligtingstelsel te ondersteun verg egter meer as om die onderskeie rolspelers te verbind en kennisbestuur tussen hulle te fasiliteer. Suksesvolle Innovasiebestuur verg begrip vir die volle Innovasielewenssiklus en die gebruik van ‘n omvattende padkaart om innovasieprojekte (wat binne die Geïntegreerge Kennisnetwerk ontwikkel) te lei. Die verlangde Inligtingstelsel fasiliteer dus ‘n Geïntegreerde Kennisnetwerk en ondersteun terselfdertyd die volle lewenssiklus van innovasieprojekte wat uit die netwerk spruit. Hierdie studie ontwikkel ‘n argitektuurspesifikasie wat die bogenoemde Inligtingstelsel op ‘n funksionele vlak beskryf. Met hierdie argitektuurspesifikasie as riglyn, word die Inligtingstelsel met behulp van ‘n aanlyn inhoudsbestuurgereedskapstel ontwerp en ontwikkel. Ten slotte word die stelse se funksionaliteit gedemonstreer.

This dissertation investigates the influencing factors on timetable quality, not only from a data quality perspective, but also from an information quality perspective which takes into account the quality of the business processes involved in creating the timetable. The Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University was used as a case study for assessing the quality of the timetable process, the quality of the source data, and the quality of the final timetable produced. A framework for managing the data quality during the timetabling process is proposed. The framework is based on reviews done on data quality management best practices and data quality aspects. Chapter 1 introduces the current Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University timetable, and motivates why data quality management is essential to its success. The scope and research objectives are presented for this dissertation. Chapter 2 covers a literature study on business process and data quality management best practices. The common thread through all the management methodologies investigated, was top management involvement and commitment to continuously improving the quality of data. Chapter 3 discusses various characteristics of data quality. Quality is determined to be whether the end result meets the quality requirements for which it was intended. Hence each system could have quality aspects that are unique to it. Chapter 4 explains various research designs and which were followed for this dissertation. The combination of literature studies, a questionnaire and a case study were used. Chapter 5 is a case study of the data quality and timetabling processes used at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University and is based on the research design described in chapter 4. The current business processes followed in setting up the current timetable are presented, as well as the proposed timetabling process that should produce a better quality timetable for the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan 4 University. The data quality aspects most pertinent to the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University are determined, being timeliness, accountability, integrity and consistency, as well as the most probable causes for bad timetable quality, like uniform technology, processes, ownership and using a common terminology. Chapter 6 presents a framework for managing timetable data quality at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University using an Information Product Map approach that will ensure a better quality timetable. Future research is also proposed. It is evident from this dissertation that data quality of source data as well as the quality of the business process involved is essential for producing a timetable that satisfies the requirements for which it was intended. The management framework proposed for the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University timetabling process can potentially be used at other institutions as well.

In 1971, scientist Ray Tomlinson sent what is now considered the first email message. It was considered as “nothing short of revolutionary … deserv[ing] a spot in the list of great communication inventions such as the printing press, telegraph and telephone” (Festa, 2001). Whereas email was first used exclusively in the military (Arpanet) and in academic circles, it has now become almost ubiquitous, used widely for private, as well as for business correspondence. According to a Berkeley study (Berkeley, 2000), there were approximately 440 million corporate and personal [e-] mailboxes worldwide in 2001, of which more than a third was corporate mailboxes. As a result of the extensive use of email in the corporate environment, Information Officers have to ensure that the use of email adds business value. In an “always on” market place, the efficiency, immediacy and cost effectiveness of email communication are immediately evident. A study by Ferris Research, quoted by Nchor (2001), shows that there is “an overall productivity gain of US$9000 per employee as they send and receive emails to get projects done.” However, the use of email in the corporate envi-ronment also poses business risks that need to be uniquely addressed. Among these “key business risks” (Surfcontrol, 2001) are security risks, viruses, legal liability, pro-ductivity loss and bandwidth abuse. To address the risks mentioned above and to protect the business value of email, spe-cific policies have to be implemented that address email usage. Information Security Policies are defined in most corporate environments. In a study done by Elron Soft-ware (2001), 83% of respondents who have abused email have company policies regu-lating email usage. There appears to be a gap between policy conception and policy implementation. Various factors inhibit effective policy implementation – ethical, legal and cultural. The implementation of corporate policy becomes especially complex in multinational environments where differing information law Email usage is ubiquitous in the modern business environment, but few companies adequately manage the risks associated with email.

M.Comm. / In today's society everyone is dependent on information for decision making, and a big part of the information is provided via telecommunication lines. Telecommunication is the unseen and unsung hero when it comes to information transfer. It is no wonder that telecommunication service providers are striving to give better and faster service almost daily. Furthermore because of the competitive nature of the telecommunications arena, service providers are striving to get the best performance from their telecommunications links. It has thus become more important to provide excellent service and guaranteed performance above anything else. The purpose of this study is to determine what kind of information is needed by the management of a telecommunications service provider to make business or strategic decisions. Questionnaires and interviews were used in this study to determine what kind of information is needed by the managers and the decision makers in the management of the telecommunication network. The basis of the study was provided through the examination of what a telecommunication network consists of, and the information that is needed to run such a network. An additional feature was that there is already a network monitoring system working practically. This system was used to measure the success of telecommunication network management and to determine what other factors should be catered for when a total telecommunication management network is evaluated.

Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document / Dissertation (MSc (Technology Management))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Graduate School of Technology Management (GSTM) / unrestricted

The technology revolution has transformed the way in which many organisations do their business. The resultant information systems have increased the decision making powers of executives, leading to increased effectiveness and ultimately to improved product delivery. The process of information systems development is, however, complex. Furthermore, it has a poor track record in terms of on-time and within-budget delivery, but more significantly in terms of low user acceptance frequently attributable to poor user requirements specification. Consequently, much attention has been given to the process of requirements elicitation, with both researchers and businessmen seeking new, innovative and effective methods. These methods usually involve large numbers of participants who are drawn from within the client and developer organisations. This is a financially costly characteristic of the requirements elicitation process. Besides information systems, the technology revolution has also brought sophisticated communication technologies into the marketplace. These communication technologies allow people to communicate with one another in a variety of different time and space scenarios. An important spin-off of this is the ability for people located in significantly different geographical locations to work collaboratively on a project. It is claimed that this approach to work has significant cost and productivity advantages. This study draws the requirements elicitation process into the realm of collaborative work. Important project management, communication, and collaborative working principles are examined in detail, and a model is developed which represents these issues as they pertain to the requirements elicitation process. An empirical study (conducted in South Africa) is performed in order to examine the principles of the model and the relationships between its constituent elements. A model of geographically distributed requirements elicitation (GDRE) is developed on the basis of the findings of this investigation. The model of GDRE is presented as a 3-phased approach to requirements elicitation, namely planning, implementation, and termination. Significantly, the model suggests the use of interviews, structured workshops, and prototyping as the chief requirements elicitation methods to be adopted in appropriate conditions. Although a detailed study of communications technology was not performed, this thesis suggests that each individual GDRE implementation requires a different mix of communication technologies to support its implementation.

The alignment of information systems with organisational objectives and strategies is crucial to the efficient performance of any organisation. There is a growing focus on the effectiveness of management and evidence-based decision making in public institutions in South Africa. The Eastern Cape Department of Social Development and Special Programmes (ECDSD) implemented a Social Development Information Management System (SDIMS), which is an information system that supports various functions performed by the Department. While SDMIS provides large amounts of valuable information, it still has much ground to cover in terms of fully meeting the Department’s information needs. There is an increasing demand for information to inform decision making with regards to priority setting, resource usage, monitoring the impact of the Department’s intervention programmes, and monitoring the progress of the Department’s strategic goals. The main purpose of this study was to analyse the extent to which MIS is utilised in the Eastern Cape Department of Social Development and Special Programmes and to make recommendations for the alignment of MIS with organisational objectives in order to achieve these objectives. Furthermore, the study intends to investigate the extent to which the information needs of managers are considered in designing and providing information. The objectives of the study are, firstly, to analyse the current state of MIS utilisation in the Department. Secondly, to evaluate the utilisation of information provided by the MIS unit for decision making, and, thirdly, to make recommendations on how to improve MIS utilisation. Qualitative approach techniques were utilised to collect data for the study. Research questionnaires were distributed to thirty respondents. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven interviewees out of a target number of ten. The response rate was 68 percent and this was considered as adequate for scientific analysis and reporting. The study produced the following research findings:  Mainly, the MIS users believe that they understand MIS and its capabilities, and have received training on how to use the system.  The quality of information provided by MIS is mostly complete and largely meets user requirements and expectations.  MIS information is for the most part accurate and comprehensive enough to expedite decision-making.  Although MIS largely meets user requirements and expectations in terms of completeness, accuracy and reliability, the study indicates that it still falls short in integrating information from other sources, which include government transversal systems such as the Basic Accounting System (BAS) and the Personnel Salary System (PERSAL).  MIS information is mostly available and easy to access, but occasionally not timely. This is mostly caused by the unavailability of real-time information synchronisation between MIS and other government systems. In light of the above findings, the researcher recommends that: There is still more to be done in order to continuously inform and train users on the latest MIS capability developments in the form of awareness workshops, contact and remote support, and through internal news bulletins.  The Department needs to work with other government entities that are custodians of transversal systems in finding a solution to the creation of real-time integration of MIS with other external sources of information. Even though the level of MIS utilisation is not too much of a concern, the Department needs to ensure that users of information are kept up to date with new MIS reporting capabilities so as not to underutilise the system. It is therefore recommended that the Department ensure that information is more often reviewed and reports are customised to meet the ever-changing needs of the Department.

The classifier discussed in this thesis considers the path traversed by an email (instead of its content) and reputation of the relays, features inaccessible to spammers. Groups of spammers and individual behaviors of a spammer in a given domain were analyzed to yield association patterns, which were then used to identify similar spammers. Unsolicited and phishing emails were successfully isolated from legitimate emails, using analysis results. Spammers and phishers are also categorized into serial spammers/phishers, recent spammers/phishers, prospective spammers/phishers, and suspects. Legitimate emails and trusted domains are classified into socially close (family members, friends), socially distinct (strangers etc), and opt-outs (resolved false positives and false negatives). Overall this classifier resulted in far less false positives when compared to current filters like SpamAssassin, achieving a 98.65% precision, which is well comparable to the precisions achieved by SPF, DNSRBL blacklists.

Nachdem in den letzten Jahren die TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) von IT-Systemen stärker in das Bewußtsein der Unternehmen rückten, wurden schnell Werkzeuge zur optimaleren Verwaltung von IT-Systemen angeboten. Unter Verwendung und Weiterentwicklung bereits bestehender Werkzeugen zum Netzwerkmanagement wurden integrierte Lösungen angeboten. Der Begriff 'Enterprise-IT-Management' war geboren. Wie immer bei solchen neuen Begriffen, die von Herstellern zugehöriger Werkzeuge stammen, wird auch beim Enterprise-IT-Management eine einheitliche Definition vermißt. Die Arbeit gibt eine Überblick über das Thema Enterprise-IT-Management und seiner Teildisziplinen. Dabei wird eine Definition der Teile angegeben, anhand derer Produkte hinsichtlich ihrer Fähigkeiten und besonders hinsichtlich ihrer Vollständigkeit verglichen werden können. Weiter Abschnitt wird am Beipiel der SBS GmbH & Co. OHG dargestellt, wie IT-Systeme heute verwaltet werden. Anschließend wird eine mögliche Integration aller dieser Arbeiten zu beschrieben, die das Management optimieren könnte. Dabei wird auch auf notwendige Umstrukturierungen der Tätigkeiten im Unternehmen eingegangen. Letztlich soll ein Überblick über derzeit am Markt verfügbare Werkzeuge gegeben und ein Vergleich hinsichtlich einiger Eigenschaften der Produkte durchgeführt werden, die an administrativen Erfordernissen des IT-Management orientiert sind.