Approximately 37% of the U.S. labor force currently works from a remote location. Costs and competition are driving organizations to increase the use of telework among remote workplaces. Increasing organizational knowledge of the perceptions of current teleworkers could increase its adoption by employees and improve its implementation by managers. The purpose of this research was to test hypotheses regarding the perceived levels of telework efficiency, social interaction, and technical support to determine in those perceptions differed between teleworkers and office workers. Goldratt's Theory of Constraints framed the quantitative research design. A purposive sample of 54 teleworkers and office workers in the Southeastern Division of the USDA received Harandi & Ghafari's Telework Management Scale. Thirty-eight participants responded yielding a confidence level of 0.95 with an interval of 0.15 given the population of 211 employees in the division. Teleworker scores from the Telework Management Scale were found to be significantly higher than office workers scores for telework efficiency (p=.001), social interaction (p=.027), and overall approval of telework (p=.017). No statistically significant difference existed between the two groups for technical support. The scores of both groups, however, were lower than the maximum approval scores of 25 per factor and the overall maximum potential score of 75. Nevertheless, preliminary indications from the findings of this study suggest that the perceptions of current teleworkers could increase its adoption by other employees and improve its implementation by managers. Increasing the level of adoption of telework and improving its implementation by managers could bring about positive organizational, economic, and social changes across the public, private, and non-profit sectors.

Simulation analysis makes use of statistical distributions to specify the parameters of input data. It is well known that fitting a distribution to empirical data is more of an art than a science (Banks J., 1998, p. 74) because of the difficulty of constructing a 'good' histogram. The most difficult step is choosing an appropriate interval width. Too small a width will produce a ragged histogram, whereas too large a width will produce one that is overaggregated and block-like. De Beer and Swanepoel (1999) have developed 'Simple and effective number-of-bins circumference selectors' for creating histograms for the purpose of fitting distributions. When using simulation software such as Arena, one can generally fit distributions to input data using a built-in function in the software. If input distributions could be compared regarding their effect on the outcomes of a simulation model, one could assess whether input distributions generated by Arena could be accepted unconditionally or whether one should pay special attention to the input distributions used in the simulation model. In this study a simulation model of a computer helpdesk system is constructed to test the effect of input distributions. Distributions fitted with the 'circumference technique' are compared with those from the simulation package, Arena, and those calculated by the statistical package 'Statistica', and then compared with empirical distributions. In the helpdesk system, calls from employees experiencing problems with any computer hardware or software are logged, redirected when necessary, 'attended to, resolved and then closed. Queue statistics of the simulation model using input distributions suggested by Arena as opposed to input distributions deduced from the other methods are compared and a conclusion is reached as to how important or unimportant it is for this specific model to select appropriate input distributions. / Business Management / M. Com. (Quantitative Managemment)

Organizations invest in technology to help achieve strategic goals and to disseminate knowledge in order to enhance employee productivity. This study draws upon social cognitive theory as the theoretical basis for an explanation of the limited acceptance of information systems (IS), which undermines organizations' efforts to achieve greater productivity. This empirical study investigated the use of IS in the workplace by examining the antecedents of computer self-efficacy (CSE). Among such antecedents, this study examined the effect on CSE of employees' knowledge sharing, including collegial and technical support, and encouragement by others such as top management, supervisors, and peers to share knowledge. Additionally, it assessed the differences that the control variable, use of social networking tools (SNT), has on CSE and use of IS in the workplace. This research explored the use of SNT as a way individuals share knowledge and encourage computer abilities in the workplace. This causal modeling study investigated the human-assisted CSE dimension, which focuses on one's ability to use IS resulting from the support of another individual. This study solicited 755 participants from five different organizations, with 256 responses (33.9% response rate). The Cronbach Alpha analysis results showed that all constructs were highly reliable. The structural equation model analysis showed that some, but not all, of the hypotheses were supported in this model. This study provided evidence of how the antecedents, knowledge sharing and encouragement by others, affected the constructs of CSE and the use of IS in the workplace. Important contributions of this study include not only the conceptual model itself but also the implication that encouragement by top management, supervisors, and colleagues plays an important part in knowledge-sharing behaviors. Additionally, the study makes a theoretical contribution to the growing body of research on SNT as a way to share knowledge. This study revealed that use of SNT had no significant effect on the constructs measured.

Magister Commercii (Information Management) - MCom(IM) / Companies are putting in place systems that might assist in attaining their business goals and vision to improve the running of their business processes. Companies are looking at Business Intelligence (BI) as a means to attain a competitive edge over competitors, predict future trends, improve strategic decision making, facilitate quick and reliable decision making, or make the day-to-day running of business easier. The study looks at the perspective of middle to top management on the context of BI, with main focus on the technical capabilities of BI within medium to large companies in South Africa. To obtain factors relevant to the South African business context, an online survey was conducted with various sectors of South African industry. The study is part of research conducted collaboratively by the University of the Western Cape and Neu-Ulm University of Applied Sciences in Germany. It focuses on exploring usage of Business Intelligence Systems (BIS) together with Corporate Performance. Online surveys were conducted that targeted medium to large companies in Germany and South Africa by questioning middle to top management on issues surrounding BIS and Corporate Performance. On this basis online survey approach was taken to ensure required number of participants would be covered and approached. Therefore, the research adopted stratified sample method for the online survey. Stratified sampling enabled the expansion of the research by gathering and collaborating participants responses on the research question and eliminate the possibilities of unreliable sample from large population.

Institutions of higher learning across the United States are experiencing an aging faculty population. A significant proportion of college and university faculty are over 55, a growth expected to continue in future years. Parallel to this growth and change has been an expanding use of technology in higher education. Despite this trend and potential implications, few studies have provided in-depth insight into older faculty and technology. The study used a quantitative descriptive design to provide a comprehensive look at older community college faculty and various aspects of technology. Areas examined included older faculty's perceptions of technology, their attitudes toward institutional technology support and professional development, and their self-reported use of technology. Further, the study determined if older faculty reported existence of barriers preventing technology use and explored perceived technology and technology related needs. A 120-item questionnaire and cover letter was mailed to full-time faculty at five Florida community colleges. Respondents included 246 full-time faculty members; older faculty (age 55 and over) comprised 40.7% of the population sample. Descriptive and inferential statistical procedures were employed for data analysis. Overall technology use among older faculty was slightly less than younger faculty; older faculty were no less likely than younger respondents to use technology. Both age groups used similar technologies and reported equivalent degrees of perceived skill with those technologies. Despite similarities in perceived technology use, older faculty considered technology a minor source of stress. Younger and older faculty were positive about their institution's support services and expressed similar technology related needs, including additional professional development and classrooms equipped with Internet/network access, audio/visual technologies, instructor computer stations, and multi-media projection capabilities. Principally, the technological divide between younger and older faculty seems less striking than some have previously contended. Technology use and proficiency appear to vary widely across age groups. Older and younger respondents also had positive perceptions of technology. Findings suggest community colleges are serving adequately the technology needs of faculty. Recommendations for future research include broadening the population of community college faculty and exploring technology use among older four-year and university faculty.

Simulation analysis makes use of statistical distributions to specify the parameters of input data. It is well known that fitting a distribution to empirical data is more of an art than a science (Banks J., 1998, p. 74) because of the difficulty of constructing a 'good' histogram. The most difficult step is choosing an appropriate interval width. Too small a width will produce a ragged histogram, whereas too large a width will produce one that is overaggregated and block-like. De Beer and Swanepoel (1999) have developed 'Simple and effective number-of-bins circumference selectors' for creating histograms for the purpose of fitting distributions. When using simulation software such as Arena, one can generally fit distributions to input data using a built-in function in the software. If input distributions could be compared regarding their effect on the outcomes of a simulation model, one could assess whether input distributions generated by Arena could be accepted unconditionally or whether one should pay special attention to the input distributions used in the simulation model. In this study a simulation model of a computer helpdesk system is constructed to test the effect of input distributions. Distributions fitted with the 'circumference technique' are compared with those from the simulation package, Arena, and those calculated by the statistical package 'Statistica', and then compared with empirical distributions. In the helpdesk system, calls from employees experiencing problems with any computer hardware or software are logged, redirected when necessary, 'attended to, resolved and then closed. Queue statistics of the simulation model using input distributions suggested by Arena as opposed to input distributions deduced from the other methods are compared and a conclusion is reached as to how important or unimportant it is for this specific model to select appropriate input distributions. / Business Management / M. Com. (Quantitative Managemment)

The purpose of this research was to measure users' satisfaction with computer support in the higher education environment. The data for this study were gathered over a 5-week period using an online survey. Subjects (N=180) were members of a college at a major Texas university, which included both faculty and staff. SERVQUAL was the instrument used in this study. Two-ways statistical ANOVA analyses were conducted and revealed three statistically significant differences for Gender, Classification, and Comfort Level.

Extension agents are tasked with disseminating educational content, announcing events, and promoting the outreach efforts of Extension. Social media can be a powerful resource for Extension agents (Skrabut, 2014). Integrating social media into outreach efforts can be an efficient way for agents to meet increasing work demands (Gharis & Hightower, 2017). Still, many Extension agents are not fully integrating social media as a means to communicate with their audiences (Garcia et al., 2018). To address this, Extension communication units are developing social media technical support efforts to increase the agents’ social media activity (Garcia et al., 2018, Newbury et al., 2014; Kinsey, 2010.) Social media competency influences a professional’s willingness to integrate social media as a function of their employment (Zhu et al., 2018). If communication units wish to provide Extension agents with technical support efforts, such as trainings and professional development opportunities, to assist them with integrating social media as one of their duties, we should assess the influence of these support efforts on their perceived social media competency. The purpose of this study is to describe Mississippi State University Extension agents’ perceived social media competency levels and explore the effect that a variety of technical support efforts have on their perceived social media competency.

No / Smart mobile devices, which are hand-held electronic devices with an advanced operating system (such as the Android platform) connected via a wireless protocol, have become an integral and essential part of our everyday life, and support both social and workplace activities. However, adopting mobile technology within the workplace setting can give rise to challenges that impact user behaviour and performance. A study was carried out amongst 90 participants located in two countries, using internet connectivity as a case study. Confidence and frustration have previously been connected with technology competence, but this was not applied to a workplace scenario during problem-solving, when users are assigned an unfamiliar smart mobile device. This research focuses on identifying the link between workplace users' levels of confidence and frustration when seeking to independently solve problems whilst completing familiar tasks on new smart mobile devices. A detailed video analysis of users' attitudes and behaviour during problem-solving was conducted, emphasising a correlation between attitudes and behaviour towards completing a task.

E-learning is a fast growing trend worldwide but it is still not universally accepted and practice does not always reach national government and tertiary institution expectations, especially in Taiwan. While issues around the effective implementation of e-learning to produce high quality education are being raised internationally, very little research has been undertaken in Taiwanese tertiary institutions, particularly for science education. No research was found that addressed the various perspectives of the stakeholders involved in blended courses which had both face-to-face and online learning components. The link between e-learning practice and views of learning had also received little attention. This study investigated how e-learning practice was perceived and experienced at a national research-based university in Taiwan. The main focus was to identify the challenges, benefits and related success factors of e-learning practice as part of blended learning courses from the perspectives of university administrators, support people, instructors and students. An interpretative methodology using questionnaires and interviews was employed to generate data from these participant groups. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected. This study provides empirical evidence that e-learning practice is perceived and experienced as a technology-mediated and collaborative practice that is socially and culturally situated. The study supports the view that e-learning practice as a whole is a socio-cultural system, although when looking at instructor and student preferences for instructional design and learning processes there is a fit with both behaviorist and constructivist approaches to teaching and learning. However, instructors and students need to be active and self-managed to find e-learning efficient and effective. Students, instructors, support people and administrators held very similar perceptions of the benefits of and influences on lecturer and student use of e-learning as a component of blended learning. Based on the findings, an explanatory model for the influences on e-learning practice as part of blended learning in a Taiwan university context was developed. E-learning teaching and learning approaches are initiated by and created within a multi-layered context. At the first level, e-learning practice is accomplished via instructor and student engagement in day to day teaching and learning and as an educational reform it cannot separated from the ICT technologies which mediate their interaction. Put another way, because instructor and student participation in e-learning as part of blended learning is voluntary students are included with instructors and the technology in the core enactment zone for practice. At the next level this three-way instructor-student-technology interaction is affected by and nested within the university instructor professional community and student peer community, which in turn is shaped by and nested in university-wide policies and practices. These three levels are nested in and influenced by the national policy context, external professionals, private enterprise and the public at large. The model and associated suggestions presented in this study are expected to assist governments and universities to play a more constructive role in the development and implementation of e-learning education to improve the quality of courses for students and instructors. The hope is that the findings will contribute to enhanced teaching and learning supported by better administrator decision-making regarding institutional policies and practices including investment in learning technologies and support services for e-learning.