Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This exploratory study attempts to establish the readiness of the Namibian government in using social media as a strategy for public participation. The subject of public participation as a strategy to improve the process of policymaking has been researched extensively. Similarly, the use of social media to promote public participation which in turn influences service delivery is gaining popularity in many scholarly works. However, there is still a paucity of research investigating the use of social media as a public participation strategy to improve policymaking. Given the speed at which people worldwide have embraced the use of social media, the current study provides an opportunity to establish how the Namibian government can utilise social media as a strategy to facilitate public participation. This two-way engagement is necessary to improve the government’s efforts in the development of policies and programmes and ultimately improved service delivery. Theoretically, the analysis in this study centred on theories of public participation and emergent theories of the use of social media for good governance. The current study utilised a multi-case study approach and a combination of research techniques in collecting data. These included document analysis – in both paper and digital formats – and unstructured interviews with key respondents from the main government institutions and their strategic role in the implementation of e-government in Namibia. The study employed a systematic approach in answering all five research questions to meet the research objectives. It concludes that, although the Namibian context and legislative framework support public participation broadly, there are still a number of challenges which impact on the readiness to use social media as a strategy for public participation in the Public Service of Namibia. Following this, a set of recommendations for both policy and further research is presented. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie ondersoekende studie poog om die gereedheid van die Namibiese regering om sosiale media as werktuig vir publieke deelname te vestig. Die onderwerp van publieke deelname as ’n werktuig om die beleidmakingsproses te verbeter, is reeds omvattend nagevors. Die gebruik van sosiale media om publieke deelname te bevorder wat om die beurt dienslewering beïnvloed, neem in verskeie akademiese bronne toe in populariteit. Navorsing wat die gebruik van sosiale media as werktuig vir publieke deelname om beleidsmaking te verbeter is skaars. Gegewe die spoed waarteen mense wêreldwyd die gebruik van sosiale media aanneem, bied hierdie studie die geleentheid om vas te stel hoe die Namibiese regering sosiale media as werktuig om publieke deelname te fasiliteer, kan gebruik. Hierdie tweerigtingbetrokkenheid is noodsaaklik om die regering se pogings in die ontwikkeling van beleide en programme en uiteindelik dienslewering te verbeter. Teoreties is die analise in hierdie studie gesentreer om teorieë oor publieke deelname en opkomende teoreë oor die gebruik van sosiale media vir goeie regeringsgedrag. Die huidige studie het ’n veelvoudige gevallestudie en ’n kombinasie van navorsingstegnieke ingespan om data in te samel. Dit het dokumentanalise – beide papier- en digitale formate – en ongestruktureerde onderhoude met sleutelrespondente van die hoofregeringsinstansies en hul strategiese rol in die implementering van e-regering in Namibië ingesluit. Die studie het van ’n sistematiese benadering gebruik gemaak om al vyf navorsingsvrae te beantwoord om sodoende aan die navorsingsdoelstellings te voldoen. Die studie bevind dat alhoewel die Namibiese konteks en wetgewende raamwerk publieke deelname breedweg ondersteun daar steeds ’n aantal uitdagings is wat ’n impak het op die gereedheid van sosiale media as ’n werktuig vir publieke deelname in die Openbare Diens van Namibië. Vervolgens word ’n stel voorstelle vir beide beleid en verdere navorsing aangebied.

The purpose of my research is to diagnose the organizational culture of the National Institute for Educational Development [NIED] , in particular to determine whether it is conducive to innovation, as was envisaged at the time of its inception. The diagnosis of NIED's organizational culture was done by using a hybrid qualitative and quantitative case study. A questionnaire, the Cameron and Quinn's Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument [OCAI], was given to all professional members at NIED, while six members of the NIED organization were interviewed. It emerged from the data, first, that the characteristics of the dominant NIED culture, using Cameron and Quinn's six dimensions of culture that produced an "overall culture profile" of NIED, are not likely to enhance innovativeness. Nevertheless, there is a strong preference towards a culture type favourable to innovation. Second, there are cultural factors antithetical to an innovative organizational culture. These include poor information flow and a lack of communication, negligible crossfunction interaction and freedom, and constraining hierarchical and bureaucratic structures. Third, NIED has, in the form of a "green paper," a set of critical norms, values and assumptions that characterize the culture of innovative organizations. Finally, there is evidence of the presence of cultural characteristics conducive to an innovative organizational culture. These include: learning how to learn; being pro-active in initiating change and innovativeness; and sustaining momentum, consistency and perseverance. The discrepancy between the existing organizational culture and the preferred organizational culture revealed by the overall cultural profile can be explained by the fact that the norms, values and assumptions that characterize the culture of innovative organizations and the cultural characteristics conducive to an innovative organizational culture are not fully infused into the whole organization. There is a tension between NIED's bureaucratic nature and its innovative mission. Organizational culture change, where NIED's structures and processes are aligned with its espoused vision and mission, is needed in order for it to be better placed to achieve its original pioneering mandate.

The combination of technology and inclusive education practices are two new phenomena in the education sector. As a teacher in the 21st century, one must be better equipped to cope with new challenges. The learning environment has changed, and weaker children or children with learning disabilities have become part of the system. More diversity in classrooms provides possibilities for unique relationships and equality. Technology can improve and transform teaching in a way that will benefit weaker children specifically. In this research study, I attempted to determine what kind of experiences primary school teachers in Namibia have about technology and inclusive education. This research study also examined the teachers’ perceptions when technology was used as a pedagogical tool in the classroom, the challenges when technology was used in the learning environment to develop inclusive education, and how these two phenomena complemented each other. This study therefore focused on teachers’ experiences, technology, and inclusive education. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to clarify the teachers’ experiences about technology and inclusive education. In addition, participant classroom observations were conducted to see and hear how teachers used technology to assist learners in an inclusive classroom as well as the challenges they faced when technology was used. The study built a case for technology as a developer of inclusive education in primary schools of Namibia. Results showed that technology significantly complemented inclusive education. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

The integration of Information Communication Technology (ICT) into contemporary society and business operations is observed as a clear reality in Namibia. While Namibia faces one of the typical hurdles of developing nations, lack of a skilled knowledge workforce, literature presents a contrasting face of ICT investment in the country, in particular the financial services sector. This sector is considered a critical sector in the Namibian economy, embracing global trends while boasting world class ICT infrastructure. This is despite the sector struggling with a shortage of expertise. The situation in Namibia’s financial sector thus warrants a critical review of knowledge development practices as research shows. As literature explains, the financial institutions in Namibia are dependent on expertise from parent companies in the South African financial sector. The result is a need to identify means to develop the knowledge of Namibia’s workforce in the banking sector. Although there is evidence from literature to suggest that ICT can be used to create a skilled and knowledge based workforce mainly due to the promise of cost savings, and convenience, there exists a critical gap in literature on the adoption of ICT for knowledge development in the Namibian financial sector. This gap in knowledge as well as the high investment in ICTs in the banking sector pose a problem that the research aimed to address. This study explored the adoption of ICTs for knowledge development activities in the banking sector of Namibia identifying the perceptions and factors influencing its adoption for knowledge development purposes. Although adoption of ICT is influenced by various factors, this study focused on a specific factor, namely the impact of perceptions on ICT adoption. ICT adoption models such as the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) or the Technology Adoption Model (TAM) and more recently the Unified Theory of Adoption and Use of Technology (UTAUT) argue that the perceptions of users are fundamental determinants for the adoption of the ICT. Driving, thus, the need to understand the views of users of the ICTs in banks in order to understand the potential it may yield in knowledge development. The study adopts the Activity Theory (AT) as the means to uncover and clearly interpret the perceptions of banking staff, through its theoretic underpinnings of naturalistic investigation and beliefs of “intentional human-action”. This study thus set out to explore the perceptions of banking staff on the use of ICTs in knowledge development and identify the critical factors in their adoption of ICTs in the process. Drawing from the Activity Theory the investigation used a multi-case qualitative study that used semi-structured interviews that were administered on twenty-three respondents from three of the biggest banks in Namibia (cases). The respondents comprised of managerial and nonmanagerial staff with the three cases chosen based on their ties with South African banks. The findings show that all three Namibian banks have advanced ICT infrastructure which they have managed to adopt for knowledge development purposes. The Management of the banks in all three cases were of the belief that the use of ICT supports knowledge development. Nonmanagerial bank staff in all three cases likewise have a positive perception about the use of ICT for knowledge development purposes. However, key concerns about the development of ICT driven knowledge development initiatives which could affect adoption of the ICTs were expressed by the non-managerial staff. These included, management support, consultation in the development phase of the knowledge development initiatives, integration of knowledge development strategies into the staff processes and increasing awareness activities among the staff. The recommendations indicate a need for the institutions to drive knowledge management in general in the institution, which will in turn help foster knowledge development initiatives fully. Another recommendation concerning the design of knowledge development initiatives is the need to involve the targeted staff more fully. Yet another strong recommendation was the need to blend knowledge development initiatives into the work processes of staff and ensure active support by management. / Computing / M.A. (Computing)

Digital Health relates to “health information systems which enable the merging of social-care and healthcare systems. This would impact on the organisation, service delivery as well as the technological infrastructure” (Herselman & Botha, 2016, p.10). However, with relatively sparse research publications emanating from within the Namibian Health domain, and the concept of Namibian Digital Health as an emergent phenomenon, a Namibian Digital Health Innovation Ecosystem Framework would provide a start to conceptualising, developing and implementing such an ecosystem for Namibia and thus unlocking the potential of Digital Health in this country. The purpose of this study is to develop a Namibian Digital Health Innovation Ecosystem Framework based on literature reviews and the feedback from knowledgeable professionals (KPs) in Namibia, as well as global experts. The methodology which was applied in this study to address the purpose, and to answer the research questions, was Design Science Research Methodology and the Design Science Research Methodology (DSRM) process of Peffers, Tuunanen, Rothenberger and Chatterjee (2008), was adopted. Pragmatism is the overall philosophy guiding the study, as proposed by Ackoff’s theory regarding the hierarchy of human understanding (1989) and Shneiderman’s visual information seeking mantra (1996). During Phases 2 and 3 of the study interpretivism and positivism were applied as philosophies, guided by hermeneutics and triangulation, towards understanding the feedback of Knowledgeable Professionals (KPs) in Namibia, as well as the global experts. The study was divided into three phases. The first phase entailed a literature study which identified the components of Digital Health, Innovation and Digital Ecosystems as well as related research of Digital health, Innovation and Digital Ecosystems in developed and developing countries. This process led to the compilation of the initial Namibian Digital Health Innovation Ecosystem Framework using a conceptual approach. In the second phase of the study, the initial Namibian Digital Health Innovation Ecosystem was evaluated by KPs in Namibia using the Delphi method and interviews. Phase 2 adopted both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The findings from Phase 2 resulted in the development of the intermediate Namibian Digital Health Innovation Ecosystem Framework. In Phase 3 of the study, the intermediate framework was validated by global experts. Feedback was collected from global experts through questionnaires which were analysed through qualitative content analysis. The findings, from Phase 3 led to the development of the final Namibian Digital Health Innovation Ecosystems Framework. The guidelines, which can be used by the Namibian government to implement the suggested digital health innovation ecosystem framework, were also provided. / Information Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Information Systems)

Poor health care delivery in rural communities is a major problem facing the health sector in Namibia. Patients who visit rural communities often wait on queues for several hours every day before they can be examined by a medical practitioner. This is detrimental to the health care process and impacts negatively on the efficiency and effectiveness of the sector. Mobile phones can however be employed as tools to improve work processes in such hospitals and as a result improve health care delivery in rural communities. The purpose of this study was to investigate the health care services provided to patients at Outpatient Departments (OPDs) in rural hospitals through the use of data collection instruments such as interviews, questionnaires, document analysis, expert validation and photographs in order to compile a Mobile Health Service Framework (MHSF) to improve healthcare delivery processes in OPDs. From an interpretive paradigm perspective, the qualitative design was used together with a case study approach. Three hospitals in rural communities were used as case studies. These were Okuryangava Hospital, Katutura Hospital and Khomasdal Hospital. Interviews were conducted and questionnaires distributed to the participants. The findings revealed that there is a high concentration of mobile phone usage in rural communities and there is a high usage of the SMS feature on such mobile phones. / Computing / M. Sc. (Computing)

Poor health care delivery in rural communities is a major problem facing the health sector in Namibia. Patients who visit rural communities often wait on queues for several hours every day before they can be examined by a medical practitioner. This is detrimental to the health care process and impacts negatively on the efficiency and effectiveness of the sector. Mobile phones can however be employed as tools to improve work processes in such hospitals and as a result improve health care delivery in rural communities. The purpose of this study was to investigate the health care services provided to patients at Outpatient Departments (OPDs) in rural hospitals through the use of data collection instruments such as interviews, questionnaires, document analysis, expert validation and photographs in order to compile a Mobile Health Service Framework (MHSF) to improve healthcare delivery processes in OPDs. From an interpretive paradigm perspective, the qualitative design was used together with a case study approach. Three hospitals in rural communities were used as case studies. These were Okuryangava Hospital, Katutura Hospital and Khomasdal Hospital. Interviews were conducted and questionnaires distributed to the participants. The findings revealed that there is a high concentration of mobile phone usage in rural communities and there is a high usage of the SMS feature on such mobile phones. / Computing / M. Sc. (Computing)