<p>This research work investigates and reports on the contribution of usability and perceptual frameworks towards understanding and ultimately increasing usage of a sales website and a corporate marketing website for a major insurance company in South Africa. It investigates whether the application of usability principles to the sales web positively influences the usage of the sales web system as a tool by intermediaries, and in so doing help the organisation recoup their investment and lower operational costs. This financial services (traditionally insurance) company, like many organisations, is in the process of migrating key operational systems onto web platforms to take advantage of benefits such as the ubiquity of web access and services orientated architecture among others. The research reviewed key frameworks in the area of technology acceptance or usage namely  Nielsen‟s usability attributes (Nielsen, 2003)  The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), (Davis, 1989)&nbsp /  The Theory of Reasoned Action (Fishbein &amp / Ajzen, 1975)  The Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1985) / and derived a theoretical summative model (the Conceptual Research Model) that combined both usability and perceptual dimensions. The applicability of this summative model was empirically tested using quantitative data relating to system&nbsp / usage and user perception. Empirical evidence was gathered to prove and refine the Conceptual Research Model (CRM), and the data substantiated the inclusion of the constructs in the CRM, as well as the efficacy of the model in a financial services organisation. Through testing of the CRM, this research has also confirmed which specific attributes of usability can be focussed on to bring about positive change in users‟ usage behaviour and adoption of a website or web application.</p>

Magister Commercii (Information Management) - MCom(IM) / This research work investigates and reports on the contribution of usability and perceptual frameworks towards understanding and ultimately increasing usage of a sales website and a corporate marketing website for a major insurance company in South Africa. It investigates whether the application of usability principles to the sales web positively influences the usage of the sales web system as a tool by intermediaries, and in so doing help the organisation recoup their investment and lower operational costs. This financial services (traditionally insurance) company, like many organisations, is in the process of migrating key operational systems onto web platforms to take advantage of benefits such as the ubiquity of web access and services orientated architecture among others. The research reviewed key frameworks in the area of technology acceptance or usage namely Nielsen‟s usability attributes (Nielsen, 2003). The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), (Davis, 1989). The Theory of Reasoned Action (Fishbein & Ajzen, 1975). The Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1985); and derived a theoretical summative model (the Conceptual Research Model) that combined both usability and perceptual dimensions. The applicability of this summative model was empirically tested using quantitative data relating to system usage and user perception. Empirical evidence was gathered to prove and refine the Conceptual Research Model (CRM), and the data substantiated the inclusion of the constructs in the CRM, as well as the efficacy of the model in a financial services organisation. Through testing of the CRM, this research has also confirmed which specific attributes of usability can be focussed on to bring about positive change in users' usage behaviour and adoption of a website or web application. / South Africa

Despite HIV and AIDS knowledge and attitude change programmes, workplace HIV and AIDS-related discrimination persists in workplaces in many sectors, including the education sector. This study set out to investigate why the phenomenon of workplace HIV and AIDS-related discrimination persists; and to predict which factors were responsible and how they related to HIV and AIDS-related discrimination in the workplace. A stratified random sample of 205 teachers; 123 of whom were from 10 schools of varied backgrounds in Bojanala Region of North West Province of South Africa and 82 from schools around Kampala, Central Region of Uganda was drawn. Twenty-seven respondents of the South African sample participated in both the quantitative survey and in-depth interview while the rest responded to a selfadministered questionnaire. Using a stepwise regression analysis, traditional beliefs predicted workplace HIV and AIDS-related discrimination, explained11% of variance in the second model while the third model explained only 2% more – 13% (R square of 0.136) but each of the three models was significant (p-values of 0.000). Attitudes were the second strongest predictor; and only HIV and AIDS-legal knowledge could predict discrimination but not biomedical HIV and AIDS knowledge. In the in-depth interview, incidents of discrimination were reported, possible reasons for HIV and AIDS-related discrimination were reported; and it was found that workers varied in ways of keeping secrets regarding sensitive information such as colleagues’ HIV-positive status, and cited reasons for revealing such information which included malice, jealousy, moral responsibility, anger and loose talks. There are implications for reducing workplace HIV and AIDS-related discrimination which include: Integrating HIV and AIDS-legal knowledge with biomedical HIV and AIDS knowledge, more efforts should be spent in designing and imparting information to reduce traditional beliefs, develop and evaluate instruments to measure traditional beliefs and HIV and AIDS-legal knowledge; and to study more about secret keeping, particularly in regard to workplace HIV and AIDSrelated discrimination. / Industrial & Organisational Psychology / D. Admin. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

Summary in English, Afrikaans and Zulu / The natural environment is important for human existence and the ubiquity of Information Technology (IT) has negatively impacted on the natural environment. Green IT offers to address these negative effects. However, since Green IT practices are often not common knowledge, it is vital that they are taught to others. Teachers typically have the skills and opportunities to teach many people. The research problem was the lack of research focusing on the teaching of Green IT in the context of the urgent need for it and teachers’ limited knowledge and competencies relating to Green IT. The study employed a survey research strategy, involving exploratory factor analysis, ANOVA and structural equation modeling (SEM). The main findings indicate that allocating time and resources to improve student teachers’ level of awareness, perceived behavioural control and person-related beliefs would positively influence their intention to teach Green IT, and, in turn, their Green IT teaching. / Die natuurlike omgewing, wat so noodsaaklik is vir menslike voortbestaan, word negatief beïnvloed deur die alomteenwoordigheid van inligtingstegnologie. Groen IT-praktyke kan gebruik word om sodanige negatiewe effekte in te perk, maar aangesien die nodige kennis nie alombekend is nie, moet dit aan ander oorgedra word. Onderwysers het beide die vaardighede en die geleenthede om inligting aan groot groepe mense oor te dra. In dié geval was die navorsingsprobleem ‘n gebrek aan studies wat fokus op die dringende noodsaaklikheid van Groen IT-onderrig, asook onderwysers se beperkte verwante kennis en vaardighede. ‘n Opname is gebruik as navorsingstrategie, met eksploratiewe faktorontleding, variansie-ontleding (ANOVA) en strukturele vergelykingsmodellering (SVM). Ingevolge die hoofbevindinge sal die beskikbaarmaak van tyd en hulpbronne leerlingonderwysers se bewuswordingsvlakke verbeter, sowel as hul waarneembare gedragswetenskaplike beheer en hul persoonsverwante beskouinge, en ‘n positiewe uitwerking hê op hul voorneme om Groen IT te onderrig, wat weer op sy beurt hul Groen IT-onderrig sal bevoordeel. / Imvelo yemvelo ibalulekile ekubeni khona komuntu nokutholakala kobuchwepheshe bezokwazisa kuye kwaba nomthelela omubi emvelweni yemvelo. Ubuchwepheshe bezokwazisa obuluhlaza bunikeza izindlela zokubhekana nemiphumela emibi. Kodwa-ke, njengoba imikhuba yobuchwepheshe bezokwazisa obuluhlaza ayivamile ukuba ulwazi iv oluvamile, kubalulekile ukuthi ifundiswe kwabanye. Othisha sidalo sabo banawo amakhono namathuba ukufundisa abantu abaningi. Inkinga yocwaningo ukuntuleka kocwaningo okugxila ekufundiseni kobuchwepheshe bezokwazisa obuluhlaza esimweni sesidingo esiphuthumayo sabo, nolwazi olulinganiselwe lothisha kanye namakhono afanelekayo kubuchwepheshe bezokwazisa obuluhlaza. Isu lokucwaninga ucwaningo lwasetshenziswa, okubandakanya ukuhlaziywa kwesici sokuhlola, ANOVA kanye nokuhlelwa kwesifaniselo esiyisilinganiso (SEM). Ukutholwa okusemqoka kubonisa ukuthi ukwabela isikhathi kanye nezinsiza zokuthuthukisa abafundi othisha izinga lokuqwashisa, ukulawula kokuziphatha okubonwayo kanye nezinkolelo ezihlobene nomuntu zizoshukumisa kahle izinhloso zabo ukufundisa ubuchwepheshe bezokwazisa obuluhlaza futhi nemfundiso yabo yobuchwepheshe bezokwazisa obuluhlaza. / University of South Africa / School of Computing / M. Sc. (Computing)

Despite HIV and AIDS knowledge and attitude change programmes, workplace HIV and AIDS-related discrimination persists in workplaces in many sectors, including the education sector. This study set out to investigate why the phenomenon of workplace HIV and AIDS-related discrimination persists; and to predict which factors were responsible and how they related to HIV and AIDS-related discrimination in the workplace. A stratified random sample of 205 teachers; 123 of whom were from 10 schools of varied backgrounds in Bojanala Region of North West Province of South Africa and 82 from schools around Kampala, Central Region of Uganda was drawn. Twenty-seven respondents of the South African sample participated in both the quantitative survey and in-depth interview while the rest responded to a selfadministered questionnaire. Using a stepwise regression analysis, traditional beliefs predicted workplace HIV and AIDS-related discrimination, explained11% of variance in the second model while the third model explained only 2% more – 13% (R square of 0.136) but each of the three models was significant (p-values of 0.000). Attitudes were the second strongest predictor; and only HIV and AIDS-legal knowledge could predict discrimination but not biomedical HIV and AIDS knowledge. In the in-depth interview, incidents of discrimination were reported, possible reasons for HIV and AIDS-related discrimination were reported; and it was found that workers varied in ways of keeping secrets regarding sensitive information such as colleagues’ HIV-positive status, and cited reasons for revealing such information which included malice, jealousy, moral responsibility, anger and loose talks. There are implications for reducing workplace HIV and AIDS-related discrimination which include: Integrating HIV and AIDS-legal knowledge with biomedical HIV and AIDS knowledge, more efforts should be spent in designing and imparting information to reduce traditional beliefs, develop and evaluate instruments to measure traditional beliefs and HIV and AIDS-legal knowledge; and to study more about secret keeping, particularly in regard to workplace HIV and AIDSrelated discrimination. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / D. Admin. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)