Information modeling is the cornerstone of information systems analysis and design. Information models not only provide the abstractions required to facilitate communication between designers and end users, they also provide a formal basis for tools and techniques used in developing and using information systems. This dissertation reports on four empirical studies in information modeling. The four studies focus on an important, yet controversial, construct in information modeling — the relationship construct. The theoretical foundation for the four experimental studies comprises theories and findings from the information systems, cognitive psychology, computer science, philosophy, and communication literature. Because of the paucity of empirical research in the area, a two-stage research design, consisting of the exploratory and formalized phases, is employed in this dissertation. Two studies were conducted in the exploratory phase. The first exploratory study investigated the effect of domain familiarity on selection of mandatory or optional connectivity for the relationship construct by modeling experts. The findings indicate that modeling experts tend to choose optional over mandatory relationships, even for domains that are totally unfamiliar to them. The second exploratory study analyzed the effect of conflicting textual information and structural constraints on selection of mandatory or optional connectivity by modeling experts. The results show that modeling experts tend to focus on the information depicted by the structural constraints and ignore the textual information. This exploratory phase allowed us to explore and develop empirical research methods and instruments for studying the relationship construct in information modeling. In the second phase, two formalized studies were conducted. The first formalized study investigated the differences between modeling experts and novices in their interpretation of information models. The results show significant differences in the way modeling experts and novices interpret information models. Modeling experts focus mainly on the structural constraints and de-emphasize the textual information. Modeling novices, on the other hand, pay more attention to the textual information than modeling experts. The second formalized study examined the effect of different representations of relationship on the interpretation of information models by modeling novices. The findings indicate that the explicitness of relationship construct and the use of verb versus noun description for relationship have a profound impact on the accuracy of interpretation. The best combination is one that uses an explicit relationship construct and verb for relationship description. The worst combination is one where the relationship construct is represented implicitly and described using noun. / Business, Sauder School of / Graduate

Approaching the subject of 'orality' as a complex social-historical practice containing fissures of technological inversion and spatial-acoustic transgression, this thesis seeks to understand the implications of an electronically realised 'secondary orality'. In particular, it seeks to understand this idea as it is elaborated in the media theory of Marshall McLuhan. The approach taken here attests to a vitally important, if often' ghosted', materialism of acoustic space, a context which is immediately and ambivalently implicated in the institutionalising and ideologising of communications technology. It is argued that a cultural media theory must address those forms of managed communicative experience that serve to diminish the everyday vernacular. The Introduction of the thesis identifies developments that have brought the idea of a 'secondary orality' into being. Chapter One examines Havelock's and Innis's privileging of technology in the orality question, as well as the general denial of acoustic practice within the orality-literacy debate. Chapter Two explores Ong's ideas on 'presence' as well as Derrida' s critique of Western phonocentrism in terms of the larger historical denial of sound. Chapter Three explores McLuhan's position on the techno-evolutionary overcoming of rationalism in the new electronic landscape and argues that his 'electronic materialism' is a form of interiorisation. Chapter Four turns to a discussion of the ancient world to consider oral ambivalence and the paradox of orality in the transition to literacy. Consideration is also given to the early modern emergence of a paradigm of abstract visualisation. Chapter Five examines the modern emergence of an oral resistance found in the acoustic otherworld of the' chapbook' and the poetics of Wordsworth, Blake, and Clare. Chapter Six discusses issues of the oral 'other' as found in the theories of Bakhtin, Volosinov, and Kristeva. Chapter Seven investigates a varied postmodern neo-McLuhanism in relation to issues of ecology, intertextuality, and the feminisation of technology. The Conclusion argues that 'secondary orality' involves a technological inversion of oral powers serving an electronic hegemony. The mimetically engineered spatial disorientation of transgressive sociality is further considered.

by Ling Ho-Ming, Desmond, Yeung Yuk-Lam. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2000. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 73-75). / Questionnaire also in Chinese. / ABSTRACT --- p.i / ACKNOWLEDGMENTS --- p.ii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.iii / LIST OF FIGURES & TABLES --- p.vi / Chapter CHAPTER I --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Problem Statement --- p.2 / Chapter 1.2 --- Purpose of the study --- p.4 / Chapter 1.3 --- Hypotheses of the Study --- p.5 / Chapter 1.3.1 --- Hypothesis 1 --- p.5 / Chapter 1.3.2 --- Hypothesis 2 --- p.5 / Chapter 1.3.3 --- Hypothesis 3 --- p.6 / Chapter 1.3.4 --- Hypothesis 4 --- p.6 / Chapter 1.3.5 --- Hypothesis 5 --- p.6 / Chapter 1.3.6 --- Hypothesis 6 --- p.7 / Chapter 1.3.7 --- Hypothesis 7 --- p.7 / Chapter CHATPER II --- LITERATURE REVIEW --- p.8 / Chapter 2.1 --- Development of Videoconferencing --- p.8 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Type of Videoconferencing System --- p.10 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Application of Videoconferencing System --- p.12 / Chapter 2.1.3 --- Benefits and Costs of Using Videoconferencing --- p.15 / Chapter 2.2 --- Videoconferencing in China --- p.24 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Background --- p.24 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Market Situation --- p.26 / Chapter 2.2.3 --- Industry Players --- p.26 / Chapter CHAPTER III --- METHODOLOGY --- p.29 / Chapter 3.1 --- Scope of Study --- p.29 / Chapter 3.2 --- Research Design --- p.33 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Mail survey --- p.34 / Chapter 3.3 --- Sampling Plan --- p.34 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Target population --- p.34 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Sampling method --- p.35 / Chapter 3.3.3 --- Judgment sampling --- p.55 / Chapter 3.3.4 --- Sample size --- p.35 / Chapter 3.4 --- Instrument --- p.36 / Chapter 3.4.1 --- Questionnaire --- p.36 / Chapter 3.4.2 --- Pilot test --- p.37 / Chapter 3.4.3 --- Data Collection --- p.37 / Chapter 3.5 --- Data analysis --- p.38 / Chapter CHAPTER IV --- RESULTS --- p.40 / Chapter 4.1 --- Exploratory Research --- p.40 / Chapter 4.2 --- Descriptive Research --- p.40 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Respondents' Background Characteristics --- p.41 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Perceived Degree of Agreement on Benefits of VC --- p.45 / Chapter 4.2.3 --- Perceived Importance of Selection Criteria --- p.46 / Chapter 4.2.4 --- Factor Groupings of Benefits --- p.47 / Chapter 4.2.5 --- Factor Groupings of Criteria --- p.49 / Chapter 4.2.6 --- Relationship Between Overall Employee Size and Office(s) Using VC Equipment --- p.51 / Chapter 4.2.7 --- Relationship Between Average Annual Sales Revenue and Office(s) Using VC Equipment --- p.52 / Chapter 4.2.8 --- Difference in Perceptions Between VC Using Companies and Non-VC Using Companies --- p.52 / Chapter 4.2.9 --- Difference in Perceptions Between Companies Planning to Purchase VC and Companies Not Planning to Purchase VC --- p.52 / Chapter 4.2.10 --- Comparison of Mean Scores for Different Years of Establishment of Shanghai Office --- p.53 / Chapter 4.2.11 --- Comparison of Mean Scores for Different Sized Companies --- p.53 / Chapter 4.2.12 --- Comparison of Mean Scores for Companies with Different Average Annual Sales Revenue --- p.54 / Chapter CHAPTER V --- "DISCUSSION, CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS" --- p.55 / Chapter 5.1 --- Discussion of Survey Findings --- p.55 / Chapter 5.1.1 --- Respondents' Background Characteristics --- p.55 / Chapter 5.1.2 --- Discussion of Benefit Factors --- p.57 / Chapter 5.1.3 --- Discussion of Criteria Factors --- p.58 / Chapter 5.1.4 --- Relationship Between Overall Employee Size and Offtce(s) Using VC Equipment --- p.61 / Chapter 5.1.5 --- Relationship Between Average Annual Sales Revenue and Office(s) Using VC Equipment --- p.61 / Chapter 5.1.6 --- Difference in Perception Among Various Respondents' Characteristics --- p.62 / Chapter 5.2 --- Conclusions --- p.63 / Chapter 5.3 --- Recommendations --- p.65 / Chapter 5.3.1 --- Attractiveness of VC Industry in China --- p.65 / Chapter 5.3.2 --- Suggested Market Positioning --- p.66 / Chapter 5.3.3 --- Suggestions for Future Research Studies --- p.71 / REFERENCES --- p.73 / APPENDIX 1 --- p.76 / APPENDIX 2 --- p.77 / APPENDIX 3 --- p.79 / APPENDIX 4 --- p.83 / APPENDIX 5 --- p.84 / APPENDIX --- p.85 / APPENDIX 7 --- p.86 / APPENDIX 8 --- p.87 / APPENDIX 9 --- p.88 / APPENDIX 10 --- p.89

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This study, through the lens of Activity Theory, focused on the induction and constructivist teaching practices of experienced teachers who were recently hired in a technologically advantaged middle school. Activity Theory was used not only to examine the induction practices but also to focus on constructivist practices with technology. Data sources consisted of using various instruments three of which were used for surveys, 11 interviews were employed to assess goals, and 18 classroom observations were carried out regarding constructivist practices. Findings through Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) analysis revealed under-realized forms of mediation to achieve effective use of ICTs (objective) and the perceptions of collaboration among the teaching staff, specifically with respect to relationships between rules and the division of labor. In effect, this study presents a challenge for CHAT analysis to elaborate the construct of contradictions to include "latent contradictions" which is essential to an expansive learning cycle.

An advance in information and communication technology (ICT) is one of the most important forces in reshaping the world economy. So far, research on the role of ICT development in the financial globalization process is very limited. This dissertation is composed of three essays, which aim to fill part of this gap. The first essay explores transmission mechanism between Internet development and foreign direct investment (FDI) in developing economies. The second further investigates why developing economies cannot fully benefit from Internet development and provides policy recommendations. The third studies the relationship among financial integration, ICT and macroeconomic volatility in ten Asian economies. / The first essay examines three potential channels: inventory costs, market entry costs and payment of bribes, through which the Internet attracts FDI. It develops a model to explain the role of the Internet in determining inward FDI, and then empirically tests the hypotheses. The empirical findings show that the Internet development in developing economies attracts multinationals, since it reduces their costs of holding inventories and market entry costs. The Internet is found to reduce corruption, but evidence for their combined effects on FDI is mixed. In addition, this study performs Granger causality test and finds a causal relationship from the Internet to inward FDI stocks, rather than vice versa. / The second essay examines how the Internet---a communication network---which is characterized by the presence of positive and negative externalities affects the locational choice of FDI. A two-stage model is developed: at the first stage, multinational corporations do not cooperate and determine the degree of investment in Internet technologies, whereas, at the second stage, these firms engage in a Cournot quantity competition for a homogenous product. This model predicts that positive Internet externalities stimulate FDI while negative Internet externalities discourage FDI. These hypotheses are tested by the panel data estimation and the system general method of moments (GMM) estimator. The empirical findings provide strong evidence that the presence of negative Internet spillovers in developing countries discourages inward FDI, and the presence of positive Internet externalities in developed economies attracts more FDI. / The third essay looks at ten Asian economies committed to ICT development and financial integration, and presents evidence on whether or not they have experienced greater output fluctuations from 1980 to 2003. A two-country dynamic general equilibrium model is used and ICT is assumed to increase the volume and speed of capital flows. This study's model predicts that economies with a high ICT development or/and a high degree of financial integration exhibit greater output fluctuations in the face of monetary policy shocks, but lower output fluctuations in the face of fiscal policy shocks. The empirical findings estimated by using the panel vector autoregression approach support these predictions.

Thesis (MTech (Public Relations Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2011. / This research focuses on whether social media is an effective means of communication to external stakeholders and investigates communication between Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) to its student-stakeholder group on four levels of interaction; namely institution, faculty, department and subjects. It provides answers to the questions, "How does CPUT communicate to students?" "What is the CPUT student-stakeholder's preferred method of communication?" and "What content does the CPUT student-stakeholder want to hear about?" to answer the bigger question, "Is social media an effective means of communication to CPUT students?" Using a conceptual framework based on Edward Freeman's work on stakeholder communication and Grunig's communication theory, the research considers the role that social media could play in the communication mix; whether CPUT should communicate to students using a medium on which they are already active; as well as what is/are an appropriate method/s of communication to reach student-stakeholders. Findings include the students' perception of social media as well as the state of communication from CPUT to the students and the platform/s the student-stakeholder would prefer. Further research is recommended to consider the use of a mobile platform for communication to students.

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Thesis (Master of Engineering in Electrical Engineering)--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2018. / This research investigates and presents selected issues and aspects related to the railway mobile network (GSM-R) analysis and its shortcomings. Research studies show that millions of South Africans commuters are dependent on trains for daily movement activities, which significate contribute towards economic growth. Over the two decades, the exponential growth in wireless broadband service indicates the need for GSM-R improvement so that it can support the modern IP based protocol. The principle of implementing the digital network in railway already demonstrated significate improvement in the railway environment, especially in communication and signalling. Train traffic and train communications are the most critical aspects of railway scenarios due to safety and reliability. Both features form fundamental content to this research thesis. The exponential increase in Internet protocol (IP) based services and higher bandwidth requirements in modern technology applications have pushed the current Global system mobile for railway (GSM-R) technology to its maximum capacity as such the (GSM-R) platform is going to obsolete soon. There is a great need for the development of improved IP based networks for the future of the next generation network for fast smart trains to meet desired higher data low latency while improving quality of service (QoS). The focus of the research study is on modelling of an effective sharing method between public LTE and LTE-R without addition mobile infrastructure by utilizing train access unit (TAU), the main purpose is for public network (LTE) to handle railway emergency service including drop calls to improve quality of service (QoS). The second focus is an improvement of signal reception by spreading signals over wide spectrum range by utilizing Orthogonal variable spreading factor (OVSF) technique where LTE-R is not deployed as noted that this technique is deployed in the 3G network. The proposed scheme has adopted features in modern evolution communication and both scenarios were investigated modelled and simulated with comparison results showing better improvement in proposed conditions, there are many challenges in high-speed railway such as handover procedure and Doppler shift due to the velocity of the moving train.LTE-R has provided many solutions such as seamless handover, capacity availability as well as enhanced performance in both uplink and downlink. Digital evolution for railway GSM-R has been deployed in most developed countries in Europe and also expanded into Africa, there is a greater need for the seamless network to be developed due to an increased number of packet based services. Urban rail is the backbone of public transport in South Africa which is the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA). PRASA, and is the parent operator. Currently, PRASA has implemented digital railway network (GSM-R) to meet a high standard in railway. Modem demand and challenges require a cost-effective system to support IP orientated systems due to an increased number of packet-based services in the railway sectors.

Telephony used to mean using a telephone to call another telephone on the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), and data networks were used purely to allow computers to communicate. However, with the advent of the Internet, telephony services have been extended to run on data networks. Telephone calls within the IP network are known as Voice over IP. These calls are carried by a number of protocols, with the most popular ones currently being Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) and H.323. Calls can be made from the IP network to the PSTN and vice versa through the use of a gateway. The gateway translates the packets from the IP network to circuits on the PSTN and vice versa to facilitate calls between the two networks. Gateways have evolved and are now split into two entities using the master/slave architecture. The master is an intelligent Media Gateway Controller (MGC) that handles the call control and signalling. The slave is a "dumb" Media Gateway (MG) that handles the translation of the media. The current gateway control protocols in use are Megaco/H.248, MGCP and Skinny. These protocols have proved themselves on the edge of the network. Furthermore, since they communicate with the call signalling VoIP protocols as well as the PSTN, they have to be the lingua franca between the two networks. Within the VoIP network, the numbers of call signalling protocols make it difficult to communicate with each other and to create services. This research investigates the use of Gateway Control Protocols as the lowest common denominator between the call signalling protocols SIP and H.323. More specifically, it uses MGCP to investigate service creation. It also considers the use of MGCP as a protocol translator between SIP and H.323. A service was created using MGCP to allow H.323 endpoints to send Short Message Service (SMS) messages. This service was then extended with minimal effort to SIP endpoints. This service investigated MGCP’s ability to handle call control from the H.323 and SIP endpoints. An MGC was then successfully used to perform as a protocol translator between SIP and H.323.