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Attempts to bridge the digital divide between urban and rural Information and Communications Technology (ICT) users have led to the deployment of ICT platforms in remote rural areas. This puts an increased demand for skilled support in rural ICT platforms to assist users in resolving technical problems that they face on a daily basis. A web based help desk system is developed and implemented to allow knowledge sharing and collaboration amongst users and experts as a way of ensuring the technical sustainability of the Siyakhula Living Lab, a remote rural based Information and Communications Technology (ICT4D) intervention. The research describes the use of Transactional and Innovation & Creative knowledge management strategies and their associated applications such as case-based reasoning (CBR) methods and collaborative knowledge approaches to develop a help desk support system for a geographically distributed multipurpose ICT centre in Dwesa, a rural remote area in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. The system implemented in this study has been validated for functional adequacy and usability within the Siyakhula Living Lab. The results of the evaluation are presented in this thesis to provide the initial validation of the effectiveness of the help desk system. Keywords: ICT4D, ICT, Case-Based Reasoning; Collaborative Knowledge, Technical Sustainability, Help Desk Systems, Siyakhula Living Lab Forums, Issue Tracking, Rural Users, South Africa

In this quantitative study, undertaken in a South African information and communications technology (ICT) company, dimensions of organisational culture (measured by the South African Culture Instrument) were correlated with the dimensions of work engagement (measured by the Utrecht Work Engagement Survey), to determine whether employees’ perceptions of organisational culture are related to their levels of work engagement. Structural equation modelling confirmed the factorial model of both measuring instruments, with most fit indices indicating the data to be a good or acceptable fit to the hypothesised model. Correlational analyses revealed a statistically significant positive relationship between each of the dimensions of organisational culture and work engagement respectively. Regression analyses showed that leadership, management processes, and goals and objectives make the strongest statistically unique contribution in predicting the dimensions of work engagement. Since work engagement has been shown to relate to several positive work outcomes, it makes sense for organisations to increase levels of work engagement by improving their organisational culture. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / MCom (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

Cette recherche a eu pour but principal de montrer, à travers l’exemple de l’industrie informatique dans les années 90, que la stratégie de partenariat est aujourd’hui devenue un outil essentiel pour permettre aux entreprises à la tête d’une industrie à forte innovation technologique, confrontée à des changements structurels importants, et en particulier à la désintégration menant au leadership technologique partagé, de maintenir leur position dominante. <p> <p>Les quatre parties du travail constituent une suite logique d’étapes contribuant chacune à valider la thèse: la partie I porte sur la synthèse des principaux courants de la littérature scientifique sur les accords de collaboration et leur relation avec l’évolution des industries. Le but poursuivi dans la partie II est de décrire les changements intervenus dans l’industrie informatique au cours des années 90 et de formuler l’hypothèse d’une relation entre ces changements et la stratégie des firmes dans le domaine des accords de collaboration. Cette hypothèse est vérifiée empiriquement dans les parties III et IV à l’aide d’une banque de données sur les accords de collaboration. La partie III du travail présente les résultats descriptifs et la partie IV les résultats analytiques permettant de valider l’hypothèse.<p> / Doctorat en sciences de gestion / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: When the government of national unity took over control of South Africa in 1994, their primary aims were to address the legacy of apartheid and bring democracy to all of their people. The legacy of the previous political dispensation, which favoured the minority, was to be eradicated. The aim of this new government was to make sure that all South Africans enjoy equality and receive equitable rewards from all economic activities. However, in order for this to be possible the new government was forced to introduce policies and legislation to facilitate that transformation. The Reconstruction and Development Programme, the Growth, Employment and Redistribution strategy, the Black Economic Empowerment Act and various sectoral charters are but a few that were introduced to facilitate change. Based on the literature review, it is evident that, although policies and procedures have been introduced, the process of implementation is far too complex to see change happen overnight. The study targets the Information, Communication and Technology (lCT) sector. This sector of industry is considered by the South African government as an integral component of ensuring economic prosperity and it is therefore an interesting topic for investigation. This sector was previously dominated by White South Africans. The aim of the study is to investigate the extent of economic transformation and black economic empowerment in the sector. There is also an interest to establish whether technical ICT skills and knowledge have filtered down adequately to previously disadvantaged individuals (PDls). The extent of transformation in the ICT sector is what the study aims to capture. The data collection process was conducted within a qualitative and quantitative research framework. The author plans to use an interpretive approach for the analysis of the findings. The data collected for the study were by means of structured questionnaires; however, the last section consisted of open-ended questions. The sample selected for this study was middle management officials, many of them highly skilled and working in a technical environment at these companies. The responses to the questionnaires reflected a diverse and seemingly ambiguous understanding of the ICT. Based on these perceptions, there is a clear indication that many of the respondents have a narrow view of what transformation for the sector really means. The answers to the questionnaires were analysed to test the hypothesis. According to the research findings, it appears that transformation of the ICT sector has not taken place successfully. The study concludes with recommendations for the ICT sector and a brief conclusion. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Toe die regering van nasionale eenheid in 1994 beheer oor Suid-Afrika geneem het, was sy hoofdoel om die nalatenskap van Apartheid aan te spreek en 'n demokratiese bestel vir die land en al sy mense te vestig. Die nalatenskap van die gewese politieke bestel, wat die minderheid bevoordeel het, sou uitgewis word. Die doel van hierdie nuwe regering was om te verseker dat aile Suid-Afrikaners gelyk behandel word en billike voordeel uit aile ekonomiese bedrywighede trek. Om dit egter moontlik te maak, is die nuwe regering gedwing om beleide en wetgewing in te stel om te verseker dat transformasie plaasvind. Die Heropbou- en Ontwikkelingsprogram, die Ekonomiese Groei en Herverdelingstrategie en verskeie sektorale handveste is maar enkele wat ingestel is om verandering te weeg te bring. Gebaseer op die letterkundige oorsig, is dit voor die hand liggend dat, hoewel daar beleide en prosedures ingestel is, die proses van toepassing geheel en al te ingewikkeld is om verandering oornag te sien gebeur. Hierdie studie is gerig op 'n spesifieke segment ekonomiese bydrae tot die ekonomie, die Informasie, Kommunikasie en Tegnologiese (lKT) sektor. Die sektor van die nywerheid word deur die regering as 'n integrale komponent beskou ten einde ekonomiese welvaart te waarborg en is derhalwe 'n interessante onderwerp om van naderby te bekyk. Die heersende opvatting is dat hierdie sektor voorheen deur blanke Suid-Afrikaners oorheers is, veral wat betref tegniese vaardighede en tegnologiese kennis. Die doel van die studie is om die omvang van ekonomiese transformasie en Swart Ekonomiese Bemagtiging binne hierdie sektor te ondersoek. Daar is ook intense belangstelling om te probeer vasstel of voorheen benadeeldes enigsins voordeel getrek het uit die bestaande tegniese IKT-vaardighede en kennis. Die navorsing oor mense se persepsie van die IKT-sektor is wat die studie beplan om vas te vang. Die inligtingsinsamelingsproses is binne 'n kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe raamwerk uitgevoer - die rede hiervoor was dat die navorser beplan het om 'n interpreterende benadering vir die analise van die bevindinge toe te pas. Inligting is deur middel van vraelyste versamel, maar die laaste afdeling het uit half onbepaalde vrae bestaan. Die monster wat vir hierdie studie gekies is, was middelvlakbestuurslede in diens van die IKT-ondernemings - vele van hulle was hoogs opgelei en het in 'n tegniese omgewing by hierdie ondernemings gewerk. Die reaksies op die vraelyste dui oorweldigend daarop dat daar 'n diverse en oenskynlike dubbelsinnige begrip van die IKT is. Gebaseer ap hierdie persepsies, is dit heel duidelik dat talle van die respondente 'n eng siening het oor wat transformasie werklik vir die sektor beteken. Die antwoorde op die vermelde vraelyste is geanaliseer om die hipotese te toets. Volgens die navorsingsbevindinge wil dit voorkom of transformasie van die IKT -sektor nie suksesvol plaasgevind het nie. Die studie sluit af met aanbevelings aan die IKT-sektor rakende transformasie-suksesse en dit word gevolg deur 'n kort slotwoord.