This exploratory research focuses on impacts of the rural socio-cultural context on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) adoption for business information needs using the Maldives as the study context, and attempts to develop a model to capture the influences of the rural context on ICT adoption decisions. The numerous ways in which rural context differs from urban context, such as small markets combined with familiarity among community members and reliance on interpersonal relationships, suggest potential impacts on the nature and management practices of rural businesses and provide an approach to explore ICT use in rural settings. Using findings from the literature, a theoretical framework was developed to outline how the socio-cultural context of a rural community of a developing country might affect ICT adoption by rural businesses. The research model predicts relationships between context factors and perceived benefits and barriers of ICTs, and between these perceptions and intentions to adopt/use ICTs. The initial phase of the research was exploratory in nature focusing on a few selected rural and urban businesses and the second phase consisted of a quantitative survey of 314 rural and urban businesses. The findings supported predicted differences between rural and urban contexts for all five factors included in the research model. The results also show that context factors explain 35.5% of variance on perceived benefits of ICTs and 49.3% variance on perceived barriers of ICTs. The findings raised questions about the disjoint between opinions of ICTs and actual use and the limited value derived from ICTs. The research also highlighted that promoting ICT adoption in rural businesses was a highly complex issue that has important linkages to public policy support. Overall, this research provides important insights into the complex dynamics that exist in rural settings that have implications for ICT use and provides empirical evidence to illustrate differences between urban and rural contexts, as well as the level of influence from different context factors on ICT adoption. This research has relevance for organizations working towards the development of rural communities.

This exploratory research focuses on impacts of the rural socio-cultural context on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) adoption for business information needs using the Maldives as the study context, and attempts to develop a model to capture the influences of the rural context on ICT adoption decisions. The numerous ways in which rural context differs from urban context, such as small markets combined with familiarity among community members and reliance on interpersonal relationships, suggest potential impacts on the nature and management practices of rural businesses and provide an approach to explore ICT use in rural settings. Using findings from the literature, a theoretical framework was developed to outline how the socio-cultural context of a rural community of a developing country might affect ICT adoption by rural businesses. The research model predicts relationships between context factors and perceived benefits and barriers of ICTs, and between these perceptions and intentions to adopt/use ICTs. The initial phase of the research was exploratory in nature focusing on a few selected rural and urban businesses and the second phase consisted of a quantitative survey of 314 rural and urban businesses. The findings supported predicted differences between rural and urban contexts for all five factors included in the research model. The results also show that context factors explain 35.5% of variance on perceived benefits of ICTs and 49.3% variance on perceived barriers of ICTs. The findings raised questions about the disjoint between opinions of ICTs and actual use and the limited value derived from ICTs. The research also highlighted that promoting ICT adoption in rural businesses was a highly complex issue that has important linkages to public policy support. Overall, this research provides important insights into the complex dynamics that exist in rural settings that have implications for ICT use and provides empirical evidence to illustrate differences between urban and rural contexts, as well as the level of influence from different context factors on ICT adoption. This research has relevance for organizations working towards the development of rural communities.

Many South African teachers have low levels of subject knowledge and poor teaching practices but are faced with the additional challenges of implementing a new curriculum and new methodologies for teaching and assessment. These factors combine to expose a teaching population that is generally ineffective, particularly in the case of mathematics and science teachers at under-resourced township schools. The Teacher Mentorship Programme (TMP) is a mentoring programme for mathematics and science teachers focussed on remediating problem areas and revitalising teachers’ classroom practices. Mentors support individual teachers at their workplace and the programme includes all teachers in each of these departments at the schools. This research inquiry is a case study of four TMP teachers. The effect of mentoring as an in-service training strategy is ascertained by considering the changes in their professional, personal and social development. The inquiry reveals firstly the effect of mentoring on the teachers and their practice and secondly what aspects of mentoring are responsible for bringing about such changes. Using the teachers’ and mentors’ voices as informants and based on good practice as recommended by literature, a theory for a mentoring model is proposed as an effective and sustainable model for professional teacher development for mathematics and science teachers in developing contexts. The research findings of this study and the new mentoring model design may serve to enrich the knowledge base on INSET in the area of teachers who are situated in unsupportive schools in developing contexts. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Humanities Education / unrestricted

Background: Female entrepreneurship has a crucial positive influence on the economy and social advances. Yet, women are still underrepresented in entrepreneurship and are often made to fit a male-centric western entrepreneurship stereotype. Further, many studies on entrepreneurship focus on one context and there is a lack of cross-cultural studies on influential factors and how female entrepreneurs can manage them. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to add to the literature about female entrepreneurship and its influential factors and related management aspects. We utilise a feminist theory lens, which suggests women should be viewed on their own to add female perspectives to literature and broaden the understanding of entrepreneurship. We further follow a cross-cultural comparison between Germany and South Africa as developed and developing contexts, which provides richer and newer insights into the variety of influential factors. Method: Methodologically, this study is based on qualitative interviews and an exploratory research design. In an abductive grounded theory approach, we have interviewed five German female entrepreneurs and five South African female entrepreneurs. In semi-structured interviews, we could gain significant insights from female entrepreneurs about their journey. We further utilised a comparative analysis to sufficiently view the similarities and differences between the two contexts. Conclusion: Through this study, we were able to compare findings from previous studies and further identified new areas that have not been previously studied. We realised that many internal factors are crucial for female entrepreneurship, and we identified five major categories of influential and managing factors.

Evidence-based practice, whose roots emanate from the mid-1960s, aims to provide fair, high-quality, and soundly researched health care with patients' best interests as a priority. Clinical practice guidelines are evidence-based and designed to assist clinicians with sound decision making. Despite the importance of evidence-based practice and the efforts invested into its development and dissemination, its uptake and implementation are poor. The disconnect between evidence-based practice and its translation into clinical practice was previously reported in low-to-middle income countries. This study investigated South African audiologists' and otorhinolaryngologists' (ear, nose and throat specialists') self-reported orientation to evidence-based practice. Second, adherence to evidence-based clinical practice guidelines was assessed with reference to the diagnosis and management of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, a common vestibular condition for which a firm evidence base supporting treatment exists. A two-part quantitative approach was adopted. Part one surveyed South African audiologists and otorhinolaryngologists with the Evidence-Based Practice Profile Questionnaire and an additional researcher-developed questionnaire pertaining to the diagnosis and management of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. A total of 130 survey responses were included in this study. Independent sample t-tests, one-way ANOVAs and Fisher's Exact tests were used to analyse the survey data. Part two used a retrospective record review at a tertiary academic hospital in the Western Cape of South Africa. Medical folders of patients diagnosed with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, between 2010 – 2018 (n = 80), were analysed. The diagnosis and management strategies were recorded and compared against a gold standard evidence based guideline for congruence. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse and understand the data. Survey scores showed a positive association between increased years of experience and healthcare professionals' knowledge (p = .008) and confidence (p = .003) in evidence-based practice. Otorhinolaryngologists might be more knowledgeable than audiologists in evidence-based practice due to their increased training and exposure to evidence-based practice in their specialising years. Findings from the retrospective record review suggested adherence to the clinical practice guidelines in the diagnosis and management of posterior semi circular canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. The study outcomes propose that evidence-based clinical practice guidelines developed in the Global North may not be appropriate for the different health contexts that exist in low-to-middle income South Africa (e.g., rural settings). However, the benign paroxysmal positional vertigo clinical practice guidelines were adhered to at a tertiary, academic hospital in Cape Town. The results also support the notion that increased exposure to evidence-based practice reinforces its approach. Outcomes from this study raise implications for the development and dissemination of context-appropriate, evidence-based clinical practice guidelines.