Although idiosyncratic return volatility has been used in a number of studies to capture the informativeness of stock prices, the relation between the two is still under controversy. Researchers raise more questions about the existence of such a relation in emerging markets since the efficient market hypothesis (EMH) may not sustain in these markets. Therefore, use idiosyncratic return volatility estimated from the common asset pricing models as a measure of stock price informativeness becomes questionable. The first part of this thesis serves to validate the use of idiosyncratic return volatility as a stock price informativeness measure in the China settings. In particular, using a battery of information flow proxies, I empirically test the relation between stock price informativeness and idiosyncratic return volatility; the empirical evidence supports the existence of such a relation. However, there exists an inverse U-shape relation between firm-specific information and idiosyncratic return volatility. Therefore, in the second essay, when using idiosyncratic return volatility as a measure of informativeness of stock prices, I truncate the sample as Morek et al. (2000) do in their study. / From an institutional perspective, my dissertation attempts to explain why firms operating in emerging markets such as China have inferior information environments. The main theme of this thesis is to provide firm-level evidence that the institutional settings in China change firms' incentives to provide firm-specific information to the stock market and thus impair the information environments and lower the idiosyncratic return volatilities of these firms. / Keywords: Institutions; information environments; performance hiding / The second part of this thesis addresses the research question on how firms' information environments are shaped by a country's institutions. Morek et al. (2000) document that more developed countries usually have better information environments, and vice versa. The authors offer an "institutional explanation" that attributes the poor information environments in emerging markets to the lack of property rights protections in these markets. However, previous literature provides only limited evidences on how institutions affect the supply of firm-specific information to the market. Hence, this paper uses China as case to investigate how extensive government interventions in China generate incentives for firms to hide their information. I find that, first, excessive local government in a region increases firms' incentives to hide their true performance, after controlling for firm characteristics. A further analysis shows that the directions of firms' hiding activities vary across firms and are contingent on the nature of the firms' ultimate owners, because of different political pressures exerted. In particular, I find that family firms are more likely to suppress good news to avoid governments' "grabbing hands", while State-owned Enterprises (SOEs) are more likely to hide their bad performances to protect local governments' image from being damaged. Second, firms' hiding activities do impair firms' information environment, resulting in lower idiosyncratic stock return volatilities. To strengthen this argument, I test the "information link" between firms' hiding activities and their information environments. I find that firms' incentives to hide their performances reduce market participants' motives to acquire private information, evident by fewer analyst following. Moreover, my results show that involvement of information intermediaries alleviates the negative effects of firms' hiding activities on the information environments. / pt. 1. Information environments in China: availability of firm-specific information to the capital market -- pt. 2. Government intervention, firms' hiding activities and information environments: evidence from China. / Lin, Jingrong. / Adviser: T. J. Wong. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 73-04, Section: A, page: . / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2011. / Includes bibliographical references. / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [201-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstract also in Chinese.

Theses (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The business of telecommunication companies is growing rapidly worldwide. The number of customers and services offered to them are increasing accordingly. One of the challenges of this fast growing field is to provide world-class technical support for the internal information systems used by customer facing staff. Business requirements for these business critical information systems are strict and encompass data integrity, availability, performance and security. Revenue from support systems is difficult to measure and hence the financial focus on cost savings, productivity and efficiency. The current information system, used by Telkom S.A. for service activation and assurance of al non-voice services, was analysed and proposals made for all identified problem areas. Although the solutions are specific to this particular system, the concepts remain the same for any large-scale distributed information system. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die besigheid van kommunikasie maatskappye groei wêreldwyd baie vinnig. Die aantal kliënte en dienste wat aan hulle gebied word groei ooreenkomstig. Een van die uitdagings van hierdie vinnig groeiende veld is die voorsiening van wêreldklas tegniese bystand vir die interne informasie stelsels wat gebruik word deur werkers wat direk met kliënte skakel. Besigheidsvereistes vir hierdie besigheids kritiese informasie stelsels is streng en strek oor 'n wye veld; data integriteit, stelsel beskikbaarheid, reaksietyd en sekuriteit. Omdat die inkomste wat besigheids ondersteunings stelsels genereer, moeilik bepaalbaar is, word daar vanuit 'n finansiële oogpunt gefokus op koste besparings, produktiwiteit en doeltreffendheid. 'n Analise is gedoen van die informasie stelsel, wat tans deur Telkom S.A. gebruik word vir diens aktivering en diens versekering, vir alle nie-spraak dienste wat aangebied word. Voorstelle is gemaak vir die probleem-areas wat geïdentifiseer is. Alhoewel die oplossings wat aangebied word spesifiek vir hierdie stelsel is, bly die konsepte dieselfde vir enige groot geografies verspreide inligting stelsel.

Industry reports indicate that the number of security incidents happened in healthcare organisation is increasing. Lessons learned (i.e. the causes of a security incident and the recommendations intended to avoid any recurrence) from those security incidents should ideally inform information security management systems (ISMS). The sharing of the lessons learned is an essential activity in the “follow-up” phase of security incident response lifecycle, which has long been addressed but not given enough attention in academic and industry. This dissertation proposes a novel approach, the Generic Security Template (GST), aiming to feed back the lessons learned from real world security incidents to the ISMS. It adapts graphical Goal Structuring Notations (GSN), to present the lessons learned in a structured manner through mapping them to the security requirements of the ISMS. The suitability of the GST has been confirmed by demonstrating that instances of the GST can be produced from real world security incidents of different countries based on in-depth analysis of case studies. The usability of the GST has been evaluated using a series of empirical studies. The GST is empirically evaluated in terms of its given effectiveness in assisting the communication of the lessons learned from security incidents as compared to the traditional text based approach alone. The results show that the GST can help to improve the accuracy and reduce the mental efforts in assisting the identification of the lessons learned from security incidents and the results are statistically significant. The GST is further evaluated to determine whether users can apply the GST to structure insights derived from a specific security incident. The results show that students with a computer science background can create an instance of the GST. The acceptability of the GST is assessed in a healthcare organisation. Strengths and weaknesses are identified and the GST has been adjusted to fit into organisational needs. The GST is then further tested to examine its capability to feed back the security lessons to the ISMS. The results show that, by using the GST, lessons identified from security incidents from one healthcare organisation in a specific country can be transferred to another and can indeed inform the improvements of the ISMS. In summary, the GST provides a unified way to feed back the lessons learned to the ISMS. It fosters an environment where different stakeholders can speak the same language while exchanging the lessons learned from the security incidents around the world.

This thesis studies processes of cultural mediation and the role of digital media within them. It is based on the experiences of a group of cultural mediators within a particular music scene in contemporary Chile, and focuses on actors’ meaningful repertoires of action, their material arrangements and their relation with information and communication technologies (ICTs). ‘Mediation’ in a broader sense means processes through which human and non-human agencies produce and shape meanings, attaching them to various cultural flows such as information, images, and identities. As cultural mediators, actors define the music scene, curating and circulating through digital media various flows which they deem worthy of being considered by audiences, and distinguishing themselves across different fields. The thesis is based on nine months of fieldwork (2011) in Santiago, following the everyday practices of the creators of eight music websites through which global and local cultural flows are mediated, organised, and circulated. It analyses how various technological devices facilitate individuals’ construction of networks where cultural flows circulate, and through which their uses of taste are displayed and objectified. It proposes the concept of ‘digital capital’ as an assemblage of actors, practices, objects, and meanings, which is convertible into other types of capital (e.g. economic) and exchangeable in various fields. It is a mode of practice and expertise through which, using digital technologies, individuals create networks where cultural flows circulate. Through the making of websites, music fans become cultural mediators, developing their digital capital as cultural and technical expertise. This expertise is convertible into economic capital and positionality across different fields, especially the field of advertising. Digital capital can be summarised in the question: ‘what are the connections and associations between technical knowledge, cultural flows, and social position, as well as conversions of capital, behind someone who is using Twitter or Facebook, or making a website about a music scene?’ Against this backdrop, it is explored how actors produce and perform ‘cultures of mediation’, commoditising culture as consumption goods.

M. Tech. Business Information Systems / Technology has become essential to the running of many enterprises in the modern world as it can enable businesses and help them operate more efficiently and effectively. Information Systems are developed to help in the daily running of business operations. Information systems projects are undertaken to manage the delivery of these Information Systems and enable the business through technology solutions. However, not all projects succeed in delivering their required solution and benefits. This dissertation is about understanding how Information Systems projects are managed and how that could be improved. The study, underpinned by the Work System Theory, explored Information Systems project management; it reveals how Information Systems projects are managed and the factors influencing project failure or success. This goal of this research was to conceptualise a framework for improving the management of Information Systems projects.

This work focused on the investigation of the question how the concept of relevance in Information Retrieval can be validated. The work is motivated by the consistent difficulties of defining the meaning of the concept, and by advances in the field of cognitive science. Analytical and empirical investigations are carried out with the aim of devising a principled approach to the validation of the concept. The foundation for this work was set by interpreting relevance as a phenomenon occurring within the context of two systems: An IR system and the cognitive processing system of the user. In light of the cognitive interpretation of relevance, an analysis of the learnt lessons in cognitive science with regard to the validation of cognitive phenomena was conducted. It identified that construct validity constitutes the dominant approach to the validation of constructs in cognitive science. Construct validity constitutes a proposal for the conduction of validation in scenarios, where no direct observation of a phenomenon is possible. With regard to the limitations on direct observation of a construct (i.e. a postulated theoretic concept), it bases validation on the evaluation of its relations to other constructs. Based on the interpretation of relevance as a product of cognitive processing it was concluded, that the limitations with regard to direct observation apply to its investigation. The evaluation of its applicability to an IR context, focused on the exploration of the nomological network methodology. A nomological network constitutes an analytically constructed set of constructs and their relations. The construction of such a network forms the basis for establishing construct validity through investigation of the relations between constructs. An analysis focused on contemporary insights to the nomological network methodology identified two important aspects with regard to its application in IR. The first aspect is given by a choice of context and the identification of a pool of candidate constructs for the inclusion in the network. The second consists of identifying criteria for the selection of a set of constructs from the candidate pool. The identification of the pertinent constructs for the network was based on a review of the principles of cognitive exploration, and an analysis of the state of the art in text based discourse processing and reasoning. On that basis, a listing of known sub-processes contributing to the pertinent cognitive processing was presented. Based on the identification of a large number of potential candidates, the next step consisted of the inference of criteria for the selection of an initial set of constructs for the network. The investigation of these criteria focused on the consideration of pragmatic and meta-theoretical aspects. Based on a survey of experimental means in cognitive science and IR, five pragmatic criteria for the selection of constructs were presented. Consideration of meta-theoretically motivated criteria required to investigate what the specific challenges with regard to the validation of highly abstract constructs are. This question was explored based on the underlying considerations of the Information Processing paradigm and Newell’s (1994) cognitive bands. This led to the identification of a set of three meta-theoretical criteria for the selection of constructs. Based on the criteria and the demarcated candidate pool, an IR focused nomological network was defined. The network consists of the constructs of relevance and type and grade of word relatedness. A necessary prerequisite for making inferences based on a nomological network consists of the availability of validated measurement instruments for the constructs. To that cause, two validation studies targeting the measurement of the type and grade of relations between words were conducted. The clarification of the question of the validity of the measurement instruments enabled the application of the nomological network. A first step of the application consisted of testing if the constructs in the network are related to each other. Based on the alignment of measurements of relevance and the word related constructs it was concluded to be true. The relation between the constructs was characterized by varying the word related constructs over a large parameter space and observing the effect of this variation on relevance. Three hypotheses relating to different aspects of the relations between the word related constructs and relevance. It was concluded, that the conclusive confirmation of the hypotheses requires an extension of the experimental means underlying the study. Based on converging observations from the empirical investigation of the three hypotheses it was concluded, that semantic and associative relations distinctly differ with regard to their impact on relevance estimation.

This thesis addresses the challenges of producing digitally mediated healthcare information, a high-stakes arena which is conceptualised as a complex discourse and its diverse producers as interlocutors within this discourse. The study is located theoretically in the tradition of universal or formal pragmatics, the foundation of Habermas’s theory of communicative action. Building on this theoretical core a conceptual framework is developed that integrates insight from several other traditions, including communication studies. The notion of communicative transparency is aligned with the idealised goal of a rich informational context supporting a range of perspectives in movement towards a balanced and consensual understanding by lay and expert actors of healthcare in our world. The central research question is: Can digital mediation increase the transparency of healthcare communication? The empirical focus rests on two organisations involved in the creation of digital information products. Key mediators of meaning in digital healthcare information are identified as the diverse types of expertise of its producers, the materiality of digital artefacts, and the communicative mechanisms, processes and practices that often lead to departures from the normative idealised standard of transparency. The methodology is a comparative case analysis based on field research employing principally interviews to build a rich corpus, analysed using a recursive in-depth thematic coding procedure to reveal the ways in which digitally mediated healthcare meanings are shaped and shared. The study demonstrates how communicative transparency emerges from shared frames of reference and common models of communication. It is concluded that digital mediation can indeed increase the transparency of healthcare information by supporting the deepening of Habermasian rational discourse, providing that validity claims to truth, truthfulness, and rightness can be raised and resolved at all stages in the discourse among all interlocutors, whatever their role and status.

Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The study reported on here was conducted between December 2003 and April 2004. The aim of the study was to assess the use of Health Channel Broadcast Multimedia (HCBM) in order to maximise its success. The HCBM is an Information Technology method that was used to disseminate health information in public health facilities. HCBM was installed in health facilities and was used as an education tool. This was done by further developing the clinical skills of the health care workers (HCWs) and to inform the patients, including the community members on HIV/AIDS and related communicable diseases. The study was conducted in eight health facilities in seven provinces where HCBM was piloted. Facilities and forty-nine health professionals (HCWs) were selected conveniently and one hundred and twenty-eight patients were sampled using a systematic random method. The convenient sampling method was relevant since these were key facilities with HCBM. There were very few HCWs who did view HCBM and they were drawn into the study. HCBM used programmes disseminating messages in Afrikaans, English, sePedi, seSotho, siSwati, isiXhosa and isiZulu. The Rapid Assessment Response (RAR) approach was used to give a quick appraisal of the study. The report focuses on the cross-sectional reporting of the quantitative technique of the RAR. Of the HCWs, 86% had viewed the broadcast content, 70% were satisfied with the broadcast mode of service delivery; 56% indicated that the messages were good and added educational value to their professional work, while 52% chose to use the IP box content with HIV/AIDS topics. Ninety-two percent of HCWs stated that HCBM targeted patients and young people, 48% said HCBM had the ability to convey information and 48% said it was capable of addressing health problem. When HCBM was being set up, 62% HCWs engaged in decision making. Patients mentioned that HCBM as a method of information dissemination was educative (62%) and informative (52%). They reported that they did hear messages on HIV/AIDS telling them that medication was available for free to treat within 72 hours after being raped (72%); they had the right to say no to unsafe sex (92%); and 76% said the broadcast had the ability to change people’s behaviour. Respondents reported that the messages were easily understood (44%). The conclusion is that the findings will be useful to inform the government and managers of HCBM programmes on how to maximise the success of HCBM, especially at the implementation phase. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie verslag doen verslag oor die resultate van ’n ondersoek wat tussen Desember 2003 en April 2004 onderneem is. Die doel van die verslag is om die doeltreffendheid van die gebruik van ’n multimedia gesondheidsuitsendingkanaal, Health Channel Broadcast Multimedia (HCBM) te bepaal. Hierdie is nuwe tegnologie wat gebruik word om gesondheidsinligting slegs in die openbare gesondheidsektor te versprei. Die studie is by agt openbare gesondheidsfasiliteite in sewe provinsies waar die HCBM volledig gevestig was, onderneem. Nege-en-veertig gesondheidskundiges (HPW’s) is volgens ’n gerieflikheidsteekproef geselekteer, en 128 pasiënte is met behulp van ’n sistematiese ewekansige steekproef geselekteer. Die HCBM het programme gebruik wat boodskappe in Afrikaans, Engels, sePedi, seSotho, siSwati, isiXhosa en isiZulu uitgesaai het. ’n Benadering bekend as die Rapid Assessment Response (RAR) is gebruik om ’n vinnige evaluering van die studie te maak. Die verslag konsentreer op die deursneerapportering van die kwantitatiewe tegniek van die RAR. Van die HPW’s het 85% na die inhoud van die uitsending gekyk, 70% was tevrede met die uitsendingmodus van dienslewering, 56% het aangedui dat die boodskappe goed was en van opvoedkundige waarde in hulle professionele werk, terwyl 52% verkies het om die Internet Platform-inhoud met MIV/Vigs-temas te gebruik. Twee-en-negentig persent van die HPW’s het te kenne gegee die HCBM is gerig op pasiënte en die jeug, 48% het gesê HCBM het die vermoë om inligting oor te dra, en 48% het gesê dit is geskik om na die gesondheidsprobleem om te sien. Tydens die instelling van die HCBM het 62% HPW’s aan besluitneming deelgeneem. Van die pasiënte met grade 0–6 as opvoedingspeil het 75% verkies om brosjures te gebruik bo enige ander massamedia, en 72% mans en 67% vrouens het na boodskappe oor die behandeling van MIV/Vigs-simptome geluister. Inligting oor vrywillige berading en toetsing voor swangerskap is deur 66% van die vrouens gehoor. Meer as 90% van hulle was bewus van die reg om nee te sê vir seks of onveilige seks. Pasiënte oor die hele residensiële gebied was dit eens dat die taalgebruik in die uitsendings maklik verstaanbaar was. Oor al die opvoedkundige grade heen is saamgestem dat die HCBM die voorgenome boodskap oorgedra het. Die gevolgtrekking is dat die bevindings waardevol is om die regering en bestuurders van die uitsendingsprogram in te lig oor hoe om die ander fases te verbeter. Dit sluit Fase 2 in, wat die uitvoering van die HCBM behels.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Please see fulltext for abstract / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Sien asb volteks vir opsomming

Thesis (MEng)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis focuses on information systems for project management in the South African Government with special attention to the Consolidated Municipal Infrastructure Programme. Project data exchange standards and the suitability of these standards for project information management in the South African Government is reviewed. Information system technologies applicable to project management, with reference to computer programming languages, markup languages, communication technologies, Internet technologies, database technologies and document manipulation tools are discussed. Project information management forms are then discussed, followed by an overview of the flow of project information during the lifecycle of a project. The standards development organisation, ActionIt, and the project information management models developed by it are highlighted. A description of applications and a system that was implemented to illustrate the work covered in this thesis is provided with examples of the applications and the system. Hierna tesis fokus op inligting sisteme vir projekbestuur in die Suid Afrikaanse Regering met spesifieke verwysing na die Gekonsolideerde Munisipale Infrastruktuur Program. Standaarde vir die uitruil van projek inligting sowel as die toepaslikheid van hierdie standaarde vir die bestuur van projek inligting in die Suid Afrikaanse Regering word bespreek. Informasie sisteem tegnologiee wat van toepassing is op die bestuur van projek inligting word behandel en sluit in: rekenaar programerings tale, 'markup' tale, kommunikasie tegnologiee, Internet tegnologiee, databasis tegnologiee en gereedskap om dokumente te manipuleer. Verskillende projek vorms word behandel gevolg deur 'n beskrywing van die vloei van data gedurende 'n projek se leeftyd. "n Beskrywing van ActionIT, 'n organisasie vir die neerle van standaarde vir gebruik in die Suid Afrikaanse regering, sowel as die modelle wat deur ActionIT ontwikkel is vir die bestuur van projek inligting word gegee. Die toepassings en sisteem wat geimplimenteer is om die werk wat in hierdie tesis behandel is te demonstreer word gegee met voorbeelde van die toepassings en sisteem. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: geen opsomming