This study investigates, within the current health care situation, the interrelationship of the user, resources and tool in the design of a prototype WELLNESS database-driven web site. A shift has taken place in health care, in which the base of conventional medicine has broadened to integrate other systems, practices and worldviews. These include complementary and alternative medicine, health promotion, disease prevention and wellness. Emphasis is placed on the need to take personal responsibility for one's own health and wellness. The global burden of chronic disease, reaching epidemic proportions, is increasingly linked to risk factors resulting from personal lifestyle choices. The growing evidence of the user's need to make personal, informed, lifestyle choices and their reliance on the Web for health information, required investigation. WELLNESS, a specific orientation to health and wellness, formed the framework within which the user and resources were defined and the tool designed. The user was profiled as the WELLNESS health information seeker, hereby contributing significantly to an understanding of the user in this new context. The user profile informed the establishment of resource selection criteria and tool design. The identification of WELLNESS content selection criteria, within a five-dimensional model, was required to ensure quality, relevant and credible resources. The tool is comprised of the WELLNESS thesaurus and WELLNESS database-driven web site. The WELLNESS thesaurus was constructed based on a combination of relevant thesauri. It will be used as an indexing tool. An investigation of existing health information web sites highlighted the importance of designing a specific WELLNESS database-driven web site. A database host was identified against which the original study's conceptual schema was assessed. A low-fidelity prototype web site was designed as the interface between the WELLNESS health information seeker and the database of WELLNESS health information resources. This study has epidemiological, philosophical, epistemological, sociological and psychological relevance. The provision of access to WELLNESS health information resources, made available in the WELLNESS database-driven web site, for personal, informed lifestyle choice by the WELLNESS health information seeker could potentially contribute to the reduction of the global burden of chronic disease. / Information Science / D.Litt. et Phil. (Information Science)

This study examines the efficacy of collection development and management practices, policies, guidelines and standards in universities of technology to meet the information needs of academics and researchers at such institutions. In South Africa, as in Australasia, technikons or polytechnics have been upgraded first into degree granting institutions and then, at the beginning of the 21st century, into universities of technology. The researcher was concerned that library collections in South African universities of technology have not grown to meet the research and teaching needs of academics at the level of universities offering instruction up to a doctoral level. As research funding, government grants and the general prestige of the institutions depend on the research output of the institutions, it is essential that academics and researchers find the information resources they require in their institutional libraries. Case studies of universities of technology in New Zealand and South Africa reveal that, while Auckland University of Technology has been successful in extending its collection to meet the increasing demands placed on it, the collection development policies, standards and guidelines in a South African university of technology need to be upgraded in order to meet the information needs and information behaviour of their researchers and academics. Current levels of funding for the acquisition of information resources in South Africa lag behind those found at the New Zealand university of technology. The university of technology that was the object of the South African case study needs to bring its collection in line with that of similar institutions worldwide. This entails adapting goals and objectives stating how the collection is to develop, evaluating the collection and the needs of users, changing the Collection Development Policy to reflect the direction collection development will take and ensuring that the institution and the government back this project financially. To this end, a model Collection Development Policy has been drawn up that can be adapted to the local requirements of South African universities of technology to assist with the process of developing and managing library collections that will be worthy of such an institution. / Information Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Information Science)

The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa Library (UNECA Library) has a collection of more than 90,000 electronic information resources and half a million-print collection. These resources are available freely to staff members of the UNECA, United Nations agencies, diplomats, researchers, students and others. The study investigated the utilisation of electronic information resources and the challenges faced by the different users of the Library. A quantitative research approach with a survey research method was applied. The population for the study was 600 users,, out of which 500 were internal users (UNECA and United Nations agencies staff members) and 100 were external users (researchers, students, or non-staff members). From the population, 20% from each category, that is, 120 users were taken as a sample. A webbased questionnaire built on SurveyMonkey was distributed through email to collect data from randomly selected users. The total response rate was 74%. The data were analysed using built in survey monkey analysis software and reported with simple frequency and percentages. The results shows that 92% of the respondents were aware of the availability of the electronic information resources in the UNECA Library. TInstitutional Repository (IR) and e-journals were frequently accessed and utilised. Highly accessed and utilised databases were the Economist, African Journal Online, JSTOR, Ebscohost, ScienceDirect, and Financial Times. 94% of the respondents reported that the electronic information resources were useful, with 84% agreeing that the resources were easy to use. High numbers of the respondents positively agreed that the quality of their output was improved by using the electronic information resources provided by the library. The respondents also indicated that using the electronic information resources have improved their research output, and overall, the resources have increased their performances. The challenges were information overload, access restriction with IP address, lack of training and remembering login credentials. 68% of the users reported that the library services met their expectations. The study recommends the development of strategies for enhancing accessibility and discoverability of the resources, providing information literacy trainings for all users, and finding alternative measures for IP restriction access. / Information Science / M.A. (Information Science)

Digitisation had a profound impact on the creation, reproduction, and dissemination of works protected by copyright. Works in digital format are vulnerable to infringement, and technological protection measures are accordingly applied as protection. Technological protection measures can, however, easily be circumvented, and additional legal protection against circumvention was needed. Article 11 of the WIPO Copyright Treaty (the WCT) obliges Member States to provide adequate legal protection against the circumvention of technological measures applied to works protected by copyright. Contracting parties must refine the provisions of Article 11 and provide for exceptions on the prohibition. Article 11 does not specify whether it pertains to only certain types of technological measures, nor does it prohibit the trafficking in circumvention devices. The United States implemented the provisions of Article 11 of the WCT through the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 (the DMCA). Section 1201 of the DMCA prohibits the circumvention of technological measures. It is detailed and relates to two categories of technological measures - access control and copy control. It prohibits not only the act of circumvention, but also the trafficking in circumvention devices. Article 6 of the EC Directive on the Harmonisation of Certain Aspects of Copyright and Related Rights in the Information Society of 2001 implements Article 11 of the WCT. Article 6 seeks to protect Aeffective technological measures@. It prohibits both the act of circumvention and circumvention devices. Although Article 11 of the WCT is silent on the issue of access control, it seems as if the international trend is to provide legal protection to access controls, thus indirectly creating a right to control access. South Africa has not yet implemented Article 11 of the WCT. The South African Copyright Act of 1979 does not protect technological protection measures. The Electronic Communications and Transactions Act of 2002 (the ECT Act) provides protection against the circumvention of technological protection measures applied to digital data. The definition of Adata@ is such that it could include protected works. If applied to protected works, the anti-circumvention provisions of the ECT Act would be detrimental to user privileges. As developing country, it seems to be in South Africa's best interest to the implement the provisions of Article 11 in such a manner that it still allows users access to and legitimate use of works protected by copyright. / Jurisprudence / LL.D.

Digitisation had a profound impact on the creation, reproduction, and dissemination of works protected by copyright. Works in digital format are vulnerable to infringement, and technological protection measures are accordingly applied as protection. Technological protection measures can, however, easily be circumvented, and additional legal protection against circumvention was needed. Article 11 of the WIPO Copyright Treaty (the WCT) obliges Member States to provide adequate legal protection against the circumvention of technological measures applied to works protected by copyright. Contracting parties must refine the provisions of Article 11 and provide for exceptions on the prohibition. Article 11 does not specify whether it pertains to only certain types of technological measures, nor does it prohibit the trafficking in circumvention devices. The United States implemented the provisions of Article 11 of the WCT through the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 (the DMCA). Section 1201 of the DMCA prohibits the circumvention of technological measures. It is detailed and relates to two categories of technological measures - access control and copy control. It prohibits not only the act of circumvention, but also the trafficking in circumvention devices. Article 6 of the EC Directive on the Harmonisation of Certain Aspects of Copyright and Related Rights in the Information Society of 2001 implements Article 11 of the WCT. Article 6 seeks to protect Aeffective technological measures@. It prohibits both the act of circumvention and circumvention devices. Although Article 11 of the WCT is silent on the issue of access control, it seems as if the international trend is to provide legal protection to access controls, thus indirectly creating a right to control access. South Africa has not yet implemented Article 11 of the WCT. The South African Copyright Act of 1979 does not protect technological protection measures. The Electronic Communications and Transactions Act of 2002 (the ECT Act) provides protection against the circumvention of technological protection measures applied to digital data. The definition of Adata@ is such that it could include protected works. If applied to protected works, the anti-circumvention provisions of the ECT Act would be detrimental to user privileges. As developing country, it seems to be in South Africa's best interest to the implement the provisions of Article 11 in such a manner that it still allows users access to and legitimate use of works protected by copyright. / Jurisprudence / LL.D.

Characteristics such as speed of reaction, order accuracy, operational flexibility and sustained quality have become fundamental in successful business today. The success of aligning a supply chain to attain these characteristics depends largely on the use of efficient communication and information technology. Communication between supply chain members requires that relevant information is transferred from its point of inception to the next point(s) of use. The transfer of information entails an efficient flow of information between systems, between systems and humans and between humans, which is directly associated with the effective interoperability between the various entities handling the relevant information. Accordingly, the realisation of interoperability will mean a faster information flow and, thus, an effective decision-making process. This research, therefore, will propose indicators and metrics for the assessment of the information flow efficiency of a business and, in particular, of a supply chain, examine the existing techniques of information flow measurement, and identify inherent weaknesses. New information flow efficiency metrics are developed and categorised into different indicators, which are based on the quality of the information as it is applied in finance, information technology and the principles of business performance measurements. This research will illustrate that these quality characteristics drive an effective and efficient information flow which, in turn, enables them to be used both as indicators and as associated metrics of information flow efficiency. Explorative analysis and statistical cluster analysis identified the most important indicators and associated metrics based on the results of a survey instrument designed specifically for this purpose. Scales were developed to facilitate the numeric assessment of the metrics and indicators. In order to prove the ability of the new indicators and associated metrics to differentiate between different levels of information flow efficiency, the new metrics were applied in sample organisations and the responses evaluated. This research lays an important foundation in terms of the ability to assess information flow efficiency which is, in turn, necessary in order to gain a better understanding of the performance of supply chains in a time where real-time information flow and electronic integration are becoming strategic business success factors. / Business Management / D. Com. (Business Management)

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: At the beginning of 1999, DaimlcrChrysler SA prepated itself for becoming part of the family ofintcmational plants within DaimlerChrysler AG. To do this, DaimlcrChryslcr SA had to produce vehicles for the international markets and not just for the local markets. This meant that they were required to change many processes and systems. Many processes were aligned with processes used within DaimlerCbrysler AG, while certain standatd systems like PLUS. which is the shop floor control system, were implemented. A brand new SAP system was also implemented. During the implementation of these processes and systems, a documentation methodology was developed to ensure that the processes and systems implemented in South Africa, could be reused elsewhere in the world. At the same time, a project implementation methodology was also developed to ensure that this project and futw:c projects w· document processes and systems in this manner, while ensuring strict quality control. This study looked at the above methodologies developed at DaimlerChrysler SA with the aim of knowledge reuse and the subsequent reduction of cost and project implementation time. It was found that the process modelling methodology used at DaimlerChrysler SA was comprehensive. Compared to other process modelling methodologies available in the literature, the methodology used by Daimlc.tChrysler SA covered most aspects i.e. detailed organisation structures (e.g. line and staff relationships) and informacion structures (e.g. data file structures). Within the DaimlcrChryslcr documentation methodology a strong emphasis is placed on maintaining the link between the process and system documentation. This link is important during the system development cycle, as well as for the pmpose of reuse of software. International plants wanting to use the process and system documentation from DaimlerChrysler SA as a basis for their implementations could easily follow the documentation. The documentation flows from a high level process and system concept, to detail process descriptions, to system specification docwnents, and t \stly program names and customizing settings required for the use of the system functionality. It was found that the project implementation methodology used at DalmletChrysler SA was following conventional project management guidelines, whist ensuring the maintenance of process and system docwnentation as required by the reuse approach. DaimletChrysler's reuse approach of process and system knowledge is built on the foundation of using innovation teams in local organizations together with a team coordinating centralised rollout. The approach also focuscd on the development of certain modular components that can be 100% rcused. It was found that interfaces between the DaimletChrysler core systems were ideally suited for this modular approach. The International Production Template approach led to significant cost savings. So fat, each implementation showed an improvement in total project implementation cost and time compated to the previous implementation. Each implementation was also used as an opportunity to further itnprove the template by adding functionality and widening the scope. This study showed conclusive evidence that system and process knowledge can effectively be reused, resulting in significant cost and time savings. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Aan die begin van 1999, het DaimlerChrysler SA homself gereed gemaak om deel te vorm van die familie van intemasionale aanlegte binne DaimlerChrysler AG. Om dit te vermag moes DaimlerChrysler SA voertuie vir die intemasionale markte produseer:, en nie net vir die plaaslike markte soos in die verlede nie. Hiervoor moes hulle menige prosesse en stelsels verander. Verskeie prosesse is in Iyn gebring met prosesse soos gebruik binne DaimlerChrysler AG, tenvyl sommige standaard stelsels soos PLUS, wat 'n produksie beheer stelsel is, geimplementeer is. 'n Splintemuwe SAP stelsel is ook geimplementeer. Gedurende die implementering van hierdie prosesse en stelsels, is 'n dokumentasie metodiek ontwikkel om te verseker dat prosesse en stelsels wat in Suid Afrika geimplementeer word, in ander wereld dele hergebruik kan word. Terselfdertyd is 'n projek implementerings metodiek ontwikkel om te verseker dat bogenoemde en toekomstige projekte, prosesse en stelsels op hierdie wyse sal dokumenteer terwyl streng kwaliteitsbeheer toegepas word. Hierdie studie het gefokus op bogenoemde metodieke soos deur DaimlerChrysler SA ontwikkel, met die doel om kennis en kundigheid te hergebruik, en sodoende koste en tyd te bespaar. Die studie het bevind dat die proses modellering metodiek soos deur DaimlerChrysler SA gebruik, omvattend was. Vergelykende met ander proses modellering metodieke soos in die Iiteratuur gevind, dek die metodiek soos deur DaimlerChrysler SA gebruik die meeste aspekte o.a. die fynste besonderhede van organisatoriese strukture en inligting strukture (data). Die DaimlerCbryslcr dokumentasie metodiek fokus sterk daarop om 'n verbintenis te bewerkstellig tussen proses en stelsel dokumentasie. Hierdie verbintenis is belangrik tydens die stelsel se onwikkelings kringloop, asook vir die doel van die hergebruik van die sagteware. Sodoende kan internasionale aanlegte wat die proses en stelsel dokumentasie wil gebruik as basis vir hul implementasies, maklik die vloei volg. Die dokumentasie vloei vanaf 'n hoë vlak proses en stelsel konsep na gedetailleerde proses beskrywings na stelsel spesifikasie dokumente en laastens rekenaar program name en konfigurasie verstellings wat benodig word vir die beoogde stelsel funksionaliteit. Daar is gevind dat die projek implementerings metodiek soos deur DaimlcrChrysler SA toegepas konvensionele projek bestuur beginsels volg, terwyl die metodiek verseker dat die proses en stelsel dokumentasie soos vereis deur die hergebruik benadering, op datum gehou word. DaimlerChrysler se benadering van die hergebruik van prosesse en stelsels is gegrond op die die gebruik van innovasie spanne in plaaslike organisasies, saam met 'n span wat die uitrol daarvan koordineer vanuit 'n sentrale oogpunt. Die benadering fokus ook op die ontwikkeling van sekere modulere komponente wat 100% hergebruik kan word. Daar is gevind dat die koppelvlakke tussen die leidende DaimlerChrysler stelsels uiters geskik is vir hierdie modulere benadering. Die Intemasionale Produksie Patroon as benadering het tot aansienlike koste besparings gelei. Tot op datum het elke implemenrasie 'n besparing getoon ten opsigte van die totale projek implementeringskoste in vergelyking met die vorige projek. Elke implementering is ook gcbruik as 'n geleentheid om die patroon verder te verbeter deur addisioncle funksionaliteit by te voeg en die omvang te vergroot. Hierdie studie het onweerlegbare bewyse gelewer dat stelsel en proses kennis op 'n effektiewe wyse hergebruik kan word, en wat sodoende kan lei tot beduidende koste en tyd besparings.

Thesis (MMil (Computer Information Systems))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / Since the 1940s, the evaluation of information systems has been the topic of many authors’ research. When taking into account the amount of resources invested in an organisation’s information systems, especially in the present fiscal conditions, then the evaluation of an information system’s success is imperative. Traditionally, monetarybased evaluation measures were used to evaluate the success of an information system, however, these types of measures were found to be inadequate in their attempt to measure the complexity of information systems successfully. Surrogate measures, such as the user’s satisfaction with the information system, were developed to replace monetary-based evaluation measures. These forms of measures are often perceptual by nature and usually encompass the different stakeholders involved in the information system.

Thesis (PhD (Industrial Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The crucial role of innovation in creating sustainable competitive advantage is widely recognised in industry today. Likewise, the importance of having the required information accessible to the right employees at the right time is well-appreciated. More specifically, the dependency of effective, efficient innovation processes on the availability of information has been pointed out in literature. A great challenge is countering the effects of the information overload phenomenon in organisations in order for employees to find the information appropriate to their needs without having to wade through excessively large quantities of information to do so. The initial stages of the innovation process, which are characterised by free association, semi-formal activities, conceptualisation, and experimentation, have already been identified as a key focus area for improving the effectiveness of the entire innovation process. The dependency on information during these early stages of the innovation process is especially high. Any organisation requires a strategy for innovation, a number of well-defined, implemented processes and measures to be able to innovate in an effective and efficient manner and to drive its innovation endeavours. In addition, the organisation requires certain enablers to support its innovation efforts which include certain core competencies, technologies and knowledge. Most importantly for this research, enablers are required to more effectively manage and utilise innovation-related information. Information residing inside and outside the boundaries of the organisation is required to feed the innovation process. The specific sources of such information are numerous. Such information may further be structured or unstructured in nature. However, an ever-increasing ratio of available innovation-related information is of the unstructured type. Examples include the textual content of reports, books, e-mail messages and web pages. This research explores the innovation landscape and typical sources of innovation-related information. In addition, it explores the landscape of text analytical approaches and techniques in search of ways to more effectively and efficiently deal with unstructured, textual information. A framework that can be used to provide a unified, dynamic view of an organisation‟s innovation-related information, both structured and unstructured, is presented. Once implemented, this framework will constitute an innovation-focused knowledge base that will organise and make accessible such innovation-related information to the stakeholders of the innovation process. Two novel, complementary text analytical techniques, Latent Dirichlet Allocation and the Concept-Topic Model, were identified for application with the framework. The potential value of these techniques as part of the information systems that would embody the framework is illustrated. The resulting knowledge base would cause a quantum leap in the accessibility of information and may significantly improve the way innovation is done and managed in the target organisation. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die belangrikheid van innovasie vir die daarstel van „n volhoubare mededingende voordeel word tans wyd erken in baie sektore van die bedryf. Ook die belangrikheid van die toeganklikmaking van relevante inligting aan werknemers op die geskikte tyd, word vandag terdeë besef. Die afhanklikheid van effektiewe, doeltreffende innovasieprosesse op die beskikbaarheid van inligting word deurlopend beklemtoon in die navorsingsliteratuur. „n Groot uitdaging tans is om die oorsake en impak van die inligtingsoorvloedverskynsel in ondernemings te bestry ten einde werknemers in staat te stel om inligting te vind wat voldoen aan hul behoeftes sonder om in die proses deur oormatige groot hoeveelhede inligting te sif. Die aanvanklike stappe van die innovasieproses, gekenmerk deur vrye assosiasie, semi-formele aktiwiteite, konseptualisering en eksperimentasie, is reeds geïdentifiseer as sleutelareas vir die verbetering van die effektiwiteit van die innovasieproses in sy geheel. Die afhanklikheid van hierdie deel van die innovasieproses op inligting is besonder hoog. Om op „n doeltreffende en optimale wyse te innoveer, benodig elke onderneming „n strategie vir innovasie sowel as „n aantal goed gedefinieerde, ontplooide prosesse en metingskriteria om die innovasieaktiwiteite van die onderneming te dryf. Bykomend benodig ondernemings sekere innovasie-ondersteuningsmeganismes wat bepaalde sleutelaanlegde, -tegnologiëe en kennis insluit. Kern tot hierdie navorsing, benodig organisasies ook ondersteuningsmeganismes om hul in staat te stel om meer doeltreffend innovasie-verwante inligting te bestuur en te gebruik. Inligting, gehuisves beide binne en buite die grense van die onderneming, word benodig om die innovasieproses te voer. Die bronne van sulke inligting is veeltallig en hierdie inligting mag gestruktureerd of ongestruktureerd van aard wees. „n Toenemende persentasie van innovasieverwante inligting is egter van die ongestruktureerde tipe, byvoorbeeld die inligting vervat in die tekstuele inhoud van verslae, boeke, e-posboodskappe en webbladsye. In hierdie navorsing word die innovasielandskap asook tipiese bronne van innovasie-verwante inligting verken. Verder word die landskap van teksanalitiese benaderings en -tegnieke ondersoek ten einde maniere te vind om meer doeltreffend en optimaal met ongestruktureerde, tekstuele inligting om te gaan. „n Raamwerk wat aangewend kan word om „n verenigde, dinamiese voorstelling van „n onderneming se innovasieverwante inligting, beide gestruktureerd en ongestruktureerd, te skep word voorgestel. Na afloop van implementasie sal hierdie raamwerk die innovasieverwante inligting van die onderneming organiseer en meer toeganklik maak vir die deelnemers van die innovasieproses. Daar word verslag gelewer oor die aanwending van twee nuwerwetse, komplementêre teksanalitiese tegnieke tot aanvulling van die raamwerk. Voorts word die potensiele waarde van hierdie tegnieke as deel van die inligtingstelsels wat die raamwerk realiseer, verder uitgewys en geillustreer.

published_or_final_version / History / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy