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Theses and dissertations (Accounting and Informatics)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://ir-dev.dut.ac.za/handle/10321/4

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Subject: search.filters.subject.Mobile computing

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    Adoption of mobile cloud computing by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in rural areas
    (2023-10) Cele, Noxolo Pretty; Govender, Mogiveny; Rajkoomar, Mogiveny
    This study was conducted in the rural areas of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) province of the Republic of South Africa. These rural areas includes uMbumbulu, Hlokozi, Eluphepheni, and KwaMakhutha. The main aim was to examine various factors that affect the adoption of Mobile Cloud Computing (MCC) by SMEs located in these areas. This study was motivated by benefits of MCC in various sectors around the world. This includes the provision of cloud-based services to users through the Internet and mobile devices. The current study is of the view that providing MCC to small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in rural areas can help them leverage cloud computing resources to improve their performance and delivery of services to customers. A quantitative research strategy was employed to obtain greater knowledge and understanding of the factors that affect the implementation of MCC by SMEs in the indicated rural areas, aiming to produce objective data that can be clearly communicated through statistics and numbers. The online survey was administered to owners, managers, employees and customers of these SMEs. The collected data was later analysed through Excel and the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. The results of this study reveal that, according to the customers’ point of view, SMEs in rural areas will be able to adopt MCC if there are adequate technological devices. The results suggest that relative advantage (RA), perceived security, perceived ease of use (PEU), and attitude are some of the factors that need to be considered for SMEs in rural areas to successfully adopt MCC. The findings also signal a strong correlation between perceived need, technological devices, compatibility, RA, complexity, trialability, and observability, when measured against MCC. In summary, the results indicate the importance of doing proper research before adopting cloud-based services in order to identify the need for MCC adoption. Significantly few respondents showed resistance or doubt regarding SMEs‘ adoption of MCC.
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    Using ICT for diarrhoea intervention in resource constrained environments : a case study of Narok County in Kenya
    (2019-11-10) Mutua, Abraham Matheka; Millham, Richard C.; Puckree, Threethambaal
    Diseases are the major causes of mortality worldwide with developing countries having the highest disease prevalence. Diarrhoea is one of the major diseases worldwide and especially in poor countries with its victims being mostly children below the age of five years. Diarrhoea is most prevalent in rural areas of poor countries which is due to poor awareness about the disease. Effective use of ICTs can greatly enhance health information dessimination and consequently improve disease awareness. The aim of this study was to reduce diarrhoea prevalence by raising awareness using suitable technologies in the context environment. The study was based in Narok County, one of the counties in Kenya with most of the people living in the rural areas. The county has high diarrhoea prevalence due to low levels of awareness which is attributed to use of ineffective strategies and technologies in dissemination of health information. A control and an experimental group from two similar sub-locations were identified for the study. Purpose sampling technique was used in data collection. The study was quantitative conducted in three parts concurrently. Part one was a retrospective chart review of dispensary records of children under the age of five years who suffered from diarrhoea. Part two consisted of a pre-test post-test experimental study of 175 mothers with children below the age of five years from each group.The experimental study was a diarrhoea intervention through awareness on children below the age of five years through their mothers who are the caregivers. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data during this phase. Part three conducted concurrently with parts one and two was a cross sectional survey on community health volunteers. The study established that the previously used strategies and technologies had failed because they were not suitable for the area. Mobile phones were identified as the most pervasive and preferred technology in the area for diarrhoea information dissemination. A mobile phone-based system was developed and used in diarrhoea intervention through awareness. Diarrhoea education voice messages were sent through the system to the mothers in the experimental group for three months but not to the control group. The system was unique in that it used mobile phones, which is the most pervasive technology in the area, the messages were in voice and in the Maasai language which is the local language. This allowed the illiterate to benefit from the intervention. The system allowed interaction between the participants and the system and the system allowed participants in emergency situations to contact a health worker. The intervention caused an improvement in diarrhoea awareness in the experimental group from 42.69% to 87.10% which was significant (effect size= 0.81) but there was no significant change in the control group (p>0.999). On diarrhoea prevention practices, there was a significant improvement from 36.9% to 73.0% in the experimental group (effect size=0.643) however there was no significant change in the control group (p=0.526). Diarrhoea prevalence significantly reduced from 28% to 19.6% in the experimental group (p=0.002) but there was no significant change in the control group (p=0.557). Using the data collected during the study, a diarrhoea intervention framework for resource constrained environments that integrates use of suitable technology in the context environment in diarrhoea intervention was developed. The framework addresses diarrhoea intervention from the awareness point of view because high diarrhoea prevalence is associated to low diarrhoea awareness. The framework can also be adopted in interventions of other diseases that can be prevented by creating awareness. The study concluded that when the right technology for the context environment is used to raise diarrhoea awareness, the awareness increases which leads to improved diarrhoea prevention practices and consequently to reduced diarrhoea prevalence.
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    A framework to lower maternal mortality and morbidity rates in Kenya using mobile technology
    (2019-11-15) Mukami, Victoria; Millham, Richard; Puckree, Threethambaal
    Background. Maternal health represents an area of significant concern in the world. With various innovations in healthcare, maternal mortality rates are decreasing exponentially. However, this is not the situation in developing countries, specifically Kenya. Several causes of maternal mortality exist; however, it is noted that one of the key causes is due to a lack of information by pregnant women. Traditional strategies such as free maternal health care at public hospitals have been in place to improve overall pregnancy outcomes. While this is aimed at a reduction in maternal mortalities, it has not been as effective in Kenya. Non-conventional strategies are needed to improve maternal health outcomes and reduce maternal mortality. Information Communication Technology (ICT) is one of the areas that has been proven successful in reducing maternal mortality. Aim. The aim of the research was to create an ICT framework that aided in educating pregnant women using an mHealth dissemination tool and thus reduce complications that led to mortalities within Kajiado North Constituency. Methods. The study utilized a sequential mixed-method design. Phase one consisted of a retrospective chart review and a cross-sectional survey on nurses and pregnant women. The first phase focused on understanding the maternal mortality rates within Kajiado North and to determine procedures pregnant women and nurses took during pregnancy. The retrospective chart review was conducted for a period of six months at two health facilities, the Ongata Health Centre (OHC) and Ngong Sub District hospital (NSD). The cross-sectional survey interrogated the mitigation strategies with a focus on information and communication technologies (ICT). Phase two was a prospective multi-location randomized clinical trial (RCT). A two-arm, two-site RCT was conducted using an intervention in the form of an ICT prototype with messages aimed at educating the pregnant participants. The trial was conducted at two public health facilities namely the Ongata Health Center and the Ngong Sub District. A total of 211 pregnant women were recruited from both locations after they had met the inclusion and exclusion criteria and after providing consent to participate in the study. During the RCT, an intervention was developed using the Design Science Research Methodology (DSRM) and was used to send messages to participants within the intervention arm. The DSRM approach allowed for two iterations to be created, with one iteration being tested during the pilot test and the other during the RCT. Pregnant participants within the intervention groups received messages on their mobile phones about well-being during pregnancy. Women in the control group continued to receive their established standard of care. Both groups completed a post-test survey at the end of the trial. Data were analysed using ANOVA with the probability set at p≤0.05%. The relationship between the number of antenatal visits and the place of delivery on the complication rate was shown using the correlation coefficient. Additionally, a multiple regression model was generated based on the antenatal visits, place of delivery and the study arms and their impact on the complications. Results. Data from phase one of the study showed a need for a messaging system to send messages to pregnant women. The retrospective data showed no maternal mortalities, however, the nurse survey highlighted possible explanations for the lack of mortalities. From the RCT, there were no known maternal mortalities. There were three neonatal mortalities (p=0.154), one from the OHC intervention group and two from the OHC control group. The ANC visits relationship towards the complication rate was calculated. At the NSD site, the effect size of the ANC visits based on the participants' study arm toward the complication rate was low (0.027) and statistically insignificant (p=0.15). At the OHC site, the effect size was moderate (0.405) and statistically significant (p=0.003) for the ANC visits variable. The place of delivery relationship towards the complication rate was calculated. At the NSD site, the effect size of the place of delivery based on the participants' study arm toward the complication rate was moderate (0.366) but statistically insignificant (p=0.479). At the OHC site, the effect size of the variables was low (0.237) and statistically insignificant (p=0.789). The stepwise regression model at the OHC site showed significance when ANC visits (p=0.007), place of delivery (p=0.003) and participants study arm (p=0.008) were sequentially entered. The multiple variables (R=0.516) Only had a medium effect size (0.266) toward the complication rate. The stepwise regression model at the NSD site was statistically insignificant when the place of delivery (p=0.283), participants study arm (p=0.445) and ANC visits (p=0.655) were sequentially entered. The multiple variables (R=0.217) had a small effect size (0.047) toward the complication rate. Conclusion: Qualitative findings revealed that maternal health was affected adversely by several lengthy health worker strikes. Negligence on part of the health worker was a lead contributor to neonatal deaths. The study also found that accountability systems for referrals were lacking within the county and measures needed to be put in place to mitigate the consequences. In addition, feedback from the study participants indicated that the messages had aided in helping them to take necessary action based on complications and warning symptoms. Based on the data, the study finally proposed a framework that would allow for a reduction of maternal and neonatal mortality rates using ICT technologies. The study equally contributed to knowledge when using technology to empower women on maternal health matters as well as areas of maternal health practice that need improvement