Faculty of Accounting and Informatics

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The adoption of digital administrative systems and practices at Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Wildlife
(2023-07-25) Ndlovu, Philisiwe Yvonne; Dongwe, Khethiwe; Parbanath, Steven
This study examines adoption and usage of digital administrative systems and practices at Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife (EKZNW) in order to suggest strategies for better utilisation of digital administrative systems and practices at Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife. This study will therefore attempt to improve focus on the administrative employees’ adoption and usage of implemented digital systems and practices, to improve organisational productivity. The researcher adopted a quantitative approach using online survey to collect data. Data were analysed using a Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25.0. Target respondents were 160 administrative employees at Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, as they are directly involved in the adoption and usage of digital administrative systems and practices. The researcher adopted a census of all 160 administrative employees in order to achieve the objectives of the study. This study revealed that even though the digital administrative systems at Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife are adopted to a certain extent. Employees do not wholly adopt them. They mainly prioritise those systems related to their personal information, followed by those related to communicating and conducting meetings. Off concern, is the lack of training provided to employees as one of the factors inhibiting the adoption of digital administrative systems and practices. The study concludes that, it is highly critical that there is more focus placed on the adoption of digital administrative systems and practices. Furthermore, attention should be paid to factors of organisational and individual influence, that have been found in the study to impede the adoption of digital administrative systems and practices aimed at enhancing the productivity and efficiency in the administrative operations at Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife. This study argues that management needs to enhance communication to employees regarding the purpose and benefits of the digital administrative systems and practices to be used and adopted. In addition, management at Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife should prioritise investing in connectivity, as it plays a crucial role in the adoption and usage of digital administrative systems and practices. It is further recommended that management should ensure that the information related to digital administrative systems and practices is easily accessible on the EKZNW website. This will help boost employee productivity and quality customer satisfaction post Covid-19 pandemic.
Advantages and disadvantages of eLearning in primary and secondary schools in the context of developing countries
(2015) Temitope, Obafemi Samson; Eyono Obono, Seraphin Desire
Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are ubiquitous nowadays, and there are many situations where they are overall perceived either as advantageous or as disadvantageous; but there are other situations where it is unknown whether they are overall advantageous or disadvantageous. For example, ICTs are perceived as advantageous for communication, but texting during driving is perceived as worse than drinking while driving. Concerning for example eLearning which is the use of ICTs in education, the fact that it has not yet eliminated the problem of poor academic performance raises the question as to whether ICTs are advantageous or not in education especially when one considers their high cost. Therefore, the aim of this study is to examine the perceptions of educators on the advantages and disadvantages of eLearning. This aim will be subdivided into three types of research objectives: (a) to select from existing literature suitable theories that can be applied to the examination of educators’ perceptions on the advantages and disadvantages of eLearning; (b) to design a model of the factors affecting educators’ perceptions on the advantages and disadvantages of eLearning; (c) to empirically test the above announced model; (d) to propose recommendations on how to optimize the impact of eLearning. Objectives a, b, and d were accomplished through the review of existing appropriate literature on teaching and learning, and on eLearning; but objective c was met through a survey of 65 educators of Camperdown town schools in the Pinetown district of KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. The outcomes of these four objectives are as follows: (a) Constructivism, Progressivism, and Self-regulated learning can be used as suitable theories applicable to the examination of educators perceptions on the advantages and disadvantages of eLearning; (b) It makes sense to hypothesize that educators perceptions on the advantages and disadvantages of eLearning are affected by their demographics and by their adherence to learning theories; (c) Empirical test conducted by this study confirm that educators perceptions on the advantages and disadvantages of eLearning are affected by their adherence to constructivism and to progressivism; (d) It can be concluded that the impact of the use of ICTs on teaching and learning will be optimized through the deployment of constructivist and progressivist educators as champions of eLearning projects in schools.
African women entrepreneurs and COVID-19 : towards achieving the African Union Agenda 2063
(AOSIS, 2022-01-01) Anwana, Emem O.; Aroba, Oluwasegun Julius
Research on the challenges facing African women entrepreneurship and the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is scant. This article explored the challenges and the impact of COVID-19 on African women-owned businesses and the effect thereof on the 17th goal of the African Union (AU) Agenda 2063. African women entrepreneurs experience many social inequalities, ranging from cultural norms to family to legal and regulatory measures to accessing finance. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these challenges as many African women entrepreneurs have been forced out of business because of measures taken by African governments to halt the spread of the disease. The article reviewed current literature on African women entrepreneurs and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic using two databases and is based on a total of 104 published articles. The article provided a foundation for post-COVID-19 policy directives in Africa. The authors recommend measures to mitigate these challenges and discuss strategies for policymakers to re-position African women entrepreneurs for the post-COVID-19 era towards achieving AU Agenda 2063 and realising the Africa we all want. Contribution: The study aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of ending poverty in Africa and the AU Agenda 2063 goal of achieving gender equality and empowerment of all women and girls to achieve the Africa we all want.
Agency in translating Une Vie de Boy into English: Exploring translator identity and translation strategies
(OJS, 2014) Awung, Felix Nkwatta
Recent research in translation studies has underscored the role of translators as agents. This implies that a translator is not just a neutral conduit of a message from one language to another, but someone who is very much involved in the power interplay that determines the decision making leading to the translation product. It is within this context that this paper seeks to analyse the concept of ‘agency’ in translation, with specific focus on African literature in European languages. It is worth mentioning that while this type of literature has been the subject of much research, less attention has been given to it in terms of translation. Focusing on a translation by the late John Reed of Ferdinand Oyono’s Une Vie de Boy, this paper seeks to show how an understanding of the identity of the translator can lead to an appreciation of his/her translation strategies. It should be noted that translating African culture from one European language to another can be quite a challenging task – especially if the culture is foreign to the translator – due to the fact that cultural value systems are difficult to grasp as they are intricately woven into the texture of the native languages (Bandia 2008). Such a task is even more intriguing since the original text is in itself a form of translation, initially conceived in the African language of the author before being rendered into a European language. In this case, the agency role of the translator would therefore be more significant given that s/he is dealing with a peculiar source text that is different from most source texts which are translated between relatively close or non-distant cultures. Through an ethnographic study involving an exploration of the context of the translation production, as well as an interview with Reed, this paper posits that the translator’s socio-cultural background tends to influence the nature and extent of his/her intervention in the translation process. This will contribute in shifting the focus of translation assessment from solely the end product to an inclusion of the translator’s identity.
Analysing the empowerment of women leadership : a case of the Durban University of Technology
(2016) Ngcobo, Akhona Denisia; Ngwane, Knowledge Siyabonga Vusamandla
The purpose of the study was to explore the empowerment of women leadership, focusing on the Durban University of Technology. Statistics around the world have highlighted that women are under-represented in decision-making positions, with a specific focus on the academic sector; this study aims to review these statistics and establish which barriers prevent females from progressing to leadership positions. The target population was comprised of staff members from the Durban University of Technology and ranged from leadership, management, and lecturing, to entry-level employees. The technique of probability sampling was chosen in this research, with a sample size of 100 participants drawn from the population. Questionnaires were designed with both closed-ended and some open-ended questions, and were personally administered to all campuses of the Durban University of Technology, namely Ritson Campus, Steve Biko Campus, ML Sultan Campus, City Campus, Indumiso Campus and Riverside Campus. This study revealed that, although women are still under-represented in Higher Education, there are efforts being made to bridge this gap. This study found female leaders more productive than male counterparts at the Durban University and are able to run their department smoothly and efficiently. The study also found that there are internal respondents agreed that there are hidden difficulties in their department that women face and prevent them from moving into higher positions. Additionally, the study found that there are programs at the Durban University that empower women into leadership. This study contributes to knowledge of gender-based leadership and female empowerment into leadership positions, in the higher education sector.
Analysing the preparedness of Office Management & Technology graduates for multitasking in the workplace
(2018) Kubheka, Phumelele Precious; Skinner, Jane Phyllida
A number of studies have been conducted in relation to the preparedness of students for the workplace and particularly the role of Work Integrated Learning (WIL) in this preparation. However, fewer have specifically investigated the Office Management and Technology (OMT) student’s preparedness for multitasking in the workplace, and none have been found to investigate this within a South African University of Technology. The literature indicates that there are major causes for the increased use of multitasking1 in the business workplace: the nature of work, working environment and skills required from employees by organisations have now developed and expanded. The office administrator in today’s electronic office has to cope with a wide variety of electronic devices which often need to be used simultaneously and their work covers many more skills than were required in the past. Students with Office Management and Technology qualifications are now employed as office administrators, senior secretaries, and even as assistant managers. They are expected to have the ability to execute all duties that are within their job description and sometimes beyond their job description, and to be able to handle them within a limited time. Administrators who have multitasking skills are therefore preferred by employers and the literature shows that the multitasking skill is regarded as one of the most sought-after skills in the workplace. The purpose of this case study was therefore to investigate the preparedness of Office Management and Technology students for multitasking in the workplace. To achieve a complete analysis the study used a mixed methods approach involving three questionnaires with both closed and open-ended questions, administered to 3rd year students who have had WIL experience; B Tech students /recent employees to provide Multitasking has been defined as the ability to undertake competently more than one task at the same time and multitasking success as ‘the ability to draw on a wide range of cognitive functions when acting to achieve multiple goals’ (Peterson, 2014:22). ii a different perspective of experience gained; as well as WIL Supervisors who have supervised OMT students while on WIL. Analysis of data revealed that students require additional knowledge before they go on WIL training to prepare them for multitasking, with a better understanding of the office environment. The study concluded that a curriculum upgrade is required involving increased use of practicals at undergraduate level, and that the universities need to work more closely with companies to determine what skills they require from Office Management and Technology students when they reach employment. The study recommends that the identified gaps should be addressed in order to improve students’ knowledge and to upgrade their skills in multitasking and in time management in order to improve their performance in the workplace.
The applicability of accounting information systems for the Financial Accounting curriculum in the Fourth Industrial Revolution era : a case study at the Durban University of Technology (DUT)
(2022-12-01) Cele, Welcome; Bhana, Anrusha; Malti, Walter
Accounting technologies must be prioritised by South African higher education institutions (SAHEIs) to best prepare accounting students for the job market. This study explores students’ perceptions of the applicability of accounting information systems (accounting software packages) in the teaching and learning of financial accounting in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), at the Durban University of Technology. The research objectives focused on the students’ awareness, knowledge, usage and perceptions of accounting software packages. Additionally, the research objectives examined the students’ knowledge of the 4IR. The research used the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as the theoretical framework for the study. This was a census study that used a quantitative approach. A survey with closed-ended questions was used. A pilot study was carried out before the research questionnaire was distributed. The questionnaire was the primary data collection tool and it was distributed to Financial Accounting 3 students enrolled for the Diploma in Accounting at the Durban University of Technology (DUT), Ritson Campus, in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. The study found that a significant proportion of the students had never heard of the accounting software packages or had heard of them but knew nothing or only a little about them. According to the data analysis, the average use of accounting software packages for learning financial accounting is significantly low. The findings showed that students are not competent in using accounting software packages. Data collected also revealed that students have positive perceptions of accounting software packages and a significant number of students perceived accounting software packages as important to their financial accounting learning. The study found that a significant number of students understand what the 4IR is. The financial accounting curriculum has long been criticised for not keeping up with industry standards. Several recommendations have been made to improve students’ awareness, knowledge and use of accounting software packages, as well as their understanding of the 4IR. Furthermore, the research contributes to the existing body of knowledge on the use of technology in financial accounting teaching and learning, as well as the impact of the 4IR on accounting.
The application of real options as an enhancement to the net present value technique : a case of the financial services sector
(2022-07-20) Fitzgerald, Kyle Clifton; Marimuthu, Ferina
There has been an incredible transformation in the capital budgeting literature over the past fifty years. Traditional methods, such as Net Present Value (NPV), are at best arbitrary decision-making tools, causing many uncertainties throughout the project lifespan. A major concern is that traditional investment models such as NPV do not adequately evaluate investments under uncertainty, so they cannot integrate managerial flexibility into decision-making. On the other hand, real option analysis draws on the traditional NPV technique and creates a broader range of investment alternatives, allowing management to effectively account for these uncertainties. This study examined the perceptions of financial planners on the application of real options as an enhancement to the NPV technique in the Durban financial services sector. This study focused on a quantitative research design and used questionnaires to gather primary data. The target population of this study was 286 certified financial planners from Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. Data analysis comprised both descriptive and inferential statistics, allowing the researcher to draw conclusions about the target population and suggesting ideas for future research. The results of this study concluded that NPV is insufficient as a standalone capital budgeting technique and that the usage of real options within the NPV framework enhances decision-making in investments when uncertainty is present. The results of the study also indicated that some of the financial planners who participated were unfamiliar with or had limited knowledge of real options, which prevented them from applying these judiciously. It is therefore recommended that these participants enrol in a professional development program on this subject to increase their knowledge and competence in dealing with real options appropriately in financial and investment decision-making. The study used certified financial planners from Durban's central business district, who are part of the country's financial services sector. To make the results generalisable in the context of South Africa, future studies should explore the same topic using certified financial planners from other cities.
Bridging the digital divide with changing information literacy methods in post-apartheid South Africa
(Springer International Publishing, 2013) Naidoo, Segarani; Omarsaib, Mousin
This paper reports on a study done at the Durban University of Technology (DUT). The aim of the study was to identify innovative teaching and learning methods that would accommodate the diverse student population in the IL classroom and to recommend guidelines for teaching and learning of IL. The digital divide is defined as the gap or divide between those with access to and skills in information and communication technologies (ICTs) and those without such access or skills. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used. Self-administered questionnaires were administered to 227 students from the Faculty of Health who were engaged in the IL module, Subject Librarians (SL) teaching IL and the Co-ordinator of the IL module from the Centre of Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT) at the Durban University of Technology were interviewed. The findings of this study could be applied globally.
Can training in employability skills help adolescent girls and young women in South Africa increase their employment opportunities?
(2023-04-15) Mvunabandi, Jean Damascene; Mkhize, Msizi; Marimuthu, Ferina; Gadzikwa, Lawrence
This article investigated how employability skills training can be used to foster adolescent girls and young women's employment opportunities and to improve their employment pathways in South Africa. This study adopted quantitative and descriptive research approaches via longitudinal data collection. Secondary data was collected from 3584 AGYWs using a questionnaire survey during employability training from July-October 2021. Robustness analysis was performed using descriptive statistics using SPSS version 28.0. The empirical findings proved that employability skills training significantly improved the capabilities of adolescent girls and young women on labour market assessments. Relying on these empirical findings, this study proposes a framework for linking AGYWs and the labour market through an employability skills training capability-based conceptualised model. The results of this study will fill a gap in understanding the twelve dominant employability skills variables identified by this research study which has justified with most relevant literature and theories in particular. This study contributes to the current body of knowledge and further contributes to the career development and employability among adolescent girls and young women required to cope with the labour markets in South Africa. The study recommends schools, Universities and other key role players in skills development among employability skills guidelines for ensuring the readiness of young graduates for employment opportunities in South Africa.
Challenges impeding women into leadership roles in a student-led organization at the South African higher education institution
(Business Perspectives, 2021-12) Jali, Nokwanda; Suknunan, Sachin; Bhana, Anrusha
The study shows that a patriarchal society where women are still in the minority when it comes to leadership positions is still dominating. A few studies are exploring the role of women in leadership in government and industry, and very little focus is paid on higher education institutions and more especially – from a female leadership perspective. Therefore, this paper aims to determine the factors that hindered female students from attaining leadership positions and simultaneously make recommendations to create more leadership opportunities in a nationally recognized student-led organization known as the Student Representative Council at a large public South African higher education institution – the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The target population was 16 female leaders who served in the University’s Student Representative Council from 2019 to 2020 of which 13 had responded. A qualitative approach was followed and interviews were conducted. The study employed inductive qualitative thematic analysis using NVIVO 12. Findings revealed that the Student Representative Council structure at the university was patriarchal with little commitment to gender equality. Males outnumbered women in leadership roles. Portfolios assigned to women were mainly administrative rather than leadership. Females were subjected to stereotypical behavior. The study recommended ways to promote female student leadership whereby policy and constitution change is required to facilitate gender equality and the implementation of quotas. Women should be empowered to enhance their leadership skills via effective leadership development programs specifically designed for females to address the leadership gap between males and females.
Community development through information communication technologies in Ward three of Durban metro
(2004) Majola, Pretty L.
This topic was initiated because of love of community development and information communication application by the researcher. It was further strengthened by taking part during the International Wowen University (Ifu) practice in 2000. The main theme of the study was Information Age. Ifu is well known as the virtual university, which is based in Germany at the University of Hamburg. The researcher, together with eight other women from different countries, designed and developed a model for community development by using ICTs. The model can be used as a basic guide for similar projects. The work, therefore in this thesis is based on personal experiences shared experiences, and research as well as by reading others experiences. This study provides ideas for potential community development by using Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) in rural areas with special reference to Ward Three of Durban Metro. The results of the study confirmed the saying “If you can’t beat them join them”. This study reported on research conducted in two different rural areas known as Bamshela and Ward Three. The results from the first area Bamshela, illustrated the way forward for Ward Three. Since the ICTs center exists in Bamshela the author received more information about the centre’s utilisation than its establishment. The focus on the second area emphasises the necessity, awareness and participation in community development. The three specifics focuses on whether there is a need for the ICTs centre for community development. Further more the study focused on areas where ICTs played prominent roles, such as in policy making, education, globalisation, ICTs, community development and participation of community members in community development projects.
Compactness in superpixel segmentation of digital images using perceptual colour difference measure
(2021-12-14) Moodley, Sadhasivan Govindasamy; Olugbara, Oludayo O.; Adeliyi, Timothy Temitope
Digital image segmentation is a thrilling but challenging open problem that has been well researched in the fields of computer vision, and image processing. It has many practical applications like biometric identification, ship detection, building extraction, road marking recognition, deoxyribonucleic acid matching, welding inspection, pedestrian re-identification, object tracking, image editing, pest monitoring, and shopping items recommendation. In recent years, image segmentation has come to rely heavily on superpixel methods to circumvent the computational complexity inherent in pixel processing. The superpixel approach is generally used to group similar pixels into a semantic cluster of fewer pixels to increase the processing speed and simplify computational intricacy. However, the reliance on the existing superpixel based segmentation methods on the Euclidean distance metric as a measure of similarity between two pixels in an image presents an inherent challenge. The Euclidean distance has a real-world advantage because of its assumption of non-uniformity that most image colour distributions generally follow. This assumption states that real data will occupy a small clustered subset of the entire space, but not necessarily distributed evenly in a higherdimensional space. However, since it cannot deal with illumination change in images, it is limited in compactly measuring similarity in the context of an application that complies with the human perception of similarity. The human eyes can recognise similar or irrelevant image colours under the illumination change for which the Euclidean distance does not perform well. This study aimed to investigate the performance of an attribute concurrence influence distance metric on image compactness in a superpixel segmentation algorithm. It is hypothesized that superpixel segmentation based on attribute cooccurrence similarity measure is likely to achieve better results than Euclidean distance in terms of the performance metrics of under segmentation error, achievable segmentation accuracy, compactness, boundary recall, and contour density. Superpixel segmentation experiments were performed using two widely used colour models which are hue, saturation, value (HSV), and lightness, redness, yellowness (LAB) with the strong attribute concurrence influence distance (SAID) and Euclidean distance in a superpixel segmentation algorithm. The results presented for the LAB colour model showed that SAID outperformed the Euclidean distance for images reflecting overlapping and complex objects with regular compactness. However, the Euclidean distance performed better than the SAID for images with multiple, centre, and low contrast objects with regular compactness across the under segmentation error, achievable segmentation accuracy, boundary recall and contour density performance evaluation metrics. Consequently, for irregular compactness, SAID further outperformed the Euclidean distance for images with overlapping, complex, multiple, Centred and low contrast objects for boundary recall. However, the Euclidean distance performed better than SAID for under segmentation error, achievable segmentation accuracy, and contour density. Furthermore, the compactness performance for SAID and Euclidean distance gave the same compactness value for both regular and irregular compactness. Consequently, based on the analysis of the results for the HSV colour model, it was observed that performances of SAID and Euclidean with regular compactness were at par across all the performance metrics used for images with overlapping, complex, multiple, centre, and low contrast objects. However, the Euclidean distance outperformed SAID with irregular compactness for images with overlapping, complex, multiple, centre, and low contrast objects.
Continuing Professional Development opportunities in Information and Communication Technology for academic librarians at the Durban University of Technology
(Stellenbosch University, 2018) Moonasar, Anushie; Underwood, Peter G.
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is a vital tool for maintaining the skills and expertise of staff, especially with regard to the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). There is little information available about the involvement of librarians in South Africa with CPD: this study focused on academic librarians at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) Library, seeking their attitudes towards CPD and its provision. It employed a qualitative approach in its research design. Questionnaires were utilised to collect information from twenty-five academic librarians. Follow-up interviews were conducted with five respondents. The overall study indicated that, although the respondents were aware of the importance of CPD and the impact of ICT on library resources and services, not all of them kept abreast of CPD activities within their field. The respondents believed that the institutions and the professional body, the Library and Information Association of South Africa (LIASA), should work together to encourage and promote CPD activities. By encouraging CPD activities within the Library and Information Science (LIS) sector, the quality of librarianship and service delivery within the LIS would improve. Half of the respondents agreed about the importance of CPD becoming compulsory within the LIS profession and 55% of respondents considered that LIASA had a potentially important role to play in promoting CPD. However, in separate interviews, several respondents expressed doubt about the capacity of LIASA to fulfil this role.
Determining and developing appropriate methods for requirements verification and modelling of telecentre operational monitoring in a developing country
(2017) Pancham, Jeebodh; Millham, Richard C.
Telecentres are a means of allowing members of disadvantaged communities access to information and communication technologies (ICTs) so that they are included in the digital world. Thorough literature searches, along with communication with the Uni-versal Service Access Agency of South Africa (USAASA) indicated that there was no common operational monitoring model for Telecentres. The lack of such a model re-sulted in a lack of real time user and usage profile information to provide strategic business insights for managers. To obtain the requirements for this model, different stakeholders of South African Telecentres were consulted, and these consultations were supplemented by research studies based on international Telecentres. After a detailed evaluation of the different research methodologies, positivism and re-ductionism were selected as the most appropriate conceptual frameworks for the re-search. The research design included both quantitative and qualitative research meth-ods. Requirements engineering was used to provide a number of different methods for verification and modelling. The UML methodology was used to represent the TeleMun monitoring model. A specific UML diagram, the activity diagram, was used to validate the phase consistency of the TeleMun model using the semiformal tool of VeriScene. The choice of methods depended on several factors, for example, the problem domain, and the nature of the solution required, amongst others. Design science methodology was selected as an overarching methodology to encompass the full process from re-quirements to the final design and reporting phases. This methodology was used both in the design of the model and in the design of VeriScene. (The literature review had revealed that there was a gap concerning appropriate phase consistency tools to ensure consistency between the requirements and design phases. To address this gap, a tool ‘VeriScene’ was developed to provide this consistency). In order to analyse these re-quirements, a combination of different appropriate methods was selected, providing the design strength associated with triangulation. These requirements engineering methods were applied to derive the TeleMun model. Thus the monitoring model, TeleMun, was developed, verified and partially validated using several requirements engineering methods. The model is designed at a high level and therefore can be modified to suit other local and international Telecentre opera-tions.
Developing a cloud based Internet of Things (IoT) greenhouse monitoring system
(2021) Mpangele, Patiswa Chwayita; Mtshali, P.; Singh, Alveen
The introduction of the greenhouse reduces the negative impact of difficult to control outdoor factors on crop production. The greenhouses offer a better environment in which to grow high quality agricultural products in large quantities, but in a small surface area. Factors including temperature, humidity and soil moisture each have a different impact on the quality of the crop. These factors contribute to how crops develop either directly or indirectly. Poor environmental conditions can damage crops or increase the likelihood of crop diseases. Hence, this study set out to develop a greenhouse monitoring system to assist farmers to monitor soil moisture, humidity and temperature. Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud-computing are the major components underlying the monitoring system. The reviewed literature reveals that there are minimal studies that have been conducted for the convergence of cloud computing and IoT in agriculture, particularly in greenhouse farming. Despite the researcher’s best efforts, literature revealed very few studies that have successfully implemented these emerging technologies in innovative ways in the sector of agriculture. Studies are even sparser in relation to greenhouse applications. This study aimed to develop a cloud-based Internet of Things (IoT) greenhouse monitoring system that is cost effective and easily accessible and provides unlimited data storage to farmers for analysis. This aim is achieved by three key objectives, that is: by critically reviewing existing literature of IT based greenhouse monitoring systems supporting crop production; by developing a wireless cloud-based IoT greenhouse monitoring system; and by evaluating the performance of the developed system. The design science research methodology (DSRM) is applied as an overall methodology to conduct this study. DSRM is a popular methodology when research aims to develop innovative artefacts. This instance of DSRM followed five steps: awareness; suggestion; development; evaluation; and conclusion to design and implement and evaluate the artefact. DSRM allowed for a robust development process which promoted higher quality in monitoring the three main factors of the greenhouse environment, which are temperature, humidity and soil moisture. The results of the evaluation of the developed system indicates an efficient, cost- effective and easy to access monitoring system for three key environmental factors, namely, temperature, humidity, and soil moisture.
Developing a framework for business analysis of public eservice systems
(2020-12-02) Naicker, Shivani; Singh, Alveen
The emergence of the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) digital era is relentlessly morphing habits of social interaction and conducting business. Organizations within the multitude of sectors which constitute a nation’s economic engine are forced to respond to this evolution. Governments the world over are under constant pressure to improve the efficiency and overall effectiveness of the means by which services are delivered to citizens. Public eservice is an interactive internet based service provided by Government to their citizens. Some of these services include viewing and payment of utility bills, application for new services such as, water and electricity, renewal of motor vehicle licences, supplier registrations, submission of tenders, reporting of faults and viewing of buildings plans. As Government gears up to heed the call for growing service delivery demands against the backdrop of 4IR, there has been a marked accelerated effort in the implementation of several information and communication technology (ICT) based constituent service delivery systems. In crafting and optimizing such systems, business analysis is a crucial early stage. Literature portrays largely ineffective business analysis as a major contributing factor to the alarming high failure rate of modern day public eservices systems. Compounding the above is a lack of widely accepted practice guidelines and a scarcity of robust academic literature supporting business analysis in the public eservices domain. This dissertation is driven by the primary aim of the development of a business analysis framework specifically for public eservice projects. Following a critical analysis of literature, a set of components are distilled to form a theoretical framework of practice guidelines. The components derive from knowledge areas deemed critical for business analysis and present essential tasks, tools and techniques for Business Analysts plying their expertise in public eservices projects. The Design Science methodological approach further hones the framework after an iterative process of feedback and adjustment. A handful of Business Analysts are purposively selected for focus group participation and serve as change agents in the Design Science cycle. The Design Science cycle evolved the business analysis framework to an eventual seven components namely, Project Committee, Business Analysis Plan, Requirements Analysis, Business Collaboration, Requirements Changes, Solution and BA Review. The ADVIAN classification method provides an analytical tool for identifying the relationships between these components and the components that are vital for the effectiveness of the framework. The impact of change to one component on the other components is highlighted and this analysis confirms the robustness of the inclusion of components in the eventual framework. Further, the results of the ADVIAN analysis provides foresight into the impact of changes made to the framework when tailoring to a specific project. This will be of value to project teams wanting to utilize the framework across eservice projects. The use of ADVIAN shows the impacts of changes to the components of the framework when components are altered. It shows the impact of each component on the other. By understanding the current challenges faced by public eservices, it is hoped that the developed framework will offer a contribution to the gap in the business analysis domain with particular focus on the public eservice systems.
The development of a framework for the successful implementation of curriculum renewal : a case study of the office management and technology (OMT) programme
(2018) Moodley, Egashnee; Rajkoomar, Mogiveny
South Africa’s tertiary education institutions main goal is to train, educate, deliver high level professional and occupational skills, research and innovation required for development and economic growth for South Africa (Timm, Govender and Gonsalves 2016). To develop the manpower required for the advancement of South Africa’s economic development, tertiary institutions need to align their programme with the needs of social, economic and technology developments locally, nationally and globally. In an attempt to enhance the aligning needs of the industry and international education standards towards education, universities had started to accredit and renew their programme curricular. However, some researchers have identified that even though curriculum renewal of a programme had brought about some advantages for academics and students, there was many disadvantages as well (Bird et al. 2015: 19). Wormley (2004: 329) has identified that if there are many challenges, negative perceptions and lack of benefits because of a poorly planned framework for curriculum renewal of a programme. Ultimately it leads to the unsuccessful implementation of curriculum renewal. The aim of the study is to explore the curriculum renewal process amongst academics and students of the Office Management and Technology programme at Durban University of Technology to develop a framework for future successful implementation of the curriculum implementation process. As this case study will provide new insights into the perceptions and experiences of those most closely affected, that is the academic staff, the curriculum champion and students of the university involved in the curriculum renewal process, thereby assisting other departments or programmes embarking on a curriculum renewal process A qualitative methodology was employed for this study. Whereby semi-structured interviews were conducted with OMT academics, the OMT curriculum champion, representative from the Centre for Quality Promotion and Assurance (CQPA), and Academic Development Practioner (ADP) for the Faculty of Accounting and Informatics (FAI). Focus group discussion with OMT students was held to obtain the students’ perspectives on the curriculum renewal process of the OMT programme. The study revealed that the main barrier for academics implementing the curriculum renewal process and renewed curriculum lagged due to the lack of resources available to the department, lack of tutors for students, lack of student involvement in the advisory board for stakeholders, as well as lack of curriculum expert’s in department as the main factors that hinder the curriculum renewal process of a programme. On the other hand, the students revealed that the ‘’Blackboard, ThinkLearnZone’’ application notification system needs to be improved as most students do not own smartphones to access the internet. Moreover, students suggested that the academics should conduct more practical activities during the lecture period. Interestingly, students also suggested that lecturers begin to record lectures via the Podcast application which always them to download and learn. The recommendation highlights that students representatives from each level enrolled into the programme should form part of the advisory board for the curriculum renewal process and review, there should be a professional student body from the department, who must be given an equal opportunity to participate in the process discussion. Moreover, to resolve the lack of funds to purchase textbooks and resources, the researcher recommends that the OMT department should start using their own resources from the department and start creating revenue for the department.
Development of a frugal crop planning decision support system for subsistence farmers
(2016-12) Friedland, Adam; Olugbara, Oludayo O.; Duffy, Kevin Jan
This dissertation reports on the original study that undertakes the development of a frugal information system to support subsistence farmers through the use of the Agricultural Production Systems Simulator (APSIM) as a support tool to assist them in optimal strategic decisions making. The field of agriculture is vast and in-depth and a number of critical factors like soil type, rainfall and temperature are involved that farmers have to take into account. Farmers persistently face the challenges of increasing and sustaining yields to meet with the populaces demand with often limited resources, which makes strategic decisions on what to plant, when to plant, where to plant and how to plant in a particular season imperative. The way in which this study attempts to solve this agricultural decision making problem is with the use of the APSIM. This technology platform provides an advanced simulation of agricultural systems that can enable subsistence farmers to simulate a number of variables ranging from plant types, soil, climate and even management interactions. This research presents a frugal web-based crop planning decision support system that subsistence farmers can take advantage with the use of the APSIM. The APSIM platform was used to run simulations for various regions with the results containing the expected level of success along with other useful information for a specified crop in the vicinity, using state of the art software platforms and tools ranging from Google Maps application programming interfaces, Microsoft’s model view controller framework, JavaScript and others. The validity of this system was tested through a number of design science methods including structural testing and illustrative scenarios, show capability of the information system. The results obtained from this evaluation show a small but powerful tool that has the capability of servicing a multitude of farmers with crop management decisions.
Digital literacy instruction in academic libraries in KwaZulu-Natal
(2022-12-01) Khumalo, Amahle; Rajkoomar, Mogiveny; Rajagopaul, Athena
Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) has become an integral tool in enhancing library services worldwide. ICT can be used as a tool for acquisition of digital literacy skills. The use of ICT in digital literacy education can enhance students’ digital literacy skills, which are deemed as critical in a technologically orientated society. Therefore, this explanatory sequential mixed methods study examined the extent to which Subject Librarians in academic libraries use ICTs in digital literacy instruction. The objectives of this study were to ascertain ways in which Subject Librarians use information and communication technologies for digital literacy instruction in academic libraries in KwaZulu-Natal. The study further sought to reveal whether Subject Librarians possess digital literacy skills necessary for digital literacy instruction in academic libraries. The target population for this study was Subject Librarians in traditional universities and universities of technology in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. The online survey was administered to a total of 58 Subject Librarians. As a result of an explanatory sequential, follow-up interviews were conducted with the intention of getting richer and indepth information on the use of ICT in digital literacy instruction and develop a clearer picture and understanding of digital literacy instruction in academic libraries. The findings of this study revealed that Subject Librarians use ICTs for digital literacy instruction in various ways. Almost all the respondents were in agreement that computers, projectors, PowerPoint presentations, interactive white boards and various learning management systems are to a very large extent seen as best ways of using ICTs for digital literacy instruction. While the use of various Learning Management Systems was deemed as the most effective way through which Subject Librarians use ICTs for digital literacy instruction; the findings further revealed a lack of adequate digital literacy skills among Subject Librarians. This, therefore compromises their ability to provide relevant digital literacy skills’ training. The findings suggest that Subject Librarians need more training in the proper use of ICTs in digital literacy instruction. Digital literacy is increasingly considered an essential survival skill and a fundamental life skill in the 21st century. If Subject Librarians are digitally literate, and trained to use ICT, then they will be able to provide creative and adequate digital literacy skills for students to enable them to locate resources of desired information efficiently and effectively.