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Faculty of Accounting and Informatics

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Start date: 2010End date: 2019

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    A review of academic performance factors in the context of e-learning : theories and empirical studies
    (2019-11-15) Mbangata, L.; Eyono Obono, S.D.
    There are currently more than 500 commercial e-Learning software packages and 300 educational e-Learning software packages, and their benefits to their users are well documented. For instance, with e-Learning, the rigidity of teaching and learning timetables can be overcome. Shockingly, high education still witnesses intolerable levels of academic failure even in this e-Learning era. This study will therefore attempt to examine the impact of e-Learning on academic performance based on the perceptions of academics. It is a literature review of thirty-four (34) studies. Its findings reveal that according to the perceptions of academics, the impact of e-Learning on academic performance depends on: the demographics of the learners; their intensity of use of e-Learning; their self-efficacy and learning approach; their sense of community and interactivity; their perceptions on the suitability of e-Learning; and their motivation and pride. This study also recommends more research on the validation of its proposed theoretical framework, and its identified factors, because the reviewed literature is not unanimous on their perceived effect on the impact of e-Learning on academic performance. The main contribution of this study is to broaden the scope of academic performance factors in the context of e-Learning compared to similar past reviews with a limited pre-defined scope of academic performance factors.
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    Integrating big data in higher education
    (EE Publishers (Pty) Ltd., 2019-05-09) Madamshetty, Lavanya; Krishna, Suresh Babu Naidu
    The dynamic working atmosphere of today’s competitive world puts all organisations in need of innovative solutions for better understanding of their performance. This is expected not only for companies but also for schools and universities. Big data is one such innovation. This article gives overviews on the concept and challenges related to the analytical processing of big data and how these features impact higher education institutions.
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    The relationship between executive remuneration and financial performance in South African state-owned entities
    (Allied Business Academies, 2019-01-01) Marimuthu, Ferina; Kwenda, Farai
    This study aimed to determine whether executive remuneration levels at poorly performing state-owned entities (SOE)s in South Africa are justified. The study was motivated by the weak economic growth, fiscal consolidation, increased debt levels and poor financial performance of these entities. Dynamic panel data models were employed and estimated using the Generalised Method of Moments (GMM) estimator. The data set comprised an unbalanced panel data of 33 commercial SOEs in South Africa that are listed under the Public Financial Management Act. The study found an inverse relationship between executive remuneration and financial performance. This is of concern as executive remuneration is high despite the SOEs' declining performance. The misalignment between pay and performance undermines the core principles of the agency theory, resulting in poor performance. These findings provide empirical support for public and media perceptions that executive remuneration is excessive and unmerited when measured against SOEs' performance. The findings will be of interest to observers of the economy, as they measure SOEs' capacity to play a leading role in investment and in improving the efficiency of the economy. They could also inform decision making and policy development on SOEs.
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    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.
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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
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    Creating a framework for promoting perceptions of ease of use for e-learning
    (2019-06-28) Dhebideen, Sharitha; Heukelman, Delene
    Information Technology is so widespread and moving at such a rapid speed that it has influenced the education sector at a fast and pressurised pace. This influence has placed focus on the new terminology education technology and blended learning. In order to introduce and implement education technology, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) worldwide have been introducing Learning Management Systems (LMSs) to support the charges in pedagogy to improve the collaboration learners themselves and between learners and educators. The implementation of LMSs at South African HEIs are still lagging behind in comparison to first world countries. Nonetheless, changes and advances in education technology have been taking place. These changes have to some degree brought about resistance towards the use of technology (software) to change teaching technique. Mixed methods research (quantitative and qualitative) was used to conduct a case study analysis at the Durban University of Technology (the case of DUT academic staff using a LMS). The case study allowed the analysis of perceived ease of use (PEOU) of LMSs at this HEI. The perceptions of the academic staff was analysed by executing a survey and by conducting interviews. The study identified additional factors that have a significant influence on PEOU on the Technology Acceptance Model 3 (TAM) (Venkatesh and Bala 2008). Literature, information from the interviews and the themes that emerged from the qualitative results was used to propose a theoretical tiered pedagogical framework that could be adopted by other HEIs planning to adopt a LMS.
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    A critical assessment of management accounting practices in small and medium-sized clothing enterprises in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal
    (2019-11) Vilakazi, Sanele Phumlani; Stainbank, Lesley June; Nyide, Celani John
    The aim of this study was to make a critical assessment of the extent of the management accounting practices (MAPs) in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal. The objectives of the study were to determine the extent to which MAPs are employed by Newcastle clothing/textile SMEs, to identify the roles played by MAPs in Newcastle clothing/textile SMEs management, to determine the factors that affect the extent of use of MAPs amongst Newcastle clothing/textile SMEs and to consider the role of MAPs in the performance of the SME. The motivation for the study was driven by the lack of research on the extent of use of MAPs by clothing/textile SMEs in South Africa. The forms of MAPs investigated in this study were the costing systems, the budgeting systems, the performance management tools, the decision support systems, and strategic management accounting. These MAPs are thought to be necessary for the survival and success of SMEs in the modern enterprise environment. This is a quantitative descriptive survey of 51 clothing/textile manufacturing SMEs in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal using a self-administered questionnaire. The results of this study indicate that budgeting systems were the most used MAPs by Newcastle clothing/textile SMEs and that the strategic management accounting (SMA) and performance measurements tools (PMTs) were the least used of the MAPs surveyed. Newcastle clothing/textile SMEs use traditional MAPs; however, they are endeavouring to integrate the modern or newly-developed MAPs such as the use of the decision support systems into their enterprises’ administration. The results indicated that the most valued role of MAPs was for planning future strategies, tactics and operations. On the other hand, certain roles of MAPs were considered not to be beneficial to Newcastle clothing/textile SMEs. Factors that affected the use the MAPs were the high cost to implement MAPs, the complexity of newly-developed or modern MAPs, that the benefits of the MAPs were too difficult to observe, and the lack of information on affordable accounting services. In respect to the performance of the Newcastle SMEs, the results indicated that the MAPs assessed had a moderate influence on the performance of SMEs. The study recommends that SMEs are apprised of the significance of MAPs. SMEs should liaise with academics, government, and professionals in the commerce field, amongst other initiatives, to implement and monitor their skills development for the success and survival of SMEs in the clothing/textile industry.
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    A longitudinal sentiment analysis of the #FeesMustFall campaign on Twitter
    (2019-04-29) Khan, Yaseen; Thakur, Surendra
    The #FeesMustFall campaign began in 2015 to lobby government to provide students with free university education in order to redress past imbalances. It rapidly progressed to become a widespread national phenomenon that attracted international attention and sympathetic support. However, certain unsavoury incidents marred the campaign and attempted to derail it from achieving its goals. The campaign did reach many of its targets with the South African government eventually announcing free education for the poor and working class in December 2017. #FeesMustFall has been well documented and researched, however, no literature offered a quantitative insight into the opinions of social media users during this campaign, although a unique feature of #FeesMustFall was leveraging social media platforms to coordinate the campaign. This study addresses this gap by undertaking a longitudinal sentiment analysis of textual conversations expressed on the Twitter social media platform. This longitudinal study analyses the Twitter #FeesMustFall campaign through the acquisition of 576 583 tweets posted between 15 October 2015 and 10 April 2017. These tweets were pre-processed and cleaned by removing exact duplicates and unintelligible data. The research method to analyse the “cleaned” #FeesMustFall data utilises, inter alia, descriptive statistics, sentiment analysis using a natural language programming (NLP) approach called Valence Aware Dictionary sEntiment Reasoner (VADER) and code written in Python. VADER is a lexicon rule-based sentiment analysis tool particularly suited to social media. To detect multiple changes in this large historical dataset, the Change Point Analysis method (CPA) is applied using a Cumulative Sum Analysis (CUSUM) method to identify changes across time. The research question is whether and for what reason the online sentiment changed during the observation period. The sentiment expressed is triangulated with perceived real-life negative events, such as the burning of the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) library and the University of Johannesburg (UJ) Hall, to understand whether online activism sentiment reflected or reacted to real-life events. The study finds that sentiment did change in relation to these two events, one on the day of the UKZN library event and one prior to the UJ Hall event. Social robots (bots) are automatic or semi-automatic computer programs that mimic human behaviour in online social networks. Their deployment exposes online activism to manipulation. A further research question addressed whether bots played a role in the #FeesMustFall campaign. A review of bots, their characteristics, behaviour, and detection methods was undertaken. The study does indeed establish the presence of bots during #FeesMustFall. The study’s contribution is significant as this is the first longitudinal study of the #FeesMustFall campaign which observes the sentiment distribution and changes. It is also the first study to investigate and find evidence of bots in the #FeesMustFall campaign.