Research Reports (Information Systems)
Permanent URI for this collection
Browse
collection.page.browse.recent.head
Item The role of culture in the adoption of mobile applications for the self‑management of diabetes in low resourced urban communities(Springer, 2022) Jacobs‑Basadien, Mariam; Pather, Shaun; Petersen, FazlynDiabetes mellitus has been documented as a global health problem with a high mortality rate. In the current digital age, the use of technology to overcome such health problems in pursuance of Sustainable Development Goal 3 is widely recognised. The increased penetration of mobile devices provides one avenue to support the self-management of conditions such as diabetes. As a first step towards this, individuals have to first accept and use the technology. However, the literature indicates low levels of technology use amongst diabetic patients with low socio-economic indicators. We posit that the culture of patients is a contributory factor for the low acceptance and use of technology. This study assessed how culture influences mobile health (m-health) acceptance among diabetic patients from low-resourced urban communities through semi-structured interviews. The theoretical model that was used as a lens for the investigation comprised a juxtaposition of Hofstede's cultural dimensions and the Unified-Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT2).Item Epidemiological comparison of the first and second waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria, February 2020-April 2021(MDPI, 2021) Ajayi, Olasupo O; Bagula, Antoine B; Maluleke, Hloniphani C; Odun-Ayo, Isaac AIntelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), also known as Smart Transportation, is an infusion of information and communication technologies into transportation. ITS are a key component of smart cities, which have seen rapid global development in the last few decades. This has in turn translated to an increase in the deployment and adoption of ITS, particularly in countries in the Western world. Unfortunately, this is not the case with the developing countries of Africa and Asia, where dilapidated road infrastructure, poorly maintained public/mass transit vehicles and poverty are major concerns. However, the impact of Westernization and “imported technologies” cannot be overlooked; thus, despite the aforementioned challenges, ITS have found their way into African cities. In this paper, a systematic review was performed to determine the state of the art of ITS in Africa. The output of this systematic review was then fed into a hybrid multi-criteria model to analyse the research landscape, identify connections between published works and reveal research gaps and inequalities in African ITS. African peculiarities inhibiting the widespread implementation of ITS were then discussed, followed by the development of a conceptual architecture for an integrated ITS for African citiesItem Impact of culture on the adoption of diabetes self-management applications: Cape flats, South Africa(ifip, 2021) Petersen, FazlynDiabetes is a global health problem with a high mortality rate. The research indicates low levels of technology use amongst diabetic patients in low socioeconomic environments and minority groups. We posit that the culture of patients is a potential reason for the low adoption and use of technology. However, research on the proliferation of culture at an individual level is limited. Therefore, this paper assessed the influence of culture on mobile application adoption and use amongst diabetic patients in the Cape Flats, South Africa. This study used key constructs from the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and Hofstede’s cultural dimensions. It was analysed using survey data from 439 respondents using purposive sampling. It was found that the dimensions of Hofstede and the Theory of Planned Behaviour can identify how culture influences mobile application adoption of diabetic patients in the geographical Cape Flats area. However, this research indicates a stronger relationship between culture and diabetes self-management activities than culture and the adoption of mobile applications.Item Digital literacy: The quest of an inclusive definition(AOSIS, 2018) Njenga, James K.Forces of globalisation and economic competition enhanced by, among others, the digital technologies, are radically transforming the social context. Digital technologies are characterised by a powerful and pervasive Internet as well as the related information and communication technologies. Globalisation is facilitated by the universally accessible, reliable and inexpensive communication assisted by these digital technologies. However, there is growing and valid scepticism regarding the digitally influenced socio-economic emancipation. This scepticism is mainly driven by a lack of understanding of digital literacy as a holistic process of creating the necessary social, economic and political changes within a given context. The understanding of digital literacy therefore needs to join a number of seemingly divergent views of digital technology when dealing with these technologies’ benefits in socio-economic emancipation. This understanding of digital literacy should therefore be shaped and focused more on understanding how digital literacy impacts the poor and marginalised, especially in looking at the socio-economic welfare of these marginalised sections of the society. This article discusses digital literacy by firstly looking at the shortcomings of the available definitions and approaches and then recommends a socio-economic development-orientated definition. The article brings to the fore the most critical digital literacy issues for socio-economic development. These issues are important; they ensure that digital literacy is not viewed in isolation, but rather in terms of its outcomes and consequences, especially with regard to socio-economic development.Item An analysis of the current and future deployment of Information Systems and Technology at the University of the Western Cape(Dept of Information Systems, Univ. of the Western Cape, 2000) Bytheway, Andrew J.In order to successfully deploy information technology and information systems, any organisation must have a strategy indicating where its business is going, an understanding of the information systems that will help to deliver that strategy, and the capability to deliver and exploit those information systems. It is commonly believed that UWC does not have a strategy (although we acknowledge that a draft document has been tabled at Senate since the main stage of this study concluded). There are relentless pressures to change the way that we work at UWC. Strategies will be needed at institutional and faculty levels, and new information systems will be required to support them. Much of our recent investment has been in information technology as much as it has been in information systems and services. These things are different, and it is the systems and services that deliver the benefits of an investment, not the technology.