1,721,043 research outputs found
Perceptions of final year undergraduate education students about the influence of a reading culture on their academic achievement at selected universities in Tanzania.
Full text linkDoctor of Philosophy in Information Studies. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2017.The study investigated the perceptions of final year undergraduate education students about the influence of a reading culture on their academic achievement at selected universities in Tanzania. Four universities were involved in the study namely: Sokoine University of Agriculture, Mzumbe University, Teofilo Kisanji University and University of Iringa. Social Cognitive Theory informed the study. Pragmatism paradigm underpinned this study, while mixed methods using survey questionnaire and interviews were used for the data collection. Questionnaire was used to collect data from 312 students and 62 lecturers while interview was administered to 50 subject librarians. Quantitative data were analysed using IBM SPSS version 20.0 to generate tables, charts, percentages and frequencies, while Chi-square was generated to determine relationships between variables. Finally, qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis.
Reliability and validity were ensured by adopting instruments from studies with acceptable Cronbach’s Alpha value of >0.7. The study adhered to the ethical protocol of the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The findings showed that there was a high level of awareness among students, lecturers, and librarians regarding influence of reading culture on students’ academic achievements. The students perceived their reading self-efficacies as enabler to promoting reading culture. The findings revealed students rarely spent time reading for leisure, for information or for entertainment. The results also showed students rarely visited the library. The results further showed that factors which motivated students to read include reading to gain knowledge, reading for entertainment purposes, reading for examinations, tests, assignments and research projects.
The study concluded that students in universities lacked reading culture but were motivated to read for the purpose of passing examinations, tests, assignments and research projects. There was absence of policy on reading culture and this impacted negatively on students’ academic achievement. The study consequently advanced recommendations among them strategies, policy, curricular transformation, programmes and guidelines in order to improve academic achievement of students
Post-coronavirus disease resilience of cooperative financial institutions in Kenya.
No full textDoctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.Globally, Cooperative Financial Institutions (CFIs) suffered enormously from the unprecedented havoc and disruptions of the coronavirus disease 2019, which resulted in insurmountable and unimaginable public health, social and economic impacts and has continued three years postpandemic. The CFIs are grappling with rebuilding and bouncing back from the negative impact of the pandemic that resulted in unpredictable cash flows, reduced fixed deposits through continued withdrawals, dormant membership, massive layoffs, and a decline in profits and savings. This study aimed to investigate the resilience of CFIs post the pandemic in Kenya to formulate an improved resilient business model for systemic economic shocks and crises. The study was conducted in Nairobi Metropolis and Nairobi City County. An exploratory, descriptive cross-sectional study design was applied with a mixed methods approach—the study population comprised operations, finance, marketing, and chief executive officers. Probability and non-probability approaches were employed. Multi-stage sampling was used to select the study population and study area. Data collection tools included a semi-structured questionnaire distributed among 35 respondents and a Key Informant Interview schedule among 11 executives. Secondary data was generated from the existing documents in the respective institutions. Pearson’s Chi-square test and logistic regression showed the associations between the dependent and independent variables using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 23 for quantitative data and content analysis using themes in NVivo version 12 for qualitative data. The study recommends an all-inclusive model to inform better planning and implementation by stakeholders in the cooperative movement in the face of the next pandemic. This model for the future should anchor risk-based leadership and organizational culture with sustainability at the core of people, profit formula, key processes, and resources within CFIs. Cooperative financial institutions must adopt a broad-based liquidity avenue, including exploring alternatives for equity. This should include private sector capital mobilization in addition to informing global, regional and national in synergy while preparing for the next pandemic. Finally, the government, executive and legislature are challenged to rethink the policies and laws governing CFIs to enable them to become future-fit institutions
Livestock identification and tracking system for controlling livestock theft: case study of South Africa.
No full textDoctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.This thesis explores livestock theft problem within the South Africa context, focusing on cattle, sheep, and goats, and evaluates the potential of Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) to address this critical problem. Conventional identification and tracking methods are currently ineffective, prompting the need for ICT based solutions. Despite calls for ICT intervention, no comprehensive conceptual model exists for South Africa. This study aims to fill this gap by proposing an ICT-based national livestock identification and tracking system to control livestock theft in South Africa. Utilizing Actor-Network Theory and a qualitative approach, the research includes interviews and questionnaires with stakeholders such as farmers, police, and stock theft forums. The study also integrates secondary data and literature, supported by a Scoping Review, snowball strategy, PRISMA method, and CASP framework. Data analysis employed thematic and content analysis techniques. Findings reveal that livestock theft networks are well-organized, highlighting the need of a unified national ICT based solution to combat livestock theft. The study identifies several potential ICT tools such as mobile phones, biometric technology, radio and TV broadcasting, camera traps, cloud computing, and drones as viable solutions. The proposed conceptual model of a national livestock identification and tracking system features two modules: retinal pattern-based biometric identification and three tracking methods. A Design Science Research Methodology (DSRM) framework was used to present the conceptual model for the proposed system. Recommendations emphasize the need for collaboration among stakeholders, including the Department of Agriculture, South African Police Service, and State Information Technology Agency. Limitations include a focus on the top ten livestock theft-hotspots and reliance on secondary data, with suggestions for future research to involve direct data collection from additional informants and explore how perpetrators use ICTs. The study contributes empirical insights and presents a practical model for controlling livestock theft through ICTs, along with a business case for its implementation. Future research should address the political implications and technical details of the ICT solution, as the current study does not cover the implementation process
Usability of digital institutional repositories (DIRs) by faculty and postgraduate (PG) students: Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST).
No full textDoctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.The aim of this study was to investigate the Usability of Digital Institutional Repositories (DIRs) by faculty and postgraduate (PG) students at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST).The study addressed the following research questions:1) What are the attitudes and perceptions of PG students and faculty towards DIRs? 2) To what extent are PG students and faculty at NUST: a) archiving their research output in the DIR, b) using content in the DIR? 3) What is the perceived usefulness of DIR by PG students and faculty? 4) What is the level of satisfaction of PG students and faculty with DIR? 5) What is the extent of system usability of the DIR by PG students and faculty? Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and post-positivist ontology were used to underpin the study. Interviews, survey questionnaire, document review, observation and expert evaluation methods were used to collect data. The population comprised of faculty, PG students, Librarians and system developers. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyse Quantitative data while qualitative data was analysed using content analysis. Reliability and validity were achieved through methodological triangulation, pretesting the questionnaires, and careful transcription of the data. The findings revealed lack of awareness about DIR among PG students and faculty. The findings further revealed weak institutional policy, which does not clearly stipulate processes and standards on the submission of scholarly works to the repository. he findings revealed misconception by faculty and PG students about DIR and open access. The findings further revealed that the usage of the repository was undermined attitudes, subjective norms, facilitating conditions, and publisher’s policies related to copy right issues. Nevertheless, the findings revealed that PG students generally perceived DIRs as useful. The findings of the study provide evidence based data upon which relevant academic library institutional repositories policies can be formulated. Moreover, the study provides data that is expected to inform budget allocation for ICT infrastructure development for academic libraries, human resource development, and staffing in academic libraries in Namibia. By using the TAM model, this research adds to literature on the aspects that influence the self-archiving and use of information systems such as DIRs in academic libraries from a developing country context
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Knowledge management strategies and practices in Nigerian agricultural research institutes.
Full text linkPh. D. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg 2015.This study was carried out to investigate knowledge management strategies and practices in Nigerian agricultural research institutes. Five institutes located in different geo-political zones of the country were studied namely: Institute for Agricultural Research, Zaria; Institute of Agricultural Research and Training, Ibadan; National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike; National Cereals Research Institute, Badeggi; and Lake Chad Research Institute, Maiduguri.
The Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995) knowledge creation theory complemented by Boisot’s (1987) knowledge category model, Grant’s (1996) knowledge-based theory, Conner and Prahalad (1996) resource-based view, Sanchez’s (2001a) competence-based view, Ginsberg’s (1994) cognitive-frameworks theory, and Teece et al. (1997) capability perspective theoretical lenses underpinned the study.
The study was underpinned by post-positivists paradigm, while mixed methods (qualitative and quantitative approaches) using survey questionnaire, interviews and documentary analysis were used for the collection of data. A survey questionnaire was administered on 276 research scientists, while a semi-structured interview was conducted with five directors and five heads of information and documentations of the institutes. Qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis, while quantitative data were analysed using SPSS version 20.0 to generate descriptive and inferential statistics for actualising the objectives of the study. Reliability and validity of the instruments was ascertained through test-retest reliability using Cronbach’s Alpha on 30 research scientists. The expected reliability stood at r=0.786, which is considered acceptable. The study adhered to the ethical protocol of the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
The findings show that the types of knowledge generated by the institutes included: genetic improvement of varieties of cereals, crops, roots, tubers and barley; wheat, rice, soybeans, sugarcane, beniseed, millet; crop production, breeding, weed control, value-addition techniques, fertility of soil and mechanisation; crop improvement and management practices; generation of agricultural technologies and management practices; pest management, agronomic practices and improved seeds; fish production and management practices. The study found that generations of explicit knowledge and tacit knowledge was high in the institutes. Besides, the explicit knowledge generation was enhanced by the constant documentation of research findings and research reports, seminars, workshops and conference papers; while tacit knowledge generation was facilitated by knowledge sharing through formal and informal engagements such as review meetings, cropping scheme meetings, community of practice, community of knowledge, knowledge networks and regular staff meetings. The study further found that personalisation strategy (human-based) was the dominant strategy used to derive research and innovations, compared to codification strategy (ICT-based). The study established that knowledge transmission to stakeholders such as farmers, Agricultural Development Partners (ADPs) and other governmental and non-governmental organisations was done largely via newsletters and bulletins, followed by personal contact with research scientists and extension agents. The study found that the following knowledge management systems were in place: document management systems (word processing and desktop databases); organisational practice and routines (group collaboration systems, discussion forums and work flows); training and knowledge intelligence, (community of knowledge, knowledge networks, knowledge culture, intelligent agents and rule-based personalization). The findings revealed lack of knowledge management policies, knowledge management strategic plans and position of knowledge manager in the institutes’ organogram.
The study concluded that knowledge management practices in research institutes studied in Nigeria were influenced by knowledge creation, knowledge acquisition and generation, knowledge sharing and modes of knowledge dissemination. The study recommends an agricultural research impact assessment in the institutes in order to ascertain the contribution of the knowledge generated to the revival of the agricultural sector in Nigeria. Coordination, cooperation and collaboration among the farmers, research scientists, research institutes, Agricultural Development Partners (ADPs), and the National Agricultural Research System (NARS) should be enhanced by establishing a national agricultural research database/databank to facilitate access to agricultural research in the institutes. The research institutes should consider putting in place knowledge management policy for efficient management of knowledge resources.
The originality of the study lies in its ability to investigate how concepts and variables from the Nonaka and another six theories/models played out in the Nigerian agricultural research
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institutes. The study demonstrated the usefulness of these theories and models in the context of Nigerian agricultural research institutes. The study contributes to policy, theory, practice and society. For example, the findings have the potential to influence the formulation of KM policies in the Nigerian agricultural research institutes. In addition the study has provides a deeper understanding of various phenomena pertaining to the KM in the agricultural sector which could serve as a basis for re-evaluation, re-strategising and re-focusing KM practices in the research institutes. The study contributes to the domain body of knowledge and literature, especially in the context of Nigeria. The study proposes a model for KM in agricultural research institutes, which builds upon the weaknesses of the Nonaka model, and other six models discussed in the thesis
Knowledge management capability in nursing care performance in selected teaching hospitals in South-West Nigeria.
Full text linkDoctor of Philosophy in Information Studies. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2018.This study investigated knowledge management (KM) capability in nursing care performance in selected teaching hospitals in South-west, Nigeria. The specific objectives of the study were: to investigate the factors of KM capability influencing nursing care performance outcomes in health institutions in South-west Nigeria; investigate the relationship between knowledge infrastructure and knowledge process in KM capability; and examine how KM capability can be leveraged to support nursing care performance outcomes.
The study was underpinned by pragmatic paradigm which combines both quantitative and qualitative research methods. A survey research design was employed along with convergent mixed methods design to conduct the research. The sample of the study comprised of registered nurses working in the various clinical units of the selected teaching hospitals in the South-west region of Nigeria. The selected teaching hospitals are University College Hospital, Ibadan and Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife. Proportionate stratified sampling was used for quantitative data collection using questionnaires, while a purposive sampling method was used for qualitative data collection using semi-structured interviews. The questionnaire was administered to 320 registered nurses, 298 (93.13%) of whom returned the questionnaires. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted with 9 Deputy Directors of Nursing Services (DDNS) from both hospitals. To ensure reliability and validity of the results, an item-total correlation, and principal component analysis (PCA) was applied on the pre-tested questionnaire, while the internal consistency and reliability was also checked by applying Cronbach’s Alpha (α) Coefficient. The result of the pilot study showed that the research instruments were valid and reliable. The data collected from the main study were initially analysed for missing values, sample, descriptive and normality testing using SPSS version 22.0 with a final number of 298 responses. The two-step approach to structural equation modelling (SEM) was then applied using AMOS version 22.0. The structural models were developed to test the hypothesised relationships and answer the research questions.
The findings indicated that there were more females compared to males in the two teaching hospitals. The majority of the respondents from the two teaching hospitals were between the ages of 31-35 years. The highest qualification held by the nurses is the basic registered nurses (RN) certificate. The findings revealed that most of the younger registered nurses between the ages of 21-30 years from the two teaching hospitals had spent between 1-5 years in the profession. On the other hand, the older nurses between the ages of 46-55 years were found to have more work experience.
The findings of the study established that information technology was found to have significant influence on nursing care performance, while organisational culture and organisational structure was not a significant predictor of nursing care performance. However, the indirect positive effects were confirmed by the data. The results also indicated that knowledge process positively influenced nursing care performance.
The study revealed that information technology, organisational structure, and organisational culture in KM infrastructure are found to influence KM process positively and significantly (knowledge acquisition, conversion, application, and protection) in the two teaching hospitals. The study further revealed that the combined relationship between the dimensions of knowledge infrastructure (information technology, organisational structure, and organisational culture) and knowledge process strongly and significantly influence nursing care performance in the teaching hospitals.
In leveraging knowledge management capability to support nursing care, the identified challenges in the study were: lack of knowledge management policy; paucity of information technology infrastructure; lack of information technology support for the nurses; shortage of nurses; out-dated and obsolete equipment; dilapidated infrastructure; inconsistent supply of consumables and materials; power failure and erratic electricity; insufficient budget from the Federal Government; lack of motivational incentives; inadequate working conditions and poor salary. Some of the solutions proffered were provision of adequate financial resources and replacement of out-dated equipment by the government; implementation of information technology facilities; provision of consistent power supply and employment of more skilled nurses, while ensuring continuous re-training.
The study concluded that the performance of the registered nurses is primarily informed by the influence of information technology support, type of organisational culture and organisational structure of the teaching hospitals. Based on the findings of the study, the recommendations are made in the following areas: knowledge management policy, investment in information technologies (IT), knowledge management infrastructure, knowledge management strategies, change management, top management support, knowledge management measurement, and training
Records management readiness for open government in the Kenyan judiciary.
Full text linkPh. D. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg 2015.Records are valuable assets that need to be managed by any organization or nation. They are vital to virtually every aspect of the governance process and fulfill important functions in society by providing evidence of and information about the transactions of individuals and organizations. Records are fundamental to the efficient and effective operation of the legal system of any country and are more critical to the administration of law than to any other function of the public sector.
This study sought to investigate records management practices in the Kenyan judiciary with a view to promoting transformation and facilitation of open government for effective and efficient justice delivery. It sought to address the following research questions: How are records created, accessed and used, stored and maintained, appraised and disposed of, and preserved?; What records management policies, plans, and guidelines are available?; What skills and competencies do the records management staff have?; What is the level of awareness and attitude of staff towards sound records management practices? and What strategies is the Kenyan judiciary using to achieve openness?
The study was underpinned by the Records Continuum Model, the IRMT e-records Readiness Tool and the Open Government Implementation Model. Literature was reviewed based on themes gleaned from the research questions, the underpinning models and broader areas of the study. The study adopted a pragmatic paradigm associated with the mixed methods approach (MMR) where the qualitative aspects were dominant and quantitative less dominant. The study adopted an embedded case study design and data was collected through the use of interviews, questionnaires, observation and document review methods. The population of the study comprised court registrars, deputy registrars, records officers, registry assistants, judges and magistrates in the high court and magistrates’ courts in Nairobi and Uasin Gishu counties. Since the population was considered small, a complete enumeration of the population (census sampling) was included in the study. Reliability and validity of the instruments was ascertained through the use of peer debriefing, triangulation, member checking and Cronbach’s alpha. The data collected were presented and analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively where the qualitative data were analyzed thematically and presented in narrative description
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while the quantitative data were coded and analyzed using computer software (SPSS) and then presented in tables, graphs and charts where applicable.
The findings of the study revealed that although records management had been improved in the Kenyan judiciary it was still weak. Records were not managed well in a continuum of care from creation to disposition. Further, there were no records management policies and trained records officers were inadequate. Furthermore, though records were recognized as pivotal in the administration of justice, records management had not been fully supported by the top management. There was no independent budgetary allocation for records management for instance and records management had not been accorded the status of a directorate like other administrative functions such as human resources. Moreover although the Kenyan judiciary was only in its initial phase of implementing its openness, there were notable benefits that had already accrued to the judiciary. However, there were challenges facing the judiciary that needed to be addressed if justice was to be delivered effectively and efficiently.
The study therefore concluded that the current state of records management was most likely going to impede successful implementation of judiciary transformation and openness and the delivery of justice thereof. The study therefore recommended that among other things, records management in the judiciary needed to be improved by: formulation of records management policies; building records management capacity by either hiring qualified persons or retraining the available staff; soliciting top management support; and using the Open Government Implementation Model (Lee and Kwak, 2011) as a bench mark for the implementation of open government in the judiciary
The use of social media technologies (SMTs) in the provision of library and information services in academic libraries of South-West, Nigeria.
Full text linkDoctor of Philosophy in Information Studies. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg 2018.The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of Social Media Technologies (SMTs) in the provision of library and information services in academic libraries of South-West, Nigeria. This study is motivated by the fact that SMT adoption and use in academic libraries in Nigeria have not been embraced to a large extent in providing information services.
The study adopted the post-positivist paradigm and a survey research design using structured questionnaires and semi-structured interview. The structured questionnaires were utilised to collect quantitative data from 107 academic librarians and 222 4th year Computer Science students, while the interview schedule was used to elicit qualitative data from 6 university librarians. Six universities were purposively selected, namely: University of Ibadan, University of Lagos, Ekiti State University, Lagos State University, Babcock University and Covenant University. Response rates of 96.8% and 83.2% for 4th year Computer Science students and academic librarians were achieved respectively.
Findings revealed that the degree of awareness of SMT for each group of respondents in the study was the same. Conferencing tools, Chatting tools, Image and video sharing were the three major SMT technologies respondents were aware of in their day-to-day interaction with the libraries. The results also showed that the respondents were aware of all the listed SMTs in the study. Chatting tools such as Facebook messenger, Blackberry messenger, WhatsApp and Google Talk, MSN had the highest level of accessibility, hence its highest adoption; Blogging such as WordPress and Blogger had the least access suggesting they are the least adopted in all the libraries sampled.
The study further revealed that majority of students accessed the Library Services offered through SMT from their classrooms or lecture theatres, while the minority accessed the services from Off-campus. The study further revealed that social networking, chatting tools and image and video sharing tools, were the first set of three most used SMTs by academic librarians in the surveyed universities. The aversion to the use of Podcast was evident in the high number of academic librarians (79.8%) who claimed they never used it regularly. One of the most revealing facts, about the frequency of usage, was the high percentage of respondents who claimed they never used Blogs, Microblogs, Collaborative tools, Podcast, Social tagging and bookmarking,
Scheduling and meeting tools as frequently as possible. Majority of the students (66%) were of the view that as at the time of the study, their information needs in the surveyed university communities were not being met via SMT by academic librarians, while the remaining 34% believed otherwise.
The intercorrelation matrices for both groups of respondents revealed that at p < .05, there were no multicollinearities between or among the variables of study. All the predictor variables in the study were found good enough to be part of the model in ascertaining the influence of the independent variables on the dependent variable. Moreover, the study showed there is a paradigm shift in library service delivery which negates the conventional method of service provision where clienteles accept whatever the library offers them.
The study recommends the University Management and Library Management to work together in developing strategies of creating awareness about the different SMTs which can be harnessed for the provision of library and information services; and the formulation of policy to guide the adoption and use of SMT in the provision of library services in academic libraries of South-West Nigeria
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