bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Risky but Effective Improvisations in Managing Information Systems
Authors: Silva Leiser O. 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThe purpose of this paper is to suggest a set of guidelines for the outsourcing of information systems services in health organizations. The paper shows that the outsourcing of the development of information systems is an option for hospitals in developing countries. It is emphasized that managers and information systems professionals working for these public organizations should bear in mind that what is important is to define the content, extent and length of the outsourced services. This paper offers a new angle, since it is often the case that hospital information systems in developing countries are either bought overseas or developed in house.The guidelines presented in this paper are derived from a case study conducted in the Ministry of Health of Guatemala. The guidelines originated from discussions among national authorities and national experts on how to manage the introduction of information technology and information systems to support the management of the hospitals. The paper concerns how the authorities and managers of the two major hospitals in the country decided to outsource key components of the information infrastructure and information systems of their hospitals. The paper also highlights the role of international agencies in funding the initiatives.The guidelines suggest that in outsourcing information services in a context similar to that of the case study, it is crucial to keep a balance between what type of expertise and knowledge the hospitals are willing to outsource and which areas of expertise should be kept in house. The challenge here is to match the ideal with what is feasible; this is the case particularly when the information technology comes from loans provided by international agencies. This means that when the period of the loan finishes, hospitals will need to take financial responsibility over the information systems. Hence the relevance for the hospitals to incorporate, along with outsourcing initiatives, sound financial and human resources strategies. The paper discusses how the hospitals under study tackled this issue. Other findings point out the need of including users and authorities of the hospitals in the design and identification of information requirements. The design of the new systems should not entail a radical change in the way people perform their jobs. Our analysis of the case study hints that the closer the design of the information system is to the current work practices the higher the likelihood that the users will accept the system. Changes in work practices may be gradually introduced after the system has been implemented.
Information Technology in Nepal: What Role for the Government?
Authors: Pradhan Junelee 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThe author believes that developing countries (DC), in particular Nepal, need to urgently develop a culturally appropriate national strategy if they wish information technology (IT) to have a positive impact on their overall socio‐economic development. While countries like Singapore claim to have very successful national strategies, the long‐term impact on the country's social development may have been over looked. Left unchecked the technological marketplace will impose a hard‐to‐reverse negative role on small countries like Nepal. This will make it increasingly difficult for Nepal to decide its is own long‐term preferences for social and economic development. Put bluntly, these countries need to decide what they want from the global technology marketplace and then work out how they are going to achieve it. It is believed that hard technological determinism can only be countered by very real and well thought out national strategies. The paper argues that the national IT strategy will need to address the issues of resistance to change due to cultural, personal and infrastructure factors, be very culturally sensitive and, given the rate change of the technology, will need to be constructed as an evolving, and learning system. The first stage in the development of such a system is to design an appropriate forum for discussion, and a well‐constituted and ongoing decision‐making protocol. It seems appropriate that in countries with a less than thriving technology marketplace, it is incumbent on their Government to provide a lead in this complex undertaking.
Predictors of Growth of Teledensity in Developing Countries: A Focus on Middle and Low‐Income Countries.
Authors: Mbarika Victor W. , Kah Muhammadou M.O. , Musa Philip F. , Meso Peter , Warren John 
Published: December 2017

AbstractInvestments in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) have been a major issue of concern in academia and industry. How much a country should invest in its telecommunications infrastructure so as to improve their levels of teledensity is a major challenge. This research examines investments in the telecommunications sector of low and middle‐income developing countries. The findings suggest that increased investment in telecommunications infrastructure without the involvement of other socio‐economic factors may not improve growth of teledensity in developing countries. The study, however, suggests a positive relationship between teledensity and other variables such as GDP per capita, telecommunications staff and length of wait times to acquire and maintain telephones. Some strategies are suggested as steps to take in order to improve the teledensity levels of the countries used in this study.
An Empirical Study on Electronic Commerce Diffusion in the Malaysian Shipping Industry
Authors: Ang Chooi‐Leng , Tahar Razman Mat , Murat Rusdi 
Published: December 2017

AbstractElectronic commerce (E‐commerce) refers to business transactions conducted over computer networks, both public and private; it is about electronic interactions among businesses, governments and consumers for the purpose of information retrieval, trading, procurement, purchasing and delivery of digitalized goods and services [1]. At industry level, the development of Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) has become central to the concept of E‐commerce. It is an important foundation block for the implementation of E‐business. To harness the capability of EDI, Port Klang was facilitated with the national EDI by Dagang Net under the government's trade facilitation programme. The government hopes that EDI applications will bring about greater efficiency and productivity and also be able to respond to the needs and changing requirements of trade if a port is to become a major port of call for shipping lines the world over. A decade has passed since the introduction of EDI to the shipping industry in the Port Klang area. An understanding of the current EDI status is essential for the success of any E‐commerce initiatives in Malaysia. Thus this study seeks to provide such an empirical base. This study found that in the Malaysian shipping industry, EDI was primarily used in transactions with the Customs Department for duty payments and import/export declaration. The results indicated that EDI usage at Port Klang might be high in terms of volume. However, its use was still very low and limited in terms of diversity, breadth and depth. There was hardly any transaction between other business partners except the Customs Department. Investigation on the feasibility factors revealed that initial investments, requirements of trading partners and software related issues were the major problems faced by these companies.
The Effect of Online Community on Offline Community in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Al‐Saggaf Yeslam 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThere is a radical transformation taking place in Saudi Arabia. The Saudis are poised on the edge of a significant new social landscape. Called the Internet, this new frontier includes not only the creation of new forms of private communication, like electronic mail and chat, but also online public discussion areas, which for the first time enable communication between males and females in this gender‐segregated society. This paper has been written as a result of a study conducted in Saudi Arabia during 2001 – 2002. The purpose of the study was to understand how online communities in Saudi Arabia are affecting offline communities. The results of the study indicate that participants, in addition to gaining self‐confidence, became open‐minded in their thinking, more aware of the personal characteristics of individuals within their society and less inhibited about the opposite gender. On the negative side, participants neglected their family commitments, became less shy and some became confused about some aspects of their culture and religion. After a brief introduction about the Internet in Saudi Arabia and its culture, the paper examines online communities in the literature. It then discusses the conceptual and methodological aspects of the study. This includes how data were collected and analysed. A discussion of the results of the study follows. Next, an examination of the findings in relation to the literature is provided. Finally, the conclusions drawn from this study are presented.
Prospects and Challenges of E‐Banking In Malaysia
Authors: Sulaiman AININ , C.H LIM , WEE Alice 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThe advent of the Internet has revolutionized the way banking is done. Realizing the importance of what is popularly known as e‐banking, in June 2000, the Central Bank of Malaysia allowed banks to conduct banking activities via the Internet. Four years later, almost all major local banks are providing e‐banking services. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of e‐banking adoption in Malaysia. It begins by analyzing the local bank websites using a model introduced by Chung and Payter (2002). The study then examines the different types of e‐banking products used by adopters before finally describing the characteristics of e‐banking adopters. Five hundred and forty two usable questionnaire responses were received to a survey, of which fifty four percent were from e‐banking adopters. Most of the adopters took advantage of the service to carry out basic activities like viewing balance inquiries, obtaining summary reports of their transactions and using savings and current account facilities. A large number of the adopters used the e‐banking services when necessary, i.e. once a month to pay utility bills and accessed the facilities either from home or the office. Many were encouraged by friends and family members to use e‐banking. The study also illustrates that there were more adopters among the younger age groups, among those with higher salaries and those holding higher positions.
Information dissemination in a developing society: Internet café users in Indonesia
Authors: Furuholt Bjørn , Kristiansen Stein , Wahid Fathul 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThe article analyses the market for Internet cafés in Indonesia and thereby studies the spread of information through the Internet in a developing society. The city of Yogyakarta was selected as the research site, due to its abundance of Internet cafés and customers. The empirical research is based on a survey comprising 270 users. Customers are typically young and educated. Males represent the majority of users but unmarried females are also regulars. User frequency is statistically associated with individual capability, electronic media exposure and financial capacity. Ten percent of customers’ total monthly expenditures are on Internet cafés. Users represent a multitude of cyber cultures, and more research is needed to assess different preferences and motives for use.
The Impact of ICT on Professional Practice in the Nigerian Construction Industry
Authors: Oladapo A.A. 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThe potential of ICT for improving the quality of professional services in the construction industry is generally acknowledged. While reports abound on ICT in the construction industries of developed countries, very little exists for developing countries. The aim of this study was therefore to examine the current state of ICT in professional practice in the Nigerian construction industry in the context of a developing economy.A survey of the current state of ICT in architectural, engineering and quantity surveying practices in the Nigerian construction industry was conducted in South West Nigeria. The results indicated that while core architectural, engineering and quantity surveying functions (like drawing, engineering design and preparation of bills of quantities respectively) have been largely computerised, data and document management is still done in the traditional way in most cases. The Internet is gaining popularity with over 60% of the respondents currently connected. For now most of the professionals use the Internet mainly for e‐mails and its potentials in more strategically important areas like e‐business and electronic data transfer are yet to be fully exploited.The impact of ICT on professional practice has been mainly in making jobs easier for the professions, facilitating decision‐making and savings in operating costs, among others. The notoriously inefficient national electric power supply system and the high cost of computer hardware and software in relation to the dwindling fortunes of the professions in Nigeria's depressed economy are the key obstacles to increased investments in ICT. However, most of the respondents (about 80%) were optimistic about the future of ICT in the Nigerian construction industry, with plans for major new ICT investments in teleworking, videoconferencing and electronic data management (EDM). These findings, it is hoped, should guide the construction industry in Nigeria in adopting appropriate policies to internalise the globally acclaimed benefits of ICT.
A Preliminary Investigation of Electronic Data Interchange Adoption in Bruneian Small Business Organizations
Authors: Seyal Afzaal H. , Rahim Md. Mahbubur 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThis first study conducted in Brunei investigates the 84 small and medium enterprises by using a survey approach to find out the key factors that are determinants to EDI adoption. Based upon the existing model, the study uses seven factors grouped into three categories, namely organizational, external and economic factors. The findings indicate that hypotheses related to perceived direct benefits and perceived cost are supported. However, the study could not find support for perceived indirect benefits. All other factors such as: IT knowledge, government support, top management support and trading partner influence remain insignificant. Based upon these findings, recommendations are provided.
Participatory Mapping and Geographic Information Systems: Whose Map? Who is Empowered and Who Disempowered? Who Gains and Who Loses?
Authors: Chambers Robert 
Published: December 2017

AbstractIn recent years, changes in participatory methodologies (PMs) may have been even more rapid than those in spatial technologies. Local people's abilities to make maps only became widely known and facilitated in the early 1990s. Participatory mapping has spread like a pandemic with many variants and applications not only in natural resource management but also in many other domains. With mapping as one element, there are now signs of a new pluralist eclecticism and creativity in PMs. The medium and means of mapping, whether ground, paper or GIS and the style and mode of facilitation, influence who takes part, the nature of outcomes and power relationships. Much depends on the behaviour and attitudes of facilitators and who controls the process. Many ethical issues present troubling dilemmas, and lead to overarching questions about empowerment and ownership. Questions to be asked, again and again, are:Who is empowered and who disempowered? And, who gains and who loses?
(Re) Defining Peri‐Urban Residential Space Using Participatory GIS in Kenya
Authors: Koti Francis , Weiner Daniel 
Published: December 2017

AbstractUsing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for African urban planning and research is now becoming a reality. But there is limited technical expertise and the necessary infrastructure to support local government efforts in data‐poor environments. As a result, the creation of urban geo‐spatial databases have tended to reside in the central government, large municipalities, research institutions, donor funded projects and individual research initiatives. To date, such applications have focused on observable and quantifiable aspects of the urban built environment while experiential information has remained peripheral. This paper employs a participatory GIS approach to integrate community local knowledge with traditional urban spatial data. Our objective is to populate urban‐based geo‐spatial databases for a more robust understanding of quality of life in Athi River town, Kenya. The Athi River GIS includes formal data and local knowledge on land cover, land use, hydrology, topography, infrastructure, industry, service provision, and housing. Community data was obtained through mental mapping, focus group discussions, GPS‐based transect walks, social histories of exclusion, oral narratives of land use, and relevant archival material. The study concludes that GIS in Kenya is being introduced within an empiricist and positivist epistemological and methodological framework. With more focus on the visual and quantifiable aspects of the built environment, the perceptions of disenfranchised peri‐urban communities are being excluded. In the paper, a place‐based (re) definition of residential quality of life is achieved by integrating community local knowledge into a GIS as an information layer. In the study, local knowledge and expert GIS data are thus found to be complementary.
Globalization, Education and Emiratisation: A Study of the United Arab Emirates
Authors: Godwin Stewart M. 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThe United Arab Emirates Government has pursed educational excellence for its citizens through the provision of free education for all nationals from K‐12 to University. Furthermore, from the earliest days of federation the United Arab Emirates Government has encouraged private education providers to establish educational operations under the governance of the Commission for Academic Accreditation. The growth and globalization of education has contributed to an increase in the number and quality of private and/or international educational institutions entering the United Arab Emirates. These private educational institutions provide gateways to western educational qualifications and ideologies, while generating revenue as new markets are developed. More recently the United Arab Emirates Government has embarked on an affirmative action program to satisfy the employment and career aspirations of its citizens with a focus that links employment and education. In this paper, the author examines the discourse of globalization of a developing nation in the context of the United Arab Emirates education system and examines the implications for the United Arab Emirates Government. The conclusion suggests that education is not the panacea for the problems faced by the United Arab Emirates Government, but recommends the inclusion of health based education into the current curriculum reform along with the acceleration of the articulation and accreditation program.
Why Local Spatial Data Infrastructures (SDI's) are not Just Mirror Reflections of National SDI Objectives – Case Study of Bekasi, Indonesia
Authors: de Vries Walter 
Published: December 2017

AbstractIn many countries, policies of decentralisation and increased autonomy of local governments are being implemented. Local governments are expected to take decisions on many issues themselves using new or reformed local organizations and information processes. Often, however, information‐based decisions – pre‐requisite for good local governance – are not taken because the information was either not available, could not be released, or was not used. This article takes a closer look at why the processes of information production, dissemination and exchange are not sufficiently effective at local level. It is using a single case study of a local government in Bekasi in Indonesia. Following the case study theory of Yin (2003), this single case study was selected because Bekasi represents a typical local government in a developing country with many information problems. It is a satellite city and region in a rapidly urbanizing and industrializing area in a country which is forced to reform its institutional structures at all levels and in all sectors. Especially in such an environment one would expect a lot of benefit for local governments from structural spatial information production, use, dissemination and exchange. Yet, available maps are not used, and base maps for the local territory hardly exist. The objective of the study was therefore to find out why that situation exists.Because at first a better understanding was considered necessary what aspects or dimensions are relevant for information‐based local governance, the analysis of findings was largely interpretative. The findings show that:The institutional reform relevant for spatial information has focused too much on organizational structures, and too little on functionality and purpose of spatial information. Local governments require functional structures which might be beyond the boundaries of the local territory and authority, yet independent from vertical or national institutions.Frequent and unsynchronized rotation of public employees at local level is leading to underutilization of human capacity and informal human networks in the local public sector. Horizontal, trans‐horizontal and trans‐vertical management of human resources and knowledge will be necessary.
An Economic Development Model for IT in Developing Countries
Authors: Kodakanchi Vishal , Kuofie Matthew H. S. , Abuelyaman E. , Qaddour Jihad 
Published: December 2017

AbstractInformation Technology (IT) has revolutionized the world economy in the past few decades by practically changing the economic activities globally. Given its applicability in various manufacturing and services sectors, IT has significantly affected the economy by providing information and development content on products and processes. Accordingly, faster rates of output and productivity growth have become the trends of information processing and communications. In the United States (US), the substantial growth in both the Labor Productivity (LP), and the Multi‐Factor Productivity (MFP) after 1995 proves the significance of automation. It proves that IT has definitely steered the economical advancement of industrialized nations such as the US and the United Kingdom (UK). Unfortunately the same conclusion can not be reached for developing countries. For instance, India and Ghana have yet to achieve significant economical advancement through the use of IT. To address this issue, we propose: An Economic Development Model Based on IT for Developing Countries (EDM‐BITDC). Major components of the EDM‐BITDC include, Large Foreign Investments (LFIs), Government policies and support for IT, Social awareness of IT importance, and Efficient use of IT.EDM‐BITDC provides an answer to the concerns of poor nations. It suggests that governments of these nations entice LFIs in the field of IT. Implementation of EDM‐BITDC in DC economies is expected to result in tremendous achievement in conformity with what has already been summarized as success stories of US and UK.