The role of Information and Communication Technology in developing entrepreneurial skills in marginalised communities: the case of Grahamstown
- Authors: Mabika, Vinia Ruvimbo
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Occupational training -- South Africa , Entrepreneurship -- South Africa , Vocational education -- South Africa , Information technology -- Study and teaching -- South Africa , Businesspeople, Black -- South Africa -- Makhanda , Businesspeople -- South Africa -- Makhanda , Non-governmental organizations -- South Africa -- Makhanda
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/94169 , vital:31012
- Description: A call to meet the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 was made by the United Nations in 2015 after the expiry of the Millennium Development Goals. This has led to the need for youth entrepreneurship studies in marginalised communities that are burdened by poverty. The marginalised communities in South Africa, where most poor unemployed people live face numerous challenges. These range from a shortage of skilled people, inequality, poverty, poor infrastructure and lack of formal and informal skills development for communities. Employing information and communication technologies (ICTs) has the potential to improve socio-economic activities, aid comprehensive human development and empower communities. To ensure human development, provision of ICTs to communities should be accompanied by approaches and guidelines that can be used to empower them through entrepreneurship. This requires investigating how ICTs can lead to the empowerment of unemployed citizens within a community. Specifically, the types of tailored ICT skills that are needed to access such empowerment opportunities and are typically taught at skills development programmes (SDPs). An interpretivist, qualitative case study approach was employed during the investigation of four skills development programmes in Grahamstown (Eastern Cape). The participants included programme directors, managers, trainees who had become entrepreneurs after attending training and those who had not started a business yet. Semi-structured interviews were employed for data collection and thematic analysis was used to analyse the data; while making use of absorptive capacity theory (ACT) as a theoretical framework. The researcher sought to answer the following main question: How should ICT-based skills development programmes be applied to enhance entrepreneurial skills within marginalised communities? To answer this, the research contributes by proposing a guideline that can be implemented to address the skills shortage in Grahamstown. The first stage requires a community needs assessment, looking at the community members prior and related knowledge. Secondly, the SDPs should create a culture of learning by transforming participants’ mindsets through core programmes. Thirdly, the core programmes should be linked with ICT skills training. After training is completed, the SDPs and external world bodies should assist with follow up support courses. During all these stages monitoring and evaluation should be implemented, and all key stakeholders should be involved.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Mabika, Vinia Ruvimbo
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Occupational training -- South Africa , Entrepreneurship -- South Africa , Vocational education -- South Africa , Information technology -- Study and teaching -- South Africa , Businesspeople, Black -- South Africa -- Makhanda , Businesspeople -- South Africa -- Makhanda , Non-governmental organizations -- South Africa -- Makhanda
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/94169 , vital:31012
- Description: A call to meet the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 was made by the United Nations in 2015 after the expiry of the Millennium Development Goals. This has led to the need for youth entrepreneurship studies in marginalised communities that are burdened by poverty. The marginalised communities in South Africa, where most poor unemployed people live face numerous challenges. These range from a shortage of skilled people, inequality, poverty, poor infrastructure and lack of formal and informal skills development for communities. Employing information and communication technologies (ICTs) has the potential to improve socio-economic activities, aid comprehensive human development and empower communities. To ensure human development, provision of ICTs to communities should be accompanied by approaches and guidelines that can be used to empower them through entrepreneurship. This requires investigating how ICTs can lead to the empowerment of unemployed citizens within a community. Specifically, the types of tailored ICT skills that are needed to access such empowerment opportunities and are typically taught at skills development programmes (SDPs). An interpretivist, qualitative case study approach was employed during the investigation of four skills development programmes in Grahamstown (Eastern Cape). The participants included programme directors, managers, trainees who had become entrepreneurs after attending training and those who had not started a business yet. Semi-structured interviews were employed for data collection and thematic analysis was used to analyse the data; while making use of absorptive capacity theory (ACT) as a theoretical framework. The researcher sought to answer the following main question: How should ICT-based skills development programmes be applied to enhance entrepreneurial skills within marginalised communities? To answer this, the research contributes by proposing a guideline that can be implemented to address the skills shortage in Grahamstown. The first stage requires a community needs assessment, looking at the community members prior and related knowledge. Secondly, the SDPs should create a culture of learning by transforming participants’ mindsets through core programmes. Thirdly, the core programmes should be linked with ICT skills training. After training is completed, the SDPs and external world bodies should assist with follow up support courses. During all these stages monitoring and evaluation should be implemented, and all key stakeholders should be involved.
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An investigation of ICT project management techniques for sustainable ICT projects in rural development
- Authors: Pade, Caroline Ileje
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Educational technology -- South Africa , Information technology -- Study and teaching -- South Africa , Project management -- South Africa , Rural development projects -- South Africa , Rural development projects -- South Africa -- Case studies , Rhodes University Mathematics Education Project , Dwesa ICT Project
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:1140 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002769 , Educational technology -- South Africa , Information technology -- Study and teaching -- South Africa , Project management -- South Africa , Rural development projects -- South Africa , Rural development projects -- South Africa -- Case studies , Rhodes University Mathematics Education Project , Dwesa ICT Project
- Description: Poverty alleviation by means of rural development has become a priority among developing countries. In turn, rural development may be significantly enhanced and supported by Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), the use of which is highlighted by the emerging importance of information and knowledge as key strategic resources for social and economic development. An analysis of rural case studies where ICTs have been introduced, suggests that there are a number of barriers and constraints that are faced when taking advantage of these technologies. These include access to infrastructure, limited formal education, insufficient training and capacity building, financial and political constraints, and social and cultural challenges. These challenges threaten the success and sustainability of rural ICT projects. Sustainability is key to the effectiveness of a rural ICT project; therefore it is important to understand the concept and categories associated with ICT project sustainability in rural areas. The categories of sustainability which include social and cultural, institutional, economic, political, and technological, reveal critical success factors that need to be considered in the implementation and management of rural ICT projects. The project management discipline acknowledges the importance of understanding the project’s environment, particularly environmental factors associated with rural communities. The complexity of the environment therefore implies the need for a project to be undertaken in phases comprising the project life cycle. Project management practice for rural ICT project sustainability can therefore be examined, adapting the traditional project life cycle to a rural ICT project. A Rural ICT Project Life Cycle (RICT-PLC) that is sensitive to the critical success factors of sustainability is therefore proposed. In order to further investigate the phases of the life cycle of a rural ICT project, two case study investigations are explored: the Dwesa ICT community project, and the Rhodes University Mathematics Education Project (RUMEP) (MathsNet). A multiple case study analysis confirms the practices associated with the RICT-PLC model, and identifies additional characteristics, phases and practices associated with rural ICT projects. Finally, an enhanced RICT-PLC model is developed, that sets sustainability guidelines for ICT project management in rural areas and identifies the people, environments, technologies, systems, and requirements for ICTs to support rural development activities.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Pade, Caroline Ileje
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Educational technology -- South Africa , Information technology -- Study and teaching -- South Africa , Project management -- South Africa , Rural development projects -- South Africa , Rural development projects -- South Africa -- Case studies , Rhodes University Mathematics Education Project , Dwesa ICT Project
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:1140 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002769 , Educational technology -- South Africa , Information technology -- Study and teaching -- South Africa , Project management -- South Africa , Rural development projects -- South Africa , Rural development projects -- South Africa -- Case studies , Rhodes University Mathematics Education Project , Dwesa ICT Project
- Description: Poverty alleviation by means of rural development has become a priority among developing countries. In turn, rural development may be significantly enhanced and supported by Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), the use of which is highlighted by the emerging importance of information and knowledge as key strategic resources for social and economic development. An analysis of rural case studies where ICTs have been introduced, suggests that there are a number of barriers and constraints that are faced when taking advantage of these technologies. These include access to infrastructure, limited formal education, insufficient training and capacity building, financial and political constraints, and social and cultural challenges. These challenges threaten the success and sustainability of rural ICT projects. Sustainability is key to the effectiveness of a rural ICT project; therefore it is important to understand the concept and categories associated with ICT project sustainability in rural areas. The categories of sustainability which include social and cultural, institutional, economic, political, and technological, reveal critical success factors that need to be considered in the implementation and management of rural ICT projects. The project management discipline acknowledges the importance of understanding the project’s environment, particularly environmental factors associated with rural communities. The complexity of the environment therefore implies the need for a project to be undertaken in phases comprising the project life cycle. Project management practice for rural ICT project sustainability can therefore be examined, adapting the traditional project life cycle to a rural ICT project. A Rural ICT Project Life Cycle (RICT-PLC) that is sensitive to the critical success factors of sustainability is therefore proposed. In order to further investigate the phases of the life cycle of a rural ICT project, two case study investigations are explored: the Dwesa ICT community project, and the Rhodes University Mathematics Education Project (RUMEP) (MathsNet). A multiple case study analysis confirms the practices associated with the RICT-PLC model, and identifies additional characteristics, phases and practices associated with rural ICT projects. Finally, an enhanced RICT-PLC model is developed, that sets sustainability guidelines for ICT project management in rural areas and identifies the people, environments, technologies, systems, and requirements for ICTs to support rural development activities.
- Full Text:
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