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The aim of this article is to explore the obstacles that are within the South African public sector, preventing information systems from operating as efficiently as they could. The significance of the research lies in the fact that the accomplishment of the objectives outlined in the South African national development plan 2030 and the medium-term strategy framework is dependent on the performance of the public sector. In the course of the research, annual and general reports from the website maintained by the Auditor General of South Africa from 2017 through 2021 were used. This study made use of the qualitative analysis software, Atlas.ti 7 which was employed to analyse textual data in annual reports. The investigation of the difficulties posed by corporate governance in the South African public sector were unveiled from themes emerging form the use of thematic analysis. The research uncovered issues with both the macro and the micro levels of corporate governance in the South African public sector. The macro concerns that were brought to light were difficulties in the structure of information systems, an economic downturn, changes in the leadership of the government, and a lack of credible information offered to people. Poor leadership accountability, inadequate information technology capabilities, poor project management, poor information management, inadequate and ineffective disaster recovery, regression in information technology governance, and delay in filling information technology vacancies were some of the micro-obstacles of corporate governance that affected information systems. According to the findings of the research, a transformational approach should be used to solve the issues by first gaining an awareness of how users view the role that information technologies play in the running of public bodies. In addition, instruments of corporate governance that relate to information systems in the public sector should be assessed to gauge their effectiveness in the South African environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent developments in Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) have been claimed to add some sophistication onto quantitative research methods' usage in terms of their research versatility, efficiency and practicality in a range of disciplines including Information Systems, Marketing, and People Management research. Although covariance based SEM (CB-SEM) is most prominent, application of partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) is an attractive alternative. This paper examines and applies the characteristics of PLS-SEM onto SMEs to see whether the efficiency, practicality and versatility assumptions, as claimed, do actually contribute to SMEs' business entrepreneurship in practice. The research question is therefore 'Do the embedded PLS-SEM assumptions of research versatility, practicality and efficiency actually translate into practical reality in SMEs operating in an emerging economy context?' We used a quantitative method data analysis technique as a precursor to help us identify the types of challenges faced by SMEs at both the micro and macro levels of analysis. Primary survey data from 212 Bangladeshi SMEs located at various geographic districts provide the study's population. We assess the application of the technique as a research methodological tool and its limitations provided the basis for us to develop and validate a partial least square based structural equation model (PLSSEM) as part of a small scale survey-based research on SMEs. These methodological insights then led to a successful framing of SMEs in a model that contributes to a process of identifying which types of challenges are more critical for SMEs' growth. Our results show that for SMEs to be competitive, the business and research benefits of our modelling and methodological technique should be given foreseeable attention by both academics and business practitioners. This methodological perspective is yet to gain researchers and professional practitioners' attention from SMEs' business perspective. By applying the statistical PLS technique to Business and Management Studies research we are contributing to a deeper understanding and knowledge creation in examining the assumptions, the design and application of a sophisticated research tool for the development of People Management, Business and SME theory and practice with a focus on an emerging economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasingly academe is facing the challenge of dealing with allegations of plagiarism and academic dishonesty. Academic dishonesty plagues both the degree acquisition process as well and the publishing process. Academic dishonesty within the university space has been clouded in mystery, as many universities are not willing to break the code of silence. However, within the academic publishing space, several respectable journals had to withdraw published papers citing academic dishonesty as a concern. At the core of academic dishonesty is the researcher and their perceptions of issues affecting academic dishonesty. The purpose of this research is to develop a better understanding of researchers' attitudes to issues of academic dishonesty. This study is quantitative in nature and primary data in the form of Likert scale questions were collected from developing researchers. The questionnaire data were statistically analysed, and a framework was developed to outline emerging researchers' perceptions of academic dishonesty. Key findings included academic dishonesty is influenced by several issues such as academic pressure, electronic deterrents, writing challenges, outsourcing, data challenges, plagiarism, database challenges, and electronic sources. This is important because by better understanding researchers' perceptions to academic dishonesty, (1) appropriate training interventions can be implemented (2) higher quality research will be produced and (3) research funding will not be wasted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been much criticism amongst researchers about the applicability and appropriateness of research methods for any particular study. The criticism of research methods between multiple supervisors of different philosophical perspectives contributes to the student confusion on what research method to use. The discourse on research methods is so vast, with experts promoting mostly the use of their own-mastered methods. Leading their students towards that which they have tried and tested. The purpose of this paper is to outline our experiences as emerging researchers, applying qualitative techniques in computer-science research. Computer science is traditionally a quantitative field of study. However, the work is transdisciplinary and the technology has become ubiquitous in our lives. Developing a better understanding of people's perspectives on the technology and understanding the technology is important. In this study, we use a qualitative autoethonography research method with a case study, to reflect on our journeys as qualitative researchers in a predominantly quantitative environment. This reflection is important for researchers because they should use the research tools, which are appropriate for the research objectives and environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pursing a Ph.D. is an exciting and transformative journey. The candidate is positively challenged at all stages of the journey, however, for the candidate to rise to challenge it is required that the candidate became a productive aspiring researcher in a short period of time. The candidate has to navigate several issues such as: should I crowd source my literature or data, how do I navigate the increasing number of journals that are being published? How do I understand the vocabulary of research, my chosen field and the special vocabulary of the academic database? Can I exclusively rely on my librarian who is the oracle in the data mining process? The emerging researcher may find themselves afflicted with information overload. This information overload will have an effect on the currency of the candidate's degree. The purpose of this research is to suggest a strategy for beginner researchers on how to navigate the research terrain. This is important because the researcher can become productive in a shorter period of time resulting in the earlier completion of the degree. This study is qualitative in nature and primary data in the form of reflective research journals were collected from my post graduate students and my reflective research journals. Aspects of the reflective research journals were analysed using principles of content and interpretative analysis. The analysis provided a deeper understanding of some issues affecting postgraduate candidates and resulted in the development of the Janus strategy. Janus, who is depicted with two heads, is the Roman demigod of beginnings, gates, transitions, time, doorways, passages, and endings. With the Janus strategy, the researcher employs an agenda driven strategy to navigate the academic research space from the start of the project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South Africa has a long tradition of being a leader in the application of ICT in business and government. From the 1960s, most if not all the major international vendors of computers and associated technologies established significant market presence in South Africa and computerisation became a prominent theme in many organisations, including government. The South African Government has followed world trends and devoted considerable resources to e- Government initiatives. However, the South African Government's use of computers has not always been successful. There are considerable challenges related to infrastructure, expertise, and demographics. The purpose of this research is to develop a better understanding of some of the factors that are driving modernisation within the South African government. This is important because there are increasing calls by citizens and NGO's that government needs to become more efficient and effective by streamlining the state bureaucracy. This study is qualitative in nature and primary data in the form of interviews were collected from 36 South African senior civil servants in national government, civil servants are one of the unseen key stakeholders in e-Government initiatives who affect the perceived success of e-Government initiatives. The interview data was analysed using principles of content and interpretive analysis. The analysis provided a deeper understanding of some of the issues that affect e-Government initiatives and resulted in the development of a theoretical conjecture. These issues relate to challenges from external factors such as policy reviews and audit requirements; maintenance of ICT systems; opposing development methods for applications and problems regarding clarity within the development processes of e- Government applications. The practical implications of this research are that e-Government champions develop a better understanding of the types of challenges civil servants encounter when they are involved in the development of e- Government applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mixed methods approaches are increasingly being used by researchers to better understand research problems. Researchers in Computing/Information Systems also appear to be systematically using mixed methods to enhance the relevance, rigor and credibility of their research. Currently, it is unclear how South African computing researchers are using mixed methods approaches. The purpose of this research is to understand if South African computing researchers are using mixed methods approachers and how South African researchers compare to their international counterparts. This is important because internationally there is increasing interest and use of mixed methods research approaches and it is therefore of interest to understand how computing researchers in South Africa are using mixed methods. In this qualitative study, research papers were reviewed in the following journals: the South African Computer Journal, the South African Journal of Information Management, the Electronic Journal of Information Systems Evaluation and the Electronic Journal of Knowledge Management. To identify the research approach, the papers were reviewed and searched for keywords such as mixed; qualitative; quantitative and case study and classified accordingly. A total of 982 research papers were reviewed. The results of this study indicate that South African journals appear to have a particular preference for either quantitative or qualitative research approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The process of acquiring a doctoral degree facilitates the transformational intellectual development of the degree candidate. This transformation in the candidate's thinking processes develop over a period of three to eight years. The candidate becomes familiar with the academic literature and then reasons about the research problem. The doctoral process facilitates the candidate to develop techniques that enable the candidate to logically solve problems in a more sophisticated manner, and conduct thought experiments. The candidate demonstrates the degree to which their intellect has developed by the writing of a dissertation. The dissertation is a written scholarly account of the candidate's rigorous research process, the findings and the original theoretical contribution to the body of knowledge. The written dissertation is evidence to the awarding university, other scholars and the broader community that the candidate has: mastered their subject, developed research insight, understands the 'rules and culture' of the discipline, has the ability to conduct independent research and is capable of communicating the findings to the community of scholars. In effect, the successful PhD is the admission ticket to the rigorous academic world. If the candidate uses questionable means to acquire the degree, the candidate does not get the required benefit of the intellectual development process. With increasing pressure on candidates to complete their degrees within a short time frame, some candidates are project managing the dissertation by outsourcing large aspects of the intellectual work, possible committing academic fraud. A doctoral dissertation that has been outsourced and then collated may be referred to as a zombie doctorate because the transformational intellectual process is unlikely to have occurred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is an on-going challenge for large organisations to ensure that their key stakeholders effectively share knowledge because without this knowledge sharing it is hard for the organization and the stakeholders to realise their potential. One of the ways in which knowledge can be shared is through constructive and correctly directed conversations. Such conversations don't just happen. They need to be instigated and one of the most effective ways of doing this is through the Knowledge Café. A Knowledge Café is a gathering of individuals with a common interest who are prepared to explore ideas surrounding a topic through conversation in order to obtain a better understanding of the issues involved. This paper reports on a Knowledge Café that was conducted with public sector participants and other stakeholders. There were 28 participants from senior management who engaged in the two hour free Knowledge Café event. The following issues were highlighted from the discussions: gaps in management; challenges regarding e-Government systems; gaps in citizen centric systems; challenges within the civil service; and challenges within government. Participants found that the knowledge sharing experience was a useful way to develop a better understanding of the issues that affect the public sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A three-round electronic Delphi survey addressing 20 issues, completed by 41 e-Government panel members was conducted to establish the relative importance of issues or factors affecting the use of this technology. The outcome measures were the relative importance and the level of agreement of the panel members on the e-Government enablers (presented as statements) to the success of e-Government applications. All the issues presented in this study were regarded as being relatively important by the participants. In addition open-ended comments were collected from the participants. Having establishing importance, the issues were thematically classified. The classification in order of rank importance is: system obstacles to success; relationships between key actors; drivers for change; gaps in understanding; and managing stakeholders. The high level of agreement among the expert panel members indicates particular themes and priorities that need to be addressed in understanding the challenges faced in the implementation of e-Government applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the goals of Information Systems (IS) is to solve business related problem with the appropriate use of relevant technologies. However, to solve the problem, people must be able to identify and articulate the problem. In the context of Governmental Agencies, for example, Ministers try to champion some type of technology change. They for example issue directives to their agency to implement particular systems within a defined time period (usually attached to their term of office). The Information Technology (IT) personal, who do not want to disappoint the Minister, hastily try to develop solutions. The current researcher sees a fundamental flaw with this approach. The proposed problem may have not been well defined and articulated. From the current IS literature there is currently no acceptable framework for identifying and articulating 'business' related problem. A survey of the current Information Systems literature shows that there is very little written about problem-based research (PBR). There exists no frameworks, guidelines or theoretical models. In the business context, practitioners may be using PBR tools and techniques, but are not aware of it. Ellis and Levy (2008) propose a framework for problem-based research. They, however, fall short of defining problem-based research. The current researcher conceptualize problem-based research in systems as 'an approach/methodology/mode that is engaging a business environment, focused/rooted on a particular even/problem, is practice focused and attempts to provide a practical solution.' The current researcher postulates that most IS projects fail or go over budget because the actual problems that the IS projects is meant to address in essence has never been well describes and well defined. The researcher further argues that problem-based research will reduce that gap between research and practice. There is a perception that people may not be aware that they use PBR, it is important that people are led through all four of the phases of the levels of competency (Klopper, Lubbe, & Rugbeer, 2007) (i.e. from unconscious incompetence, to conscious incompetence, then to conscious competence and finally to unconscious competence). This is to ensure that people follow a proper PBR approach. It is important to distinguish the mind set, managers always look for a solution to a problem were as scientists have a solution and then look for a problem they can use it on. The researcher argues that by following the PBR approach, the documentation of the research project will be shortened, more precise and focused. The researcher further argues that problem-based research techniques are being used in industry, it is at an unconscious incompetence (Klopper et al., 2007) (Unconscious incompetence: being unaware of something, its relationship to other things, and how it can be used in conjunction with other things.) Practitioners use a 'gut feeling' approach or it is based on sparks of commercial insight. The researcher further argues that the time factor (Saunders, 2007), complexity, uncertainty and ambiguity influence the timing of PBR. PBR in industry may be a satisfying approach and not an optimizing approach. In order to unpack and address these problems the current researcher proposes using a grounded theory approach to investigate the problems. Grounded theory allows one to build theory around the data that has been gathered form knowledgeable informants. The purpose of this paper is to outline the proposed approach that the current researcher will use to develop a framework for focused PBR in information systems development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]