Browsing by Author "Ndayizigamiye, Patrick."

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4

Adoption of E-commerce by small, medium and micro enterprises in Pietermaritzburg and Durban.
(2012) Ndayizigamiye, Patrick.; McArthur, Brian Walter.
There are a number of benefits associated with e-commerce adoption. E-commerce provides an opportunity for Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) to expand their range of transactions and expansion into foreign markets (OECD, 2000). In South Africa, a study on online retail reveals that South Africans spent two (2) billion rands buying goods online in 2010 (WorldWideWorx, 2011a). The projected growth of online spending was 40% for 2011 (ibid). In addition, at the end of the year 2011, the number of internet users in South Africa was approximately 8.5 million (Goldstuck, 2012). Furthermore, the installation of new undersea telecommunications cables in South Africa that will lead to an increase of the internet bandwidth at a cheaper price, the granting of licenses that allows Internet Service Providers to build their own networks and the growth of cell phone internet are indicators that more South Africans will be able to access the internet in the near future. This suggests that there is a market for internet-enabled businesses in South Africa. It is in this context that this research examines the adoption of e-commerce by South African SMMEs in the Pietermaritzburg and Durban areas. Particularly, this research focuses on four (4) e-commerce options: i) customers payment by credit card through the SMME’s website, ii) customers placing orders through the SMME’s website, iii) providing customer services through the SMME’s website and iv) placing orders with suppliers over the internet. From a clustered sample of 400 SMMEs from Pietermaritzburg and Durban (200 from each area), this research examines the current usage of the 4 e-commerce options, the determinants and inhibitors of e-commerce, e-commerce readiness in terms of e-commerce enablers that are implemented in those areas and the knowledge that SMMEs from these locations have about the benefits of e-commerce. Variables drawn from the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and the Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) theory were tested for their significance as determinants of e-commerce within the context of SMMEs. Data were collected by means of questionnaires hand-delivered to SMME owner/managers. This study reveals that there is a disparity in e-commerce adoption rate by SMMEs between Pietermaritzburg and Durban. Such difference is mainly due to the differences in size of the businesses. In addition, it was found that three UTAUT variables influenced SMMEs’ decisions to adopt e-commerce. These variables are i) performance expectancy, ii) effort expectancy and iii) social influence. The social influence factor was found to be moderated by age. In addition, i) relative advantage, ii) compatibility and iii) complexity are the DOI variables that were found to have exerted some influence in the persuasion phase of the DOI model. The UTAUT and DOI theories were tentatively adapted to reflect the findings emanating from this study. This research also found that the majority of SMMEs that adopted e-commerce had knowledge of the benefits of e-commerce. Importantly, the research found that the majority of e-commerce adopters had an e-commerce strategy in place which is in contradiction with other research findings from the reviewed literature. The research shows that the majority of e-commerce adopters in both locations have i) their own company e-mail, ii) internet access and iii) a website. However, non-adopters in Pietermaritzburg show more readiness to e-commerce adoption compared to non-adopters in Durban as the majority of them already have i) an online presence, and ii) electronic mail. As expected, the majority of e-commerce adopters have a computerised inventory of company’s products and services. There is also evidence that customers’ and suppliers’ databases are built to carry out specific e-commerce activities. Lastly, the research found that whilst low use of e-commerce by customers is the only inhibitor that significantly affects the adoption of e-commerce in Durban, in Pietermaritzburg a number of inhibitors were found to impede e-commerce adoption. These are: i) lack of conviction of the financial and business benefits of e-commerce, ii) limited knowledge of the required technology, iii) low use of e-commerce amongst customers, iv) low use of e-commerce amongst suppliers, v) low level of computerisation within the company, vi) high cost of computers and network technologies, vii) telecommunications services not dependable, viii) concerns about internet security, and ix) concerns about legal issues, contracts and liability. In light of the research findings, it is recommended that government and policy makers be involved actively in promoting e-commerce adoption by SMMEs. In addition, SMME owners are urged to consider e-commerce adoption from an early stage of their business cycles and to take advantage of existing platforms that enable them to engage in e-commerce activities.
The adoption of virtual reality for medical training in the context of South African higher education.
(2020) Solomon, Zhane.; Ndayizigamiye, Patrick.; Raghavjee, Rushil.
Virtual reality (VR) is progressively being acknowledged as a useful tool for medical training. The adoption of VR for medical training in developing countries is at a slow pace compared to developed countries. The paucity of innovative systems such as VR training systems and the lack of exposure to these systems in developing countries tend to widen the gap in competency between medical professionals from developed and developing countries. VR in South Africa is a new concept and, therefore, limited literature exists from a South African educational perspective. This study aimed to fill the gap in literature from a South African perspective by investigating the determinants of the adoption of VR for medical training at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) was used as the guiding framework to investigate the perceived usefulness of using VR, the perceived effort required to use it, and the social factors and facilitating conditions that can influence its adoption for medical training. The study further aimed to determine the challenges associated with the adoption of VR for medical training within the South African higher education context. Findings from interviews with 12 purposively sampled lecturers revealed that most respondents perceived that VR would be easy to use for medical training should the necessary training and support be provided. Some respondents had not previously experienced VR immersive environments and hence felt that using VR for medical training would be difficult. The researcher deduced from the responses that the respondents would be influenced to adopt VR for medical training by other medical professionals who were currently using VR and that the degree of influence would be an important factor in adoption. Although the respondents perceived VR to be useful, they voiced that the adoption of VR for medical training at South African educational institutions could be hampered by challenges associated with the lack of infrastructure, knowledge of VR, finance, resistance to change, user’s inability to differentiate simulated environments from the real-world and poor design of the VR system (interface). The respondents suggested a gradual approach to VR adoption, forming partnerships with VR companies and seeking sponsorships or donations from alumni to address the finance-related impediments. Furthermore, to ensure the successful adoption of VR for medical training by South African educational institutions, they mentioned the need for: government to address financial constraints by increasing the budget allocated to South African healthcare; an effective change management process to address resistance to change; a cost-benefit analysis; and, finally, training to surmount the challenges.
Potential adoption of mHealth applications to induce healthy lifestyles among UKZN (PMB) students.
(2020) Mtshali, Nompumelelo Cebisile Witness.; Ndayizigamiye, Patrick.; Govender, Irene.
Over the years, the World Health Organization has reported an increasing number of young people affected by Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). There is also evidence that there is an increased prevalence of NCDs amongst the youth in South Africa. This surge in NCDs amongst the youth is often related to unhealthy lifestyles. It is also known that the rate of smartphone adoption among the youth in South Africa is high. This high rate of smartphone adoption presents an opportunity to devise mobile applications-driven interventions to induce healthy lifestyles amongst the youth. It is in this context that this study examined the potential adoption of mobile health applications to promote healthy lifestyles, that is, to monitor one’s diet and physical exercise amongst the youth in South Africa. The study adopted the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) to explain the youth’s intention to adopt mobile health applications that help induce healthy lifestyles. Data was collected from a convenient sample of 320 students registered at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg campus using a survey questionnaire. The descriptive analysis was conducted to assess and understand the perceptions and awareness of students pertaining to the use of mobile health applications. The Partial Least Structured Equation Model was used to assess the proposed model for the adoption of mobile health applications that promote healthy lifestyles. The results revealed that effort expectancy (EE), performance expectancy (PE) and social influence (SI), and facilitating conditions are the factors that influence the adoption of mobile health applications that help to induce healthy lifestyles. In addition, the study found that there is limited awareness of mobile health applications among UKZN (PMB) students. The study recommended that there is a need for interventions to raise awareness on the use of mHealth applications that help induce healthy lifestyles amongst the youth. Furthermore, any interventions that seek to promote healthy lifestyles amongst the youth should consider the identified factors that significantly influence the adoption of mHealth applications that help induce healthy lifestyles.
Potential adoption of mobile health technologies for public healthcare in Burundi.
(2016) Ndayizigamiye, Patrick.; Maharaj, Manoj Sewak.
Mobile health (or mHealth) describes the utilisation of wireless mobile communications devices in public and private healthcare. These include, but are not limited to, mobile telephones, personal digital assistants, and patient monitoring devices. Although the outcomes of mHealth interventions in developing countries have generally been assessed as positive, there is a need for designing mHealth interventions that are specifically tailored to the context of individual countries. It is in this context that this research investigates the potential adoption of mHealth technologies to provide healthcare services in Burundi from the institutional level point of view (Burundi’s Ministry of Health and Fight Against AIDS (MoH&A) and the Ministry of Communication (MoC)), users point of view (primary healthcare professionals) and mobile technology point of view (mobile technology providers). Using three theoretical frameworks i.e. the Capabilities Approach (CA) model, the Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) theory and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), this research firstly identifies the determinants and impediments to mHealth adoption in Burundi. It further describes how mHealth could be used to address the current challenges that the Burundi’s Ministry of Health faces in terms of providing public healthcare services. It further proposes a framework for the adoption of mHealth in Burundi. At the institutional level and mobile technology point of view, semi-structured interviews were held with civil servants from the two Ministries and with mobile technology services providers. At the users’ level, a survey was conducted with primary healthcare professionals from 47 primary healthcare centres. Findings reveal that mHealth adoption can contribute to disease prevention, disease management and the provision of quality healthcare in Burundi. Although there is limited knowledge of mHealth capabilities within the Burundi’s public healthcare sector, there is a general willingness towards the adoption of mHealth notwithstanding challenges associated with its adoption. Although DOI construct-related factors such as relative advantage, compatibility, trialability and observability significantly influence the adoption of mHealth in Burundi, complexity does not. In addition, performance expectancy, effort expectancy and facilitating conditions are UTAUT constructs that significantly influence the adoption of mHealth adoption. The research advocates for an integrated and collaborative approach to addressthe impediments to mHealth adoption in Burundi.