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Contents Cover Page Error! Bookmark not defined. QUESTION 1 QUESTION 2 .................................................................................................... 2 .................................................................................................... 7

2.1 Briefly describe “The Information Processing Cycle”, showing its diagrammatic representation …………………………………………………………………………….. 7 2.2 Briefly describe “Moore’s Law”. Is this law still applicable nowadays? Justify your answer. QUESTION 3 ……………………………………………………………………………. 9 .................................................................................................. 13

3.1 Discuss how the Internet has transformed the world. (10) ................................. 13 3.2 Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using the Intranet? .................... 16 QUESTION 4 18

BIBLIOGRAPHY ...................................................................................................... 24 FIGURES Figure 1: Information Processing Cycle …………………………………………………8 Figure 2 Plot of CPU transistor counts Figure 3: Strategic Planning Process Figure 4 Porters Five Forces Model …………………….…………………………11 …………………………………….…………20 ……………………………………………….22

TABLES Table 1 Student SWOT Analysis ……………………………………………………….22

QUESTION 1

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Discuss how Information Technology can be used in tertiary institutions like MANCOSA to enhance teaching and learning. Confine your discussion to any tertiary institution of your choice.

Answer: Question 1

Introduction Information and communication technology (ICT) is an indispensable part of the contemporary world. The field of education has certainly been affected by the penetrating influence of information and communication technology worldwide and in particular developed countries, ICT has made an impact on the quality and quantity of teaching, learning, and research in the traditional and/or distance education institutions using it.

Looking at the role of education in the development of any society, the school will be indispensable in developing an ICT learning culture of any country. The school must provide effective leadership in ICT integration, through research, modelling of effective integration of ICT, and provision of opportunities for professional development of citizens of a country.

MANCOSA as an institution will provide many benefits to students and lecturers by implementing ICT solutions for a more enhanced learning experience for both student and lecturer. When properly integrated into the curriculum and classroom, information technology can (1) allow students to personalize their education; (2) automate many tedious and rote tasks of teaching and managing classes; and (3) reduce the teacher’s workload per student, so that he or she can spend more time on reaching individual students for example email, presentations, course management software, virtual learning environments and e-learning.

Email Emails strength as an educational tool relies solely on constructing a solid emailbased environment and a pedagogically sound message. Email could be used as a feedback and communication tool. E-mail is used by students for contact with the

lecturers on material that is problematic. E-mail as a collaboration medium, means that students also interact with each other, or can communicate and do research with people across international borders, with little or no cost, in comparison to the older methods. Smith, Whiteley and Smith (1999), over the course of three studies, conclude that email is a “viable alternative means of course delivery”. Debard and Guidara (1999) extol the need for better and more frequent use of asynchronous communication in the higher education classroom. They find that asynchronous communication, such as email, can be adopted to meet Chickering and Reisser’s seven principals of effective teaching. They stress that email can increase faculty-student contact resulting in improved student involvement and motivation. Debard and Guidara (1999) also point to email as a source of more intensive student interaction that can lead to deeper, more active, and more engaged learning.

Presentations The use of slides to present key notes to students or conferences, by means of presentation software, has almost become the standard for most lectures or conferences. Even this technology is facing even more change with more interactive opportunities being spearheaded by interactive whiteboards and smartboards which allow learners and instructors to write on the touch screen. The screen mark-ups can be on either a blank whiteboard or any computer screen content. Depending on permission settings, this visual learning can be interactive and participatory, including writing and manipulating images on the interactive whiteboard. As well as screencasting which allows users to share their screens directly from their browser and make the video available online so that other viewers can stream the video directly (Screencasting). The presenter thus has the ability to show their ideas and flow of thoughts rather than simply explain them as simple text content. In combination with audio and video, the educator can mimic the one-on-one experience of the classroom and deliver clear, complete instructions. Learners also have an ability to pause and rewind, to review at their own pace, something a classroom cannot always offer.

Course management software Course management software, also known as learning management software (LMS) creates an environment conducive to students being able to work through a course and interact with other students and lecturers within the LMS environment. A learning management system (LMS) is software used for delivering, tracking and managing training and education. LMS tracks attendance, time on task, and student progress. Educators can post announcements, grade assignments, check on course activity, and participate in class discussions. Students can submit their work, read and respond to discussion questions, and take quizzes (Courts, B., & Tucker, J. 2012). LMS may allow teachers, administrators, students, and permitted additional parties (such as parents if appropriate) to track various metrics. LMSs range from systems for managing training/educational records to software for distributing courses over the Internet and offering features for online collaboration. The creation and maintenance of comprehensive learning content requires substantial initial and ongoing investments of human labour. Effective translation into other languages and cultural contexts requires even more investment by knowledgeable personnel (Sarasota, et al 2013). Internet-based learning management systems include Blackboard Inc. and Moodle. These types of LMS allow educators to run a learning system partially or fully online, asynchronously or synchronously. Blackboard can be used Higher Education, Business, and Government collaboration. Moodle is a freeto-download Open Source Course Management System that provides blended learning opportunities as well as platforms for distance learning courses. A LMS should be able to do the following as well according to Ellis (Ellis, 2009):       centralize and automate administration use self-service and self-guided services assemble and deliver learning content rapidly consolidate training initiatives on a scalable web-based platform support portability and standards personalize content and enable knowledge reuse.18

Today the biggest trend in the e-learning market is for these systems to be integrated with ‘Talent Management Systems'. Talent management software serves towards the process of recruiting, managing, assessing, developing and maintaining an organisation’s most important resources. Bersin research shows that in 2009 more than 70 percent of large companies have an LMS already and almost one third of these companies are considering replacing or upgrading these systems with integrated talent management systems (Learning management system: Wikipedia).

Virtual Learning Environment A Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) simulates a virtual classroom or meetings by simultaneously mixing several communication technologies which enables students and instructors to communicate with each other via webcam, microphone, and realtime chatting in a group setting. Participants can raise hands, answer polls or take tests. A virtual classroom also provides the opportunity for students to receive direct instruction from a qualified teacher in an interactive environment. Learners can have direct and immediate access to their instructor for instant feedback and direction. The virtual classroom also provides a structured schedule of classes, which can be helpful for students who may find the freedom of asynchronous learning to be overwhelming. Using this technology we find that many students are using this simulation software and devices to gain skills that they can put to use in reality.

E-Learning E-Learning or Distance Online Learning has started to attract many students due to being able to further ones studies at one's own convenience. According to Williams et al. (2010:4-5), this area in education in fact has had the largest growth: “20% per year". Many institutions now offer online education programs and the interaction with the students are all based on electronic communication. E-learning is not limited to higher education and many home schooling setups are making use of the vast ICT resources to improve the quality of home schooling.

Cognitive Tutor According to Williams et al. (2010:5), the reach of information technology into education has only begun, in the future, we will see software called “intelligent tutoring systems” that gives students individualized instruction when personal

attention is scarce, such as the software Cognitive Tutor, which not only helps high school students to improve their performance in math but also sparks them to enjoy a subject they might have once hated. In colleges, more students may use interactive simulation games, such as McGraw-Hill’s Business Strategy Game, to apply their knowledge to real-world kinds of problems. And employees in company training programs may find themselves engaged in mock conversations with avatars - computer depictions of humans, as are often found in online videogames - that represent imaginary customers and co-workers, combining the best parts of computer-based learning with face-to-face interaction.

Conclusion Although MANCOSA has some of these technologies in place already there should be a constant improvement of existing technologies such as email and presentations and incorporating newer technologies such as virtual learning environments and elearning within the current ICT environment of MANCOSA as this will only bring further benefits to students and lecturers such as:       Easy-to-access course materials Student motivation More opportunities for extended learning Wide participation Improved student writing Differentiated Instruction

QUESTION 2

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2.1 Briefly describe “The Information Processing Cycle”, showing its diagrammatic representation. (15) Answer: Question 2.1

The Information Processing Cycle is the process all computer systems and devices use to capture process and store data. It then uses the first three processes to provide the fourth process output. The sequences of events which make up the cycle are:     Input Processing Storage Output

Below figure 1 shows the Information Processing Cycle

Figure 1: Information Processing Cycle

Input: Users input data or instruction into the computer system to be process. Input could be text, graphic, audio or video. Input devices are used by users to input data. Input devices are any electronic device connected to a computer and produces input signals such as, Keyboards, Mouse, Keypads, Microphone, etc.

Processing: Data or instruction being input into the computer system is then processed by the CPU which controls all activities within the system. The results of the processed data are then sent to an output device as usable data. A CPU interprets the data and carries out the instructions by processing data and controlling the rest of the computer’s components. A CPU consists of two subcomponents; the Control Unit (CU) and the Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU). CU’s main function is to direct the CPU to process data by extracting instructions from memory and decodes and executes them. The CU manages a four-step basic operation which is called a machine cycle. The steps are Fetching, Decoding, Executing and Storing: Storage: Computer storage is important to help users store programs and data to be used at a later time. It is also useful to keep current data while being processed by the processor until the information is saved in a storage media such as a hard disk or a diskette. Computer storage also stores instructions from a computer program. There are two type of computer storage; primary storage and secondary storage.  Primary storage is known as the main memory of a computer, including RAM (Random-Access Memory) and ROM (Read-Only Memory). It is an internal memory (inside the CPU) that can be accessed directly by the processor.  Secondary storage an external storage that refers to various ways a computer can store program and data. Many complex functions, such as translators for high-level languages and operating systems are placed in primary storage. Secondary storage is an alternative storage. It is very useful to store programs and data for future use. Output: Output is the result of data processing activity when it is presented external to the system. The output from a computer can be in a form for use by people, for example, printed or displayed. There are four types of output, which are texts, graphics, audio and video.

Conclusion The most important advantage of this cycle is that the information is processed quickly. At the same time retrieving the data is an easy task. The necessary information is stored, which helps in avoiding duplication of data.

2.2 Briefly describe “Moore’s Law”. Is this law still applicable nowadays? Justify your answer. (10) Answer: Question 2.2

Introduction Moore's law is the observation that, over the history of computing hardware, the number of transistors in a dense integrated circuit doubles approximately every two years. The law is named after Gordon E. Moore, co-founder of Intel Corporation, who described the trend in his 1965 paper (Moore, Gordon E. 1965). Refer to Figure 2 Plot of CPU transistor counts. Although this trend has continued for more than half a century, Moore's law should be considered an observation or conjecture and not a physical or natural law. Sources in 2005 expected it to continue until at least 2015 or 2020 (Kanellos, Michael 2005). However, the 2010 update to the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors predicted that growth will slow at the end of 2013,[15] when transistor counts and densities are to double only every three years.

Figure 2 Plot of CPU transistor counts

His prediction has proven to be accurate, in part because the law is used in the semiconductor industry to guide long-term planning and to set targets for research and development (Disco, Cornelius, et al 1998). The capabilities of many digital electronic devices are strongly linked to Moore's law: quality-adjusted

microprocessor prices,] memory capacity, sensors and even the number and size of pixels in digital cameras. All of these are improving at roughly exponential rates as well. This exponential improvement has dramatically enhanced the impact of digital electronics in nearly every segment of the world economy. Moore’s law describes a driving force of technological and social change, productivity and economic growth in the late 20th and early 21st centuries (Kendrick, John W. 1961).

Numerous innovations by a large number of scientists and engineers have helped significantly to sustain Moore's law since the beginning of the integrated circuit (IC) era. Computer industry technology roadmaps predict (as of 2001) that Moore's law will continue for several generations of semiconductor chips. Depending on the doubling time used in the calculations, this could mean up to a hundredfold increase in transistor count per chip within a decade. The semiconductor industry technology roadmap uses a three-year doubling time for microprocessors, leading to a tenfold increase in the next decade (BM100). Intel was reported in 2005 as stating that the downsizing of silicon chips with good economics can continue during the next decade, and in 2008 as predicting the trend through 2029 (ITRS). Futurists such as Ray Kurzweil, Bruce Sterling, and Vernor Vinge believe that the exponential improvement described by Moore's law will ultimately lead to a technological singularity: a period where progress in technology occurs almost instantly (The Economist). Although Kurzweil agrees that by 2019 the current strategy of ever-finer photolithography will have run its course, he speculates that this does not mean the end of Moore's law. Kurzweil speculates that it is likely that some new type of technology (e.g. optical, quantum computers, DNA computing) will replace current integrated-circuit technology, and that Moore's Law will hold true long after 2020 (Ray Kurzweil 200105-01). He believes that the exponential growth of Moore's law will continue beyond the use of integrated circuits into technologies that will lead to the technological singularity. The Law of Accelerating Returns described by Ray Kurzweil has in many ways altered the public's perception of Moore's law. It is a common (but mistaken) belief that Moore's law makes predictions regarding all forms of technology, when it was originally intended to apply only to semiconductor circuits. Many futurists still use the term Moore's law in this broader sense to describe ideas like those put forth by Kurzweil. Kurzweil has hypothesised that Moore's law will apply – at least by inference – to any problem that can be attacked by digital computers as is in its

essence also a digital problem. Therefore, because of the digital coding of DNA, progress in genetics may also advance at a Moore's law rate. Moore's law has significantly impacted the performance of other technologies: Michael S. Malone wrote of a Moore's War following the apparent success of shock and awe in the early days of the Iraq War. Progress in the development of guided weapons depends on electronic technology (Malone, Michael S.

2003).Improvements in circuit density and low-power operation associated with Moore's law have also contributed to the development of technologies including mobile phones and replicator-like 3D printing (Lipson, Hod 2013) Intel, through investments in technology and manufacturing has made Moore’s Law a reality as well. As transistor scale gets ever smaller Intel expects to continue to deliver on Moore’s prediction well into the foreseeable future by using an entirely new transistor formula that alleviates wasteful electricity leaks creating more energyefficient processors. Continuing Moore's Law means the rate of progress in the semiconductor industry will far surpass that of nearly all other industries. The future of Moore’s Law could deliver a magnitude of exponential capability increases, driving a fundamental shift in computing, networking, storage, and communication devices to handle the evergrowing digital content and Intel's vision of 15 billion intelligent, connected devices. Conclusion From the information provide above it can be seen that Moore’s Law still holds true to date in many various facets not just is the semiconductor field which keeps improving computer technology but also in the field of warfare, genetics (DNA), mobile computing (cell phones) and in printing technology. As long as there is digital, electronic improvements to be made in the world of technology Moore’s Law will apply.

QUESTION 3 3.1 Discuss how the Internet has transformed the world. (10) Answer: Question 3.1

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Introduction In this day and age, the Internet is the new resource tool for the masses. It has changed the way we live in society and the way people interact with each other. As more and more people log on the Internet, it has undoubtedly changed the way people think and feel about each other and the world around us.

When we begin to look at the ways it has changed society, we can clearly see many reasons to its assimilation into modern life.

Communication The Internet has had a profound impact on how people communicate in terms of speed, quantity, quality and method. People can now communicate to others across the globe in many forms including emails, instant messages, social networks, video recordings and more. In the business environment time increasingly phone calls and in-person meetings have been replaced by the cost-efficient electronic means of communication.

Social Networking / Entertainment  Social networking websites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Myspace have created new ways to socialise and interact. Users of these sites are able to add a wide variety of information to pages, to pursue common interests, and to connect with others as well as to find existing acquaintances, to allow communication among existing groups of people.  Gaming - Another area of leisure activity on the Internet is gaming. This form of recreation creates communities, where people of all ages and origins enjoy the fast-paced world of multiplayer games.



Music - Bands and musicians are getting more exposure than ever due to sites like YouTube, Facebook, Myspace, Purevolume, Pandora, and most notably, iTunes. Apple's iTunes is home to more music purchase than any other source



Dating – Dating websites has changed the way people have started to meet, in essence bringing a no pressure situation in communicating with the opposite sex.



Live Streaming – With faster internet connections available people don’t have the need to rent a movie from the video store nor do they have to record television shows when they are not around, they can now stream all their favourite shows and movies whenever they want.

Finance Many Internet users now pay the majority of their bills online, whether they are recurring bills or the result of a single on-line shopping visit. Almost all banks have on-line sites that allow users to transfer money between accounts and set up scheduled payments. All reputable bill-pay sites set up a user-name account with a password to protect users from identity theft and unauthorized use of the account. At least one service, PayPal, handles transactions without disclosing the users financial or credit card information to the entities being paid. Business In the business environment, the Internet has totally transformed and revolutionized opportunity. Businesses that were limited before can now easily operate globally and increase their customer bases. Communicating and responding to customer needs is far more expedient, and the Internet has provided strategic abilities previously impossible to achieve.  Ecommerce, and increasingly mobile commerce, benefits both the customer and the business, providing each with tangible benefits. Customers can now comparison shop through using their Internet, book travel plans, and have a plethora of other commerce needs met, saving both time and money.



Telecommuting- Many businesses have embraced telecommuting in which employees can work from the comfort of their home using equipment provided by their company. In doing so, a business is able to cut overhead expenses as less office space and utilities are needed for its day to day operation.

Education/Research  Education – Achieving a degree is more accessible now than it was in the past. Working adults who aren’t able to travel or attend a traditional campus can now get a degree basically from home.  Research - When you're looking for answers there's Google, Wikipedia, and WebMD just to name a few. From researching assignment content, the Paleo diet and DIY tips, to checking symptoms associated with an ailment, in a matter of minutes you can go from knowing nothing about a topic to being the subject matter expert. Crime Unfortunately with the positives come some negatives. Criminal elements have always existed in society, however with new tools and capabilities, come new crimes and or exploit the Internet to commit familiar crimes such as theft. Today society has to contend with increased levels of identity and financial theft, cyber stalking, phishing, website defacement, viruses and malware that destroy both physical and intellectual property, to name a few. Conclusion The creation of the Internet has dramatically impacted society and as every day passes, newer innovations are created. What the future brings where an interconnected society is concerned is not known, however one thing is for certain, the Internet has had a tremendous impact when it comes to the history of the world and how its progression will be documented.

3.2 Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using the Intranet? (15) Answer: Question 3.2

Introduction

An intranet is a network serving the internal informational needs of a company, using Internet tools. Intranets are portals (also called gateways) that provide easy and inexpensive browsing and search capabilities. Colleges and universities rely on intranets to provide services to students and faculty. Using screen sharing and other groupware tools, intranets can be used to facilitate collaboration.

There are numerous advantages of an intranet and naturally as with every network concept there are disadvantages. Below the advantages and disadvantages of an intranet is mentioned:

Advantages               It is the least expensive way to set up a multimedia hypertext system User training is minimal, because web browsers provide a standard, simple and intuitive user interface It can use existing hardware and system software It can integrate information from different sources into a common view. Publish information to staff (policy manuals, newsletters, etc.) Individual department/employee Web pages Gathering data - time reports, schedules, customer visits Allows remote access to business Interactive apps - polling for opinions Training (e-Learning) Integration with corporate data (prices, product info and sales stats accounting, asset tracking, etc.) Video conferencing - VoIP Inexpensive (relatively) Easier to keep users up to date

               

Effective use of distributed computer resources Training easy (for net users) Add-on applications (including multimedia) available Expected growth is 4 times that of Internet itself Intranet Open standards Platform independence and portability Consistent and reliable platforms Support for multiple data sources and types Process distribution and scalability Ease of use (consistent and friendly user interfaces) The universal client provides a common interface to all services Shorter development times and reduced costs Collaboration Development tools that are integrated through the use of open standards Reduces certain business costs Removes 9 to 5 access to information

Disadvantages of Intranets       Security concerns (easy to hack) Bandwidth intensive Measuring ROI (Return On Investment) Constant change Information needs to be continuously updated Technical support needed to maintain system

Conclusion An intranet is a very useful private network, but naturally it is not required in all types of organizations. Therefore, a company's management should decide whether to implement an intranet or not, although it is clear that most companies can benefit greatly from this technology.

QUESTION 4

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Write a proposal of an Information Technology strategic planning process for MANCOSA. The diagram(s) should be included where possible to explicitly show the IT strategic planning process that could enhance the use of Information Systems the improvement the learning process at MANCOSA, from the students’ perspective.

Answer: Question 4

Proposal on an Information Technology Strategic Planning Process for MANCOSA

Introduction The Management College of Southern Africa (MANCOSA) is a private higher education institution registered in terms of the Higher Education Act (Act 101 of 1997 as amended). It was established in 1995 as a post-apartheid empowerment institution offering affordable and accessible management education primarily to persons previously denied access to postgraduate education. Current Vision To be a leading distance education provider that is responsive to the evolving education needs of emerging economies through a commitment to people, opportunity and quality. Current Mission MANCOSA endeavours to respond to the changing education demands of both public and private sectors in emerging economies through the provision of innovative education opportunities. Scope The scope of the proposal is to provide a graphical view of Information Technology strategic planning process that could enhance the use of Information Systems and improve the learning process at MANCOSA. It will provide specific objectives, goals and strategies to be implemented by MANCOSA to help achieve its Mission and Goals.

Information Technology Strategic Planning Process

Figure 3: Strategic Planning Process

MANCOSA can utilise the goals-based strategic planning in Figure 3 which involves defining the mission and vision of the organization, identifying objectives and goals that support the mission, setting strategies to achieve the goals, and identifying

projects and initiatives. This will allow MANCOSA to enhance the use of Information Systems within the organisation and to improve their learning processes. MANCOSA Mission MANCOSA endeavours to respond to the changing education demands of both public and private sectors in emerging economies through the provision of innovative education opportunities. MANCOSA Vision To be a leading distance education provider that is responsive to the evolving education needs of emerging economies through a commitment to people, opportunity and quality. To implement leading technologies to improve and enhance the student learning experience. Conducting Internal Assessment All levels and business units of an organization must be involved in internally assessing its strengths and weaknesses. Preparing a historical perspective that summarises MANCOSA’s development is an excellent way to begin this step of strategic planning. Next, a multitude of data is gathered about internal processes and operations, including survey data from customers and suppliers and other objective assessments of MANCOSA. The collected data is analysed to identify and assess how well the firm is meeting current objectives and goals, and how well its current strategies are working. This process will identify many of the strengths and weaknesses of MANCOSA but as this strategic plan is from a student’s perspective this information will not be attainable Analysing External Environment MANCOSA must collect and analyse facts about its key customers, competitors, and suppliers. The goal is two-fold: capture a clear picture of the strategically important issues that MANCOSA must address in the future, and reveal its competitive position against its rivals. Michael Porter’s Five Forces Model (see Figure 4) will be utilised in this process for assessing the nature of industry competition.

Figure 4 Porters Five Forces Model

SWOT Analysis The analysis of the internal and external environment is summarised into a Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threat (SWOT) matrix. The following SWOT analysis from the student’s perspective identified the current strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of MANCOSA. The information gathered from the SWOT analysis will be vital in defining future strategies. STRENGHTS    Online assignment submissions Online results Cost effective tuition fees    OPPORTUNITIES    Virtual work sessions E-Learning Courses and lectures Improve student experience  WEAKNESSES Assignment feedback unsatisfactory Larger library for research and information Poor lecturer and assignment guidance THREATS Other Open Distance Learning Institutions with more innovative ICT technologies available to its students

Table 2 Student SWOT Analysis

Define Objective The objective is to enhance the learning process at MANCOSA for the students by using Information Systems such as virtual workshops, research and example information. Establish Goals The following are the identified goals taking into account the Objectives and requirements from students.      Ensure sufficient hardware to accommodate virtual workshops. Software to create virtual workshops for students. Software to allow for hosting of research material and sample question and answers. Process to improve guidance and feedback on assignments to students. Notify students of new services and technologies.

Set Strategies The following are the recommended strategies to be deployed to assist MANCOSA to achieve its Mission, Vision, Objectives and Goals.      Identify, procure and implement required hardware infrastructure to host solution. Identify, procure and implement required software for virtual workshops. Identify, procure and implement required software to publish research material sample questions. Implement process to improve guidance and feedback on assignments to students. Provide communication to students on new services and functions.

Defining Measures The following are measure which can be used to measure the success of the various strategies in trying to achieve the Mission, Vision, Objectives and Goals.   Successful implementation of hardware infrastructure. Performance of Hardware infrastructure.

    

Successful implementation of software for virtual workshops. Successful implementation of software to publish research material and sample questions. Sufficient feedback provided to students on assignments. Utilisation of solutions by students. Positive response by students.

The remaining components of the goal based strategic plan can only be completed with information from MANCOSA and will not be able to really be addressed by the student’s perspective as it will not make sound business sense. The remaining components are as follows:      Deploying OGSM Identifying Projects and Initiatives Prioritizing Projects and Initiatives Executing Projects and Initiatives Measuring and Evaluating Results

Recommendations It is highly recommended that the strategies mentioned above be implemented using various projects. Project Charters will identify and detail the various costs and resources required for implementation. Conclusion The optimal and appropriate use of information technology, now more than ever, is crucial if MANCOSA is to deliver on its vision of becoming the Africa’s premier distance education provider. Researching, teaching and learning, student

recruitment and retention, and the business processes of MANCOSA are all increasingly dependent on IT in one form or another. Both students and staff come to MANCOSA with an expectation that the services MANCOSA provides will respond to their needs, rather than meet the needs of the institution. This strategy aims to increase the focus of MANCOSA on providing innovative services to its students, to build a reliable and resilient technical infrastructure which is both cost-effective and sustainable, and to keep environmental costs to a minimum.

BIBLIOGRAPHY  Smith, C.D., Whiteley, H.E. and Smith, S. (1999). Using e-mail for teaching. Computers and Education Vol. 33, pp. 15-25. 

Debard, R. and Guidara, S. (1999). Adapting asynchronous communication to meet the seven principles of effective teaching. Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 28(3), 219-239.



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Courts, B., & Tucker, J. (2012). Using Technology To Create A Dynamic Classroom Experience. Journal of College Teaching & Learning (TLC), 9(2), 121-128



Sarasota, Darya; Ali Khalid; Sören Auer; Jörg Unbehauen (2013), Crowd Learn: Crowd sourcing the Creation of Highly-structured E-Learning Content", 5th International Conference on Computer Supported Education CSEDU 201 3 (in PDF - http://svn.aksw.org/papers/2013/CSEDU2013_SlideWiki/public.pdf [Accessed 10 September 2014]



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Learning management system - Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia. 2011. Learning management system - Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia. [ONLINE] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning_management_system.

[Accessed 11 September 2014].  Williams, Brian K, and Sawyer, S. (2009). Using Information Technology. 8th Ed. New York: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.



Williams, Brian K, and Sawyer, S. (2010). Using Information Technology. 9th Ed. New York: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.



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Disco, Cornelius; van der Meulen, Barend (1998). Getting new technologies together. New York: Walter de Gruyter. pp. 206–207



Kendrick, John W. (1961). Productivity Trends in the United States. Princeton University Press for NBER. p. 3.



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The Economist - Moore's Law at 40 – Happy birthday [ONLINE] Available from: http://www.economist.com/node/3798505 [Accessed 11 September 2011]



Malone, Michael S. (27 March 2003), Silicon Insider: Welcome to Moore's War, [ONLINE], Available from: http://abcnews.go.com/Business/story?id=86673 [Accessed 11 September 2014]



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...What is Management? Definitions According to Harold Koontz, "Management is the art of getting things done through and with people in formally organised groups." Harold Koontz gave this definition of management in his book "The Management Theory Jungle". According to Henri Fayol, "To manage is to forecast and to plan, to organise, to command, to co-ordinate and to control." Henri Fayol gave this definition of management in his book "Industrial and General Administration". Image Credits © Michael Heiss. According to Peter Drucker, "Management is a multi-purpose organ that manages business and manages managers and manages workers and work." This definition of management was given by Peter Drucker in his book "The Principles of Management". According to Mary Parker Follet, "Management is the art of getting things done through people." Meaning of Management According to Theo Heimann, management has three different meanings, viz., 1. Management as a Noun : refers to a Group of Managers. 2. Management as a Process : refers to the Functions of Management i.e. Planning, Organising, Directing, Controlling, etc. 3. Management as a Discipline : refers to the Subject of Management. Management is an individual or a group of individuals that accept responsibilities to run an organisation. They Plan, Organise, Direct and Control all the essential activities of the organisation. Management does not do the work themselves. They motivate others to do the work and...

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...Past Influence of Management Today Abstract The past influence of management was done with bureaucracy and Administrative ways that gives management today to achieve their goals for the organization. Bureaucratic management may be described as "a formal system of organization based on clearly defined hierarchical levels and roles in order to maintain efficiency and effectiveness." Administrative has to foresee and make preparation s to meet the financial commercial and technical condition s under which the concerns must be started. How Bureaucratic and Administrative Management Affects Overall Management Bureaucracy Bureaucratic management focuses on the ideal form of organization. Max Weber was the major contributor to bureaucratic management. Based on observation, Weber concluded that many early organizations were inefficiently managed, with decisions based on personal relationships and loyalty. Also, bureaucracy formed the need for organizations to operate rationally rather than relying on owners’ and managers. (Williams’s pg. 31) this brings Jobs are divided into simple, routine and fixed category based on competence and functional specialization. Officers are organized in a n hierarchy in which higher officer controls lower position holders i.e. superior controls subordinates and their performance of subordinates and lower staff could be controlled. All organizational...

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...conceptual skills, interpersonal skills, and technical skills. These three managerial skills are used by different managers in different degrees. Successful managers usually display more conceptual than technical skills. They have to continuously think about the company's goals and objectives and how they can be effectively communicated to employees. Middle Level Management Middle management is the intermediate management level accountable to top management and responsible for leading lower level managers. Image of Middle managers fig. 1 Middle managers Middle management is the intermediate management of a hierarchical organization, being subordinate to the senior management but above the lowest levels of operational staff. Key Points Middle management is the intermediate management of a hierarchical organization, subordinate to the senior management but above the lowest levels of operational staff. They are accountable to the top management for their department's function. They provide guidance to lower level managers and inspire them towards better performance. Middle management may be reduced in organizations as a result of reorganization. Such changes include downsizing,...

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...Assignment On- “The Evolution of Management Thought and The Patterns of Management Analysis” Submitted To: Professor Dr. Abu Hossain Siddique Department of International Business University of Dhak 9th Batch, EMBA Date of Submission: 4th July,2012 INTRODUCTION Although modern management theory dates primarily from the early twentieth century, there was serious thinking and theorizing about managing many years before. Two events are especially significant to management history. First, in 1776, Adams Smith published The Wealth of Nations, in which he argued the economic advantages that organizations and society would gain from the division of labor (or job specialization). The second important event is the industrial revolution. Starting in the late eighteenth century when machine power was substituted for human power, it became more economical to manufacture goods in factories than at home. These large, efficient factories needed someone to forecast demand, ensure that enough material was on hand to make products, assign task to people, direct daily activities, and so fort. That “someone” was managers, and these managers would need formal theories to guide them in running these large organizations. It wasn’t until the early 1900s, however, that the first steps were taken toward developing such theories. The evolution of modern management thinking begins in the nineteenth century...

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...Classical Management Theory (1900 – 1930) It was the rise of the Industrial Revolution and factories were becoming more common. Inside these factories, managers were constantly look for ways to improve productivity and efficiency. As time moved on, it became apparent that searching for the single best way to do things was the most important thing for managers to do. Thus, classical management theory was born. The Evolution of Classical Management Theory The Industrial Revolution was a time where innovation really began to change the way that products were produced and sold. The invention of machines to produce goods in the 19th century drastically improved productivity, which in turn lowered the cost to the consumer. The lower price resulted in a greater demand for products and thus a greater need for more factories and workers. As factories increased in number, managers continued to search for ways to improve productivity, lower cost, increase quality of their products, improve employee/manager relationships and increase efficiency. The focus shifted from using machines to increase productivity to how they could increase employee productivity and efficiency. When they did this, they began to notice some new problems inside their factory systems. Employees were dissatisfied with their current working conditions, and many lacked the necessary training for how to do their work efficiently. Managers then began to formulate and test possible solutions, one of which was to find...

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...The formation of organization implies that a leader should take the role to control the activities of the group; the work done by the leader is what we call management. Organization is formed by a group of people who work together. No matter the organization is a profit making ones or non-profit making ones, its formations are to achieve a common purpose or variety of goals, which are the desired future outcomes. The outcomes might be producing a series of product or serving a group of target customers or satisfying others¡¦ needs. In these organizations, managers mainly are responsible to supervising the work performance of the group members and deciding the use of resources to achieve the organization’s goal. Management can be simply defined as getting things accomplished through other people. Management is then the term describe the work done by the manager, which are planning, organizing, leading and controlling the use of human and other resources, in order to help the organization to achieve a higher organization performance. Planning is to define to goals or targets of the organization and devising action plans to meet organization goals. Organizing is to determine what tasks should be done, arrange jobs to subordinates, controlling the budgeting and divided tasks to individuals or teams. Leading is to motivate staffs to work, maintaining the progress of activities and good relationship and to ensure to work done effective and efficient. Controlling is to measure...

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...MGT115 – Management and Organization Tutorial 1 – Answers 1.1. Who are Managers? a) Explain how managers differ from non-managerial employees? A – Managers differ from non-managerial employees in the sense that they are responsible for coordinating and overseeing the work of their subordinates (who maybe non-managerial or managerial) so as to ensure the organizational goals are met. Non-managerial employees however are only responsible for the task(s) assigned to them. b) Describe how to classify managers in organizations. A – Managers can be classified in to * First-line managers: - Individuals who manage the work of non-managerial employees * Middle managers: - Individuals who manage the work of first-line managers * Top Managers: - Individuals who are responsible for making organization-wide decisions and establishing plans and goals that affect the entire organization. 1.2. What is Management? a) Define management. A – Coordinating and overseeing the work activities of others so that their activities are completed efficiently and effectively. b) Explain why efficiency and effectiveness are important to management. A – Because both efficiency (getting the most output for the least inputs) and effectiveness (attaining organizational goals) are important to ensure that there is low resource waste and high goal attainment. 1.3. What do managers do? a) Describe the four functions of management. A – The four functions...

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...Modelling for Change: An Information Systems Perspective on Change Management Models Robert D. Macredie, Carl Sandom and Ray J. Paul Department of Information Systems and Computing, Brunel University, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 3PH Tel: +44 1895 203374; Fax: +44 1895 203391 E-mail: Ray.Paul@brunel.ac.uk; Robert.Macredie@brunel.ac.uk Abstract This paper will focus on the topic of organisational change and its management from an information systems perspective. The paper will examine the issues raised during a review of the change management literature – looking at the major approaches to change management, namely, the planned, emergent and contingency approaches – as background to the issues raised in other papers in this theme of the book. As in the Management In The 90s (MIT90s) study, a very broad definition of the term IT is used to include: computers of all types, hardware, software, communications networks and the integration of computing and communications technologies. The paper will then examine change management within the context of Information Systems (IS) theory and practice. This will lead to a discussion of an emerging model by Orlikowski and Hofman which will be briefly reviewed to provide insight into the types of models which are likely to provide a focus for research in the area in the near future. The model also provides a strong and interesting framework against which to view some of the papers that follow in this theme of the book. 1. Introduction As...

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...Introduction to Management Technology BMRT 11009 - Section 300 Kent State University MANAGEMENT AMY HISSOM 10/26/2009 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction............................................................................................................................................ 3 Managers and Managing ........................................................................................................................ 4 What is Management?..................................................................................................................... 4 Essential Managerial Tasks............................................................................................................... 4 Levels and Skills of Managers ........................................................................................................... 4 Recent Changes in Management Practices ....................................................................................... 5 Challenges for Management in a Global Environment ...................................................................... 5 The Evolution of Management Thought ................................................................................................. 6 F. W. Taylor (1890-1940): Scientific Management ............................................................................ 6 The Gilbreths: Time-and-Motion Study ....................................................................................

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...The Four Functions of Management Management is the art of effectively organizing people and things using the resources available to achieve an overall goal. Management is necessary because it enables the overall organization, group or business to operate efficiently by properly allocating the resources utilized. Great management within a system that works leads to great success no matter what the venture may be. Management has evolved in that business has become a global enterprise. In today’s global economy, management demands a much more structured, generic and appealing approach because it must communicate to a variety of people (Batemen & Snell, 2008). It is because of this vast increase in the sheer amount of people, that management has gone from a much more “do as I say or your fired” role and transitioned into a “this is the way we do it here at Burger King” kind of way. This generic and appealing yet simpler model of management consists of four basic key concepts. The four key concepts of management include leading, controlling, organizing and planning. I placed them in this particular order because I believe that what they have in common is their ability to be placed in that order. Once a person has shown their ability to lead effectively, it enables that manager to have control over the employee because the manager has shown through their leading that they are fully able to essentially “practice what they preach”. Once a manager has control he can then begin...

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...The Management Planning Process An effective management planning process includes evaluating long-term corporate objectives. Management planning is the process of accessing an organization’s goals and creating a realistic, detailed plan of action for meeting those goals. It is kind of like writing a business plan, a management plan takes into consideration short and long term corporate strategies. Some basic steps in the management planning process involves creating a road map that outlines each task the company must accomplish to meet its overall objectives. There are seven very important management planning process steps I am going to talk a little bit in depth about. The first step in the management planning process is establishing goals. In planning you have to identify specific company goals. The part of the planning process should include a detail overview of each goal, including the reason for its selection and the anticipated outcomes of goal related projects. Anywhere there are possible objectives should be described in quantitative or qualitative terms. For example, a goal is to raise profits by ten percent over a four month period. Establishing goals is a good way to help any organization see their hard pay off. The second step is to identify organizational resources that will be beneficial to them for help and advice. Each goal should have financial and human resources projection associated with its completion. For example, a management plan may identify how many...

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...Management by objective (MBO) Management by Objective is a tool that allows managers and employees to come together for the purpose of agreeing upon a set of objectives to achieve the company’s short, medium, or long term future (www.word.com/defination/mangement). The theory intrigued me because management by objective theories can help promote a great team. The overall well-being of the company works better with healthy communication between management and employee’s. I currently manage people clarifying their goals and stimulating theory can be a challenge. Management by objective is an essential part of the mangers daily activities. The Theory for management by objective is to improve planning, better understanding between management and employee, participation in the goal setting process, better informed employees, improved appraisal system and better organization of functional task grouping (Ford, McLaughlin, Nixdorf o 1980). The concept of job planning is a key theory of management by objective because it sets a range of performance systems to assist the employees to stay on track (www.1000ventures.com). When you plan you give your employees an expected result from beginning to end. Better understanding between you and your employees is important because if your employee does not understand what is needed from them they cannot possible meet the company’s needs. If the communication is unclear there is room for error Communication is an essential part...

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...One of the first schools of management, the classical management theory, developed during the Industrial Revolution when new problems related to the factory system began to appear. Managers were unsure of how to train employees. A large amount of the non-English speaking immigrants or dealing with increased labor dissatisfaction caused managers to test solutions. According to Plunkett, Attner & Allen (2008) “The classical management focused on finding the “one best way” to perform and manage tasks” (p.38). This school of thought is made up of two branches: classical scientific and classical administrative. The scientific branch arose because of the need to increase efficiency and productivity. The emphasis was on trying to find the best way to get the most work done by examining how the work process was actually accomplished and by paying close attention to the skills of the workforce. The classical scientific school got its roots to several contributors, including Frederick Taylor, Henry Gantt, and Frank and Lillian Gilbreth. Whereas scientific management focused on the productivity of the certain individuals, the classical administrative approach emphasizes on the total organization. The emphasis is on the development of managerial principles rather than work methods. Contributors to this school of thought include: Henri Fayol, Max Weber, Mary Parker Follett, and Chester I. Barnard. During World War II, mathematicians, physicists, and others joined together to solve...

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...2.4 The Environmental Management System (EMS) application in the related industries. How it can improve the environmental performance of business? Example. 2.4.1 THE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (EMS) Definition: the environmental management system (EMS) refer to one part of the comprehensive management system that relate to organizational structure, planning activities and documented manner, it includes planning, implementation, checking, management review and environmental policy. An environmental management system (EMS) 1. It is environmental performance improving tool. 2. It is effective way to manage organizational companies. 3. Manage organizations to solve environmental problems, like allocation of resources, assignment of responsibility and ongoing evaluation of practices, procedures and processes. 4. Manage the long-term or short-term environmental impact of products service and processes for organizations. 5. Continual improvement is emphasis. EMS Model Plan Act Do Check Step 1: plan (planning) Definition: planning is a way of establish objectives and processes requirement. In order to implement ISO 14001, the first step is suggestion, to help to classify all the current or future operation elements. It includes environmental aspects, compliance, objectives and targets, environmental management programs (EMP). Business firms should plan for environmental protection. They need to plan their current operation or even future operation. The...

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...Management is universal in the modern industrial world. Every industrial organization requires the making of decisions, the coordinating of activities, the handling of people, and the evaluation of performance directed toward group objectives. In addition, our society simply could not exist as we know it today or improve its present status without a steady stream of managers to guide its organization. Peter Drucker makes this same point in stating that effective management is quickly becoming the main resource of developed counties and the most needed resource of developing ones (Certo, 1986). In short, management is very important to our world. Then, what is management? This essay will discuss this topic as following. It has to be recognized that the definitions of management are extremely broad. Harbison and Myers (1959) offered a concept for emphasizing a broader scope for the viewpoint of management. They observe management as an economic resource, a system of authority, and a class or elite from the view of the economist, a specialist in administration and organization, and sociologist respectively. Henri Fayol, “the father of modern management theory,” formulated fourteen principles of management. Hugo Munsterberg applied psychology to industry and management. Max Weber is known for his theory of bureaucracy. Vilfredo Pareto is considered “the father of the social systems approach.” Elton Mayo and F.J. Roethlisberger became famous through their studies of the impact...

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