Perception of Ultimate Utilization of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as an Impetus in Enhancing Employee Performance in a Few Selected Municipalities in the Eastern Cape of South Africa

Assessing the Role of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Enhancing Employees’ Performance in a Selected Local Government Administration (LGA) in South Africa

Protocol for a Systematic Review: Provision of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) for Improving Academic Achievement and School Engagement in Students Aged 4‐18

ICT is transforming library practices and procedures the world over. The aim of this chapter is to address the access gap to ICT by highlighting the framework for effective development of relevant ICT policy in university libraries in Nigeria. The chapter explores variety of ICT infrastructure/services that are available in university libraries, sources of ICT funding, ICT policy priority areas, key ICT policy issues and strategies for formulating ICT policy. Questionnaire survey was used for the study. The findings of the study indicate that, there is a widespread use of Internet in the 14 surveyed university libraries; and only 5 of these libraries have computerized library services. NUC/ETF, library development fund (LDF) and university management are major ICT funding sources. ICT funding/budgeting, ICT infrastructure procurement/maintenance, ICT literacy/capacity building and ICT use are the highest ranked ICT policy priority areas in the surveyed libraries. And annual budgetary allocation to ICT in university libraries, training/capacity building for librarians, as well as, organization of ICT literacy programme for patrons are the highest ranked key ICT policy issues in university libraries. The chapter recommends that, each university should formulate relevant ICT policy for its library, besides the national ICT policy.

ICT is transforming library practices and procedures the world over. The aim of this chapter is to address the access gap to ICT by highlighting the framework for effective development of relevant ICT policy in university libraries in Nigeria. The chapter explores variety of ICT infrastructure/services that are available in university libraries, sources of ICT funding, ICT policy priority areas, key ICT policy issues and strategies for formulating ICT policy. Questionnaire survey was used for the study. The findings of the study indicate that, there is a widespread use of Internet in the 14 surveyed university libraries; and only 5 of these libraries have computerized library services. NUC/ETF, library development fund (LDF) and university management are major ICT funding sources. ICT funding/budgeting, ICT infrastructure procurement/maintenance, ICT literacy/capacity building and ICT use are the highest ranked ICT policy priority areas in the surveyed libraries. And annual budgetary allocation to ICT in university libraries, training/capacity building for librarians, as well as, organization of ICT literacy programme for patrons are the highest ranked key ICT policy issues in university libraries. The chapter recommends that, each university should formulate relevant ICT policy for its library, besides the national ICT policy.

Information professionals in a globalized world: Digital inclusion initiatives in Brazil: Improving education and information seeking behavior through government‐academic partnerships

The Impact of Information and Communication Technology on Life Expectancy in the Middle East

There is a lack of effective health information management systems in Nigeria due to the prevalence of cumbersome paper-based and disjointed health data management systems. This can make informed healthcare decision making difficult. This study examined the information technology (IT) skills, utilisation and training needs of Nigerian health information management professionals. We deployed a cross-sectional structured questionnaire to determine the IT skills and training needs of health information management professionals who have leadership roles in the nation's healthcare information systems (n=374). It was found that ownership of a computer, level of education and age were associated with knowledge and perception of IT. The vast majority of participants (98.8%) acknowledged the importance and relevance of IT in healthcare information systems and many expressed a desire for further IT training, especially in statistical analysis. Despite this, few (8.1 %) worked in settings where such systems operate and there exists an IT skill gap among these professionals which is not compatible with their roles in healthcare information systems. To rectify this anomaly they require continuing professional development education, especially in the areas of health IT. Government intervention in the provision of IT infrastructure in order to put into practice a computerised healthcare information system would therefore be a worthwhile undertaking.

Information and communication technology (ICT) is one of the important factors that support construction project performance. Various studies have concluded that by aligning the ICT utilization with organizational ICT infrastructure, better performance outcomes can be achieved from the project to organization level. A positive connection between utilization of ICT and project performance has been established. However, the effects of ICT utilization strategy alignment with the organizational ICT infrastructure on construction project performance have not been investigated. This research evaluates and analyzes the importance of organizational ICT infrastructure to improve ICT utilization not just at the project level but also at the level of construction organizations. The main objective of this research is to investigate whether the effect of ICT utilization on project performance may be restricted and affected by its alignment with the ICT infrastructure level in the organization. The analyses of ICT infrastructure, ICT usage, and their associations with project performance are based on case studies of projects and organizations from the New Zealand construction sector. A method of evaluating ICT utilization and ICT infrastructure is proposed. This allows for further detailed examination of the strategic alignment between ICT utilization and organizational infrastructure. The effects of this strategic alignment on project performance are discussed and recommendations for the optimal strategic utilization are provided.

The role of ICT self-efficacy for students' ICT use and their achievement in a computer and information literacy test

Information and communication technology (ICT) tools are known to facilitate communication and processing of information and sharing of knowledge by electronic means. In Nigeria, the lack of adequate capacity on the use of ICT by health sector policymakers constitutes a major impediment to the uptake of research evidence into the policymaking process. The objective of this study was to improve the knowledge and capacity of policymakers to access and utilize policy relevant evidence. A modified “before and after” intervention study design was used in which outcomes were measured on the target participants both before the intervention is implemented and after. A 4-point likert scale according to the degree of adequacy; 1 = grossly inadequate, 4 = very adequate was employed. This study was conducted in Ebonyi State, south-eastern Nigeria and the participants were career health policy makers. A two-day intensive ICT training workshop was organized for policymakers who had 52 participants in attendance. Topics covered included: (i). intersectoral partnership/collaboration; (ii). Engaging ICT in evidence-informed policy making; use of ICT for evidence synthesis; (iv) capacity development on the use of computer, internet and other ICT. The pre-workshop mean of knowledge and capacity for use of ICT ranged from 2.19-3.05, while the post-workshop mean ranged from 2.67-3.67 on 4-point scale. The percentage increase in mean of knowledge and capacity at the end of the workshop ranged from 8.3%-39.1%. Findings of this study suggest that policymakers’ ICT competence relevant to evidence-informed policymaking can be enhanced through training workshop.

Although information and communication technologies (ICTs) such as smartphones, tablets, and the internet have all become increasingly important during the COVID-19 pandemic, we often forget that not everyone has access to the internet or uses ICT devices. Individuals on the wrong side of the digital divide are often older adults living in long-term care facilities (LTCFs), such as “old–old” adults, who often have various functional impairments. To shed light on the initial situation shortly before the pandemic, three data sources from Switzerland were used in this study to answer the following questions: (1) Do older adults want to have internet access if and/or when they move into a LTCF? (2) What form does ICT use take (specifically internet, smartphone, and tablet use) among LTCF residents, and what need do they have for ICT support? (3) What is the state of LTCFs’ ICT infrastructure and residents’ level of involvement in the decision-making process related to acquiring new technologies? Community-dwelling older adults in this study reported a desire to have internet access when moving into LTCFs, and 21% of LTCF residents reported using the internet just before the pandemic began. Internet access and ICT infrastructure in LTCFs, in general, are both limited, however, and LTCF managers seldom involve older adults in the ICT decision-making process. While modern ICT usage has reached the long-term care sector, the results of this study show that compensating for a lack of physical social contacts by relying on digital solutions during the COVID-19 pandemic cannot be the sole solution. The current pandemic has reminded us that a digital gap exists and that non-use of ICTs during the pandemic can produce additional feelings of social isolation.

Innovation and the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) are key areas for the European Cohesion Policy. Studies available at the regional level explore innovation and ICT use incorporating different variables, while those investigating ICT use mainly focus on that of households. This paper investigates the existence of common factors for innovation and ICT at the regional level, considering not only ICT use by households but also that of firms. Using factorial and spatial regression analysis, we find that although ICT use and innovation are mainly explained by different variables, knowledge-intensive services and the percentage of population aged 15–64 are common to all of them. In addition, ICT use by households and ICT use by firms are basically driven by different factors. Government quality is the main factor explaining ICT use at home, while ICT use by firms is mostly driven by employment in knowledge-intensive services. R&D is the main variable explaining innovation. We also find positive spatial effects, which are particularly notable in ICT use by households. The results stress the importance of promoting specialization strategies based on the knowledge economy that may contribute to creating synergies between innovation and ICT use in different environments.

Although researchers agree that the information and communication technology affects the quality of learning, they don’t share the same ideas when it comes to determining whether the quality of learning depends on and is influenced more by the traditional role of the teacher, the role of information and communication technology (ICT), or the combined influence of both. Then to what degree does the quality of learning reflect the role of teachers, ICT, or both of them? This study examines the teaching and learning process in schools in the Gjirokastra county. Its aim is to analyze two issues: 1) What is the level of teaching process in schools of these districts, and 2) If the observed level of teaching process is a result of the role of teachers, of the use of ICT, or of their combined influence. The analysis is conducted and tested using two models: The first model gives priority to the traditional role of the teacher, whereas the second model gives priority to the use of ICT. By using the parameters of the two models this study has arrived at three findings: 1) The quality of teaching process is of an average level; 2) The teacher-centered model is used more than the model that gives priority to ICT; 3) The level of teaching process in schools that give priority to the role of teachers is higher than in schools that possess ICT infrastructure and teaching materials. This study tries to argue that the variation in the quality of teaching process and the influence of teachers and ICT is accounted for by the use of ICT. However positively it may affect the quality of teaching process, the use of ICT remains limited in its influence if not combined with the teacher factor. Knowledge and skills of teachers in using ICT influence the role and impact ICT itself has on the teaching process. The teaching process is more qualitative when it is a result not only of the traditional role of teachers, but also of the effective use and integration of ICT. DOI: 10.5901/jesr.2014.v4n1p239

This study investigated the Adoption and use of Information and Communication Technology (ICTs) in organizations in Abraka and Warri metropolis in Delta State, Nigeria. Sets of questionnaire were administered to 200 respondents in 4 organizations of Delta State. Findings revealed that among other ICTs used in organizations, the computer is the most common ICT facility available in the organizations under study. Analysis also revealed that two of the organizations studied do not have adequate ICT infrastructure for workers to use. Majority of staff in SPDC and Oceanic Bank Plc acquire their ICT use skills from staff training programmes of their organizations, while staff in DELSU and WSWLGC mainly acquire their skills through trial and error. Although almost all the respondents admitted the importance of ICTs to their jobs, staff in DELSU and WSWLGC face problems such as lack of maintenance of the ICT infrastructure, electricity problem and lack of maintenance of the few ICTs available. The study recommends that organizations especially those owned by the government should be more committed to the provision of ICTs in organizations

Job erosion is a major concern globally, especially given the COVID-19 pandemic. Unemployment and low wages remain pressing societal challenges in the wake of increased automation, more so for traditionally disadvantaged groups in the labor market, such as women, minorities, and the elderly. However, workers who possess relevant information technology (IT) skills may have an edge in an increasingly digital economy. In this study, we examine the role of IT skills in labor market outcomes for workers, using a household IT use survey from an emerging economy that captures detailed, individual-level data on IT skills, which are also integrated with data on workers’ wages, occupations, and industries between 2007 and 2015. The results indicate that basic IT skills increase individuals’ employment probability, which is driven by both higher labor force participation and a higher probability of transitioning from unemployment to employment, after accounting for the decision to participate in the workforce. Advanced IT skills do not provide a significant incremental effect on employment probability on top of basic IT skills. However, having advanced IT skills helps workers to earn higher wages while incrementally increasing the probability that they are employed in higher-paid jobs. Interestingly, the effect of basic IT skills on employment is significantly larger for the female and older workforce that typically has a higher preference for flexible work options. These results emphasize the importance of providing necessary IT access and offering basic IT training to traditionally disadvantaged groups to close the IT skills gap and the digital divide. We offer implications for the future of work, education, and public policy for designing IT training policies for workers, students, and organizations to stimulate employment with higher wages, particularly in developing economies and for traditionally disadvantaged segments of the workforce, such as women and the elderly, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic.