The determination of whether a Unified Communication System can be effective in supporting informal communication and collaboration in virtual teams
- Authors: Hill, Kyle
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Telecommuting , Virtual work teams , Telecommunication systems , Computer networks
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/146343 , vital:38517
- Description: The overall objective of the research is to determine whether a Unified Communication System intervention can be effective in supporting informal communication and collaboration in virtual teams. In so doing, this research is aimed at developing a current framework of critical success factors for facilitating informal collaboration and communication. As teams have evolved to the point where there is no longer a need for team members to be co-located, with a greater importance now being placed on how they collaborate, this framework will also highlight how it can support virtual teams due to the huge potential advantage they can provide to the organisation. A virtual communication and collaboration system will be selected based on the outputs of the current framework and interactions which occur through the system will be observed to provide quantitative and qualitative results. In conclusion, the research will suggest recommendations for the successful implementation of informal communication and collaboration technologies within the organisation. The research will also indicate to a limited degree, the impact of the implementation of these technologies, and the outcome for the organisation, whether positive or negative. Whilst conducting the research, it became apparent that while the UCS was capable of performing the processes and functions required, the individuals and teams engaging with the technology did not always make use of the full scope of the technology provided. Regardless, a UCS was observed to provide direct benefits to an organisation in increasing communication and collaboration in the organisation. These increases can be observed in both the physical and virtual sense. However, the converse is true for generating social capital which lead to the observation that there are a smaller number of interactions happening in the smaller teams, but these are of higher value when compared to the larger teams of this study. It is also clear that the larger a team becomes, the more the trend is to focus on adopting new technologies to make their roles more efficient. This adoption is not however translated into outputs such as social capital but is translated into stronger networks and the formation of new networks. It is also clear that most negative factors around the UCS are related to the respondent’s hardware rather than the solution itself. Cost reductions because of virtuality will also be observed and using the Developed Framework as a blue print, an organisation should be able to observe direct benefits for an organisation by being able to confirm the thesis of this research in that having a UCS intervention is effective in supporting informal communication and collaboration in virtual teams.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
- Authors: Hill, Kyle
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Telecommuting , Virtual work teams , Telecommunication systems , Computer networks
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/146343 , vital:38517
- Description: The overall objective of the research is to determine whether a Unified Communication System intervention can be effective in supporting informal communication and collaboration in virtual teams. In so doing, this research is aimed at developing a current framework of critical success factors for facilitating informal collaboration and communication. As teams have evolved to the point where there is no longer a need for team members to be co-located, with a greater importance now being placed on how they collaborate, this framework will also highlight how it can support virtual teams due to the huge potential advantage they can provide to the organisation. A virtual communication and collaboration system will be selected based on the outputs of the current framework and interactions which occur through the system will be observed to provide quantitative and qualitative results. In conclusion, the research will suggest recommendations for the successful implementation of informal communication and collaboration technologies within the organisation. The research will also indicate to a limited degree, the impact of the implementation of these technologies, and the outcome for the organisation, whether positive or negative. Whilst conducting the research, it became apparent that while the UCS was capable of performing the processes and functions required, the individuals and teams engaging with the technology did not always make use of the full scope of the technology provided. Regardless, a UCS was observed to provide direct benefits to an organisation in increasing communication and collaboration in the organisation. These increases can be observed in both the physical and virtual sense. However, the converse is true for generating social capital which lead to the observation that there are a smaller number of interactions happening in the smaller teams, but these are of higher value when compared to the larger teams of this study. It is also clear that the larger a team becomes, the more the trend is to focus on adopting new technologies to make their roles more efficient. This adoption is not however translated into outputs such as social capital but is translated into stronger networks and the formation of new networks. It is also clear that most negative factors around the UCS are related to the respondent’s hardware rather than the solution itself. Cost reductions because of virtuality will also be observed and using the Developed Framework as a blue print, an organisation should be able to observe direct benefits for an organisation by being able to confirm the thesis of this research in that having a UCS intervention is effective in supporting informal communication and collaboration in virtual teams.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
Fibre optic network supporting high speed transmission in the square kilometre array, South Africa
- Authors: Rotich, Enoch Kirwa
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Optical communications , Fiber optics , Telecommunication systems
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/6552 , vital:21109
- Description: This thesis provides in-depth information on the high speed optical transport requirements for the Square Kilometre Array. The stringent data rates as well as timing and synchronization requirements are dealt with respect to the optical fibre technology. Regarding the data transport, we draw a clear comparison between a typical telecommunication access network and a telescope network. Invoking simulations and experiments on the field and laboratory test bed, we successfully implement a suitable telescope network using vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) technology. Polarization effects on the KAT-7 telescope network, an operational prototype for the SKA is studied so as to estimate the expected effect in the MeerKAT telescope with transmission distances _ 12 km. The study further relates the obtained values to the expected impact on the distribution of the time and frequency reference in the MeerKAT array. Clock stability depends on the differential group delay (DGD) and polarization stability. On a 10:25 km link that includes the riser cable a DGD of 62:1 fs was attained. This corresponds to a polarization mode dispersion (PMD) coefficient of 19:4 fs=km1=2. This is a low PMD value considering telecommunication network. The PMD value is within the allowed budget in the telescope network. However, this may not be the case at longer baselines extending to over 1000 km as expected in SKA 2. The fibre's deployment contribution to the DGD is measured by comparing the deployed fibre to the undeployed of equal lengths. On the 10:25 km deployed single mode fibre, the maximum and mean DGDs measured were 217:7 fs and 84:8 fs respectively. The undeployed fibre of similar type and equal length, gave a maximum and minimum DGDs of 58:6 fs and 36:3 fs respectively. The deployment is seen to increase the maximum and minimum DGDs by factors of 3.7 and 2.3 respectively. This implies that fibre deployment is very critical in ensuring the birefringence is minimized. Polarization fluctuation recorded a maximum of 180o during the 15 hour real time astronomer use of the antenna. To ascertain the contribution of the riser cable, state of polarization (SOP) of the buried section of the single mode fibre in the link was established. A maximum SOP change of 14o over 15 hour monitoring was measured. From the stability realized on the buried section of the fibre, the change in polarization is contributed by the riser cable. The fluctuation in polarization can cause the phase of a clock signal to drift between the birefringent axes by an equal amount corresponding to DGD. We experimentally demonstrate how polarization stabilization can be attained using the polarization maintaining fibre. We also demonstrate the applicability of VCSEL technology in the SKA unidirectional data flow especially for shorter baselines < 100 km. The VCSEL is a low cost light source with attractive advantages such as low power consumption, high speed capabilities and wavelength tuneability. This work entails the use of traditional amplitude modulation commonly known as non-return-to-zero (NRZ) on-off keying (OOK) because of its simplicity and cost. For the MeerKAT typical distances, we show that even in a worst case scenario, the use of VCSEL on different fibres in MeerKAT distance is achievable. Using the impairment reduction approach, we successfully manage to achieve transmission distance beyond MeerKAT. Several in-line dispersion compensation mechanisms in telecommunication have been successfully employed. The work focused on the use of negative dispersion fibre to mitigate the chromatic dispersion effects in the optical fibre. The inverse dispersion fibre (IDF) is proposed for compensation in the conventional zero dispersion wavelength fibres, G.652 that are used at the third window. Similarly, the chromatic dispersion compensation of non-zero dispersion shifted fibre (NZDSF) is experimentally demonstrated using negative dispersion submarine reduced slope (SRS), G. 655 (-). With dispersion management, we demonstrate how transmissions beyond MeerKAT baselines can be achieved error free. A systematic investigation of the use of distributed Raman amplification to overcome the attenuation losses is provided. High on-off gains of up to 15 dB, 8 dB and 5 dB for bidirectional, forward and backward pumping respectively is achieved on a 25 km Raman optimized NZDSF-Reach fibre. Combined dispersion mitigation technique and low noise distributed Raman amplification, up to about 80 km transmission was achieved on a 4:25 Gbps modulated VCSEL using a single pump. Using bidirectional pumping, more than 100 km of transmission was achieved error free. The high gains enhance the VCSEL transmission distance. We further suggest a novel way of using the Raman pump to distribute the clock signal while amplifying the data signal streaming the astronomical data from the remote placed telescope receivers. In summary, the work presented in this thesis has demonstrated the potential use of VCSEL technology for data collection in the telescope array. We have studied the optical effects and mitigation so as to improve the clock and data transmission. This work is relevant and valuable in providing SKA with VCSELs, an option for extremely high network performance at reasonable costs.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Rotich, Enoch Kirwa
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Optical communications , Fiber optics , Telecommunication systems
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/6552 , vital:21109
- Description: This thesis provides in-depth information on the high speed optical transport requirements for the Square Kilometre Array. The stringent data rates as well as timing and synchronization requirements are dealt with respect to the optical fibre technology. Regarding the data transport, we draw a clear comparison between a typical telecommunication access network and a telescope network. Invoking simulations and experiments on the field and laboratory test bed, we successfully implement a suitable telescope network using vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) technology. Polarization effects on the KAT-7 telescope network, an operational prototype for the SKA is studied so as to estimate the expected effect in the MeerKAT telescope with transmission distances _ 12 km. The study further relates the obtained values to the expected impact on the distribution of the time and frequency reference in the MeerKAT array. Clock stability depends on the differential group delay (DGD) and polarization stability. On a 10:25 km link that includes the riser cable a DGD of 62:1 fs was attained. This corresponds to a polarization mode dispersion (PMD) coefficient of 19:4 fs=km1=2. This is a low PMD value considering telecommunication network. The PMD value is within the allowed budget in the telescope network. However, this may not be the case at longer baselines extending to over 1000 km as expected in SKA 2. The fibre's deployment contribution to the DGD is measured by comparing the deployed fibre to the undeployed of equal lengths. On the 10:25 km deployed single mode fibre, the maximum and mean DGDs measured were 217:7 fs and 84:8 fs respectively. The undeployed fibre of similar type and equal length, gave a maximum and minimum DGDs of 58:6 fs and 36:3 fs respectively. The deployment is seen to increase the maximum and minimum DGDs by factors of 3.7 and 2.3 respectively. This implies that fibre deployment is very critical in ensuring the birefringence is minimized. Polarization fluctuation recorded a maximum of 180o during the 15 hour real time astronomer use of the antenna. To ascertain the contribution of the riser cable, state of polarization (SOP) of the buried section of the single mode fibre in the link was established. A maximum SOP change of 14o over 15 hour monitoring was measured. From the stability realized on the buried section of the fibre, the change in polarization is contributed by the riser cable. The fluctuation in polarization can cause the phase of a clock signal to drift between the birefringent axes by an equal amount corresponding to DGD. We experimentally demonstrate how polarization stabilization can be attained using the polarization maintaining fibre. We also demonstrate the applicability of VCSEL technology in the SKA unidirectional data flow especially for shorter baselines < 100 km. The VCSEL is a low cost light source with attractive advantages such as low power consumption, high speed capabilities and wavelength tuneability. This work entails the use of traditional amplitude modulation commonly known as non-return-to-zero (NRZ) on-off keying (OOK) because of its simplicity and cost. For the MeerKAT typical distances, we show that even in a worst case scenario, the use of VCSEL on different fibres in MeerKAT distance is achievable. Using the impairment reduction approach, we successfully manage to achieve transmission distance beyond MeerKAT. Several in-line dispersion compensation mechanisms in telecommunication have been successfully employed. The work focused on the use of negative dispersion fibre to mitigate the chromatic dispersion effects in the optical fibre. The inverse dispersion fibre (IDF) is proposed for compensation in the conventional zero dispersion wavelength fibres, G.652 that are used at the third window. Similarly, the chromatic dispersion compensation of non-zero dispersion shifted fibre (NZDSF) is experimentally demonstrated using negative dispersion submarine reduced slope (SRS), G. 655 (-). With dispersion management, we demonstrate how transmissions beyond MeerKAT baselines can be achieved error free. A systematic investigation of the use of distributed Raman amplification to overcome the attenuation losses is provided. High on-off gains of up to 15 dB, 8 dB and 5 dB for bidirectional, forward and backward pumping respectively is achieved on a 25 km Raman optimized NZDSF-Reach fibre. Combined dispersion mitigation technique and low noise distributed Raman amplification, up to about 80 km transmission was achieved on a 4:25 Gbps modulated VCSEL using a single pump. Using bidirectional pumping, more than 100 km of transmission was achieved error free. The high gains enhance the VCSEL transmission distance. We further suggest a novel way of using the Raman pump to distribute the clock signal while amplifying the data signal streaming the astronomical data from the remote placed telescope receivers. In summary, the work presented in this thesis has demonstrated the potential use of VCSEL technology for data collection in the telescope array. We have studied the optical effects and mitigation so as to improve the clock and data transmission. This work is relevant and valuable in providing SKA with VCSELs, an option for extremely high network performance at reasonable costs.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
A revenue generation model for adoption of voice telephony applications
- Authors: Mazwi, Sekelo P Lusanda
- Date: 2015-01
- Subjects: Internet telephony , Telecommunication systems
- Language: English
- Type: text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/25530 , vital:64331
- Description: Amongst various Voice Telephony Applications discovered, IBM India has developed the Spoken Web which enables voice commerce capabilities that are ideally suitable for underprivileged rural communities. Admittedly, these communities are barred from fully utilising ICT enabled electronic commerce services such as the Internet for business marketing processes as a consequence of poor literacy and financial constraints. The advent of Voice Telephony Applications aids accessibility and participation of the underprivileged rural communities to the ICT world. It should be noted that users are not compelled to be computer savvy to make voice calls, but high voice call costs are the deterrent. Therefore, devising an appropriate Revenue Generation Model would enhance the accessibility and participation of the underprivileged rural communities to the ICT world. As guided by the Design Science Approach, and the Diffusion of Innovations and Social Exchange theories, this research project has discovered and applied five models such as the Freemium, Affiliation, Advertising, Incentives-driven and Subsidy within each development stage of Spoken Web. This research project is of the idea that reimbursing content providers through supporting the proposed Revenue Generation Model as a de facto solution will help in reducing voice call costs to the users of Voice Telephony Applications in future. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2015
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015-01
- Authors: Mazwi, Sekelo P Lusanda
- Date: 2015-01
- Subjects: Internet telephony , Telecommunication systems
- Language: English
- Type: text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/25530 , vital:64331
- Description: Amongst various Voice Telephony Applications discovered, IBM India has developed the Spoken Web which enables voice commerce capabilities that are ideally suitable for underprivileged rural communities. Admittedly, these communities are barred from fully utilising ICT enabled electronic commerce services such as the Internet for business marketing processes as a consequence of poor literacy and financial constraints. The advent of Voice Telephony Applications aids accessibility and participation of the underprivileged rural communities to the ICT world. It should be noted that users are not compelled to be computer savvy to make voice calls, but high voice call costs are the deterrent. Therefore, devising an appropriate Revenue Generation Model would enhance the accessibility and participation of the underprivileged rural communities to the ICT world. As guided by the Design Science Approach, and the Diffusion of Innovations and Social Exchange theories, this research project has discovered and applied five models such as the Freemium, Affiliation, Advertising, Incentives-driven and Subsidy within each development stage of Spoken Web. This research project is of the idea that reimbursing content providers through supporting the proposed Revenue Generation Model as a de facto solution will help in reducing voice call costs to the users of Voice Telephony Applications in future. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2015
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015-01
Development of an M-commerce security framework
- Murufu, Mufudzi Anesu Chapman
- Authors: Murufu, Mufudzi Anesu Chapman
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Mobile commerce , Telecommunication systems
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc (Computer Science)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/833 , vital:26501 , Mobile commerce , Telecommunication systems
- Description: Research shows how M-Commerce has managed to find its way to previously inaccessible parts of the world as a major Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) tool for development due to widespread introduction of mobile phones in remote areas. M-Commerce has offered valuable advantages: anytime, anywhere, more personal, more location-aware, more context-aware, more age aware, always online and instant connectivity. But this is not without its problems, of which security is high on the list. The security issues span the whole M-Commerce spectrum, from the top to the bottom layer of the OSI network protocol stack, from machines to humans. This research proposes a threat-mitigation modular framework to help address the security issues lurking in M-Commerce systems being used by marginalised rural community members. The research commences with a literature survey carried out to establish security aspects related to M-Commerce and to determine requirements for a security framework. The framework classifies M-Commerce security threat-vulnerability-risks into four levels: human behaviour and mobile device interaction security, mobile device security, M-Commerce access channel security, wireless network access security. This is followed by a review of the supporting structures or related frameworks that the proposed framework could leverage to address security issues on M-Commerce systems as ICT4D initiatives. The proposed security framework based on the requirements discovered is then presented. As a proof-of-concept, a case study was undertaken at the Siyakhula Living Lab at Dwesa in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa in order to validate the components of the proposed framework. Following the application of the framework in a case study, it can be argued that the proposed security framework allows for secure transacting by marginalised users using M-Commerce initiatives. The security framework is therefore useful in addressing the identified security requirements of M-Commerce in ICT4D contexts.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
- Authors: Murufu, Mufudzi Anesu Chapman
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Mobile commerce , Telecommunication systems
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc (Computer Science)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/833 , vital:26501 , Mobile commerce , Telecommunication systems
- Description: Research shows how M-Commerce has managed to find its way to previously inaccessible parts of the world as a major Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) tool for development due to widespread introduction of mobile phones in remote areas. M-Commerce has offered valuable advantages: anytime, anywhere, more personal, more location-aware, more context-aware, more age aware, always online and instant connectivity. But this is not without its problems, of which security is high on the list. The security issues span the whole M-Commerce spectrum, from the top to the bottom layer of the OSI network protocol stack, from machines to humans. This research proposes a threat-mitigation modular framework to help address the security issues lurking in M-Commerce systems being used by marginalised rural community members. The research commences with a literature survey carried out to establish security aspects related to M-Commerce and to determine requirements for a security framework. The framework classifies M-Commerce security threat-vulnerability-risks into four levels: human behaviour and mobile device interaction security, mobile device security, M-Commerce access channel security, wireless network access security. This is followed by a review of the supporting structures or related frameworks that the proposed framework could leverage to address security issues on M-Commerce systems as ICT4D initiatives. The proposed security framework based on the requirements discovered is then presented. As a proof-of-concept, a case study was undertaken at the Siyakhula Living Lab at Dwesa in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa in order to validate the components of the proposed framework. Following the application of the framework in a case study, it can be argued that the proposed security framework allows for secure transacting by marginalised users using M-Commerce initiatives. The security framework is therefore useful in addressing the identified security requirements of M-Commerce in ICT4D contexts.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
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