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An integration of community informatics and enterprise architecture in ICT projects for rural communities : a case study in Grabouw, Western Cape, South Africa
Author(s)
Makola, David John Mzwandile
Date Issued
2020
Type
Thesis
Publisher
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Abstract
Despite the vast and well-established Information System (IS) field research, various
supporting disciplines and research fields that generate innovative socio-technical ICT
projects, socio-economic development, and sustainability in rural and underserved
communities are still elusive. The research explores the integration of enterprise architecture
(EA) discipline and community informatics (CI) discipline to develop a framework, EA4CD,
that can develop, deploy and implement community-based ICT projects for rural and
underserved communities. The participatory development theory (PDT) theoretical
framework anchors this research as it strengthens the collaboration between the community
and the government in development strategies. CI defines a robust and strategic position,
which encourages social cohesion and drives community services' design and
implementation. While the government EA addresses issues of alignment, integration, and
agility within the service departments.
Rural and underserved communities face unique challenges of prescriptive knowledge when
implementing community-based ICT projects. Design science research (DSR) methodology
fulfils this prescriptive need. Besides, the interdisciplinary, interpretive qualitative study ––
seeks ways to respond to the synergies among respondents to create good ideas. A
purposive, convenient, and snowball sampling strategy adopted in this study provided
information-rich cases that helped develop and implement community-based ICT projects in
Grabouw. A sample size of 33 respondents participated. The transcribed interviews were
analysed using abductive grounded theory principles. This research's primary finding is that
there is a dire need to ensure that the rural and underserved communities participate in the
development, deployment, and implementation of community-based ICT projects that
promote community development.
The research output is an EA4CD framework that integrates CI and EA tenets to benefit rural
and underserved communities in implementing community-based ICT projects. This study is
significant to the Grabouw community in addressing the difficulty experienced in building the
optimum infrastructure, creating a developmental and innovative environment, and utilising
the e-commerce opportunities that the Western Cape government provides to improve the
community's socio-political-economic situation.
supporting disciplines and research fields that generate innovative socio-technical ICT
projects, socio-economic development, and sustainability in rural and underserved
communities are still elusive. The research explores the integration of enterprise architecture
(EA) discipline and community informatics (CI) discipline to develop a framework, EA4CD,
that can develop, deploy and implement community-based ICT projects for rural and
underserved communities. The participatory development theory (PDT) theoretical
framework anchors this research as it strengthens the collaboration between the community
and the government in development strategies. CI defines a robust and strategic position,
which encourages social cohesion and drives community services' design and
implementation. While the government EA addresses issues of alignment, integration, and
agility within the service departments.
Rural and underserved communities face unique challenges of prescriptive knowledge when
implementing community-based ICT projects. Design science research (DSR) methodology
fulfils this prescriptive need. Besides, the interdisciplinary, interpretive qualitative study ––
seeks ways to respond to the synergies among respondents to create good ideas. A
purposive, convenient, and snowball sampling strategy adopted in this study provided
information-rich cases that helped develop and implement community-based ICT projects in
Grabouw. A sample size of 33 respondents participated. The transcribed interviews were
analysed using abductive grounded theory principles. This research's primary finding is that
there is a dire need to ensure that the rural and underserved communities participate in the
development, deployment, and implementation of community-based ICT projects that
promote community development.
The research output is an EA4CD framework that integrates CI and EA tenets to benefit rural
and underserved communities in implementing community-based ICT projects. This study is
significant to the Grabouw community in addressing the difficulty experienced in building the
optimum infrastructure, creating a developmental and innovative environment, and utilising
the e-commerce opportunities that the Western Cape government provides to improve the
community's socio-political-economic situation.
Additional information
Thesis (DTech (Information Technology))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2020
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