UCT Department of Information Systems

The Department of IS cordially invites you to a series of online postgraduate research seminars and workshops conducted by visiting scholar Prof Pratim Datta from the Department of Management and Information Systems, Kent State University. Please find the attached invitation for more information. Click here to RSVP https://bit.ly/3LvSmZF

Congratulations to Philip Machoka on attaining his PhD in Information Systems. Philip’s thesis was entitled: “The Influence of the Roles Played by Mobile-phone Users on the Adoption of M-commerce Activities – the Case of Kenya"

He was supervised by Profs Irwin Brown & Michael Kyobe.

Congratulations Dr Philip Machoka.

(Photo: Supplied)

Congratulations to our esteemed IS colleague, Prof. Ojelanki Ngwenyama, who was ranked as the 4th best Business and Management scientist in South Africa! The ranking contains h-index, publications and citation values collected on Dec 6th, 2021. Read more: https://bit.ly/3phiQVX

UCT Information Systems Honours - Project Proposal Submission (2021)

Dear Industry Partners,

Information Systems (IS) Honours students are required to complete a software development (SD) project in their final year of study. The project is usually based on a business problem or opportunity, with well-defined requirements. Every year these ’real-life’ projects provide invaluable industry experience to the students, something we cannot simulate with just a normal case study. We usually obtain these project requirements from industry partners, who also act as project sponsors.

The Information Systems Department would like to invite you to collaborate with us on the IS Honours Programme in 2022 by submitting an SD project proposal and acting as project sponsor for one of our IS Honours teams: https://bit.ly/3GEzw0i

Sponsors are required to:
- Act as product owner
- Specify the requirements and provide feedback to the students as they work towards understanding these requirements and conceptualise the system

The final product provided by the students is usually a proof of concept. Moreover, all Intellectual Property rights are retained by the project sponsor. This is stipulated in a sponsor agreement form signed by all parties involved.

We also need projects for the third year Systems Development course and projects that we do not utilise for the honours class can be passed on to the third years. Hence the same form could serve both groups.

Should you be interested, please complete the above Google Form by 30 January 2022. You are also most welcome to contact us directly should you have a project idea that you would like to discuss.

Thank You,

Elsje Scott (Honours) and Walter Uys (Third year)
([email protected] or [email protected])

UCT Information Systems Honours - Project Proposal Submission (2021) Dear Sponsor, Please submit your Software Development Project Proposal for the IS Honours class via this Google Form. Please email EmerA/Prof Elsje Scott ([email protected]) if you have any questions. Kind Regards IS Honours Team

We are looking for Systems Development Projects for the honours class and the third years (INF3003W) for 2022. We require about 22 projects for both these groups. The honours course will start on the 31st January, whereas the third years will start on the 14th February. We would appreciate it if you could send us a project proposal by completing the attached form. You can also fill out the form online at https://bit.ly/3tli5xG. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Elsje Scott ([email protected]).

Congratulations to Prof Ojelanki Ngwenyama on receiving the much coveted AIS Fellow Award yesterday at ICIS 2021.

The AIS Fellow Award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the IS discipline over a long time in terms of Research, Teaching and Service. About the award: https://bit.ly/33utSPx

Congratulations to Prof Jean-Paul Van Belle who received a C1 NRF rating.

This rating is awarded by an international panel of reviewers to researchers who are recognized as being a scholar whose
work as a scholar at a nationally leading level has substantially
advanced knowledge and understanding in the field by contributing to new thinking, a new direction and/or a new paradigm.

Congratulations to Musa Chemisto on attaining his PhD in Information Systems. Musa’s thesis was entitled: “Optimizing Perspectives: A Classic Grounded Theory of Stakeholder Perceptions on WSDB Influence in Uganda’s Water Sector”. He was supervised by Prof. Ulrike Rivett.

Congratulations Dr Musa Chemisto.

(Photo: Supplied)

Prof Jean-Paul Van Belle has been honoured with a membership to the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) at the annual Awards Ceremony held recently. This affirms his status as one of the country’s leading scholars and scientists. Congratulation Prof JP!

Read more here: https://africasciencenews.org/top-scholars-in-south-africa-honoured/

Prof Irwin Brown has been honoured with a membership to the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) at the annual Awards Ceremony held recently. This affirms his status as one of the country’s leading scholars and scientists. Congratulations Prof Brown!

Read more here: https://africasciencenews.org/top-scholars-in-south-africa-honoured/

HEdIS 2021 Summer School – Hub for Education on ICT for Sustainability

The 4th HEdIS Summer School is running from 2nd to 12th November in hybrid format with participants from University of Cape Town, Nelson Mandela University and University of Oldenburg. The program is funded by DAAD.

Theme: Sustainability in the 4th Industrial Revolution

Week one is taking place online, focusing on writing for publication. Participants will receive resources and guidance to develop a paper for publication by the end of the week.

Week two will be in person, at Monkey Valley Resort, Noordhoek, Cape Town. The focus will be on developing a curriculum for ICT and sustainability.

https://hedis-project.org/802-2/

HEdIS 2021 Summer School – Hub for Education on ICT for Sustainability 4th HEdIS Summer School themed "Sustainability in the 4th Industrial Revolution" takes place from 2-12 November 2021 in hybrid format.

Congratulations to Charles Boamah-Abu on attaining his PhD in Information Systems. Charles’ thesis was entitled: A sequential explanatory mixed methods investigation of e-government outcomes evaluation practice in developing countries: South Africa as context. He was supervised by Prof Michael Kyobe.

Congratulations Dr Boamah-Abu.

(Photo: Supplied)

Servant leadership essential to incoming head of Information Systems

https://www.news.uct.ac.za/article/-2021-09-30-servant-leadership-essential-to-incoming-head-of-information-systems

Servant leadership essential to incoming head of Information Systems Associate Professor Maureen Tanner is the new head of UCT’s Department of Information Systems.

OPINION | Exploiting gig workers will only make SA's jobs crisis worse | Fin24

Exploiting gig workers will only make SA's jobs crisis worse, writes Pitso Tsibolane https://www.news24.com/fin24/opinion/opinion-exploiting-gig-workers-will-only-make-sas-jobs-crisis-worse-20210920

OPINION | Exploiting gig workers will only make SA's jobs crisis worse | Fin24 Ongoing exploitation of gig workers could make the gig economy undesirable, which could have long-term economic consequences - including simply making the future of work unsustainable when SA already faces a jobs crisis, says Pitso Tsibolane.

Congratulations to Nozibele Gcora on the successful completion of her PhD in Information Systems.

Nozibele’s doctoral thesis was entitled: "How end-user participation in financial management information systems development engenders a sense of system ownership in municipalities: a case in South Africa."

She was supervised by Prof Wallace Chigona.

Well done Dr Nozibele Gcora. All the very best for your future.

Congratulations to Professor Jean-Paul Van Belle for the Pioneer Award he received recently at the SAICSIT 2021 conference (South African Institute of Computer Scientists and Information Technologists).
https://www.saicsit.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=54&Itemid=198

Accenture Education Trust Scholarship 2022

Calling all 2nd year to Honours students studying and tech-aligned qualifications and from households with an annual income of R350K-600K, ! For select tertiary institutions across South Africa, applications for the Accenture Education Trust Scholarship 2022 are open. Backed by ongoing , this fully-funded covers expenses like registration fees, tuition fees, examination fees, meals, residence and textbook fees.

Start your career on the best foundation, apply now: https://accntu.re/3sOOSJo

Accenture Education Trust Scholarship 2022 Learn more about applying for Accenture Education Trust Scholarship 2022 position at Accenture.

UCT PhD graduand celebrates with community in Khayelitsha

Congratulations once again Dr Mluleki Majavu!

"Having come from a poor, rural background, Majavu did not see himself graduating from a university one day, and the idea of obtaining a PhD seemed even more far‑fetched. Majavu’s path to obtaining his PhD included working as a security guard by night and attending university during the day."

https://www.news.uct.ac.za/article/-2021-09-14-uct-phd-graduand-celebrates-with-community-in-khayelitsha

UCT PhD graduand celebrates with community in Khayelitsha UCT PhD graduand Mluleki Majavu hosted a celebratory event in Khayelitsha to mark the completion of his studies.

Congratulations to A/Prof Maureen Tanner on her appointment as the next HoD for the Department of Information Systems for a three-year term beginning 1 January 2022, succeeding Prof Irwin Brown.

Congratulations to Tejumade Ogundipe on the successful completion of her PhD in Information Systems.

Tejumade Ogundipe's dissertation is entitled: Competency Maturing - A substantive theory of how senior Information Systems undergraduates develop their existing competencies and acquire additional competencies within an organic learning environment.

She was supervised by Profs Kevin Johnston and Irwin Brown.

Congratulations Dr Teju!!

Fairwork report highlights precarity of work in the gig economy

The University of Cape Town has provided a concise summary of the third Fairwork report launch webinar.

https://www.news.uct.ac.za/article/-2021-07-14-fairwork-report-highlights-precarity-of-work-in-the-gig-economy

of Commerce, University of Cape Town

Fairwork report highlights precarity of work in the gig economy Fairwork’s 2021 report has highlighted the precarious nature of work in the gig economy.

Uber vs MrD vs Bolt vs SweepSouth – the best and worst gig jobs in South Africa

There has been wide media coverage nationally for the Fairwork report that was launched recently.

https://businesstech.co.za/news/technology/504387/uber-vs-mrd-vs-bolt-vs-sweepsouth-the-best-and-worst-gig-jobs-in-south-africa/

See other media articles here:

Mail & Guardian: https://mg.co.za/business/2021-07-08-low-pay-unfair-conditions-and-no-safety-net-for-covid-hit-gig-workers/

Times Live: https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2021-07-08-significant-downturn-in-e-hailing-as-pandemic-hits-gig-economy-report/

Business Day: https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/national/labour/2021-07-08-gig-workers-in-sa-struggling-exploited-and-often-underpaid/

Sowetan Live: https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/business/2021-07-08-significant-downturn-in-e-hailing-as-pandemic-hits-gig-economy-report/

Bizcommunity: https://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/796/217753.html

Techsmart: http://techsmart.co.za/business/South-African-gig-workers-face-an-uncertain-and-risky-work-environment-amplified-by-the-COVID-19-pandemic.html

Uber vs MrD vs Bolt vs SweepSouth – the best and worst gig jobs in South Africa The Fairwork Project has launched its third round of yearly ratings for digital platforms in South Africa, which highlight the precarious nature of work in the gig economy.