Nor Iadah Yusop

A Conceptual Model for Psychological Empowerment of Telecentre Users

The Information and Communication Technologies usage among rural communities can be promoted through community telecentres. To date, there is a lack of adequate knowledge in terms of civic participation and empowerment that are related to ICT programs evaluations. This paper proposes a conceptual model for evaluating psychological empowerment of telecentres users based on review of literature. The Zimmerman’s constructs of empowerment theory that include intrapersonal, interactional and behavioural components form the basis of the model. Researchers in the area can used this model to examine the relationship among the components of psychological empowerment for different populations and settings, and create an avenue for understanding individual users of telecentre projects.

The influence of community characteristics towards telecentres success

Telecentres are physical spaces that provide public access to information and communication technology particularly the Internet for educational, personal, social, and economic development. This paper will closely look into the characteristics of the community that influence the success of telecentres. Although there are a number of influential factors in regards to community characteristics, the emphasis will be on groups and networks factor. Survey was conducted to collect data from users regarding their use of telecentres. In the questionnaire, apart from the users’ profiles, items related to the groups and networks were also included.Sampling was done based on a population comprising of telecentres implemented by state governments, non-governmental organizations, and private sectors. The findings suggest that there are some indications showing certain self belonging, as consequences to the usages of telecentres, to a group and establishing networks which can contribute to the success of telecentres.

An Enterprise Architecture Methodology for Business-IT Alignment: Adopter and Developer Perspectives

This paper proposes the use of an enterprise architecture methodology known as the Systemic Enterprise Architecture Methodology to determine the relevance of EA in addressing the business-IT alignment. A construct that characterized EA was developed based on review of the literature. A theoretical framework build upon the Systemic Enterprise Architecture Methodology (SEAM) was used based on a business-IT alignment market, in which supplier business systems compete to provide a value to an adopter business system. Data was empirically gathered based on survey respondents who are concerned with the adoption, planning and implementation of EA in their organizations. Respondents were managers and executives representing the IT and senior level management of public and private organizations in Malaysia. The data collected was then analyzed based on the following factors: (1) EA business issues; (2) EA environment; (3) EA governance; and (4) EA methods, tools and frameworks. Comparative analysis was carried out based on the four factors to examine the trend and status of EA adoption and implementation in Malaysia vis-a-vis the international scenario. Statistical analysis was used to validate the SEAM, which was found to be relevant in addressing the business-IT alignment.

Investigation on the importance of enterprise architecture in addressing business issues

Enterprise architecture describes the principles and guidelines in governing the implementation of information, technology and business mission in organizations. The main aim of enterprise architecture is to improve the alignment between information technology strategy and business strategy. The intent of our study is to broaden and strengthen the understanding of enterprise architecture by specifically looking at the business issues. We used Systemic Enterprise Architecture Methodology (SEAM) as the foundation of the studys theoretical framework. Data was empirically gathered using questionnaire survey respondents who are concerned with the adoption, planning and implementation of EA in their organizations. A survey research method was employed involving one hundred organizations chosen at random. Descriptive and exploratory methods were used for data analysis. The findings gave us a general outlook of the EA activities in Malaysian organizations and its future directions. The study found Business and IT Alignment, and Business Change, which is also followed closely by Application Renewal as the important business issue in which enterprise architecture is required.

ICT Adoption and Value Creation: A Telecentre Ecosystem Approach

As Malaysia aspires to become a fullydeveloped country by 2020, efforts are currently underway to transform the nation into a knowledge-based society. This is one marked by ICT literacy with a diffusion of ICT infrastructure, even in remote areas and villages, and communities that embrace ICT in their everyday life. In preparation for this journey, the Malaysian government formulated a national framework to ensure equitable access and opportunity for ICT adoption across the country. The National Strategic Framework for Bridging the Digital Divide (NSF-BDD) forms part of the government transformation program to provide access to ICT in underserved communities to enable ICT adoption, which eventually will evolve into activities that can add socio-economic value to the community. The framework is a government policy that describes a nationwide strategy to address the inequality of universal access to ICT, with the aim to narrow the digital gap that exists between these communities. This framework identifies nine underserved groups that have been “digitally” marginalized. These are: youth, disabled, rural, poor, indigenous peoples, small and medium manufacturing enterprises (SMME), elderly, women and children (Yogeesvaran, 2007). Abstract

A formal model for measuring the effect of technological change on telecentre usage

Technological change (TC), in general refers to continuous invention, innovation and diffusion of technology. In relation to telecentre, TC is seen as the driving force of the centre’s operation. However, in recent years, telecentre’s usage and operation is declining slowly and this leads to the question about the continued relevance of these centres as well as calls for evidence of impacts to justify further resources and program improvements. The paper aims to present the simulation results on an agent-based model that was developed to show the impact of TC on telecentre’s usage. The model was constructed in four phases, Abstraction, Formalization, Simulation and Evaluation. Results showed that the computational model was able to show the effective usage of telecentre in different types of scenarios.

Rural internet centre (RIC) as catalysts for building knowledge-based society - the case of northern states of Malaysia

The creation of Rural Internet Centre (RIC) by the Malaysian government was to provide opportunity and to empower the rural communities in Malaysia. The RIC provides IT skills training and knowledge acquisition programs to the rural community in Malaysia, including women, the elderly, and children. RIC was launched in March 2000 with two centers: Sungai Ayer Tawar in Selangor and Kanowit in Sarawak. By 2006, 42 RICs have been implemented in thirteen states in the country (KTAK, 2006). The Ministry of Energy, Water and Communications (MEWC), Malaysia Post Berhad and Maju Sedunia Digital (MSD) are responsible for the project. The Malaysian government aim to set up 240 centres by the year 2010 which will eventually reaching an estimated 2.8 million members of the rural communities. The management of the centres operations and activities are given to the local communities. This creates opportunities to the locals to be employed and also provide the chance for acquisition of IT related skills and qualifications. This paper aims at providing an overview over the current RICs implementation with respect to supporting Malaysia governments aspiration towards building the knowledge-based society by the year 2020. RICs could function as the catalyst to achieve this objective. The initial findings on RICs current situations in Northern of Malaysia show that the centres can be further enhanced in order to function as desired.

Teaching Object-Oriented Systems Analysis to Non-IT Students: A Practical Experience

Teaching software development course is not easy even to people with computer science qualification, let alone to those without such background. However, the author personal experience has proven that this is not impossible. This paper aims at sharing the method adopted in teaching object-oriented systems analysis to postgraduate students without academic qualification or experience in information technology or computer science. Most of them are merely end-users to a number of ubiquitous applications software such as word processors. For the said course, three aspects were given special emphasis: concepts and theories familiarization, application of the theories, and familiarization of technical contents. In view of their background, with respect to the aspects addressed, the author would suggest that the method applied in the teaching of systems analysis is considerably successful for they manage to produce the deliverables required with acceptable quality