Browsing by Author "Chigona, Wallace"
Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
- Results Per Page
- Sort Options
Item The Effects on Policy of the Composition of the ICT Public Policy Network in Swaziland(2013-12-15) Metfula, Andile Simphiwe; Chigona, WallaceThe composition, relationships, alliances, power structures, norms and bureaucracies in policy networks affect not only the policymaking process but also the policies that result. This article reports on a study which analysed the dynamics of the ICT policymaking network in a developing country, Swaziland. The study uses a policy network analysis (PNA) approach to analyse the Swaziland national ICT policy network. The findings of the study show that government recruited mainly conformist actors into the policy network so as to meet set deadlines, and that policymaking was dominated by political agendas and strong foreign intervention, while side-lining key local policy actors.Item MXit it Up in the Media: Media Discourse Analysis on a Mobile Instant Messaging System(LINK Centre, University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), Johannesburg, 2008-12-15) Chigona, Agnes; Chigona, WallaceMobile instant messaging has the potential of providing the youth not only with a social space where they can interact and bond but also with a learning environment. MXit is the most popular mobile instant messaging application in South Africa. Due to its nascency, little academic research has been done on the application. The application has drawn considerable local media interest; however, most of the media coverage has been negative. Media discourse of the application is of academic interest, since media discourse is one of the many ways through which reality is constructed. This means there is a relationship between media discourse and public opinion. Distortions in the media may misinform and engender impaired decision making amongst policymakers as well as members of the public. Discourse analysis can reveal distortions in media communication and counter misinformation. Using critical discourse analysis, we have analysed the media discourse on MXit by employing the Habermasian concept of the ideal speech situation and its validity claims as a conceptual tool. The analysis shows that (i) the media discourse is fraught with distortions; (ii) the media have mainly used the voice of adults to legitimise the discourse and the voices of the youth who are the main users of the application are missing; and(iii) there seems to be a moral panic developing around the use of MXit.Item Realities of Microenterprises’ ICT Use for Business Activities and for Acquiring Online Government Support: A Study in Western Cape Province, South Africa(2019-12-06) Osman, Muhammad Ameer; Malanga, Donald Flywell; Chigona, WallaceThis article provides findings from a study, in South Africa’s Western Cape Province, of microenterprises’ experiences and perceptions of use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) for general business activities and for acquiring online government business support information. Using the capability approach (CA) theoretical framework, the study analysed data from interviews with microenterprise owners and digital government experts. The study found that the microenterprises were adept in their use of ICTs in their businesses, but that they encountered problems in using online government business support information services. These problems were found to be the result of deficiencies in the online services’ content, structure, design, navigation, mobile-friendliness, language usage and bureaucratic requirements.