| |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
The Gapology of Digital Divide in Delivering Informatization Society: A Transferable Framework for Small
Islands Developing States |
|
|
Ezendu Ifeanyi ARIWA,
Lecturer |
|
|
Department of Accounting,
Banking & Financial Systems, London Metropolitan University,
United Kingdom |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
The Impact of Globalisation on Information and Education |
|
|
Sylvestre K. Zounou,
Executive Secreatary |
|
|
International Center
of Volunteers(CIV), Lome, Togo |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Abstract |
|
|
|
|
| |
The current process of
globalisation have changed the world as regards economic,
social, political, cultural, technological, etc. |
|
|
|
|
| |
Within Education,
the Globalisation made world a "Planetary Village"
where the use of Information and Communication Technologies
(ICT) facilitates the diffusion of the knowledge in the
African countries. New method of education, the "e-learning"
allows to knowledge's acquisition and essential
qualifications, in this field of globalisation of economy,
starting from any point of the sphere, thus eliminating
the geographical barriers, of times, socio-economic, racial,
which represent obstacles for access of education and
progress. The "e-learning" allows indeed, to
reach rather easily the
mediums disadvantaged by facilitating their integration.
However, the globalisation supports the "marchandisation
of schools" who more digs a gap between rich person
and the poor. |
|
|
|
|
| |
Within Information, mondialization or globalisation created
the Company of Information with the coming of Information
and Communication Technologies (ICT). Nowadays, the world
became interdependent. One currently assists with the
plurality of information (written and spoken media, telephony,
cellular, Internet...) Internet and the ICT became tools
impossible to circumvent for development. They contribute
to the reduction of poverty and support the decompartmentalization;
They are a factor of cultural dialogue, bring closer the
people and create unity in diversity. They are effective
means of training and studies for youth and facilitate
the access of people to information.. But the phenomena
of the ciber-criminology, the handling of information,
the pornography... became a plague of the century of the
company of information. Numerical difference between North
and the South, large states and the small island developing
states |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) - As an Emerging Paradigm - Myth or Reality?
A Study of the Mauritian IT Sector |
|
|
Hemant Kassean, Lecturer |
|
|
Department of Health
Management, University of Mauritius |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Abstract |
|
|
|
|
| |
Mauritius has long been
regarded a predominant world class tourist destination.
It has turned from a mono-crop economy into a high tech
manufacturing centre, becoming a producer of high-quality
textile clothing which it has enjoyed since the early
1980’s. But with the liberalization in the textiles
and clothing sector with the end of import quotas on
1, January, 2005, Mauritius faces fierce competition
in this sector. Liberalization has been controversial
because both textiles and clothing contribute to employment
in developed countries, particularly in regions where
alternative jobs may be difficult to find. |
|
|
|
|
| |
One of the areas in which
Mauritius is concentrating is the information and communication
technology (ICT) sector. Aspiring to become a cyber island,
Mauritius is likely to play a strategic role in the SADC
and Indian Ocean. It is determined to become the regional
ICT hub. The new IT sector will therefore be increasingly
shaped by its ability to adapt to the changing global
environment, thereby requiring an effective network of
relationships among producers, suppliers and customers.
Mauritius has to become competitive and embrace new ways
of conducting business in an increasingly global and competitive
environment. The island faces serious challenges and has
to restructure, adapt and innovate in order to maintain
sustainable growth in the future |
|
|
|
|
| |
The main aim of this survey
was to determine whether CRM was an emerging paradigm
in the Mauritian IT sector. Some of the key objectives
were to 1) To determine the level of understanding of
Mauritian IT firms’ meaning of the main components
of CRM 2) To identify the current trends of CRM in the
Mauritian IT sector 3) To explore the extent to which
Mauritian IT firms were making use of the sophisticated
software and technology to maintain and enhance their
relationships with their customers 4) To assess the different
communication tools used by Mauritian IT firms. |
|
|
|
|
| |
A convenient sample
of 30 IT firms were drawn from the local IT companies
directory of the National Computer Board. A face to
face questionnaire consisting of 25 questions in Section
A and 5 questions in Section B pertaining to company
details was administered with the marketing managers
of the IT firms between 14th January to 28th Feb 2002.
Although the results varied across demographic groups
of companies in terms of the number of years in operation
and number of employees and area of activities they
were dealing with, the main findings were that Mautitian
IT firms were aware of the concept of CRM. The results
also showed that the majority of Mauritian IT companies
were investing heavily in CRM to deal whilst the remaining
were implementing partial CRM. Companies viewed ‘relationship
with customers’, ‘value added services’ and
‘trust’ to be vital components for long term
profitability. Moderate importance was given to the
use of sophisticated CRM software to maintain long term
relationship with customers. Future studies can include
larger sample sizes and other sectors such as tourism,
textile and financial services. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
Sexuality on the Mauritian Chat Room: An Internet Mediated Research (IMR) |
|
|
Komalsingh Rambaree,
Lecturer in Social Policy |
|
|
Faculty of Social
Studies and Humanities, University of Mauritius, Mauritius |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Abstract |
|
|
|
|
| |
Mauritius is advancing,
with a strong determination, towards a technology-based
society. Consequently, young people are very much attracted
by the new technologies, such as mobile phone, computer,
and computer-based technologies. Recent data, for example
the IT Household Survey - carried out by NCB (2000)
- clearly show that adolescents are the age group that
uses Internet the most, at home ; and e-mail/chat is
the top of the list of purposes for using the Internet.
It is also a well-known fact, that sexuality is a dominant
theme over the Internet, and especially on the Chat
Rooms . Personal observation, of the Mauritian Chat
Rooms, has also revealed that sexuality is commonly
expressed over the Internet. In this context, this research
aims to explore how sexuality is being framed, communicated,
deconstructed, and understood by the Mauritian chat
users. The specific set research questions, for the
qualitative study, are: (a) what types of sexuality
related information are shared (b) how sexuality related
information are framed, expressed, deconstructed and
understood over the chat rooms, and (c) what are the
implications of ‘sexuality on the Internet’
for the Mauritian policy-makers? |
|
|
|
|
| |
This paper also presents
an innovative approach to qualitative social research
using modern technological tools. Particularly, Hewson
et al. (2003) point out that IMR offers researchers the
potential to reach a vast number of participants from
unlimited distance cheaply and time-efficiently. Moreover,
the data, collected from the chat rooms, are directly
being plugged into Atlas-ti for the content / discourse
analysis purpose, thereby saving time and money incurred
in transcribing. It is also worth noting that ethical
issues such as informed consent of all stakeholders, no
access and sharing of pornography related materials, and
several other principles of social research, for example,
autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficience and veracity,
are being seriously considered, in this particular study. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
Changing Culture with Virtual Meetings |
|
|
Ponnadurai Ramasami,
Senior Lecturer |
|
|
Department of Chemistry,
Faculty of Science, University of Mauritius, Mauritius |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Abstract |
|
|
|
|
| |
A meeting involves gathering
of people to discuss and sometimes decide on matters.
Meetings may be of different types such as annual meetings,
conferences, workshops, seminars and brainstorming sessions.
Although these meetings are meant for different purposes,
they have all a common aim. The aim is to bring their
members and stakeholders on a single platform so that
ideas may be generated. A meeting may last from few
minutes to several days. |
|
|
|
|
| |
Before the development of
the Internet, although there was “telephone meeting”,
meetings were conducted by conveying people on site. Organisation
of a meeting involves considerable budget and organisers
depend partly on registered participants. However for
participants, funding is one of the problems, particularly
for international meetings. Funding is becoming more competitive
and definitely it is impossible to sponsor everyone. Further
it difficult for students to attend meetings although
there is reduced fees. |
|
|
|
|
| |
Some of the problems associated
with on site meetings may be sorted by having virtual
meetings. Virtual meetings have been used to eliminate
distance and there is no need for people to get away from
their place. An on site meeting requiring a huge budget
may benefit hundreds of persons but the same amount invested
in ICT can benefit more than hundred thousands of persons. |
|
|
|
|
| |
This work reports
an overview of different on site meetings, then illustrates
how these meetings can be enhanced with virtual meetings.
Thus ICT leads to a change in culture. However virtual
meetings must not substitute on site meetings, as the
social and cultural aspects of the hosting country cannot
be experienced. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
Submarine Cable Connectivity for Island States |
|
|
Jim Schweigert, Consultant,
and Robert Munier, Managing Director for Global System
Sales |
|
|
Tyco Telecommunications,
Singapore/USA |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
Regulatory Reform in the Mauritian Telecommunication Sector: A Vain Quest for Embedded Autonomy? |
|
|
Sandiren Jaganaden
Reddi, Lecturer |
|
|
University of Technology,
Mauritius |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
