Research Articles (CSS)

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Usability and challenges of cloud storage: Perspectives of academic staff at Mzumbe University, Tanzania
(East African Journal of Education and Social Sciences, 2024) Komba, Mercy Mlay; Komba, Gabriel Vitus
This study aimed to explore the perspectives, preferences and challenges of Mzumbe University faculty regarding cloud storage adoption. Utilizing a case study design, the researchers conducted semistructured interviews with a purposive sample of 15 faculty members to capture diverse viewpoints. The study used the thematic analysis approach to analyse the data retrieved from interviews. Based on the findings, the study concluded that cloud storage systems have several advantages, such as easy accessibility features, robust security protocols, service compatibility and intuitive user interfaces. These benefits encourage academic personnel to collaborate and increase productivity. However, some challenges existed. These are related to internet access, cost, lack of formal training and security. The study recommends that enhancing the university internet infrastructure is critical to guaranteeing reliability and fast connectivity for effective utilization of cloud storage. The university may also think of offering financial assistance for supplementary storage requirements to academic staff.
Factors for e-government adoption: Lessons from selected African countries
(UNISA Press, 2012) Komba, Mercy Mlay; Ngulube, P
This article discusses various problematic issues of providing access to, and promoting the wider utilisation of government information as important factors in e-government adoption. The Tunisian, Mauritian and Egyptian e-government experiences are examined in this article in order to highlight both good practices and remaining challenges in e-government adoption. Some of the good practices that we can benefit from, may be summarised as: formulating a viable national information and communication technology strategy (ICT-based) for modernising the telecommunications infrastructure, developing a regulatory framework for the deployment of a digital economy, obtaining international cooperation in ICT, developing skilled human resources management in ICT, developing a national digital culture in order to overcome the problems of low individual usage and adoption of ICT, establishing an information infrastructure to connect the various local government authorities, and establishing security standards in order to address threats. The study concludes that overcoming the obstacles of providing access to, and promoting the wider utilisation of government information, remain some of the biggest challenges for any government planning to adopt and implement e-government.
Government information seeking behaviour of citizens in selected districts of Tanzania
(Journal of Library & Information Science, 2016) Komba Mercy Mlay; Lwoga Edda Tandi
The study assessed the information needs and information-seeking patterns of citizens in Tanzania, focusing on three districts: Morogoro town, Njombe and Kinondoni districts. A questionnaire survey was self-administered to 450 citizens in selected districts, with a rate of return of 99.6 per cent. Findings revealed that citizens mainly required information on national examination results, followed by information on birth, death and marriage certificates, land, and health. Citizens relied on electronic sources and interpersonal communication with neighbours and friends more than explicit sources of information. Certain demographic factors related to education level and respondent’s age determined the use of various types of information sources. Common barriers of citizens’ information seeking behaviour were related to poor ICT infrastructure, difficulty in retrieving information, distant location and high costs of information sources. This is a comprehensive study that provides findings which might help the government in Tanzania and other countries with similar conditions to provide effective government information and services to their citizens.
Factors that influence eBusiness adoption in selected districs in Tanzania
(International Conference on eBusiness, eCommerce, eManagement, eLearning and eGovernance (2015): 1-19. Print., 2015) Komba, Mercy Mlay; Ngulube, P
Purpose-Tanzania government has been making efforts to provide its information and services through internet. However, e-government adoption has been quite slow. Few publications explore e-government adoption in the Tanzanian context; therefore, this paper aims to assess factors that influence citizen adoption of e-government in Tanzania.Design/methodology/approach- A survey was administered to elicit factors for e-government adoption in Tanzania. Findings- The results of multiple linear regressions indicate that social influence and system quality significantly influence e-government adoption in Tanzania. Research limitation/implications- In light of these findings, researchers should conduct a similar study using other different e-government adoption models to identify more factors that influence e-government adoption in Tanzania. Practical implications- Policymakers and e-government project teams should consider these factors to facilitate e-government adoption within the
The influence of ChatGPT on digital learning: Experience among university students
(Global Knowledge, Memory and Communication, 2024) Komba, Mercy Mlay
Purpose This study aims to investigate the influence of ChatGPT, an AI-based chatbot, on the digital learning experience of students at Mzumbe University. Design/methodology/approach This study adopted a qualitative research design to gather in-depth insights from participants. Semi-structured interviews and an analysis of previous chat content were used as primary sources of data. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data, allowing for the exploration of participants’ perspectives, experiences and opinions regarding the integration of ChatGPT into the learning process. Findings The results of the study demonstrated that ChatGPT is widely used in educational contexts and has a positive influence on students’ study habits, academic performance, and understanding of course material. Students appreciated the system’s simplicity, tailored instructions, and the promptness and accuracy of the responses. Despite the possibility of isolated mistakes. Research limitations/implications It is important to recognize the limitations of this study. First, the sample size was small, limiting the broad application of the results. Second, this study’s narrow emphasis on students at Mzumbe University limits its applicability in other situations. Furthermore, depending on self-reported experiences, biases, such as individual interpretation or recollection bias, can occur. Practical implications Educators can maximize ChatGPT in the classroom by using study insights. Its advantages, such as effectiveness and enhanced performance, highlight the possibility for student-centered learning. Practitioners are guided by their awareness of problems, such as probable errors. Constant updates guarantee ChatGPT’s applicability and provide educators with useful advice. Social implications Peer impact is highlighted in this study concerning social factors on the adoption of AI in education. Resolving issues preserves public confidence. Views influence public opinion and direct policymakers in discussions about safe AI use. It influences public attitudes while navigating the ethical integration of AI. Originality/value This study offers insightful information about the impact of ChatGPT on digital learning in Tanzania’s higher education. It makes innovative research contributions that enhance educational practices and emphasizes the advantages, difficulties and demands of responsible usage in the context of AI-based chatbots.
Antecedents of continued usage intentions of web-based learning management system in Tanzania
(Education + Training, 2015) Komba Mercy; Tandi Luoga
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine factors that predict students’ continued usage intention of web-based learning management systems (LMS) in Tanzania, with a specific focus on the School of Business of Mzumbe University. Specifically, the study investigated major predictors of actual usage and continued usage intentions of e-learning system, and challenges of using the e-learning system. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected through a questionnaire survey of 300 third year undergraduate students, with a rate of return of 77 per cent. A total of 20 faculty members were also interviewed. The unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) was utilized in the study. Findings – The results show that actual usage was determined by self-efficacy, while continued usage intentions of web-based learning system was predicted by performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, self-efficacy, and actual usage. Challenges for using web-based LMS were related to information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure barrier, LMS user interface was not user friendly, weak ICT policies, management and technical support, limited skills, lack of awareness, resistance to change, and lack of time to prepare e-content and use the e-learning system. Practical implications – The study findings are useful to e-learning managers and university management to identify important factors and develop appropriate policies and strategies to encourage long-term usage of e-learning systems for future studies and lifelong learning. Originality/value – By using UTAUT in the context of continued usage intentions and the integration of an additional construct (“self-efficacy”), the extended UTAUT model fits very well in the web-based learning systems in Tanzania, in particular where such studies are scant. The findings can be used in other institutions with similar conditions in investigating the continued usage intentions of e-learning systems.
E-government adoption in developing countries: Trends in the use of models
(ESARBICA Journal, 2011) Komba, Mercy Mlay; Ngulube, P.
Like the evaluation of all other information systems initiatives, the evaluation of e-government in both theory and practice has proven to be important and complex. The importance of e-government evaluation is due to the enormous investment put in by governments for delivering e-government services and to the considerable pace of growth in the field of e-government. However, despite the importance of the evaluation of e-government services, the literature shows that e-government evaluation is still an immature area in terms of development and management. The main aim of this article is to explore various theories and models which have been used in the developing countries context to evaluate e-government adoption. Developing countries suffer from poor citizen utilization of egovernment initiatives. An assessment of various theories and models for e-government adoption in developing countries may positively contribute to enhancing government understanding of the factors that influence citizen utilization of e-government systems. Moreover, the understanding of these models can be used as means for providing valuable feedback for the planning of future egovernment initiatives in the developing countries.
Diversity in employment of electric commercial vehicles in urban freight transport: A literature review
(Bremen: Bundesvereinigung Logistik (BVL), 2018) Wang, Molin; Thoben, Klaus-Dieter; Bernardo, Marcella; Daudi, Morice
Employment of Electric Commercial Vehicles (ECVs) constitutes measures to achieve sustainable Urban Freight Transport (UFT). Despite a critical need for ECVs, in industry, the market penetration of ECVs in UFT has remained relatively low. To increase such market penetration, one crucial issue to consider is to obtain a satisfactory match between characteristics of ECVs and requirements of UFT. However, matching diverse types of ECVs and various delivery tasks in UFT leads to many possibilities. The present paper refers to such possibilities as diversity and denotes them as ECV-UFT combinations. Potentials inherent in this diversity seem ignored by the majority of the literature. Therefore, the present paper explores the significance of studying such diversity for the market penetration. In particular, the paper identifies the primary areas of focus and the extent of the diversity already considered in the literature. To accomplish this identification, a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) is applied. The SLR follows a sequence of activities, including selecting sources and keywords, as well as classifying and summarizing results. Findings unveil that the literature has primarily focused on issues concerning the feasibility of ECVs, the adaptation of logistics and vehicle concepts, and support of stakeholders. Furthermore, little consideration of the diversity in the employment of ECVs in UFT is observed as a consequence accounting for the low market penetration. Finally, building on the diversity to increase market penetration, the paper proposes to extend ECV-UFT combinations in the outlined primary areas of focus as future research work.
Behavioral factors influencing partner trust in logistics collaboration: a review
(Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 2016) Daudi, Morice; Hauge, Jannicke; Thoben, Klaus-Dieter
Logistics collaboration has emerged a prevalent strategy to mitigate challenge individuals and organizations encounter. A successful collaboration, however, depends on certain trustworthy behaviors partner exhibit. To that end, understanding aspects constituting behavioral uncertainty and mechanisms by which such aspects affect partner trust is a necessary. This necessity counts on emergent behavioral trust uncertainties, constituted by partner’s actions and interactions occurring during collaboration. While this is a necessary requirement, most of the studies in the literature lack to take into account the influence of behavioral uncertainty on collaboration and partner trust. To that effect, this paper uncovers outlined limitation by establishing behavioral factors influencing partner trust in operational stage of logistics collaboration. To accomplish this objective, a systematic literature review (SLR) is deployed to consolidate research domains of logistics, supply chain, collaboration, and trust. SLR proceeds by defining a review protocol, followed by a search process conducted in 5 databases using 20 search terms on articles published between 2001 and 2015 inclusively. Among findings this SLR has revealed are four behavioral factors and thirteen criteria proposed to affect partner trust. Additionally, these factors constitute success and measurable criteria needed for empirical investigation which may employ experimental and/or case-study methods. Moreover, synthesized factors extend further an understanding of behavioral trust in ad hoc collaborative networks, a large part of which being supported by networks of humans and computers.
Trust framework on exploitation of humans as the weakest link in cybersecurity
(NASK–Państwowy Instytut Wydawniczy, 2023) Daudi, Morice
The significance of cybersecurity is increasing in our daily digital lives. The reason for this rise is that human interactions take place in computer-mediated environments, or cyberspace, where physical cues from face-to-face interactions are either absent or very minimal. Computer users are becoming increasingly susceptible to cyberattacks as a result of human interactions in cyberspace. Understanding how cybercriminals exploit the human trust, the weakest link in cybersecurity is relevant because cybercriminals focus on attacking the human psychology of trust rather than technical-based controls. To this end, the present paper develops a trust framework on exploitation of humans as the weakest link in cybersecurity. The framework is established by linking the human psychology of trust and techniques used by cybercriminals in deceiving and manipulating users of computer systems. The framework is validated by demonstrating its application using a case study employing real data. Findings show that cybercriminals exploit human trust based on trust development processes and bases of trust, either creating (falsified) expectations or a relationship history to lure the victim in. Furthermore, it is revealed that technical-based controls cannot provide effective safeguards to prevent manipulation of the human psychology of trust.
A Decision supporting algorithm for improving sunflower production amidst changing weather in the singida region, Tanzania
(East African Journal of Science, Technology and Innovation, 2024) Kisanjara, Simeo; Matimbwa, Hadija
Recent drastic weather shifts driven by global warming have adversely affected African agriculture, culminating in low crop yields. The purpose of this study is to design decision support algorithms (DSA) that will aid sunflower farmers in the Singida Region in managing the risks associated with weather variations and consequently improve crop yields. A total of 80 respondents, including meteorologists, agricultural extension officers (AEOs), and farmers with feature and smart phones, contributed to the study's designedand empirical validation of the algorithm. The study designed and validated the DSA that assist sunflower growers in the Singida region in making informed decisions to improve productivity amidst adverse weather changes. As revealed, farmerswho use both smartphones and feature phones are extremely satisfied with the DSA functions. The decision support algorithm designedin this study integrates smart and feature phone elements that were overlooked in comparable, prior systems and algorithms.Farmers that grow other crops that behave similarly to sunflower in areas with characteristicscomparable to the Singida region will find the study's designedand validated algorithm helpful. In order to assist sunflower farmers in making decisions, theDSA interprets and processes data on a predetermined set of daily activities. In order to advance the use of ICT applications in farming activities, the study's findings took into consideration farmers who used feature phones with SMS-based notifications and those who used smartphones. The existing systems mostly concentrated on integrating web-based systems through mobile phones, which is dependent only on internet connectivity being available. Moreover, the use of web-based systems via mobile phones only results in restricted coverage and is out of reach for many farmers. Thus, the innovative element that emphasizes the study's contribution to the field in Tanzania's rural areas is the integration of feature and smart phone.IntroductionAgricultural production in Africa is significantly impacted by adverse weather shifts owing to variability (Stevanovi’c et al.,2016). The continent’svulnerability is attributable to severalchallenges, including extreme poverty, limitedemployment opportunities, and a lack of Keywords:ICTs; Decision Support Algorithm; Smart-feature phone; weather changes; Agriculture;Sunflower Productivity Cite as,Kisanjara and Matimbwa,(2024). A Decision supporting algorithm for improving sunflower production amidst changing weather in the singidaregion, Tanzania.East African Journal of Science, Technology and Innovation 5(2).Received: 02/01/24Accepted: 05/03/24Published: 28/03/24EISSN: 2707-0425
Internet of things and organizational performance in the Tanzanian banks
(Emerald Publishing Limited, 2023) Kisanjara, Simeo
Purpose – The adoption of the Internet of Things (IoT) as a new technology is gaining traction in many business organizations in developing countries. The purpose of this study is to assess the effect of IoT on the organizational performance of Tanzanian banks. Design/methodology/approach – For data collection, this study used a quantitative approach with a questionnaire. A total of 342 respondents were considered, with an 82.16% response rate. AMOS software was used to analyze data using structural equation modeling (SEM) as the primary technique. Findings – The results revealed that the majority of the hypotheses tested in this study have a significant effect on organizational performance, as indicated by their p-value of 0.05. However, there is no statistically significant effect of performance expectancy on organizational performance by lowering IoT operation costs. Furthermore, the availability of IoT has no discernible effect on organizational performance by improving service quality. Practical implications – The findings of this study inform policymakers to reformulate information and communication technologies policy to clearly spell out the adoption and implementation of the IoT as a new technological innovation for providing services not only in the banking sector but also in other service delivery organizations. In particular, the policy should have a clear vision of implementing an appealing, conducive and positive, meaningful service delivery environment, as well as achieving appropriate, successful, effective and sustainable organizational performance Originality/value – As a result, this paper contributes to a better understanding of the factors (including performance expectancy, effort expectancy and accessibility) of IoT on organizational performance by influencing operational costs, service delivery speed and service quality. These factors were not adequately addressed in previous related studies, and they have a significant influence on organizational performance levels in Tanzanian banks.
Adoption and use of Elearning in Tanzanian higher learning institutions: A structural equation model
(International Journal of Education & Development using Information & Communication Technology, 2023) Kisanjara, Simeo
Many higher learning Institutions (HLIs) in underdeveloped nations, especially in Tanzania, are not moving quickly enough to embrace eLearning. This study seeks to design a model for enhanced adoption and use of eLearning at Tanzanian higher learning Institutions. A quantitative cross-section survey design was used for data collection. Data were examined using SEM under AMOS software. The results showed that the level of eLearning adoption and use was significantly influenced by technological, user, pedagogical, social, and environmental factors. Based on this paper, policymakers and other stakeholders should embrace this model to give enough support for the adoption of eLearning and to enhance the performance in teaching and learning. To develop an appropriate, successful, effective, and long-lasting eLearning environment, decision makers can have a clear image of how to implement an appealing, conducive, and positive meaningful learning environment. As a result, the paper adds to the body of knowledge the factors (such as social, environmental, and human ones) that significantly affect the adoption of eLearning in Tanzania's HLIs. In addition, a model for the adoption and use of successful and improved eLearning in Tanzanian's HLIs and other countries with comparable features was developed and validated in the paper.
Students’ attitudes and readiness assessment towards e-learning in higher learning institutions
(International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT), 2014) Kisanjara, Simeo
Learning institutions particularly in developing countries such as Tanzania have been adopting teaching and knowledge exchange and sharing digital solutions without much consideration of the actual needs and readiness of users. E-learning technologies in particular have been adopted in many universities through purchase and installation mostly imported from abroad or customized from open sources. However, the success rate has proven to be very low particularly when looking into ratio of students using these technologies for intended purposes. It is not clear whether the readiness and attitudes of students towards those technologies is supportive enough. This paper assesses the readiness and attitudes of students in higher learning institutions in Tanzania in comparisons with the adoption speed of the e-learning technologies.
E-learning use and teaching and learning performance in Tanzanian universities
(Sage Journals, 2024) Kisanjara, Simeo
The use of E-learning as a new educational technology is currently a top priority in many universities in developing-countries. The main purpose of this research is to determine how e-learning affects the teaching and learning (T&L) performance in Tanzanian universities. Employing a questionnaire tool, a quantitative approach was used to collect the data. A total of 390 out of 400 respondents including lectures and students were taken into account, with a 97.5% response rate. Data in SPSS version 21 were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) technique and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). According to the findings of this study, only one of the nine hypotheses tested have a non-significant effect on T&L performance, as indicated by p-values >0.01. Further, there is no statistically significant effect of perceived usefulness in using e-learning in T&L performance by lowering cost/expenses. Furthermore, other variables assessed including performance expectancy, ease of use, and perceived usefulness have significance effect on T&L performance by increased quality of instructional material delivery, convenience in teaching and learning facilities. The findings of this study inform policymakers on how to reformulate information and communication technology (ICT) policy to clearly spell out the adoption of e-learning for providing facilities in universities. The policy should, in particular, have a clear vision of implementing an appealing, conducive teaching and learning service delivery environment, as well as achieving appropriate and high T&L performance. By influencing the cost/expenses in T&L, quality of instructional material, and the convenience of T&L service delivery as the indicators of performance, this paper contributes to improve understanding of the factors of e-learning (including performance expectancy, perceived usefulness, and ease of use) on teaching and learning performance of the Tanzanian universities. These factors, which have a substantial influence on T&L performance in Tanzanian universities through affecting its indicators, were not thoroughly addressed in earlier relevant studies.
Factors influencing e-learning implementation in Tanzanian Universities
(The Online Journal of Distance Education and e-Learning, 2020) Kisanjara, Simeo
Website design and optimization has become natural extension on learning in many universities nowadays as it moves learning materials to online in the name of e-learning. The said website design and optimization enhances the e-learning for the purpose of facilitating and providing flexibility in teaching and learning activities. However, the progress of e-learning implementation is yet to be adequate in many universities in developing countries including Tanzania. This study, investigated factors influencing e-learning implementation from broader dimensions. This study employed cross section survey design with quantitative approach using questionnaire for data collection. The study finding revealed that technological characteristics, user characteristics, pedagogical characteristics, social attributes and environmental characteristics significantly influence e-learning implementation level. Thus, this study contributes to the understanding of the new factors such as social, pedagogical and environmental which were inadequately addressed in the existing similar elearning implementation models. Further, both factors were collectively used to develop a model for improving implementation of e-learning in Tanzanian universities and other countries with similar characteristics.
Creating new actors and partnerships: Case of Tanzania
(Aalborg University, 2017) Turcan, Romeo V.; Kwayu, Aikande; Tossy, Titus; Fraser, Norman; Nandonde, Felix
The purpose of this working paper is to highlight issues and challenges of starting up new sectors in emerging economies and of identifying and channeling appropriate support from development organizations. Although being addressed within the context of Tanzania, these issues and challenges are generic and ubiquitous throughout emerging economies and troublesome for development organizations. Hence another aim is to share these with a wider audience and stimulate a discussion among researchers, policy makers and support providers. The paper is an excerpt from a project application developed by a University from Denmark in cooperation with academic and business partners from Tanzania and submitted for funding to a development organization.
Collaborating partnerships: A project-based legitimizing strategy amongst East African E-Learning providers
(IGI Global, 2017) Tossy, Titus; Brown, Irwin
This chapter examines the phenomenon of e-learning in East Africa. The classic grounded theory methodology was used to carry out the study. Through multiple encounters with 24 e-learning providers, the investigation revealed legitimizing of e-learning projects to be a significant issue for these providers. Developing collaborating partnerships was a key strategy used by the providers to legitimize e-learning projects. The study identified two types of collaborating partnerships: Asymmetrical and Reciprocal. These findings are positioned within literature to highlight the contribution that this paper makes to the discourse on e-learning projects in developing countries.
Doing classic grounded theory research in information systems: trust in emergence
(IGI Global, 2017) Tossy, Titus; Brown, Irwin; Lowe, Andy
Grounded Theory (GT) is a latent pattern recognition research method that was developed by Barney Glaser and Anselm Strauss (1967). GT, which can use either quantitative or qualitative data, is a general research methodology and it produces empirically grounded but modifiable theory. Since the development of GT in 1967, some researchers have attempted to modify the original GT method, and remodelled GT approaches have been widely used in Information Systems (IS) research, often with unfortunate results due to disregard of the basic rules of the original GT. The continued use of remodelled GT methods has caused confusion and has prevented those in the IS research community from stimulating the development of new theory, which is the main benefit of using GT as it was originally outlined. Following publication of the original grounded theory by Glaser and Strauss (1967), Glaser (1978) went on to explain in detail how to operationalize the GT method. Despite this, some researchers mistakenly continued to classify GT as a subset of the qualitative data analysis research methodology. In doing so, they reveal that they have misunderstood both the purpose of GT and how to use it correctly. In this paper the author will concentrate on the authentic approach to GT, which is termed “Classic Ground Theory” (CGT), so as to differentiate it from any misconceived remodelled version of the theory. This paper explains how CGT can be carried out in an IS context by trusting in the emergence from the data of the required information, rather than forcing it.
Evolutionary collaborative partnership model (ECPM): The East African elearning provider's project-based legitimization strategy
(International Journal of Computing and ICT Research, 2014) Tossy, Titus
The paper examines the lack of legitimacy of e-learning projects including academic certificates through online distance programs. The paper analyses whether the lack of legitimacy that exist among e-learning projects can be eradicated through a sound proposed strategy. The rationale of this study is based on the fact that most scholars claim that various e-learning projects and programs lack legitimization, and the literature related to legitimization issues is limited. From the perspective of e-learning providers working in East Africa, this paper used Classic Grounded Theory. The study developed an Evolutionary Collaborative Partnership Model (ECPM). For legitimization to be achieved, the study revealed that three processes needed to be followed: the identifying and acquiring of collaborating partners, referral networking and strategic alliances. The study identified two types of collaborating partnerships: asymmetrical and reciprocal collaborating . The study discovered five stages in an incremental sequential process in the evolutionary e-learning collaborative partnership model including identification of key drivers, problem setting, direction setting, structuring and outcomes.

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