Factors Influencing the Adoption of Digital Address System: The Case of Ghana’s National Digital Addressing System
The purpose of this study is to explore the factors that affect the awareness and usage of digital addressing systems in Ghana. Extant research about electronic government services in general have unfortunately ignored using a multidimensional theoretical approach to studying the issue. In this regard, this study conceptualised and used the technology organisation environment framework as a multidimensional tool to study the factors that would influence citizens’ awareness and usage of the digital addressing system in Ghana. Further, this study used structural equation modelling technique to analyse quantitative survey data collected from two hundred (200) respondents with respect to their technological, organisational, environmental and human or cognitive contexts. The factors identified as influencing behavioural intention to adopt digital addressing systems are perceived technical capability, usability, and perceived organisational readiness. In addition, only security and privacy were found to affect actual usage, confirming the importance of these two factors to citizens’ in their uptake of electronic government services. This study holds significance for research, practice and policy. With respect to research, this study is arguably the first to extend the technology organization environment framework to studying the adoption of digital addressing systems. With respect to practice, this theory has proposed several practice guidelines that the custodian of Ghana’s digital addressing system could follow in ensuring successful uptake of the new system. For instance, the institution should consider developing the technical competences of its staff in order to provide help to citizens’ and possibly developers who may create new services to interface with the digital addressing system
Assessment of the Challenges in the Adoption Of Mobile Banking Services in Ghana: A Case Study Of Accra Metropolitan Assembly.
Mobile banking is a new banking medium which allows users to conduct financial services at any place and at any time through mobile devices. Banks in Ghana through partnerships have implemented mobile banking services in order to provide affordable and convenient banking services to its users. However, there are concerns raised pertaining to the challenges users face in the adoption of mobile banking services which needs to be addressed else much results will not be achieved despite the huge investment and efforts mobile banking service providers put in. This research examines the challenges in the adoption of mobile banking services in Ghana by extending the renowned framework of Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). The study employed a cross sectional survey design. Data for this study was collected through a structured questionnaire in townships around Accra Metropolitan Area. The research revealed that customers will consider adoption mobile banking as long as it is perceived to be useful and easy to use. The study also revealed that performance risk, social risk, financial risk, security risk, perceived trust and perceived cost have significant effects on the adoption of mobile banking services with the exception of time risk which was found to have no significant effect on mobile banking services adoption. The most critical challenges customers face in the usage of the service were network problems, security/privacy concerns, lack of trust of third party agents and the lack of proper regulatory systems. It was also developed that the issues pertaining to reliable connectivity, utilization cost and fraud risks if reduced to the barest minimum will make the use of mobile banking services more attractive. Keywords: Mobile banking services, Technology Acceptance Model, Ghana.
An Assessment of Security Issues In Cloud Computing (Factors Affecting Its Adoption in Ghanaian Banks)
Cloud computing services and other cloud related technologies have enhanced the capabilities, infrastructure and scalability of various IT needs of enterprises globally. The concept of cloud services is to enable enterprises to cut spending on setting up various IT infrastructures and instead focus its investments on core business needs. A research model was developed to investigate the vulnerabilities associated with confidentiality of cloud computing, how it has improved business processes in the banking industry and how the various security solutions are impacting of cloud computing technology.The study focused on three (3) major factors i.e. I. vulnerabilities of cloud based systems, II. security solutions for the technology and III. the potential business benefits of applying cloud applications in banking. The Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology Model (UTAUT), the perceived ease of use (PEOU) and perceived usefulness (PU) were used as the research framework which formed the basis for conducting a survey to gather data on cloud computing technology. A questionnaire based survey was carried out and thirty-three (33) out of the expected fifty (50) feedbacks were received from various respondents. The results however asserted that despite the growth and security solutions of cloud computing, banking institutions are not adopting and using the technology as a core banking systems due to the perceived vulnerabilities which pose security threats to sensitive banking data and clients information. The various findings of this study and research recommendations are detailed in the following reports Keywords: cloud computing, Security, Confidentiality, Privacy, solution, bank
Using Capability Maturity Model to Assess the Effectiveness of Information Security Controls in an Organization
Many organizations have deployed various systems to facilitate the operations of their businesses, largely due to the benefits derived from the use of information technology. In spite of the numerous benefits derived from the use of information technology, its use brings about increased risks and/or threats to business processes. There is therefore the important task of protecting these systems from abuse and exploitation by both internal and external factors. To achieve this, organizations deploy and institute various controls to mitigate identified and inherent risks. In spite of these implemented controls, organizations have lost huge amounts of funds, resources and trade secrets with its attendant loss in reputation from compromises in their systems. These compromises could have been averted and cost to the organization minimized or eliminated with continuous auditing by internal and external entities which would have highlighted the areas of weakness to enable the organization address them. The study was to provide organizations with an avenue to assess the effectiveness of implemented information security controls using the capability maturity model. A conceptual audit framework was also developed from which audit test cases can be created to test the implemented controls.
Assessing The Impact of Information Security Awareness on Organization’s Operations towards Mitigating Vulnerabilities in Federal College of Education (Technical), Gusau-Nigeria A Case Study of Federal Colege Of Education [Technical] Gusau Zamfara State Nigeria
Information Security is a process of protecting the Confidentiality, Availability and Integrity of the information and information resources against unauthorized user. Educational institutions become increasingly dependent on information systems for strategic planning and operations, preservations and access. But due to the openness nature of educational institution the information asset and resources of the educational institution becomes the prime target of cyber attackers. Most institutions and organizations provide technology-based solution to the security vulnerabilities within their domain. But according to the literature, success in the information security could only be achieved when organizations invest both on technical and socio-organizational solutions. The technical aspect addresses the technology-based solutions, while the socio-organizational resources address the employee compliance with security policies and management. This research project investigates the socio-organizational resources in the tertiary institutions in North-West Nigeria. The research specifically investigates the influence of employee awareness towards providing security measures in the institutions. The research adopted the TAM principle to address whether awareness of information security policy, management, and breaches influence employee attitude towards mitigating security vulnerabilities in the institutions. The result indicated that, there is a high significant influence of ISPA, ISMA, and ISBA on employee attitudes towards providing security measures in the institution. The result also indicated that, 60-80 percent of the respondents intend to be applying security measures to mitigate security vulnerabilities in the institutions.
Assessing the Level of Information Security Governance (Isg) In Mobile Money Issuers in Ghana
The purpose of this study is to assess the maturity level of implementation of Information Security Governance (ISG) in mobile money firms in Ghana. Mobile Money Issuers in Ghana play an increasingly active role in our financial sector. This is to analyse whether mobile money firms have implemented acceptable levels of information security governance with regards to all aspects of their operations. A survey was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire to assess the degree of implementation of information security governance. The questionnaire was adopted from Information Technology Governance Institute‟s ISG guidelines for executive management and board of directors. All four mobile money firms in Accra-Ghana took part in the survey via email. Responses from the mobile money firms were collated. The results of the study showed that all mobile money issuers in Ghana have implemented most information security governance measures to an acceptable level and thus had a „good‟ rating in the maturity level of ISG implementation. Nevertheless, not all information security governance practices were well implemented by mobile money issuers. Relevant information security policies were not included in the contracts of third parties. Again, third parties and employees of these mobile money firms were not adequately informed and educated of their role in the firm‟s information security program. Finally, major business decisions made by the management of the mobile money firms did not consider information security issues. This study provides lawmakers in Ghana with the necessary information to pass and enforce regulations that will further protect the personal data of consumers. The study also affords management in the various mobile money firms insight into their information security governance with the goal of improving their security governance.
Assessing the Impact of Social Engineering Risk on Information in Public Tertiary Institutions in Ghana: A Case Study of Some Selected Technical Universities
Social Engineering is the art of human hacking that made their targets do things that in their real senses will not do. The human factor is social is so huge that they normally use and insider to commit their malicious acts and they offers assailants a huge number of conceivable outcomes to reach through focused control and data to their coveted objective. An especially unsafe circumstance when the data of one individual is utilized to get to the computer systems of an organization. The abuser is effectively passed for a systems administrator or an IT director or network designer. Frequently the culprit is not even in coordinate contact with the casualty. Indeed, even the most traditionalist in the administration of sensitive data, individuals can fall into the trap of social designing. From one perspective, the "mechanical disregard" makes individuals helpless when they treat their sensitive information recklessly and distribute private data anyhow and is once in a while excessively sluggish, making it impossible to "tidy up" their online profile frequently. Then again, we as a whole are just human creatures continuously looking for acknowledgment, sweet talk, compliments, fellowship and so forth. Human temperance’s as accommodation and shortcomings as vanity are abused by social engineers to control their casualties. The greater part of the representatives of an organization trust that the most vital thing is to be a decent partner and solidarity with associates; which is regularly to the detriment of security in the long run. This examination depicts the effect of social engineering risk on information in the public tertiary institutions in Ghana. The investigation additionally talks about the findings and recommendations which can be utilized by the institutions to impede the risk of data spillage through social engineering.
The Impact of Gifmis On Procurement Processes at the Ghana Health Service
An Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS) has been deemed to be a perfect financial information system developed to improve and streamline public financial management by computerizing government financial operations (Rodin-Brown, 2008). In light of this, donors and international organizations such as the World Bank, USAID and the IMF played vital roles in supporting developed countries through combinations of technical assistance, training, financial resources and procurement support projects. As such, the Ghanaian government is a huge institution that would benefit from a unified information system such as the Integrated Financial Management Information System, which supports high productivity, effective management as well as quality services offered to its citizenry. Ghana is expected to reap many benefits after the implementation of the GIFMIS including transparent and accountable public financial management, accurate information on budgetary allocation, prompt payment processing, increased performance and efficient revenue collection. After Ghana adopted and launched IFMIS in the year 2009, this study seeks to investigate the effects of the Ghana Integrated Financial Management Information Systems (GIFMIS) on procurement processes at the Ghana Health Service as well as analyzing the factors that affected the implementation of GIFMIS at the Ghana Health Service. Existing literature was reviewed by the researcher to form the conceptual framework, findings, conclusions as well as the recommendations. Descriptive survey research design was employed and structured questionnaire were used for the collection of data for a sample size of 60 made up of staff from the Planning Monitoring and Evaluation, ICT, Accounts and Finance, Policy, and Procurement departments. The findings were presented in the form of frequency tables. The study revealed that procurement
The Impact Of E-Commerce On Local And Small Scale Enterprise In The Accra Metropolitan Assembly,Osu-Klottey District Accra
Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) have a great influence on the lives of people of our economy. They play vital roles such as revenue generation and creation of employment. Statistics proves that SMEs constitute over 60% of all businesses in developing countries. And probably the percentage is higher than the estimate when it comes to Ghana. Over the years, programmers and workshops are being organized to enhance development and expansion of small business enterprises by government and non-government organization (NGOs). So many business enterprises grow rapidly to a point and when there is a small change in the economy, and then it depresses them from their point. On the basis of the study conducted on the topic ““The impact of e-commerce on local businesses and small scale enterprises in the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, Osu-Klottey District Accra. The sample size was made up of hundred and sixty (160) SMEs within Accra. Respondents were provided with questionnaires to fill. The following general conclusions were made from the research conducted, it is evident that there are quite worrying state of the affairs relating to the use of e-commerce to improve business growth strategies of small scale enterprises within the metropolis. Generally, the respondents agreed that e-commerce helps to improve the survival status of local businesses. However, the usage is limited to mobile phone and internet leaving out chunk of the tools and their application or usage. It was recommended among other things that government and policy makers should collaborate with small-scale enterprises union to develop cheaper software’s to aid their businesses. The study also recommended that small-scale enterprises and their owners (management) should build a culture that is favorable to technology and innovation and seek how technology can give them competitive advantage
The Impact of Automated Information Systems in the Revival of Distressed Credit Unions in Ghana by Fostering Project. A Case Study of Salaga, Chamba, and Kpandai Credit Unions.
This study investigates the impact of the automated information systems introduced (as a key strategy) by the Food Security Through Co-operatives in Northern Ghana (FOSTERING) Project in distressed credit unions in these three areas: Salaga, Chamba, and Kpandai in the eastern corridor of northern Ghana. The feasibility studies undertaken by the project in 2012/13 revealed that most of the credit unions in the eight participating districts of the project in the eastern corridor were characterized by severe insolvency. However, due to the key role that the project wanted the credit unions (CUs) to play towards the attainment of its goal, the strategy to computerize the operations of the CUs was adopted for the project. The methodology involved a case study approach, with both qualitative and quantitative methods applied. The data collection methods were questionnaires involving the credit unions’ officials, and document review. The results of this study are in line with empirical studies that revealed the significant impact of AIS on institutional performance. The findings point to the fact that the automation of the CUs information systems has greatly enhanced the revival of the distressed credit unions. Again, the CUs have all attained the immediate and intermediate targets set by the project, and realized significant growth. The study concludes that the implementation of AIS in credit unions in Ghana can significantly affect and impact on them positively. Therefore, recommendations are given for CUA and CU leaders to channel much resources and focus on leveraging on the advancement of technology to the strategic development of credit unions and the CU movement in Ghana. Project donors or managers are urged to identify and anticipate the impact of AIS in credit unions in subsequent CU development projects.