Social impact of information technology : implications for a semi-govermental institution

Abstract

Universities in SA are an example of Semi-Governmental Institutes. They have developed and implemented a variety of Information Systems (IS) for the use of their students and lecturers. The problem is that insufficient attention has been paid to the impacts of IS on social communities of organisations. The social impact of IS is rarely taken into account when systems are being designed or implemented, leading to many IS failures. This research report gives an account of issues around the interface between IS and society, and addresses the social impact of IS by investigating the IS and its users at the University of South Africa (UNISA). Particular social impacts of IS will be discussed with the objective of proposing a set of guidelines to help ensure that the potential social impacts of tertiary institutes’ IS are already being considered in their design and implementation phases, thereby increasing the likelihood of their successful implementation. Those who stand to benefit from information contained in this study include various tertiary institutes’ faculties of Information Systems and Technology, the departments responsible for the development of those IS, their users, and encompassing the social community.