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TO ASSESS THE ROLE OF COMPUTER NETWORKS IN USE AND
MANAGEMENT OF INFORMATION IN ORGANIZATIONS
A Case Study Kenya Ports Authority, Mombasa
BY
RIZIKI ROZINE OKUMU
A17/00030/09
A Research Project Submitted to Kisii University in Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirement for the Award of Degree in Library and Information Science
© MAY 2013
i
DECLARATION AND APPROVAL
DECLARATION
This work has not previously been submitted for any other degree award to any university
before. To the best of my knowledge and belief this research work contains no material
previously published or written by another person.
Riziki R. Okumu
A17/00030/09
Signature……………………………………….. Date………………………………….….
APPROVAL
This project has been submitted for examination with our approval as the university
supervisors
Miss Ruth Chweya
Supervisor
Faculty of Information Science and Technology
Kisii University
Signature………………………………………. Date……………………………………
ii
DEDICATION
This project is dedicated to my dearest, loving and caring mother. Salute to you for your
compassionate heart.
iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
My acknowledgement to the kind and untiring effort of my supervisor, Miss Ruth Chweya
for her patience, guidance and endless support to make this project a success.
I wish to express my sincere gratitude thanks to KPA management and the staffs for making
this research a success. More specially, to captain Patrick Onyango who assisted in getting a
vacancy for me and Hassan who took his time to assist in the data collection.
I would also like to thank and appreciate my good and dear friend Ian Mecha for his untiring
effort in his help.
And lastly to my family and friends for their trust and great confidence in me and what I can
achieve, their endless prayers and financial support.
May the good Almighty bless you all abundantly.
iv
ABSTRACT
The merging of computers and communications has had a profound influence on the way
computer systems are organized. The once-dominant concept of the computer center as a
room with a large computer to which users bring their work for processing is now totally
obsolete (although data centers holding thousands of Internet servers are becoming common).
The old model of a single computer serving all of the organization‘s computational needs has
been replaced by one in which a large number of separate but interconnected computers do
the job. These are the computer networks.
The research study was carried out with the aim of finding out the role of computer networks
in the use and management of information in organizations. Most organizations are growing
in their geographical and business coverage. This growth puts a lot of strain in the
disbursement of resources and information within the organization internally and its affiliate
branches hence the need of a well-established computer network. The main objective of the
study was to find the role of computer networks in use and management of information in
organizations which was supplemented finding out the network structure of Kenya Ports
Authority, finding out the network objectives in the organization, finding out how the
network is managed and monitored in the organization and finding out the benefits and
challenges encountered in the use and management of the network system.
The researcher used the case study of Kenya Ports Authority. The mode of data collection
was through interview, observation and document analysis and analyzed using simple
analytical tools such as Microsoft Excel together with descriptive statistics. The data was
presented in form of frequency distribution tables, pie charts, percentages and graphs.
Based on the findings of the study it was revealed that computer networks help in the use and
management of information. Therefore it was recommended that organizations embrace
technology to save on costs and improve on effectiveness and efficiency.
v
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contents
DECLARATION AND APPROVAL .................................................................................... i
DEDICATION ..................................................................................................................... ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................. iii
ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................ iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS ......................................................................................................v
LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................ viii
LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................. ix
DEFINITION OF TERMS ....................................................................................................x
CHAPTER ONE ...................................................................................................................1
1.0 INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................................................1
1.1 Background of the Study .................................................................................................1
1.2 Statement of the Problem .................................................................................................1
1.3 Objectives of the Study ....................................................................................................1
1.4 Research Questions .........................................................................................................2
1.5 Significance of the Study .................................................................................................2
1.6 Scope of the Study ...........................................................................................................2
1.7 Limitations of the Study ..................................................................................................3
1.7.1 Inadequate time ............................................................................................................ 3
1.7.2 Inadequate funds ........................................................................................................... 3
1.7.3 Lack of co-operation ..................................................................................................... 3
CHAPTER TWO ..................................................................................................................4
2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................................................4
2.1 Introduction .....................................................................................................................4
2.1 Computer Network ..........................................................................................................4
2.2 Role of Computer Networks ............................................................................................5
2.2.1 Cost-Effective Resource Sharing ................................................................................. 5
2.2.2 Streamlined Business Processes ................................................................................... 7
2.2.3 Freedom to Choose the Right Tool............................................................................... 8
vi
2.2.4 Powerful, Flexible Collaboration between Companies ................................................. 9
2.2.5 Improved Customer Relations ..................................................................................... 9
2.2.6 Secure Management of Sensitive Information ............................................................ 10
2.2.7 Worldwide, Instantaneous Access to Information ...................................................... 10
2.3 Network Management ................................................................................................... 11
2.3.1 Fault Management ...................................................................................................... 12
2.3.2 Configuration Management ........................................................................................ 12
2.3.3 Performance Management .......................................................................................... 12
2.3.4 Accounting Management ............................................................................................ 12
2.3.5 Security Management ................................................................................................. 13
2.4 Conceptual Framework ................................................................................................. 14
CHAPTER THREE ............................................................................................................. 15
3.0 RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY .......................................................... 15
3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 15
3.2 Study Design ................................................................................................................. 15
3.3 Target Population .......................................................................................................... 15
3.4 Sample Design .............................................................................................................. 15
3.5 Data Collection Instruments and Procedure ................................................................... 15
3.5.1 Observation schedules ................................................................................................ 16
3.5.2 Interview guides ......................................................................................................... 16
3.5.3 Document analysis ..................................................................................................... 16
3.6 Data Analysis Methods .................................................................................................. 16
CHAPTER FOUR ............................................................................................................... 17
4.0 PRESENTATION OF FINDINGS ................................................................................ 17
4.1 Introduction to Data Analysis ........................................................................................ 17
4.2 Gender Balance ............................................................................................................. 17
4.3 Distribution of Respondents by Age .............................................................................. 18
4.4 Education Level of Respondents .................................................................................... 18
4.5 Working Experience ...................................................................................................... 19
4.6 To find out the network structure of Kenya Ports Authority. .......................................... 20
vii
4.7 To find out the network objectives in the organization. .................................................. 23
4.7.1 Evolve Customer Service to Improve Customer Loyalty ............................................. 23
4.7.2 Increase Productivity .................................................................................................. 24
4.7.3 Control Costs .............................................................................................................. 26
4.7.4 Support Innovation and Growth .................................................................................. 27
4.7.5 Improve Employee Engagement ................................................................................. 28
4.8 To find out how the network is managed and monitored in the organization. ................. 29
4.8.1 Monitored using OpManager ...................................................................................... 29
4.8.2 Benefits of Monitoring your Bandwidth ...................................................................... 30
4.8.3 Developing a Proactive Monitoring Plan in 3 Simple Steps ......................................... 30
4.8.4 Network Security ........................................................................................................ 31
4.9. To find out the benefits and challenges encountered in the use and management of the
network system. .................................................................................................................. 31
4.9.1 Benefits ...................................................................................................................... 31
4.9.2 Challenges .................................................................................................................. 32
CHAPTER FIVE ................................................................................................................. 33
5.0 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS/DISCUSSIONS, CONCLUSIONS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS ..................................................................................................... 33
5.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 33
5.2 Summary of Major Findings .......................................................................................... 33
5.3 Answers to Research Questions ..................................................................................... 33
5.3.1 The Network Structure of the Organization ................................................................. 33
5.3.2 The Network Objectives in the Organization ............................................................... 34
5.3.3 Management and Monitoring of the Network in the Organization ............................... 34
5.3.4 Benefits and Challenges Encountered by the Organization in the Use and Management
of the Network Systems ....................................................................................................... 35
5.4 Conclusions ................................................................................................................... 35
5.5 Recommendations ......................................................................................................... 36
5.6 Suggestions for Further Study ........................................................................................ 36
REFERENCES.................................................................................................................... 37
ix
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Conceptual Framework
Figure 2: Gender of the respondents
Figure 3: Respondents level of education
Figure 4: Stay in the organization
Figure 5: IP SCHEMA
Figure 6: KPA Network Structure
x
DEFINITION OF TERMS
3- Tier architecture : a client-server architecture in which the functional process
logic, data access are developed and maintained as independent
modules on separate platforms.
Base T : base normal stand for speed of the network and T-Stand for the
type of cable used (twisted pair)
Cisco IP SLA : Service level agreement
DHCP : Dynamic host control protocol
EIGRP : Extended internet group routing protocol
Firewall : a network device used for security in the network system.
(VPN security management and access of control security
server.)
HSRP : Host standby Routing protocol.
IP : Internet protocol
KPA : Kenya Ports Authority
PoE : Power over Ethernet
POP : Point of presence
POP : Point of presence
SNMP : Simple network management protocol.
VLans : Virtual Local Area Network
VoIP : Voice over internet protocol
VPN : Virtual Private Network
VSAT : very small aperture terminal
WAN : Wide Area Network
1
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
A computer network is an interconnected collection of devices that enables you to
store, retrieve, and share information. Commonly connected devices include personal
computers (PCs), minicomputers, mainframe computers, terminals, workstations, thin
clients, printers, fax machines, pagers, and various data-storage devices (Tanenbaum
,2003).With the high growth in businesses plus new innovations and inventions in the
technological ground there is also growth of a lot of information to be processed.
With this much traffic of information it has become old and cumbersome for
organizations still in the practice of hard copies and filing system. With this in mind it
prompted the researcher to look at the advantageous position computer networking
has over the old filing system.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
As organizations are growing bigger and bigger, more staff are hired and more
information is generated. The researcher wanted to investigate how this information
that has been generated due to the increase of size and population of the organization
is handled. Kenya Ports Authority is a business organization that deals with shipping
(importing and exporting, loading and offloading of cargo).
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The objectives of the study were as follows:
i) To find out the network structure of Kenya Ports Authority.
ii) To find out the network objectives in the organization.
iii) To find out how the network is managed and monitored in the organization.
iv) To find out the benefits and challenges encountered in the use and management of
the network system.
2
1.4 Research Questions
The study was guided by the following research questions:
i) How is the network structure of the organization?
ii) What are the network objectives in the organization?
iii) How is the network managed and monitored in the organization?
iv) What are the benefits and challenges encountered by the organization in the use
and management of the network system?
1.5 Significance of the Study
The findings of this study will have the following positive outcomes on the following:
To KPA organization it will make management aware of the fundamental role of
computer networks in information organization and dissemination. It will be a
motivating factor for top management to allocate more funds to enhance the computer
network system in terms of staff, equipment and training of employees in the
understanding and use of these computer networks.
To other organizations the study will be an eye opener to embrace technology so as to
be more economical on costs, resources, personnel and avoidance of duplication of
information. It will make them to be more competitive.
1.6 Scope of the Study
The study is confined to the role of computer networks in the use and management of
information in organization. It was conducted at Kenya Ports Authority (KPA). The
rationale behind using this organization was that its ICT center is ranked number two
in East Africa after Safaricom hence spearheading the need to embrace computer
networks.
3
1.7 Limitations of the Study
1.7.1 Inadequate time
Time is the major limitation in this research. One has to balance between class work
and data collection and compiling.
1.7.2 Inadequate funds
Funds are needed for the fulfillment of this research. In terms of airtime to conduct
interviews, acquire necessary materials for the research i.e. notebooks, pens and also
to commute to and from the organization.
1.7.3 Lack of co-operation
Lack of co-operation from the staff is also another limitation. Some are too busy with
their duties hence lack time to give one audience. Also not sure of one‘s motive hence
cautious to allow one to go through their documentation yet document analysis was
one of my data collection.
4
CHAPTER TWO
2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Introduction
This chapter contains the review of related studies to the issue under study. This is
organized as follows; past studies in the area, important historical development of the
issue under study, global perspective, regional perspective, local perspective and the
summary.
2.1 Computer Network
A computer network is an interconnected collection of devices that enables you to
store, retrieve, and share information. Commonly connected devices include personal
computers (PCs), minicomputers, mainframe computers, terminals, workstations, thin
clients, printers, fax machines, pagers, and various data-storage devices (Tanenbaum ,
2003).
Recently, other types of devices have become network connectable, including
interactive televisions, videophones, handheld devices, and navigational and
environmental control systems. Networked devices provide two-way access to a vast
array of resources on a global computer network through the largest network of all,
the Internet (Halsall, 2006).
In today‘s business world a computer network is more than a collection of
interconnected devices. For many businesses the computer network is the resource
that enables them to gather, analyze, organize, and disseminate information that is
essential to their profitability. The rise of intranets and extranets is an indication of
the critical importance of computer networking to businesses (Kleiner, 2003).
Spafford (2006) states that most businesses have installed intranets to collect,
manage, and disseminate information more quickly and easily than ever before. They
5
established intranets simply to remain competitive; now, the momentum continues,
and extending the company network to the Internet is the next technological
transformation of the traditional business
2.2 Role of Computer Networks
The most obvious benefit of computer networking is that you can store virtually any
kind of information at, and retrieve it from, a central location on the network as well
as access it from any connected computer. You can store, retrieve, and modify textual
information such as letters and contracts, audio information such as voice messages,
and visual images such as facsimiles, photographs, medical x-rays, and even video
segments (Tanenbaum, 2003).
A network also enables you to combine the power and capabilities of diverse
equipment and to provide a collaborative medium to combine the skills of different
people—regardless of physical location. Computer networking enables people to
share information and ideas easily, so they can work more efficiently and
productively. Networks also improve commercial activities such as purchasing,
selling, and customer service. Networks are making traditional business processes
more efficient, more manageable, and less expensive (Stevens, 2003).
2.2.1 Cost-Effective Resource Sharing
By networking your business computers you can reduce the amount of money you
spend on hardware by sharing components and peripherals while also reducing the
amount of time you spend managing your computer system (Hassan and Jain, 2004)
Kleiner (2003) postulates that equipment sharing is extremely beneficial: when you
share resources, you can buy equipment with features that you would not otherwise
be able to afford as well as utilize the full potential of that equipment on your
network. A properly designed network can result in both lower equipment costs and
increased productivity. Suppose that you had a number of unconnected computers.
6
Employees using these computers would not be able to print unless you purchased a
printer for each computer or unless users manually transferred files to computers with
printers. In this scenario you would be choosing between hardware and labor
expenses.Networking the computers would give you other alternatives. Because all
users could share any networked printer, you would not need to buy a printer for
every computer. As a result, instead of buying numerous inexpensive, low-end
printers that would sit idle most of the time, you could buy a few inexpensive printers
and a few printers with high-end productivity features. The more powerful printers
would be able to print more rapidly and with better quality than the less expensive
ones. In addition, the more powerful printers might also be able to print in color and
to sort, staple, or bind documents (Hamilton and Clark, 2009).
When you select the right mix of printers and assign each network user appropriate
access to them, you have enough printing power to address the needs of all of your
employees. Rather than leave expensive equipment idle, you provide your employees
with the latest, most powerful productivity features—all for a significantly lower cost
than if you were to purchase an inexpensive printer for each workstation on the
network (Hassan and Jain, 2004).
A network enables you to share any networkable equipment and realize the same
benefits that you would enjoy from sharing printers. On a network, you can share e-
mail systems, modems, facsimile machines, data storage devices such as hard disks
and CD-ROM drives, data backup devices such as tape drives, and all network-
enabled software. When you compare the costs associated with sharing these
resources to the costs of purchasing them for each computer, the savings can be
enormous (Halsall, 2006).
Burgess (2004) indicates that a network enables you to save money on software.
Instead of buying separate copies of the same application for various machines, you
7
can purchase one copy with enough user licenses for your network. In large
businesses the amount of money saved on software is substantial
Finally, you will also be able to reduce your administrative overhead. On a computer
network, updates to software, changes in user information, and network security can
all be accomplished from one location. With standalone computers you would be
required to make these updates on each individual computer workstation (Bishop,
2002).
2.2.2 Streamlined Business Processes
A well-designed computer network produces benefits on several fronts: within the
company, between companies, and between companies and their customers. Within
the company, networks enable businesses to streamline their internal business
processes (Sloan, 2004).
Common tasks such as employee collaboration on projects, provisioning, and holding
meetings can take less time and be much less expensive. For example, a managing
editor, associate editors, writers, and artists may need to work together on a
publication. With a computer network they can work on the same electronic files,
each from their own computers, without copying or transferring files from a floppy
disk. If the applications they are using feature basic integration with the network
operating system (NOS), they can open, view, or print the same files simultaneously
(Halsall, 2006).
Herman (2005) suggests provisioning, the process by which companies give new
employees everything they need to get started (workstation, ID card, etc.), can be
automated on a network. The entire new employee‘s information can be entered into
one terminal, and various departments such as properties, payroll, and security will
receive that new information automatically. When an employee leaves the company,
the process can be reversed just as easily.
8
Networks also make holding meetings more efficient. For example, collaboration
software can search through a number of busy schedules to find time for a meeting—
including the schedules of employees at different locations. The meeting can be held
over the network through a teleconferencing session, thus eliminating the travel cost
for those employees at remote sites. The attendees can simultaneously view and edit
the same document and instantaneously view each other‘s changes as they are made.
Moreover, they can do this without worrying about accidentally changing or deleting
the work of others (Halsall, 2006).
2.2.3 Freedom to Choose the Right Tool
A networking solution that enables data and resource sharing between different types
or brands of hardware, operating systems, and communication protocols—an open
networking environment—adds another dimension to the information-sharing
capabilities inherent in computer networking. Open networking products enable you
to work on the type of computer best suited to your job requirements without
encountering compatibility problems. They also allow you to choose the system that
best works in your environment without sacrificing interoperability with other
companies‘ systems (Halsall, 2006).
The opposite of the open networking environment is the proprietary or homogeneous
environment in which only one vendor‘s products are used. Proprietary environments
tend to be most successful in small companies that do not require a wide range of
functions from their network. Medium- and large-sized companies, however, find that
one computing platform is often more appropriate for a particular task than another
(Verdú. 2000).
Savage (2005) indicates that in an open environment you can combine many kinds of
workstations and systems to take advantage of the strengths of each. For example,
Novell network users can use IBM personal computers (PCs) running any version of
Windows or DOS, Macintosh computers running a version of the Macintosh
9
operating system (OS), Sun workstations running the UNIX OS, and other types of
computers all on the same network. You can use the computer equipment best suited
to the work you do and your equipment will still be compatible with other systems.
Most important, it will be compatible with systems in other companies (Stallings,
2004).
2.2.4 Powerful, Flexible Collaboration between Companies
When two or more companies connect selected portions of their networks, they can
streamline business processes that normally occupy inordinate amounts of time and
effort and that often become weak points in their productivity. For example, a
manufacturing company that grants its suppliers access to the inventory control
database on its network can drastically cut down on the time it takes to order parts
and supplies. The network could be configured to alert suppliers immediately when
the manufacturer needed a new shipment, the purchase order could be automatically
generated, and authorization could be granted electronically—all over the network
(Verdú. 2000).
2.2.5 Improved Customer Relations
The most obvious way in which networks connect businesses to customers is through
the electronic store front—a Web site where customers can search for and order
products and services over the Internet. Many customers enjoy the convenience of
shopping at home, and many businesses enjoy the expense saved over maintaining
several physical ―brick and mortar‖ stores. But networks provide customers with
more benefits than simple convenience: they also make it easier for businesses to
customize services for each customer and to respond more quickly to customer
concerns (Savage, 2005).
Networks speed the flow and analysis of data so that businesses can determine which
products their customers want most at each of their physical stores, for example, or so
they can catalog and analyze customer complaints and make necessary improvements
10
faster and more efficiently. Companies that maximize the capacities of their networks
gather, analyze, and disseminate critical marketing information quickly, which can
give them an advantage over their competitors (Stallings, 2004).
2.2.6 Secure Management of Sensitive Information
Another significant advantage of computer networking is the ability to protect access
to network resources and files. A network that is properly designed has extremely
powerful security features that enable you to control who will have access to sensitive
data, equipment, and other resources. This control can be exercised over both your
own employees and those outside your company who access your system over the
Internet (Stallings, 2004).
2.2.7 Worldwide, Instantaneous Access to Information
If you choose a networking platform that offers a full suite of products—including
robust directory services—and one that supports open standards, you will be able to
securely connect heterogeneous computing equipment located at geographically
separated sites into one cohesive network. As a result, you will be able to disseminate
critical information to multiple locations anywhere in the world, almost
instantaneously (Wang & Zeitoun, 2005).
When you implement a business intranet, you can create or update information and
make it accessible to all company employees easily and immediately. With Web
publishing tools and a World Wide Web server running on your intranet you can
create or change any information, and you can have that information automatically
and instantaneously published on your Web server.
With access to your business‘s intranet and Web server, your employees will be able
to access any new or updated information from anywhere in the world within a few
seconds after it is published. The Internet provides the low-cost backbone for global
access to your intranet. Web browsers and other intranet tools make it easy for even a
11
novice computer user to access the information and intranet resources they need
(Wang & Zeitoun, 2005).
Integrated, flexible information sharing, instantaneous information updating and
access, lower equipment costs, flexible use of computing power, and secure
management of sensitive information—these are the benefits of computer networking.
With a properly designed and implemented network, you increase efficiency,
productivity, and profitability (Verdú. 2000).
2.3 Network Management
Businesses rely heavily on their computer networks to provide high productivity and
to perform many services essential to making a profit. When their networks go down,
it usually costs them in loss of productivity and performance, and the larger the
company, the greater the loss. For some global companies, network downtime is so
critical that it can mean millions of dollars of profit loss for each downtime hour and
even, in some cases, for each downtime minute. Hence, it is something of an
understatement to say that good network management is important to modern
businesses, no matter how large or small their networks (Verdú. 2000).
To appreciate what it means to manage a network, you need to understand that
networks, regardless of size, are almost always in a state of growth and change. You
must accept that eventually all network components will fail. You must also accept
that users can and will make mistakes that damage workstation configurations and
server files, and that workstations, printers, and servers will need to be added or
removed. In addition, new applications will be added, existing applications will be
upgraded, bandwidth requirements will increase, and networking technology itself
will change, requiring you to phase-out chunks, segments, and sometimes even the
whole of the old networking technology (Verdú. 2000).
12
Most literature on network management will list five key areas for network managers
to focus on, as recommended by ISO: Fault management, Configuration management,
Performance management, accounting management and Security management
(Verdú. 2000).
2.3.1 Fault Management
Fault management involves quickly identifying network problems and taking steps to
isolate them. This includes the proper notification of responsible parties when
network components fail. For instance, with the right equipment you can set up your
network to send you a pager notice when a network problem occurs. You can even
have the system display specific codes on your pager that identify the server or other
network component involved.
2.3.2 Configuration Management
Configuration management involves changing network and user configurations in
order to optimize network performance and productivity. This is closely tied to fault
management, which often employs the technique of changing configurations to
isolate network faults.
2.3.3 Performance Management
Performance management involves tracking important network occurrences such as
processor and RAM usage levels, disk access requests, usage of specific programs,
and data packets being sent and delivered across the network. This data is then used
to project future network upgrade requirements as well as to troubleshoot network
performance problems (Verdú. 2000).
2.3.4 Accounting Management
Accounting management means tracking and billing network users for the software
and other services that they use. This has become a serious issue, with some
13
companies being taken to court and paying fines for not having purchased enough
software licenses for the number of users actually using the software.
2.3.5 Security Management
Security management involves protecting your network from unauthorized access to
critical business data or system resources. Safeguards must be installed to ensure the
integrity of your network. This issue becomes even more complex when you connect
your network to the Internet. Without some sort of security your network and all of its
data and resources are vulnerable to unauthorized access. Because of the widespread
use of computer networks and the increased dependence of most businesses on their
networks, network security issues have become paramount. Network management
solutions are incorporating a broad range of security features to further ensure the
security of computer networks.
Network security technology can be roughly divided into two categories: those that
protect against unauthorized access from within (employees or other recognized
network users) and those that protect against access from without (hackers,
unauthorized Internet intrusions, viruses). Authentication is the most common
security measure used to protect networks against access to sensitive information
from within (Verdú. 2000).
Authentication involves the use of user passwords and rights. When on a network you
are given a password that allows you to log on to the network. In addition, you are
assigned rights to specific network resources. If you are not given specific rights to a
restricted resource, you are not allowed to access the resource.
14
2.4 Conceptual Framework
Figure 1: Conceptual Framework
Source: Own Conceptualization (2013)
The conceptual framework was based on the role of computer networks in use and
management of information in Kenya Ports Authority. Y, the computer networks system is
the instigator which brings about Z via X. The outcome Z can be the advantages or
disadvantages depending on Y, how well the computer network structure is laid. If Y is well
placed and effective then the outcome Z will be advantageous but if it is not well placed and
ineffective then it will lead to the contrary.
INDEPENDENT
VARIABLE (X)
INTERVENING
VARIABLE (Y) DEPENDENT
VARIABLE (Z)
Roles
Resource sharing
Streamlined processes
Freedom of choice
Collaboration
Improved customer
relations
Secure management
Instantaneous access
Computer networks
Advantages
Sharing of files
Sharing of resources
Support communication
Supports backup
Disadvantages
High installation costs
15
CHAPTER THREE
3.0 RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY
3.1 Introduction
This chapter highlights how the researcher gathered, organized, compiled and
analyzed data in relation to the problem in question. It therefore comprises of sub-
sections namely research design, target population, sampling design and procedure,
data collection instruments and procedure, data analysis and presentation as well as
validity and reliability of research instruments.
3.2 Study Design
The research design adopted for this research was a case study. This was convenient
and conducive since the research involved an in-depth study of an entity. It was
relevant because the study focused on one single subject, Kenya Ports Authority in
Mombasa. The study took a period of 4 months from May to August 2012.
3.3 Target Population
The target population of this study was the 20 employees of Kenya Ports Authority in
Mombasa. The target population was selected to be the sample size to be studied.
3.4 Sample Design
Due to the small size of the target population census sampling design was used to
select respondents.
3.5 Data Collection Instruments and Procedure
The study utilized the use of observation schedules; interview guides and document
analysis for data collection as this were considered to give a variety of responses.
16
3.5.1 Observation schedules
The researcher opted for this data collection instrument as well because the research
did not only entail human beings but also machines hence hawthorn effect was not
experienced. The researcher observed activities of the organization and the roles
computer networks played in use and management of information in the organization.
3.5.2 Interview guides
A standardized open-ended interview and a general interview guide approach were
followed when conducting interviews with interviewees (Patton 1990). This approach
was chosen because it gave an overview of the kind of experience that was found in
the organization. It was also through the interview that the researcher got a broad
picture of the organizational operations. It was chosen as it gave the interviewees the
possibility to elaborate on issues they felt were important to discuss and had
knowledge in.
3.5.3 Document analysis
It involved analyzing network documentations which included: wiring schematics,
physical network diagrams, logical network diagrams, baselines, policies and
procedures, organization‘s journals, and the organization‘s website www.kpa.co.ke
3.6 Data Analysis Methods
To ensure easy comprehension of the study findings the data was analyzed for clarity
and Relevance and corrective measures were undertaken. Simple analytical tools such
as Microsoft excel were used together with descriptive statistics. The data was
presented in Form of frequency distribution tables, pie charts, percentages and graphs.
Thereafter, Discussions followed immediately explaining on the same.
17
CHAPTER FOUR
4.0 PRESENTATION OF FINDINGS
4.1 Introduction to Data Analysis
After the research was conducted and data collected, the finding were analyzed,
summarized and presented inform of tables, graphs and pie charts. The expected
sample population was 20 and all were successfully recorded and handed in for
analysis. This was 100% response rate.
4.2 Gender Balance
The researcher sought to find out the respondents‘ gender. The researcher found out
that from the 20 respondents, majority were male who constituted 60% while the rest
were female who constituted 40%. This implies that most of the employees in the
organization are male although management has tried to lessen the gap between the
two genders by employing more female employees hence making the organization
more gender sensitive.
Gender Balance
60%40%
Male
Female
Figure 2: Gender of the respondents
Source: Research Data (2013)
18
4.3 Distribution of Respondents by Age
The researcher sought to find out the ages of the respondents. The study showed that
10% of the respondents were in the age bracket of less than 30 years, while 30% were
in the age bracket of 30-39 years. Bracket 40-49 years had a percentage of 50%.Less
of the employees were 50 years and above as this age bracket had a percentage of 10.
Kenya Ports Authority is looking forward to recruiting a youthful workforce as this
brings vibrancy and more innovations to the organization. A youthful workforce
brings with it creativity and passion to an organization, which in turn if tapped wisely
can positively influence the business performance of the organization.
Table 1: Age of the respondents
Age Frequency Percentage
(%)
Less than 30 years 2 10
30 – 39 years 6 30
40 – 49 years 10 50
50 years and above 2 10
Total 20 100
Source: Research Data (2013)
4.4 Education Level of Respondents
The researcher sought to find out the education level of respondents. From the study
it was deduced that majority of the respondents, that is, 50% were graduates, while
35% of the respondents had attained a diploma, whereas only 15% of the respondents
had certificate education. None of the respondents had attained only primary level of
education. This implied that the organization employed starting from those who had
attained certificate level of education and upwards. From this we can deduce that
most of the employees of the organization are learned and provide a better
19
understanding of any instructions issued. It also means that meaningful
communication in the organization is easy since they can understand eac other better
on a professional level. Training also does not require a lot of time and effort since
those to be trained are in essence quick learners. For this the organization
performance is at par and conforms to what the organization expects.
E duc ation15
35
50
Certificate
Graduate
Diploma
Figure 3: Respondents level of education
Source: Research Data (2013)
4.5 Working Experience
The researcher sought to find out the duration of time the respondents had spent in the
organization. The study revealed that most of the respondents represented by 50%
had worked in the organization for 15 years and above. Those respondents who
worked for between 11-15 years followed and were represented by 25%, while 15%
of the respondents had worked in the organization for 6-10 years, and finally, those
who had worked for less than 5 years formed 10% of the respondents. This indicated
that most of the organization‘s employees were old in terms of years spent in the
organization implying that management preferred to have employees that were more
20
familiar to how things were done and have great experience. This makes the hard
work of continuously reminding personnel of the mission and vision and of how
strategies are to be performed easier. It also makes training easier and ensures the
organization continuously keeps its knowledgeable group of employees.
10%15%
25%
50%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
L es s than 5years
6 -10 years 11 -15 years More than 15years
S tay in the Org anization
Figure 4: Stay in the organization
Source: Research Data (2013)
4.6 To find out the network structure of Kenya Ports Authority.
The KPA Network is a 3- tier architecture encompassing the Core, Distribution and
Access layer. The Core layer consists of two Catalyst 6506 switches configured on
Hot Standby Routing Protocol (HSRP). Distribution layer (POP) utilizes Catalyst
4506 series switches. They are 7 in number and are configured to offer DHCP with
respective IP segments. The Access layer utilizes 3560G series of switches with
10/100/1000 Base T and are spread across the Campus. The switches are PoE enabled
and can support all PoE enabled devices. 10 VLans have been configured;
Management, Core, Server and for each POP switch, with EIGRP as the routing
protocol. The Core, POP and Access switches are connected by Optic Fiber links with
Cat 5e and 6 used for the structured cabling connecting end user equipment to the
21
Access switches. Security has been enhanced with the inclusion of Intrusion
Detection and Firewall Modules, VPN Security Management and Access Control
Security Server. LAN Management Server has also been installed for management
and monitoring of the network. Fault tolerance and redundancy is provided for
through the incorporation of 8 outdoor antennae and wireless access points to all the
POPs. WAN connectivity is through the faraway VSAT technology links on Cisco
2800 Series routers connecting Nairobi, Kisumu and Kampala. This model and brand
of routers is QoS enabled. See the IP Table and Schema below.
Table 2: IP Table
Source: KPA Networks
VLANs Configured
VLAN Description IP Segment
1 Management 192.168.2.x
2 Server 172.16.1.x
3 Core Access 10.3.0.x
4 RORO 10.4.0.x
5 Port Account 10.5.0.x
6 CEME 10.6.0.x
7 Block 3 10.7.0.x
8 Block 2 10.8.0.x
9 Block 1 10.9.0.x
10 KIPEVU 10.10.0.x
23
Figure 6: KPA Network Structure
Source: KPA Networks
4.7 To find out the network objectives in the organization.
4.7.1 Evolve Customer Service to Improve Customer Loyalty
Every customer service interaction presents an opportunity to improve your
relationship with your customers. Improved relationships lead to opportunities to
enhance your brand, build loyalty, and growth revenues. This can help your
organization:
i) Solve customer problems more quickly
ii) Forge deeper, longer relationships with your customers
24
iii) Attract new business
iv) Fulfill more orders
These solutions let you evolve from standard customer service to create more
interactive and collaborative relationships with customers. This can help, not only to
improve the quality and efficiency of interactions, but to differentiate your
organization from competitors. Customer satisfaction can be improved in the
following ways:
Enhance productivity - Offload routine tasks to an automated self-service model by
phone or online. Provide agents with a modern web-based dashboard to consolidate
information sources into a single view, supporting home or mobile work options and
simplifying workstations.
Solve problems faster - Provide customer service staff with the right information at
the right time, monitoring workflow, accelerating teamwork to shorten resolution
time, and proactively addressing quality questions.
Forge stronger relationships - Deliver personalized interactions through customer
relationship management (CRM) integration; build trust and intimacy through
frequent video communications, and interact proactively through social customer
care.
Attract new customers and retain existing ones - Monitor social media to increase
your sales pipeline, collaborating virtually to qualify prospects, and using employee
expertise to convert leads.
4.7.2 Increase Productivity
Accelerate decision making, build trust within and beyond the organization, and
promote innovation. As we move from transactional worlds to more collaborative
25
working environments, we need new communication capabilities to support
intelligent collaboration. Implementations of collaboration solutions can simplify
communications and shorten decision cycles by bringing people and information
together more efficiently.
i) Enhance revenue opportunities and competitive advantage
ii) Streamline product development and bring products to market more quickly
iii) Shorten the sales cycle and directly benefit overall profitability
Collaboration Use Cases
Explore how collaboration implementations can help you increase productivity.
Primary Use Cases for Improving Productivity
Enable Meetings with Remote Participants: Speed decision making by using web
conferencing, so employees, partners, and customers from multiple locations can
meet any time, from anywhere.
Incorporate Video into Meetings: Improve communications, relationships, and
productivity by enabling people to meet face-to-face over distance.
Enable Mobile Workers and BYOD: Give employees the flexibility to work
wherever they are most effective using personal or company-issued mobile devices as
a highly secure extension of your enterprise network.
Create Communities and Team Workspaces: Create shared workspaces where
virtual teams can interact and collaborate on interdependent tasks.
Secondary Use Cases for Improving Productivity
Collaborate with External Organizations: Easily share information, interact in real
time, and communicate across channels beyond email and telephone.
Extend Telephony with Video: Help enable the benefits of face-to-face video
communications directly from your phone or softphone system.
Collaborate from Within Business Applications: Access voice, video, IM, presence,
voice mail, and conferencing directly from the business applications you use most
often instead of switching platforms.
26
4.7.3 Control Costs
Reduce costs by simplifying technology while extending more flexible collaboration
options to employees. Businesses are consistently challenged to evaluate ways to
control costs while addressing business needs through technology. It is important to
build in sufficient flexibility to accommodate new developments as your needs
evolve. You want to extend the value of your existing IT investments, establish
immediate value, and promote user adoption. As the work environment evolves with
mobile work styles and device choices, so do the options for using technology to
improve the bottom line. You can still improve collaboration while reducing the total
cost of IT ownership and adapting more quickly and flexibly to change.
Collaboration Use Cases
Explore how collaboration implementations can help you control costs.
Primary Use Cases for Improving Cost Control
Consolidate Communications Infrastructure: Bring together voice, video, and data
into a single IP network to simplify management, reduce costs, and support effective
communications.
Create Flexible Work Areas and Office Space: Scale office space and reduce real-
estate costs while creating work areas that foster employee inclusiveness,
collaboration, innovation, and teamwork.
Deliver Rich Media for Virtual Desktops: Save employee equipment costs by
deploying flexible, highly secure desktop virtualization without giving up the user
experience of voice and video.
Secondary Use Cases for Improving Cost Control
Support Mobile Workers and BYOD: Make is easier for employees to work where
they're most effective using personal or company-issued mobile devices as a highly
secure extension of your enterprise network.
Incorporate Video into Meetings: Improve communications, relationships, and
productivity by helping people meet face-to-face over distance.
27
Support Teleworkers & Branch Offices: Give employees secure access from
multiple locations, whether satellite offices, home offices, or when traveling.
Deliver Online Events & Training: Broadcast live and on-demand events, meetings,
seminars, and training so employees, customers, and partners can attend where and
when they need to.
Provide Multichannel Customer Service: Move past typical customer interactions to
increase customer loyalty through more interactive and collaborative relationships.
4.7.4 Support Innovation and Growth
Implement collaboration solutions to accelerate the development of new ideas to
support new products, process improvements, or growth.
Improving productivity and creativity to support innovation takes on greater
relevance during tough economic times. Cost and efficiency improvements can
achieve only so much. Eventually you need to identify new sources of revenue
growth and market share.
Newer forms of interaction have the potential to foster new levels of collaboration.
Together, empowerment and engagement are mutually powerful elements that can
improve both individual and collective performance, leading to innovation that
creates sustainable competitive advantage.
Collaboration Use Cases
Explore ways to increase and support innovation and growth.
Primary Use Cases for Supporting Innovation and Growth
Collaborate with External Organizations: Share information, interact in real time,
and communicate across channels beyond email and telephone.
Extend Telephony with Video: Meet face-to-face for more effective communications
directly from your phone or softphone system.
Collaborate from within Business Applications: Access voice, video, IM, presence,
voice mail, and conferencing directly from the applications you use most often.
Secondary Use Cases for Supporting Innovation and Growth
28
Create Communities and Team Workspaces: Create workspaces where virtual teams
can share information, interact, and collaborate.
Enable Mobile Workers and BYOD: Using mobile devices as a highly secure
extension of your network.
Locate and Access Remote Experts: Identify and use high-quality audio and video to
connect with experts whenever and wherever they are needed.
Monitor Social Media: Provide real-time proactive response through customers'
chosen channels to generate greater loyalty and brand preference.
Incorporate Video into Meetings: Improve communications, relationships, and
productivity by adding video to online meetings.
4.7.5 Improve Employee Engagement
The more connected your employees feel, the easier it is for them to support the
organization's objectives. As the work environment becomes more mobile and
dispersed, it's challenging to keep employees fully engaged. This engagement is both
social and logistic: Employees need trusted connections with executives, managers,
and peers, as well as access to the tools and information necessary to do their jobs,
collaborate with others, and develop their skills. That is; Employees view career
development, training, and opportunities to apply their talents as top factors in job
satisfaction. Trust in executives appears to have more than twice the impact on
engagement that trust in immediate managers does. Engaged employees stay for what
they give to the organization, whereas the disengaged stay for what they get from the
organization. Executives have to demonstrate consistency in words and actions,
communicate often in depth, and align business practices and behaviors throughout
the organization.
Collaboration Use Cases
Explore ways to increase and maintain employee engagement.
29
Primary Use Cases for Improving Employee Engagement
Support Teleworkers and Branch Offices: Encourage employees to work with highly
secure information access from multiple locations, including satellite or home offices or
when traveling.
Deliver Online Events and Training: Broadcast live and on-demand events, meetings,
and training so all employees have access to the same information, where and when they
need it.
Incorporate Video into Meetings: Improve communications, relationships, and
productivity by facilitating face-to-face meetings over distance.
Secondary Use Cases for Improving Employee Engagement
Extend Telephony with Video: Access face-to-face video communications directly from
your phone or softphone system.
Enable Mobile Workers and BYOD Access: Encourage employees to work where they're
most effective using personal or company-issued mobile devices as a secure extension of
your enterprise network.
Create Communities and Team Workspaces: Create workspaces where virtual teams can
share information, interact, and collaborate.
Create Flexible Work Areas and Office Space: Scale office space while creating work
areas that foster employee inclusiveness, collaboration, innovation, and teamwork.
4.8 To find out how the network is managed and monitored in the organization.
Network performance technologies have evolved to support today‘s complex networks.
OpManager helps you get the visibility and control you need to manage your network.
4.8.1 Monitored using OpManager
OpManager is a powerful fault and performance management tool for the network,
because it allows you to
i. Resolve network outages quickly, leverage SNMP traps & Syslogs
ii. Understand application performance & how it impacts the network
30
iii. Troubleshoot WAN Latency Issues with Cisco IP SLA
iv. Analyze WAN traffic using Cisco Net flow
v. Automate Network Change and Configuration Management
vi. Monitor and troubleshoot VoIP performance
vii. Visualize your network with rich and customizable maps
4.8.2 Benefits of Monitoring your Bandwidth
Builds a Smarter, Safer Network - A net flow data analysis allows you to get in-
depth visibility into network traffic so you know how your bandwidth is being used at
all times. A net flow data analysis can be taken at any time and gives you the ability
to see the traffic, application, source, destination, conversation, and etc. of your
network.
Faster trouble shooting - Continuous, 24x7x365 bandwidth monitoring is key to
maintaining a healthy network. Alarm points are visible through a network data
analysis for faster strategy planning.
Assists in diagnosing network issues - A network data analysis allows you to notice
threshold violations before they become service impacting issues. Seeing threshold
violations sooner allows you to respond to them quickly and quietly.
4.8.3 Developing a Proactive Monitoring Plan in 3 Simple Steps
You can develop a proactive monitoring plan for your organization that discovers
network issues before they become service impacting problems by considering 3 key
objectives: purpose, scope and methodology.
i. Purpose. Why are you monitoring? A simple way to answer this question is to
consider how your business is directly affected by your technology. If you had a
technology blackout, how would your business is impacted? Consider key users of
your technology and how it impacts factor such as customer experience, profitability
and employee productivity. The establishment of a specific purpose will give your IT
department a common mission and allow them to deliver measurable results.
31
ii. Scope. What are you monitoring? A simple way to answer this question is to
consider which areas of your business are most impacted by the use of your
technology. How long can your business sustain a technology outage? Establishing a
reasonable scope for your monitoring plan will ensure that you develop a plan that
suits the needs of your organization.
iii. Methodology. How will you implement your monitoring plan? Establishing a
clearly defined escalation plan will ensure that problems are taken care of by the
right people at the right time. This is a key component of proactive monitoring.
It is the ‗now what‘ when alarms and issues present themselves.
4.8.4 Network Security
In terms of network security KPA has installed, configured and implemented
the following;
i) Deploying Cisco ASA Firewall Solutions.
ii) Deploying Cisco ASA VPN Solutions.
iii) Securing Networks with Cisco Router and switches.
iv) Implementing Cisco Intrusion Prevention systems.
4.9. To find out the benefits and challenges encountered in the use and management
of the network system.
4.9.1 Benefits
i) Reduced downtime as troubleshooting and problem mitigation can be achieved in-
house, hence guaranteed business continuity.
ii) Increased productivity and value for money for the Authority due to in house
network security monitoring, performance gauging, optimization and maintenance
of the Cisco ASA 5585X
iii) Ease and cost effectiveness of future deployments as network personnel will be
adequately trained on installation and deployment of security devices.
iv) Elimination / reduction of consultancy costs and increased system availability
32
4.9.2 Challenges
i) Creating a Scalable Growth Strategy - Time is never an ally for a technology
department. Bad timing can result in growth opportunity loss. In order for IT
professionals to seize growth opportunities, they face the challenge of staffing
optimization. It is often too expensive to scale to the staffing and training
required for both maintaining service levels and supporting new growth
initiatives.
ii) Improving Customer Service - Forcing customers to wait for availability lowers
customer satisfaction. The availability of live, real-time support increases first
call resolution, time to resolution averages, and other Key Performance Indicators
by which IT departments are accountable for results. Since customer satisfaction
directly affects productivity, improvements in client service are imperative.
iii) Meeting SLA Requirements - Service Level Agreements (SLA‘s) are
fundamental to effective service provision. They provide the basis for managing
the relationship between the service provider and the customer. The lack of
effective 24x7x365 live support often results in lost opportunities.
iv) Efficient Use of Resources - An IT department‘s engineering staff should focus
on projects, not routine maintenance. IT leaders are faced with the challenge of
how best to balance their human capital, customer needs and relationships, and
expertise to encourage business growth.
v) Proactive Customer Support - Break/Fix methods are reactive and technology
issues can worsen without effectively determining the root cause. Waiting until
the technology breaks often makes the problem worse. By actively monitoring
technology and analyzing trends an organization can isolate problems before they
become service impacting issues.
33
CHAPTER FIVE
5.0 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS/DISCUSSIONS, CONCLUSIONS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Introduction
The purpose of this study was to find out the role of computer networks in use and
management of information in organization, Kenya Ports Authority in Mombasa.
5.2 Summary of Major Findings
After the analysis was carried out the study established that computer networks do
play a very major role in the use and management of information in organizations as
established by the findings. Whether small or big, any organization using a well-
established computer network system will go far as far as competition is concerned.
These organizations will have competitive advantage in communication between its
staffs in all its branches; sharing of resources such as printers, scanners etc. hence
saving on costs; central administration of resources and manpower ensuring there is
security of information; easy monitoring of activities – ensures that personnel and
employees are rewarded as par their true performance and tasks are performed
efficiently and effectively.
5.3 Answers to Research Questions
5.3.1 The Network Structure of the Organization
KPA has a WAN which is a link of the LANS of its branches in Mombasa, Nairobi,
Kisumu and Kampala. The KPA LAN Network is a 3- tier architecture encompassing
the Core, Distribution and Access layer.
The organization embraced a 3-tier architecture because of various reasons which
include: the contents of any of the tiers/layers can be replaced without making any
changes in any of the others. For example a change from one DBMS to another will
only involve a change to the part in the data access layer; it also has better wait
balancing system because the entire workload is divided; and security policies can be
imposed without affecting the clients.
34
5.3.2 The Network Objectives in the Organization
The research showed that computer networks help realize the following objectives.
They include evolving customer service, increasing productivity, controlling costs,
supporting innovation and growth plus improving employee engagement. Achieving
these objectives ensures that an organization is at its par in its business activities.
5.3.3 Management and Monitoring of the Network in the Organization
The main tool that KPA uses to manage and monitor its network system is the
OpManager. OpManager is a powerful fault and performance management tool for
the network. Due to its vast array of benefits it is best suited for the job. In monitoring
and management of a network system the following checkpoints are observed in
solving a network issue:
1. Keep it simple. Start your plan of attack by combing through basic function
key points. Many significant issues are caused by simple human error (i.e.:
misconfiguration, a mistaken key press, or even a misspelling). Although this
takes time, you will save money in the long run.
2. A picture is worth a thousand hours. Before beginning any analysis, start
with a visual solution diagram. This ensures a systematic solution plan and
keeps your solutions team focused.
3. Start at one end and work your way out. Diagnosing broken fiber (especially
when broken in multiple places) can be complex and time consuming. Never
start in the middle. And don‘t jump around from one place to another. Be
patient. Starting at one end will always find both issues.
4. Most importantly, people, not machines solve system problems. The most
complex, expensive correlation analysis engine is limited when it comes to
actually fixing the problem. It is imperative to have a team of people
dedicated to fixing the problem in a smart, systematic process.
35
5.3.4 Benefits and Challenges Encountered by the Organization in the Use and
Management of the Network Systems
The study showed there were both benefits and challenges resulting from the use of
network systems in the use and management of information. Reduced downtime,
increased productivity and value for money, ease and cost effectiveness of future
deployments, and elimination / reduction of consultancy costs and increased system
availability were the benefits the study highlighted; whereas, creating a scalable
growth strategy, improving customer service, meeting SLA requirements, efficient
use of resources and proactive customer support were the challenges.
5.4 Conclusions
The study concludes that computer networks are important in use and management of
information. An organization can either prosper or fall according to how effectively
and efficiently it uses its computer network system. Any organization that wants to
have an edge in the industry and over its competitors must embrace this technology
and establish a computer network system that compliments its operations.
Organizations should also be aware that establishing computer networks is not the
end. They should also establish a training program to ensure that its personnel are
trained on how to interact and maintain the computer network system. Having a
computer network, be it the best does not mean that it will propel the organization to
great heights. Those interacting with it should be well trained and understand the
computer networks and hence through their effort and the effectiveness and efficiency
of the computer network system provide the organization with an edge. The
organization must also have policies and guidelines for its employees on how to
interact with the computer network system.
36
5.5 Recommendations
In my experience, monitoring software is best utilized by a motivated and well
managed IT staffs. The organization should ensure that its IT department is well
equipped with network staff and should have enough hardware and software to ensure
that their network system is powerful because the more powerful the system the more
efficiency and effectiveness and the lesser the costs incurred.
The government should also embrace this type of technology in that way it will
ensure that most organizations get the desired software and hardware for their system
by being in the front of the pack in ensuring that the country is up to date on the best
technology out there. It should relax taxation on these types of products to ensure
organizations can get them availably.
5.6 Suggestions for Further Study
There is a need for further study on the same but in different organizations in
different places to see if similar results could be achieved. As technology continues to
flourish, it is only right that a research be carried out on how new innovations and
technologies are affecting the direction computer network systems are taking
37
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