http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/2052 2026-04-03T19:03:36Z http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/2205 Title: User Acceptance towards Alternative Information and Communication Technologies at SMUC Authors: Alemu, Yihun; Tafere, Absera Abstract: The introduction of computers and communication technologies play an important role in the majority of organizations and businesses in order to maintain a competitive environment. So many new technologies are now available and worthy of introduction, considering even that ICT has a high observable impact in optimizing office works. However, because new technologies seem complex and bring some uncertainty in the minds of decision makers or final users respect to their productivity, there is controversy on expansion of their use. The ICT acceptance and use is now a prolific research stream in the field of information systems. In this paper, we tried to examine the level of acceptance and use of different information and communication technology services delivered to the offices of St. Mary’s University College. In line with this, the study also analyzed the association between various dependent variables on end users’ attitude towards the use of ICT services at the University College. 2011-08-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/2203 Title: The Adoption of Open Access (OA) and OA Publishing (OAP) Models in Ethiopia Authors: Mammo, Wondimeneh Abstract: Open Access (OA) initiatives are the ones that contribute immensely to make intellectual contents available world wide. There are few OA available in Ethiopia, however, despite their importance for the scholarly communication, much is not still known about the initiatives. This research was undertaken to examine the adoption of the OAI and the OAP models by institutions, societies and associations. The research used qualitative survey method to secure data. In addition, pertinent literature was used and reviewed to get framework for the assessment of the OAI and models in order to review whether or not the existing contents that are published in OA mode are congruent with the OAP models. In this regard, the Addis Ababa University Libraries (AAUL) system, St. Mary’s University College (SMUC), Chemical Society of Ethiopia (CSE), the Ethiopian Health Development Association and the International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publication (INASP) were targeted based on their prior involvements in the OAI and the OAP. The research found that there had been encouraging OAI from both the AAUL and SMUC sides. The AAUL was found to provide more than 2,000 theses and dissertations to its users; while the SMUC was found to provide its users with conference proceedings, journals articles, and other research outputs (e.g. tracer studies, etc.) through its institutional website and network. The CSE, the Ethiopian Health Development Association and the SMUC were also found to provide their respective users with their journals using the African Journals Online (AJOL) of the INASP. A further look at the publishing models used revealed that the journals which had been provided were found to comply with the majority of the models provided for the OAP. However, all of the journals provided were identified that they had not made the authors to pay in order to publish articles in these journals. On top of these, the copyright scheme used was identified to be the traditional one (not creative commons). Based on the these findings, the study forwarded recommendations, including how institutions can follow the same suit as the target of this research to make whatever contents available in the OA mode. 2011-08-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/2202 Title: The Role of Private Higher Education Institutions (PHEIs) in Human Capital Development in Ethiopia: an impetus to achieve the Ethiopian Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP) Authors: Leka, Wanna Abstract: Ethiopia is still categorized as one of the poorest countries in the world. Forty-six percent of its population lives on income less than one USD per day. Only 33% of the population is literate. Recently, the government has adopted the Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP) in order to sustain rapid and broad-based growth path witnessed during the past several years and eventually end poverty. In the fight against poverty, education especially tertiary level education plays a key role. Cognizant of this fact, Ethiopia has embarked on the expansion of tertiary level education, including private higher education institutions (PHEIs) since the introduction of the Ethiopian Education and Training Policy in 1994. Education contributes to human capital formation (the quality of labor) which, in turn, affects productivity. The major objective of this study was to investigate the role of PHEIs in developing the human capital and, hence, contribute to the realization of GTP. This study mainly adopted both qualitative and quantitative methodology and used relevant secondary data sources for analysis. The data analysis indicated that even though the expansion of PHEIs is recent phenomenon, their contribution towards the formation of human capital is quite commendable. In 2008/09, there were 319,217 students enrolled in government higher education institutions and PHEIs. Of these students 55,264 (17%) were in PHEIs. Furthermore, in 2008/09, girls’ enrollment accounted for 27% of the student population in government higher education institutions, where as in PHEIs girls’ enrollment accounted for 35.4% of the student population. Thus, PHEIs are more open to girls’ education as compared with the government higher education institutions. This, in turn, indicates that PHEIs perform better in regard to the issues of gender equity than government higher educational institutions. The study results also showed that in 2008/09 a total of 59,027 students graduated from both the government higher education institutions and PHEIs. From these graduates, 12,349 (21%) were from PHEIs. Furthermore, in 2008/09, a total of 16,940 girls graduated from both government higher education institutions and PHEIs. From these total, female graduates from PHEIS were 6,916 (41%). What has been observed from the study was that PHEIs 2 do contribute a lot to the formation of human capital that the country needs for GTP. In the absence of PHEIs, only government higher education institutions could have been in a very difficult situation to meet the demand of GTP in terms of skilled human resources. Thus, PHEIs do have an important place in the Ethiopian educational system. They proved this in a short period of time. 2011-08-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/2201 Title: The 70:30 Student Placement Ratio and Its Implication Towards Private Higher Education Institutions (PHEIs) Authors: Girma, Taye Abstract: the government. So those students who failed to score the minimum result in Ethiopian School Leaving Certificate Examination (ESLCE) had no chance to attend tertiary Education. With the adoption of a market-oriented economy policy, the EPRDF regime opened a space for the flourishing of Private Higher Education Institutes (PHEIs) in the country. This created opportunity for many citizens who failed to score the minimum entrance result in ESLCE to join higher education institutions. Even though the contributions of the PHEIs to the country as whole are significant, the change of policy for student placement (the so called 70:30 ratio) becomes an issue in recent years. In fact, the educational policy is the major factor that affects (positively or negatively, the strategic plan of the PHEIs. Therefore, it is essential for the policy makers to recognize what motivates and discourages the PHEIs in order to improve their quality, productivity and ensure their success. Thus, the following main questions were inquired to assess the answer and to recommend possible solution: Why there is the 70:30 placement? Which is the implication of the 70:30 placement policy for higher learning education, particularly for Private Higher Education Institutions? How would it be possible to implement the 70:30 placement policy by Private Higher Education Institutions? And how do the Private Higher Education Institutions evaluate the 70:30 placement policy? The general objective of this research is to analyze the main trends of educational policy of Ethiopia and its implications on Private Higher Education Institutions. The specific objectives of the research are: to analyze the Ethiopian Educational Policy documents and their implications on educational process, to analyze the 70:30 placement policy with respect to PHEIs, to check whether the implementation of the new placement policy is affordable or not in terms of investment cost, and to investigate whether the PHEIs can cope up with the in acting placement policy. This research used the quantitative research method and the collection of primary data was undertaken using sampling technique, through questionnaire filled in by a number of students, instructors, and higher education managers. The results of the research indicate that the new in acting 70:30 placement policy of the MoE doesn’t satisfy the interest of student, the implementation for PHEIs seems difficult and not affordable, while the contribution of the PHEIs to increase the qualified labor force is significant. Even though such macro policies need strong 164 research, it is possible to conclude that the implementation of the new policy bears many of its difficulty on PHEIs. Therefore, in my opinion the policy needs: Re-thinking, reconsideration, and participation of all stakeholders for its proper implementation. 2011-08-01T00:00:00Z