Design margins on speed or weight growth, to name just two, are used to ensure performance of a ship design given uncertainties in the design models or the production process. Although facing a high probability of meeting all performance requirements is very desirable, this assurance also comes at a price. When designers have the choice to set multiple margins, which all have some interacting effect on the vessel's performance, the problem of choosing a profit-maximizing margin combination becomes nontrivial. Using a mathematical model of the design process in conjunction with a Monte Carlo simulation, this paper demonstrates how the theoretical approach to margin selection presented in Meyer and Whitcomb (2004) can be applied. From the theory the profit-maximizing margin combination can be found where the Pareto frontier in the construction cost versus expected penalty graph touches the highest iso-profit line. The results from the numerical simulation show that such a Pareto frontier does form and a good (close to optimal) margin selection can be selected. Furthermore, limiting the risk level for failing to meet the performance requirements appears to have only a small negative effect on profit. Finally, a Bayesian approach is suggested, when insufficient data are available for meaningful statistics.

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Rigour and relevance division is as a result of many reasons. The gap between the two has promoted debate and argument that has lasted for years. Many believed that IS research is effective and others opposed the argument. Others within or outside the discipline are considering whether IS research output is affecting and impacting decision making in the industry. Meanwhile, the debate on rigour and relevance has lasted for decades but in reality, the debate and the gap still persist, in spite of efforts by researchers. Their efforts and hard-work seems ineffective. The study determined whether the needs of practitioners through rigour and relevance of IS/academic research and also to determine whether this lingering debate over these decades has worth from an academic viewpoint. There is also an ongoing criticism that IS research lacks rigour, relevance, effective communication and acceptance in the field as noted in the literature.

The key challenge however facing the South African Government is poor adoption of ICT by its public institutions to support e-government (Ebrahim & Irani 2005). As a result, the SA Government is unable to fully exploit the benefits of ICT adoption to ensure economic growth, effective governance and efficient service delivery. The research objective was to establish the factors which influence technology acceptance or rejection decisions within the South African police services (SAPS). In carrying out this objective, an understanding of the technology adoption context within the public sector would be established. A questionnaire was administered to a sample within the Northwest Province, with a 91% response rate achieved. The SAPS ICT model was derived using concepts from Technology Acceptance determinants. Six moderating factors were identified as part of the model. The research addressed gaps in management levels perceptions on associated value of information versus tools to aid in establishing an integrated approach towards ICT adoption within government departments.