This paper compares a number of theoretical models of decision-making with the way in which senior managers make decisions in practice. Six prominent decision-makers were interviewed about their own decision-making style, as well as their use of decision support technology. Significant variation was found in personal decision-making styles. However, some central themes emerged, such as the importance of sensitivity to the decision-making context, attention to the presentation of information, and the use of intuition. In terms of the use of decision support technology, the use of self-help tools, such as office software, was clearly favoured.

The South Africa Connect national broadband policy of 2013 aims to ensure that the country achieves universal internet access by 2030, thereby fostering digital skills development. This study investigates one dimension of the South Africa Connect policy objectives, by considering rural teachers' adoption of information and communication technologies (ICTs) for teaching and learning at 24 schools. This research used baseline data from the Information and Communication Technology for Education (ICT4E) project undertaken in rural schools in seven South African provinces. The technology readiness index (TRI) was used as the theoretical lens. We found that the vast majority of the teachers surveyed were optimistic about the use of ICTs for teaching and learning, which suggests teachers' readiness to use ICTs despite the existing financial, technical and digital skills challenges at their schools. We also found that the majority of the schools had policies prohibiting student use of personal digital devices, apart from calculators, on school premises. In our analysis, these policies potentially conflict with the objectives of South Africa Connect. This study contributes to theory and practice by offering empirical evidence of the usefulness of the TRI for presenting teachers' readiness to adopt ICTs in situations of conflicting forces. The study also has the potential to contribute to policy deliberations by highlighting the possible disconnect between the schools' bans on student personal digital devices and the objectives and targets set by the South Africa Connect policy. The African Journal of Information and Communication (AJIC) 2 Mwapwele, Marais, Dlamini and Van Biljon The African Journal of Information and Communication (AJIC)

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Sustainability is a systems concept, and ICT4D plays a vital role in a sustainable earth, as well as in sustainable communities. The concept of resilience is introduced since rapid change can push a system into another, possibly undesirable, state. Resilience is the capacity of a system to absorb disturbance. ICTs play a key role in the decoupling of economic development from the use of natural resources, by reducing the energy use of economic processes. ICT4D has moved to the use of ICTs as a platform for transformative development. This development must start with human development, since technology is only a multiplier of human intent and capacity and cannot substitute for it. Human scale development strategies are discussed where self‐reliant relationships are built via a network of aligned interests. These in turn are built from the bottom up and are supported via networks that span the local, regional, and national levels.

The application of the Living Lab (LL) approach to social-technical innovation to the Digital Doorway Initiative in the informal settlement of Zandspruit near Johannesburg is outlined in the context of the initiative's evolution from an educational project to a broader community innovation initiative. The relationship between different stakeholders is explored in a theoretical and practical sense as a future research and practice challenge for both the study of ICTs in society (in this case, a poor community), and the fostering of community-driven innovation. The activity also offers a research challenge for understanding the cultural transformations that are necessary for bringing about more effective integration between technical and social-technical viewpoints about design and research in a social context. Current and projected community-based research activities are also outlined, including the development of a project in Australia for high-needs indigenous communities.