This paper discusses the total cost of ownership (TCO) of an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure in an academic Institution. The aim of this study is to encourage use of TCO analysis. ICT TCO shows all onetime costs and recurring costs and its analysis lead to later lower costs in maintenance and support. Interviews and documentary sources were used to collect data. Most indirect costs were impossible to determine. ICT TCO can be lowered by training users to properly use ICT facilities and implement management best practices in the deployment, in the day-today Computer operations and in the retirement processes.
The study aimed at assessing the usefulness of available ICT resources in providing services related to online database systems in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Tanzania to support academic research and consultancy which are core activities of higher education learning institutions. To attain this objective, the study adopted quantitative and qualitative methods approach in which a survey was run across 12 HEIs in Tanzania. A total of 595 students, and 149 Academic Staff participated in this study. Staff and Students were respondents for this study and the total turn up was 88.57%. Six (6) questions were prepared to address this objective -these are questions related to Wireless internet connection, computer laboratories, internet connection speed, e-book library, Library Management Systems and Library staff help desks.
This study examined current practice in websites development among organizations in Tanzania that provide agricultural extension services to smallholder farmers. Google search was used to get a list of respondent organizations. A questionnaire, interviews, and a review of the websites owned by organizations under study were used to collect data. Other than websites, it was found that organizations use manual documents, physical visits, radios, SMSs, TVs, and social networks to disseminate information to smallholder farmers. Websites development was either done in-house or outsourced and the focus was to have websites that cater to the information needs of different stakeholders including smallholder farmers. Information on websites included contacts, announcements, specific information for farmers, with some of the information not directly relating to smallholder farmers. This led websites to contain lots of information which might affect the usability of those websites by smallholder farmers hence not benefiting from the information contained. This was the case for all websites. Also, the involvement of smallholder farmers during website development was low. Websites for agricultural extension providers were developed either in-house or outsourced. The government-owned agency (e-GA), commercial companies, and staff were among developers for the websites. Communication between stakeholders during the development process was easier for in-house development as compared to when websites were developed outside. Websites developed were either internally maintained or maintained outside organizations, with internal maintenance being cheaper compared to when maintenances were done outside organizations. To develop quality websites from smallholder farmers' point of view their involvement should be high and the websites and the contained information should be easier to access with minimal information. Also, websites should be professionally designed and developed to focus more on the provision of agricultural extension services.
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