Information and Knowledge Management using ArcGIS ModelBuilder

Elmarie Papageorgiou and Herman de Bruyn
Jirachiefpattana and O’Donnell (2007:2078) added that an EIS support the work and top management
are committed to provide rapid access to critical information.
4. Research methodology and data collection
The research study used a mixed method, quantitative and qualitative in nature. Questionnaires and
interviews were used to collect data. The exploration proceeded in two stages: firstly, questionnaires
were used to determine the status quo, the existence of EISs in businesses and the role of executives
in using EISs; secondly, interviews with management were conducted with businesses that plan to
implement an EIS. In stage one, the questionnaires were distributed via e-mail to all the 334 listed
JSE companies for the attention of executives and top management. In stage two, seven respondents
from the questionnaire were selected to participate in the interview process to collect in-depth
information regarding their company’s EISs status and how financial and non-financial information are
used to assess the company’s performance. Questions asked in the interviews varied from structured
questions to open-ended questions. The questions and results are reflected in the Interview Annexure
A.
5. Findings of the study
All the companies that participated in the study are located in South Africa and represent eight of the
twelve industries listed on the JSE and are as follow: Property, Mining, Construction, Manufacturing,
Retail, Financials, Telecommunications, and Leisure and Entertainment. Sixty five companies
responded to the questionnaire, a response rate of 19.5%. The survey data from the questionnaires
provides useful insights of listed JSE companies regarding their annual financial and non-financial
elements available on the company’s Web site, existence of EISs and the person/s who make
decisions, determine the requirements, add new features, ensure integrity and assure ownership of
an EIS. The data confirmed that there is a growing interest in EISs since there are currently 38.5%
companies who have implemented EISs and another 20% of the respondents confirmed to implement
EISs in the near future, a total of 58.5%. From the findings it can be concluded that there are
similarities between companies irrespective of the different industries. Questions in the electronic
questionnaire and interviews refer to the research objectives of the study.
5.1 Quantitative results
The results of the questionnaire were presented by using basic frequency and are presented in
tabular format in Table 1 to 10. Table 1 represents a rank ordered of the elements available on the
company’s Web site. The percentages of respondents reporting on the availability of annual financial
elements on the company’s Web site indicate that displaying current information focus heavily on the
full annual report (92.3%), followed by the chairman’s report (52.3%) and then corporate information
(47.7%). This indicates that it provides information to users to evaluate and to compare the
company’s performances for possible investment opportunities in the future.
Table 1: A rank ordered of the elements available on the company’s Web site
Annual financial elements available on the company’s Web site Marked
Count Percentage
Full Annual Report 60 92.3%
Chairman's Report 34 52.3%
Corporate Information 31 47.7%
Financial Summary 30 46.3%
Balance Sheet 29 44.6%
Income Statement 29 44.6%
Cash Flow Statement 27 41.5%
Notes to the accounts 26 40.0%
Management Report 26 40.0%
Audit Report 25 38.5%
Links to non-financial information 25 38.5%
Changes in Equity Statement 23 35.4%
385