Professor Nixon Ochara
Digital Business
Courses and Disciplines taught at WBS:
Systems Thinking: The art and science of creative discovery using synthetic thinking.
Research Methodology: The science focusing on the search for truth.
Digital Government: Designing systems of governance for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR).
Other Teaching Experience:
Data Mining/Business Analytics: Knowledge discovery in databases for decision making.
Project Management: Managing the process of goal delivery.
Business Statistics: Analysis and interpretation of data for commercial application.
Operations Research: Application of quantitative techniques in decision making.
Operations Management: Managing the transformation of value.
Information Systems Courses (Selected): Information Systems Theory, E-Business Strategy, Business Data Communications, Strategic Information Systems, Information Systems Management, Distributed Systems, Database Systems, Information Systems Analysis & Design, ICT Governance, Enterprise Architecture.
Research Interests:
Application of systems approaches for the design of digital innovations for Society 5.0, Digital Businesses and Digital Governance.
Industry and Professional Experience:
Nixon Ochara’s industry experience, mainly in the Internet sector and software services, enabled him to have first-hand experience of how organisations (small, medium, large) used digital technologies (Internet, ICTs) for value transformation to develop products/services, develop new markets and to sustain competitive advantage. His consultancy experiences have been in data science projects in banking, IT sector, education sector, telecommunications sector and local government. These early experiences shaped his current focus on systemic approaches to digital innovations.
Recent Publications and Scholarly Contributions:
Ndlovu, N., Ochara, N. M., & Martin, R. (2022). Influence of digital government innovation on transformational government in resource-constrained contexts. Journal of Science and Technology Policy Management, (ahead-of-print).
Ochara, N. M., Kutame, F. N., & Kadyamatimba, A. (2022). Adoption of cloud computing in business continuity management for container terminal operations in South Africa. International Journal of Business Continuity and Risk Management, 12(2), 91-115.
Odhiambo, N. A., Ochara, N. M., & Kadyamatimba, A. (2021). Cultivating Optimal Collaborative Decision Making in Counterterrorism Contexts: An Empirical Investigation. International Journal of Public Administration, 44(3), 202-214.
Fiodorov, I., Sotnikov, A., Telnov, Y., & Ochara, N. M. (2021). Improving Business Processes Efficiency and Quality by Using BPMS. Proceedings of the 10th International Scientific and Practical Conference named after A. I. Kitov "Information Technologies and Mathematical Methods in Economics and Management (IT&MM-2020)", October 15-16, 2020, Moscow, Russia
Kutame, F. N., Ochara, N. M., Kadyamatimba, A., Sotnikov, A., Fiodorov, I., & Telnov, Y. (2021). A Case Study of Cloud-Based Business Continuity Model. In CEUR Workshop Proceedings (pp. 26-35).
Nemavhola, A., Chibaya, C., & Ochara, N. M. (2021, November). Application of the LSTM-Deep Neural Networks-in Forecasting Foreign Currency Exchange rates. In 2021 3rd International Multidisciplinary Information Technology and Engineering Conference (IMITEC) (pp. 1-6). IEEE.
Ochara, N. M., Odhiambo, N. A., & Kadyamatimba, A. (2020). The digitalised terrorism ecology: a systems perspective. The African Journal of Information and Communication, 25, 1-19.
Nengovhela, N., Ochara N. M., & Madzunye, T (2020). Confirmation and Validation of Smart Tourism Technology Attributes: the case study of City of Tshwane. African Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure, 9(3), 38-56
Odhiambo, N. A., Ochara, N. M., & Kadyamatimba, A. (2020). Obstacles to Collaborative Decision Making amongst Counter-Terrorism Organizations. In A. Farazmand (Eds) Global Encyclopedia of Public Administration, Public Policy, and Governance. Springer: USA.
Ochara, N. M., Iyamu, T., & Odhiambo, J. N(Eds.) (2019). Proceedings of the Open Innovations Conference on New Frontiers of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town, South Africa, 2-4th October 2019. IEEE, DOI: 10.1109/OI.2019.8908160.
Sotnikov, A., Fiodorov, I., Ochara, M., & Center, J. S. (2019). Model Suites and Multi-model Specifications in IT. APSSE 2019 Actual Problems of Systems and Software Engineering CEUR Workshop Proceedings, 12 – 14 November 2019, Moscow, Russia
Odhiambo N. A, Ochara, N. M., & Kadyamatimba, A. (2019). Investigating the Determinants of Optimal Collaborative Decision Making. In XXII International scientific conference on Enterprise Engineering and Knowledge Management. April 25–26, 2019, Moscow, Russia.
Ochara, N. M., Kadyamatimba, A., Lehloa, P., & Sotnikov, A. (2019). The Influence of National Information Ecology on e-Commerce Adoption in Developing Countries1.Proceedings of the XXII International Conference on Enterprise Engineering and Knowledge, Management" April 25-26, 2019, Moscow, Russia
Ochara, N. M., Iyamu, T., & Odhiambo, J. N. (2019, October). New Frontiers of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. In 2019 Open Innovations (OI) (pp. 1-2). IEEE.
Mathase, E., Phahlane, M., & Ochara, N. M. (2019, October). Review of IT Governance Frameworks Implementation in the Context of the South African Public Sector. In 2019 Open Innovations (OI) (pp. 351-355). IEEE.
Ratshitanga, N. T., Ochara, M. N., & Kadyamatimba, A. (2019, October). A Viable Systems Model for Implementing IT Governance. In 2019 Open Innovations (OI) (pp. 356-361). IEEE.
Fiodorov, I., & Ochara, N. M. (2019). The Impact of Digital Transformation on Economic of BRICS Countries 1. In Proceedings of the XXII International Conference Enterprise Engineering and Knowledge Management April (pp. 25-26).
Matshwane, T. T., Phahlane, M. M., & Ochara, N. M. (2019, October). KMS Adoption and Use in a Municipality: A Proposed Framework Based on Organizational Culture Theory (OCT). In 2019 Open Innovations (OI) (pp. 362-367). IEEE.
Ochara, N., Wapota, A., & Abrahams, L. (2019, October). A Relational Ontology of “Open” Digital Infrastructures in Socially Excluded Communities in Angola. In 2019 Open Innovations (OI) (pp. 377-384). IEEE.
Masemola, M. B., Phahlane, M. M., & Ochara, N. (2019, October). A Proposed Framework for Digital Government Services’ Sustainability in the Gauteng Provincial Government (South Africa). In 2019 Open Innovations (OI) (pp. 390-396). IEEE.
Ochara, N. (2019, August). Strategic Intentions In Digital Government Project Prioritization: A Case Study Of Zimbabwe. In Digital Innovation and Transformation Conference: Digital Skills 2019 (p. 155).
Ochara, N. M., & Ouma, C. M. (Eds.) (2018). Proceedings of the Open Innovations Conference on the Fourth Industrial Revolution, University of Witwatersrand, South Africa, 3-4th October 2018. IEEE, doi: 10.1109/OI.2018.8535813.
Ochara, N. M. (2018). Ecosandals.Com: The Digital Transformation of a Social Enterprise. In H. Twinomurinzi, V. Mzazi, & T. G. Hill (Eds.) Transforming Society using ICT: Contemporary Discussion Cases from Africa (pp. 233-246). Informing Science Press, California: USA.
Ochara, N. M., & Odhiambo, N. A. (2018, May). Sociomateriality of Digital Technologies in Collaborative Decision-Making Counter-Terrorism Contexts. In ICMLG 2018 6th International Conference on Management Leadership and Governance (p. 219). Academic Conferences and publishing limited.
Ochara, N. M., & Odhiambo, N. A. (2018). Modeling the Didactic Core of ‘Contemporary’ Decision Support Systems. In the Proceedings of the 32 IBIMA Conference, Sevilla, Spain,
Ochara, N. M., & Ouma, C. M. (2018, October). Editors’ Preface: Towards Open Innovations in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Proceedings in the 2018 Open Innovations Conference, (p.1-5), Johannesburg, South Africa, IEEE eXplore.
Odhiambo N. A., Ochara, N. M., & Kadyamatimba, A. (2018, October). Structuring of the Terrorism Problem in the Digital Age: A Systems Perspective. Proceedings in the 2018 Open Innovations Conference, (p.148-154), Johannesburg, South Africa, IEEE eXplore.
Macheque, V., Ochara, N. M., & Kadyamatimba, A. (2018, October). Factors Influencing the Design of Unbounded Rule-Based Expert Architecture for Selection of Software Development Methodologies. Proceedings in the 2018 Open Innovations Conference, (p.155160), Johannesburg, South Africa, IEEE eXplore.
Odhiambo, J., & Ochara, N. M. (2018, October). Precision Health Care for Sustainable Patient Centric Solutions. Proceedings in the 2018 Open Innovations Conference, (p.155160), Johannesburg, South Africa, IEEE eXplore.
Ochara et al., (2018, October). Digital Transformation of Enterprises: A Transition Using Process Modelling Antecedents. Proceedings in the 2018 Open Innovations Conference, (p.155160), Johannesburg, South Africa, IEEE eXplore.
Other Scholarly Contributions:
- Principal Investigator: NRF South Africa - Russia Project: Modeling Big Data Analytics for Local Economic Development.
- Visiting Scholar: Southern University and A&M College, USA
- Visiting Scholar: Flensburg University of Applied Sciences
- Visiting Scholar: Kenyatta University, Kenya
- Visiting Scholar: Mandume ya Ndemufayo University, Angola
- Visiting Scholar: Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science & Technology
- Visiting Scholar: ICT University, Cameroon
- Wits Committee Membership: PGC, SteerCo, Programme Director – MM in Digital Leadership
- Conference Chair: 2019 Open Innovations Conference (https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/conhome/8516123/proceeding)
- Departmental, Masters & PhD External Examiner: University of Cape Town, Makerere University, Kenyatta University, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, University of South Africa, University of KwaZulu Natal, University of Dar Es Salaam, Tshwane University of Technology, Egerton University, KCA University
- Conference Chair & Editor: E-Leadership 2012 Conference (https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/conhome/6520927/proceeding)
- Editorial Board Member: African Journal of Information & Communication
- Guest Editor: E-Government Journal
- Visiting Lecturer: Curriculum Design for course in E-Business/E-Management: for Uganda Martyrs University, Uganda
- Conference Chair: African International Business & Management Conference (August 25 – 27th 2010)
Community Engagement:
- Community initiatives of the local church
- Community digital literacy
International Experience:
- Kenya: Professional experiences on the Internet and software services sector.
- Namibia: Training and research
- Angola: Rolling out satellite supported community digital hubs for digital literacy
Recent Media: