This technical paper presents results from pilot field trials conducted on the novel use of a biodegradable jute material to eradicate the highly invasive aquatic macrophyte Lagarosiphon major Ridley from Lough Corrib, Ireland. The results demonstrate the ability of the jute material to comprehensively kill L. major and to restore native macrophyte communities to areas of the lake that were previously overgrown with this priority invasive species. To date, eight indigenous plant species (four charophytes and four angiosperms) have been recorded growing through the loose-weave jute fabric. However, no Lagarosiphon has been recorded as doing so. This material has the potential for broader application in the management of nuisance aquatic weeds and in the restoration of native flora extirpated by these alien species.

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With the increasing dependence on IT in modern enterprises and the significant risks associated with omnipresent IT systems in business, IT governance is becoming imperative to all organisations. King III is based on the “apply or explain” approach, that forces South African entities for the first time to apply the IT governance principles as contained in the report, or explain the reasons for not applying these principles. This paper provides a macrolevel view of IT governance, derived from King III, and determined that it correlates strongly with the growing body of knowledge on IT governance. The paper investigates the responsibilities for IT governance within organisations and provides clear guidelines on the responsibilities of management roles, from the board to the operational level, involved in IT governance to ensure accountability.

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Purpose Phishing attacks exploit social vulnerabilities and remain a global concern. Financial institutions often use their websites as part of their online awareness and education efforts. This paper aims to explore the effectiveness of phishing-related information made available by financial institutions to raise awareness and educate customers. Design/methodology/approach In this mixed methods research, a survey of online consumers was first performed and analysed. Second, the information available on the websites of major financial institutions was analysed. Using the construct of information quality (IQ), content analysis was performed to determine whether the phishing-related information meets the IQ criteria. Findings The survey confirmed that consumers are indeed targeted by phishers. It established that they turn to their financial institutions, more often than any other source, for anti-phishing information. When analysing the IQ of phishing-related information, significant deficiencies as well as different levels of performance between the financial institutions, emerged. In general, the worst performing IQ criteria was information being current and fit for purpose. Research limitations/implications As the research is conducted within South Africa, the results cannot be generalised. The ethical clearance did not allow for identification of the different financial institutions and thus comparing consumers’ perceptions with the observed IQ from the content analysis to determine correlation. Practical implications Protecting consumers against phishing attacks remains critical, and this paper confirms that users turn to their financial institutions for information. Yet, the phishing-related information made available on the websites of financial institutions has severe deficiencies. Practitioners should use IQ to determine the appropriateness of phishing-related information and focus on improving customer awareness and education. Originality/value Researchers often highlight the importance of awareness and education programmes in protecting consumers, but rarely investigate if consumers access publicly available information and express an opinion on the quality of this information. Although the results should not generalised, the recommendations, if necessary through similar analysis, has an impact beyond the geographical constraints of the study.

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