ICT for Development: sustainable technology-supported participatory development for poverty alleviation (original) (raw)
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Rethinking Technology, ICTs and Development: Why It Is Time To Consider ICT4D 3.0 *
2014
In the past decade, ICT and Development has become a notable field, in terms of both relevance and size. It is characterized by a wide diversity of research studies from a range of disciplines, a plethora of ICT technological development projects in many countries, and different (also conflicting) methodological approaches regarding theory as well as practice. This typifies a young and vibrant field. Despite all these commendable research activities, the field still lacks a broader coherent and shared underlying theoretical framework and methodology that is the signature of mature scientific fields. This paper investigates this fundamental issue. First, we propose that complexity theory offers a fruitful conceptualization and framework to understand how ICTs work in a development context, and we detail this based on available general literature as well as our own ICT4D research in Africa. Second, we explore practical implications of this approach, leading to a different participatory approach labelled ICT4D 3.0.
ICT for Development: Illusions, Promises, Challenges, and Realizations
In this chapter we will critically examining some of the illusions, promises, challenges, and realizations of the Information Society. Handed down from the past are specific myths that may create illusions in the present and promises for the future that in effect will hamper the realization of the Information Society in its most promising forms.
2014
The Information and Communication for Development (ICT4D) research landscape can be described as a dynamic, fragmented adhocracy and hence, predictably, attempts at producing a shared conceptual framework for the field have had mixed success. Given the multi-, interand trans-disciplinary nature of ICT4D it may be impossible to reach complete consensus on such a framework. However, many basic research activities, such as guiding novice researchers and structuring information sources for efficient access, necessitate a shared vocabulary and generally agreed concepts and hence the quest continues. The purpose of this paper is to propose a non-prescriptive, dynamic conceptual framework for ICT4D. An initial representation was developed based on a literature review and an informal expert interview and this was used to categorize the papers in the ICTD2013 conference proceedings. The results were then used to refine the initial framework from the Computer Science and Information Systems p...
Conceptualizing development in information and communication technology for development (ICT4D)
Information Technology for Development
ICT4D research is faced with the challenge of rapidly changing technologies and increasingly complex social dynamics and development processes. We argue that ICT4D research requires a more acute sense of where our research is situated within a broader picture of development, e.g. with a better understanding of development processes, their ideological nature, the power structures and driving forces, and the mechanisms through which ICTs may be embedded in and shape these processes. Such a reflexivity is crucial not least in justifying our claims of contribution, but also in understanding the implications and potential impact of our research and practice. This editorial seeks to explore key conceptual components in ICT4D and their relationships, including dimensions of development, perspectives of development, conceptions of artefacts, and theory of change. A tentative conceptual schema is presented that connects these conceptual components.
Conceptualising Development in Information and Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D
ICT4D research is faced with the challenge of rapidly changing technologies and increasingly complex social dynamics and development processes. We argue that ICT4D research requires a more acute sense of where our research is situated within a broader picture of development, e.g. with a better understanding of development processes, their ideological nature, the power structures and driving forces, and the mechanisms through which ICTs may be embedded in and shape these processes. Such a reflexivity is crucial not least in justifying our claims of contribution, but also in understanding the implications and potential impact of our research and practice. This editorial seeks to explore key conceptual components in ICT4D and their relationships, including dimensions of development, perspectives of development, conceptions of artefacts, and theory of change. A tentative conceptual schema is presented that connects these conceptual components.
The Quest for Development-Reviewing ICT4D Research
GlobDev 2008, 2008
Electronic Government (eGovernment) has attracted considerable investment over many years but there is little agreement on how to measure success. This is problematic as eGovernment has ambitions beyond project success -in particular in developing countries it is expected to yield development. There is also both an academic and a practitioner debate on eGovernment assessment in which social and political values are included, meaning an external perspective is beginning to take root. This paper reports a literature study of ICT4D (Information and communications technologies for development) journals, where the focus on development should be the greatest. Our study investigates to what degree case study research on eGovernment and ICT4D focuses on ICT's role for development in developing countries or regions. This means that we examine to what degree evaluations of ICT4D-projects focus development assessment. We find that while a majority of the papers include social factors only a few take an external, i.e. development, perspective. It seems that instead of focusing research on the critical factors in developing countries today, on which we need new knowledge, the majority of the research is repeating studies done in the industrialized world in the past twenty years to which we cannot expect to find neither the solution to the problems in the developing world nor radically new findings to enrich the body of research already existing. This said, the few papers that did have a development focus introduced challenging issues, research on which holds promises of relevance to target countries as well as improving the knowledge base of IS research.
ICT4D Shares Development's Flaws: Time to Develop an Exit Strategy
Information and communication technology (ICT) innovation is now regarded as the primary engine of the global economy . It creates and is propelled by a richness of information. But not all societies possess equal access to the myriad advantages that ICT supplies. Therefore the purpose of ICT for development (ICT4D) is to give underserved populations the same technological opportunity that is already abundant elsewhere. Yet, as examples explored in this article suggest, efforts to infuse impoverished communities with ICTs are confounded more frequently than they are not, a shortcoming shared by the international development sector in general. The crux of this problem is sharply reflected in the academic research published about ICT4D to date. An overwhelming majority of literature overlooks the key distinction between ICT for development and ICT in developing countries . It is possible that this pervasive research oversight mirrors a lack of cultural self-awareness on the part of ICT4D practitioners and institutions. If this is true, than what needs to change is not merely the distribution of technology from one part of the world to another, or from one social strata to another. Instead, matters of social, environmental, and economic justice must be considered in conjunction with the pursuit for technological equality, both within and between societies. It is paramount to recognize that ICT for development is not an end unto itself. Rather, it is a means by which decision making power might be transferred to those promoting ICT development from within. Just as development aid is now known as an "industry", ICT4D runs the risk of becoming an over-institutionalized, self preserving entity that relies on misfortune for its continued existence.
Approaches to ICT for development (ICT4D): Vulnerabilities vs. capabilities
Information and Communication Technologies for Development (ICT4D) scholars have often criticised that most researchers in this field tend not to use theory to build, test or extend further concepts in their projects (Ogan et al., 2009, Heeks, 2007) while Burrell and Toyama (2009) reflected that it is precisely because of its breadth and range of research that ICT4D lack a common foundation of concepts and terms. Heeks (2007) lamented that very little work has been deduced from the “D” of ICT4D. In this paper, the author will attempt to review recent literature which contributed to arguably the two most contentious concept-based research in ICT for Development - Amartya Sen’s and philosopher Martha Nussbaum’s capabilities approach (Sen, 1999a, Nussbaum, 1988) against a very different vulnerabilities approach of poverty and debate the validity of both approaches to ICT4D research. This paper posits that both paradigms can be applied to the same development project depending on its enthymeme and suggests that the acceptance that all of these viewpoints will and should continue to coexist within the realms of the academic and practitioner communities for the benefit of this new and emerging field called ICT4D.
Exploring the Role of ICT in Development: An International Perspective, A Panel Discussion
2007
This panel will bring together a range of experts from around the world to explore the potential role of information and communications technologies (ICT) in socio-economic development. The panel will be highly interactive with each panellist speaking for a short period, which will then be followed by comments from fellow panellists and the audience. The session will be formulated as a series of topical debates on ICT and development with each panellist taking on a particular perspective, drawing from a range of national and regional contexts.