Do information and communication technologies (ICTs) contribute to development?

Abstract

This editorial introduces the three papers in this Policy Arena on the contribution of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to development. Contribution in terms of technology diffusion and use - especially of mobile phones - is easy to detect. But focus has only recently shifted along the 'ICT-for-development value chain' from these indicators of ICT readiness and availability, to the question of development impact. In part, the absence or poor quality of ICT impact assessment to date derives from its lack of conceptual foundations. This editorial maps out the intellectual roots of the emerging sub-discipline of 'development informatics' to show where such foundations may come from. It also summarises the conceptualised contributions made by each of the Policy Arena papers. The papers draw on models of enterprise value chains, empowerment and Sen's capability theory to demonstrate ICTs' contribution to conceptions of development as economic growth, as sustainable livelihoods, and as freedom. Of course, not all ICT initiatives succeed, and the editorial provides a good practice summary drawn from experiences of success and failure. It moves beyond the perennial call for practitioners and policy makers to incorporate impact assessment as part of this good practice. First, by identifying the need to address motivational and structural issues around impact assessment. Second, by calling on policy makers to be more aware of the transformational potential of ICTs in development; so-called 'Development 2.0'. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Using Social Media as a Managerial Platform for an Educational Development Project: Cofimvaba

“…New project initiatives, all rich with promise, were continuously announced. This was then followed in quite rapid and relatively well-publicised succession by reports of little-used or abandoned ICT projects, and by overall analyses that something like one-third of such projects were total failures, something like half were partial failures, and only a small minority succeeded [1]. This pattern is also detected in South Africa where the history of ICT4D in South Africa is also earmarked by spectacular and expensive failures.…”

The Dreams Plan: A Blupoint Strategy for e‐Education Provision in South Africa

“…We maintain that notions of success in ICT4D cannot escape subjective human perception and imagination. Furthermore that human perception is often a very narrow or unrepresentative perception, not taking into account the different stakeholders in each particular case (Heeks, 2010;O'Hara & Stevens 2006 (Mooketsi & Chigona 2014). …”

Systematic Mapping Study of Information Technology for Development in Agriculture (The Case of Developing Countries)

“…In response to this, there are number of ICT for development initiatives introduced to communities in developing countries, but the ICT benefits are still far from reaching those who are most disadvantaged (Dodson et al, 2012;Heeks, 2010a;Maail, 2011). The failure of large complex ICT for development initiatives to meet their stakeholder expectations are not only due to failures of technology, but also due to the challenges of interventions in socially complex and infrastructurally weak environments.…”