bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Public Access Computing in South Africa: Old Lessons and New Challenges
Authors: Gomez Ricardo , Pather Shaun , Dosono Bryan
Published: December 2017

The public access computing (PAC) ecosystem in South Africa includes public libraries, telecenters, and cybercafés. These PAC venues offer marginalized and underserved populations opportunities to use computers and the Internet to meet their information needs. Based primarily on interviews with telecenters and cybercafé staff, and on focus group workshops with telecenter and cybercafé users, we assess the relative strengths and weaknesses of telecenters and cybercafés and their contribution to community development. Government‐sponsored telecenters continue to exhibit the same problems reported a decade ago, and libraries are slow in offering technological services. However, cybercafés set up through entrepreneurial initiatives fulfill an increasingly important niche and introduce a strategic business model for entrepreneurs in disadvantaged communities. Learning from the experience of cybercafés can be an effective way to overcome the shortcomings of telecenter experiences of the last decade in South Africa. New business models in the PAC ecosystem, such as the entrepreneur model, need to be rooted within a developmental agenda in order to ensure that ICT facilitate meaningful outcomes amongst needy communities and that a local context for the social appropriation and effective use of ICTs prevails.
Success Factors for ERP Implementation in Large Organizations: The Case of Egypt
Authors: Abdelghaffar Hany
Published: December 2017

Many researches are conducted to identify CSFs for ERP implementation in developed countries with focus on the organizational factors only. However, there is a lack of researches that identified how environmental factors affect the success of ERP systems in developing countries. This research investigates how environmental and organizational factors affect the success of ERP implementation in developing countries with focus on the organizations working in Egypt. Both qualitative and quantitative approaches are used to collect data from IT managers. Findings show that national factors such as economic growth, government regulations and ICT infrastructure should be considered in addition to organizational factors to have a significant impact for the success of ERP implementation.
Mobilizing Culture for E‐Business in Developing Countries: An Actor Network Theory Account
Authors: Effah John
Published: December 2017

The purpose of this study is to understand how developing country cultures can be mobilized for e‐business. Within the developing country e‐business literature, culture has been highlighted as a barrier. Less is however known about culture as an enabler. Despite calls for cultural fit, empirical evidence on how to achieve the fit remains limited. This study follows actor‐network theory (ANT) as a lens and interpretive case study as a methodology to understand how funeral culture in the developing country context of Ghana was mobilized for an e‐business venture. The findings demonstrate an enabling perspective of developing country culture, complementing the dominant constraining view in the literature. The paper argues that although e‐business emerged from the developed world, it could be malleable to varied contexts. The paper encourages developing country entrepreneurs and researchers to seek ways to align e‐business to local contexts.
The Livelihood Outcomes of ICT Use in Microenterprises: The Case of South Africa
Authors: Makoza Frank , Chigona Wallace
Published: December 2017

This study is premised on the understanding that microenterprises play an important role in the socio‐economic development of developing countries. Using the case of South Africa, this paper reports on a study of the impact of using Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) on the livelihoods of microenterprises in a developing country context. The study used qualitative data gathered through in‐depth interviews, observations, documentary review and field notes. The findings of the study confirm that ICT use has a positive impact on the livelihoods of microenterprises. However, it was noted that ICT use in microenterprises is often curtailed by challenges beyond access and ownership of ICT. Chief among the challenges is the lack of awareness of ICT use in business activities. The study also investigated whether embedding ICT support within a business support programme would improve the chances and quality of appropriation. It was noted that the strategy did not always yield positive outcomes.
Towards an Organisational Readiness Framework for Emerging Technologies: An Investigation of Antecedents for South African Organisations’ Readiness for Server Virtualisation
Authors: Ogunyemi Abiodun A. , Johnston Kevin A.
Published: December 2017

The lack of unifying frameworks to investigate emerging technologies and changing practices in organisations remains a major challenge to the Information Systems body of knowledge. This study developed and validated a new conceptual readiness framework NOIIE (an acronym for National e‐readiness, Organisational preparedness, Industrial relationships, Internal resistance and External influence), for investigating organisational readiness for emerging technologies and applications. Server virtualisation was used as a pilot technology to investigate the antecedents for the readiness of 83 South African organisations for emerging technologies through a quantitative approach and an online survey. The readiness of South African organisations for server virtualisation was impressive, as 73% of organisations surveyed had implemented server virtualisation to one extent or another. The NOIIE framework was validated, as national e‐readiness, organisational preparedness and industrial relationships were found to be highly significant and positive contributors to organisational readiness for adopting server virtualisation in South African organisations. The NOIIE framework could be further developed and used to investigate other emerging technologies in organisations in developing countries.
E‐Government Service Quality: A Qualitative Evaluation in the Case of Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alanezi Mohammed Ateeq , Mahmood Ahmad Kamil , Basri Shuib
Published: December 2017

Government website services comprise awareness programs for their citizens and others, information distribution, and perhaps data collection, online enquiries, and submissions for regulatory or funding purposes. Quality of service is fundamental to public acceptance and use of e‐government websites, although this aspect is frequently overlooked during the design and implementation stages of online public services. Besides transparency, ease of navigation and comprehensive information, these websites require adequate monitoring resources, including targets for responses and reports. The intention of this study is to contribute to the development of e‐government services, and to raise awareness of user attitudes to public websites among researchers, government administrators and service providers, especially in the context of Saudi Arabia. This study explores dimensions that contribute to e‐government service quality, or have the capacity to detract from website support. A qualitative approach through individual interviews was taken that explored four categories of service quality: the system function category included ease of use, and system availability; and the content category included three dimensions: format, information, and personalization. Further, the procedural category comprised privacy and security, credibility, interactivity, and processing time; the citizen support category included responsiveness and contact dimensions. Development of an appropriate quantitative model and instrument is planned to facilitate research into the relationships among the e‐government service quality dimensions and user satisfaction and user trust. Further, it is planned to research various environments and contexts to provide cross‐cultural comparisons to understand e‐government's user behaviors.
A Software Capability Maturity Adoption Model for Small and Medium Enterprises in Developing Countries
Authors: Kituyi Geoffrey M. , Amulen Christine
Published: December 2017

Controlling and improving the processes used to develop software has been proposed as a primary remedy to the problems of schedule, over budget and non conformity to requirements in software development. Consequently the software development community has adopted several Software Process Improvement approaches such as the Software Capability Maturity Model published by the SEI as a criterion to evaluate and improve software process maturity. The premise of the Software Capability Maturity Model is that a mature development process will deliver products on time, within budget, requirements and of high quality. Research carried out in developed countries to evaluate the effectiveness of such programmes has confirmed that Software Process Improvement can contribute to the production of high quality software. However, this phenomenon has been less studied in smaller enterprises such as those in Uganda and other developing countries. This study examined the effectiveness of the Software Capability Maturity Model for use in small software developing enterprises and established that the model was difficult to implement in such organizations. Many of its constructs were irrelevant. An adoption model for software capability maturity was designed based on only those factors and constructs of the Software Capability Maturity Model that were found to be relevant to Small and Medium Enterprises. The new model was tested using case study and expert judgment methods. The experts and software developers indicated that the proposed model is more applicable in Small and Medium Enterprises operating in resource constrained countries such as Uganda.
The Contribution of Process, People and Perception to Information Systems Quality and Success: A Jamaican Study
Authors: Chevers Delroy A. , Duggan Evan W. , Moore Stanford
Published: December 2017

Despite various studies and several IT innovative interventions, the information systems (IS) community continues to experience low quality and unsuccessful software systems. Persistent IS failures have plagued large and small organizations throughout the globe; however, smaller firms in developing countries such as those in the English‐speaking Caribbean and Jamaica, in particular, do not have the capacity to absorb the losses that result from the delivery of ineffective and low quality systems. This research effort is a continuation of our quest to provide some solutions to these problems – particularly in Jamaican organizations – by developing a research model that integrates the literature from a variety of sources to empirically explore the impact of process, people and perception on IS quality and success. The setting is Jamaica; however, we believe that the insights obtained would be relevant to developing countries in other contexts. The results of the study indicate significant relationships between (1) developer knowledge and IS quality, (2) perceived usefulness and IS success, and (3) IS quality and IS success. Our findings should be interesting to IS practitioners and we offer the proposed research model to IS scholars to promote further research into IS quality and success in small businesses in developing countries.
Complementarity or Substitutability Between the Different Modes of Internet Access: A Property Rights‐Based Analysis on Cybercafés Offerings with Data from Cameroon
Authors: Piaptie Georges Bertrand Tamokwe
Published: December 2017

The aim of this paper is to see whether the preservation of cybercafés’ internet access offering could efficiently withstand the generalization of other internet access modes. To do this, we use the economic theory of Property Rights to show that, considering internet access as an economic good, it is possible to distinguish three internet access modes: the rental internet access mode, the usufruct internet access mode and the full ownership internet access mode. On this basis, the preservation of cybercafés’ activities depends inter alia on the hypothesis of an absence of substitutability between the rental access mode they offered and the two other access modes. This hypothesis is tested using a probit model on data from a survey carried out in three towns of Cameroon. The findings show there is room for substitutability between the cybercafés’ offering and the alternative internet access modes. The no substitutability hypothesis is then disproved. We conclude that cybercafés’ owners should contemplate further diversification strategies.
Investigation of the Radio Frequency Identification Assimilation Process in China: A Stage‐based Model Perspective
Authors: Jie Wei , Seedorf Stefan , Lowry Paul Benjamin
Published: December 2017

RFID (Radio frequency identification) is an emerging technology that attracts much attention of supply chain participants recently. However, most Chinese supply chain participants just adopt this innovation without making further steps to fully utilize its benefits. Extant IS research on this technology only focuses on factors that impact its organizational adoption. According to assimilation theory, most information technologies exhibit an ‘assimilation gap’ which means widespread usage tends to lag behind their adoption. However, a technology can only achieve its greatest benefits through full‐scale deeper diffusion into the organization's daily operations besides physical adoption. Drawing upon TOE framework, we propose a stage‐based model to investigate factors that influence the assimilation of RFID into an organization in China. Moreover, we investigate these factors' changing effect across different assimilation stages in the Chinese context that is addressed little in the existing literature.
Participatory Mapping with Indigenous Communities for Conservation: Challenges and Lessons from Suriname
Authors: Ramirez‐Gomez Sara O. I. , Brown Greg , Fat Annette Tjon Sie
Published: December 2017

The indigenous peoples of Southern Suriname depend on landscape services provided by intact, functioning ecosystems, but their use and reliance on natural landscapes is not well understood. In 2011, Conservation International Suriname (CIS) engaged in a participatory GIS (PGIS) mapping project to identify ecosystem services with the Trio and Wayana indigenous peoples living in five villages in Southern Suriname. The PGIS project involved a highly remote and inaccessible region, multiple indigenous peoples, villages with different perceptions and experiences with outsiders, and a multitude of regional development pressures. We describe the PGIS project from inception to mapping to communication of the results to the participants with a particular focus on the challenges and lessons learned from PGIS project implementation. Key challenges included decoupling the PGIS process from explicit CIS conservation objectives, engaging reluctant villages in the project, and managing participant expectations about project outcomes. Lessons learned from the challenges included the need to first build trust through effective communication, selecting initial project locations with the greatest likelihood of success, and to manage expectations by disclosing project limitations with the indigenous communities and external parties.
A Framework for the Adoption of Electronic Customer Relationship Management Information Systems in Uganda
Authors: Olupot Charles , Mayoka Kituyi G.
Published: December 2017

This study proposes a framework for the adoption of Electronic Customer Relationship Management (e‐CRM) information systems in Uganda. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods were used. Primary data were gathered from Small and Medium Enterprises located in 30 districts of Uganda. A self‐administered questionnaire was the main data collection tool. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze data and refine the requirements for adoption of e‐CRM information systems. The findings indicate that for successful adoption of e‐CRM information systems, there should be user sensitization, training and infrastructure. There is also need for top management support and an e‐CRM policy to guide usage. The most important features of e‐CRM information systems were identified as the ability to ensure customer privacy, presence of a Frequently Asked Questions tool, and high speed. The proposed framework was developed based on Thong (1999) Technology Organizational Environmental Management (TOEM), with refined requirements from primary data. The developed framework was validated using a case study. Validation results indicate that the framework is applicable and can help improve the adoption of e‐CRM information systems in Uganda.
An Empirical Analysis of End‐User Participation in Software Development Projects in a Developing Country Context
Authors: Akinnuwesi Boluwaji A. , Uzoka Faith‐Michael , Olabiyisi Stephen O. , Omidiora Elijah O. , Fiddi Paula
Published: December 2017

Organizational information systems cannot produce any positive outcome unless the end‐users accept, adopt and use it. In this paper, we report the results of an investigation of the perception gap between end‐users and software developers regarding end‐user participation in software development. Our analysis shows the existence of perception gap, which could affect the level of end‐user participation in software development. The implication of this is poor acceptance of software system applications and failure of some software system projects.
ICT Curricular and the Requirements of Organizations in Thailand
Authors: Winley Graham Kenneth , Wongwuttiwat Jittima
Published: December 2017

The study compared ICT professional requirements in organizations in Thailand with ICT bachelor degree curricular offered in universities in Thailand using a theoretical framework with three related components: domains of expertise; the scope of the professional's knowledge, skills, and experience; and specific skills associated with the domains of expertise. Data was collected by questionnaire from 166 medium to large sized organizations and 42 universities which offered in total 78 ICT related bachelor degree programs. The findings showed that, although there was a reasonable degree of alignment between the importance of skills in the organizations and the ICT curricular, the ICT programs were not addressing adequately the needs of organizations for a range of skills related to understanding organizations and their functions, ICT management activities, and especially the management of ICT physical and financial resources. On the other hand, ICT programs placed more emphasis than the organizations on skills concerned with systems development methodologies for the complete development of applications/systems, CASE tools, programming and coding, database design, technical expertise with object relational and object oriented databases, and multimedia applications. Previous studies of this kind conducted in Thailand were not found and the findings are expected to be of value and interest to those responsible for national ICT policy and especially ICT education and training.
Coordination and Cooperation in E‐Government: An Indonesian Local E‐Government Case
Authors: Nurdin Nurdin , Stockdale Rosemary , Scheepers Helana
Published: December 2017

The implementation of e‐government systems often involves many different agencies and actors. Their different characteristics and the need to work together make the relationships between them complex. Coordination and cooperation have become important issues in harmonizing the many actors that support the implementation of e‐government systems. This study examines how coordination and cooperation shape the implementation process of local e‐government systems that may be acquired or developed internally. A case study of local egovernment systems implementation in Indonesia is presented and analyzed from the perspectives of coordination and cooperation between internal and external actors and agencies. Our findings suggest that dynamic coordination and cooperation have influenced the success of e‐government systems implementation at local government (regency) level in Bali, Indonesia. The regency practiced coordination and cooperation, both vertically and horizontally, with central government agencies, other regencies, private companies, and with internal institutions. The ability of the regency to gain from these practices offers insights into e‐government implementation for other local governments.
Cloud Computing: Adoption Issues for Sub‐Saharan African SMEs
Authors: Abubakar A.D. , Bass Julian M , Allison Ian
Published: December 2017

This paper explores the emergence and adoption of cloud computing by small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) and points towards its implications for developing countries in sub‐Saharan Africa. Several studies have shown the importance of technologies to SMEs and the potentials of SMEs for economic growth. Using qualitative techniques we obtained and analysed data from ten SMEs that have adopted cloud computing as an IT strategy. These SMEs span across various sectors including finance, information and communication technology (ICT), and manufacturing in Nigeria, a developing country in sub‐Saharan Africa. We found that, contrary to the literature on cloud computing adoption in the global north, these SMEs are less concerned with challenges like security, privacy and data loss rather; they continue to show optimism in using the potential opportunities that cloud computing presents to them. We envisage that as cloud computing evolves, more SMEs in sub‐Saharan Africa will adopt it as an IT Strategy. This could positively contribute to the successes of these SMEs and consequently contribute to the economic growth desired by these developing countries.
Exploring the Link between ICT and Development in the Context of Developing Countries: A Literature Review
Authors: Thapa Devinder , Sæbø Øystein
Published: December 2017

The article contributes to the ongoing discussion on relating information and communication technology (ICT) to development (D). The quest to relate ICT to D is a topic of open deliberation and critical scrutiny in ICT4D research communities. To enhance the understanding in this regard, we conducted a literature review. The review examines 80 articles to identify various development theories and the role of technologies in the development process. While scanning the articles, Sen's capability approach (CA) emerged as a suitable framework with which to explore the link between ICT and D. To show the relevance of the link, we used the CA as a guiding framework, and reanalyzed ten empirical case studies focusing on projects in remote and rural areas. Furthermore, the article suggests six gaps in the current research, and, accordingly, six areas for future research.
ICT Utilisation within Experienced South African Small and Medium Enterprises
Authors: Adeniran Tejumade V , Johnston Kevin A
Published: December 2017

The aim of the study was to examine the levels and purposes of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) utilisation within a sample of ICT aware South African Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). It is globally acknowledged that SMEs are significant in their contributions to economic growth, job creation, innovation of new products, income generation, poverty alleviation, technological progress and competitive advantage. However, SMEs are characterised by limited ICT utilisation. More studies are required to understand the purposes and levels of ICT utilisation within the South African SMEs, as well as the effect of firm size and age on ICT utilisation. To address this issue, an online based survey was conducted, and evidence gathered showed the following. (1) ICT aware South African SMEs are high users of technology. (2) Levels of ICT utilisation by ICT aware South African SMEs is sector specific. (3) ICT aware South African SMEs used ICT for cost saving, to collaborate with new and existing business partners, to handle collaboration within the firm and communication with the firm's stakeholders, to establish relationships with other organisations, and to enable strategic planning. (4) A firm's size has significant impacts on the levels of ICT utilization. (5) A firm's age impacts on the level of ICT utilisation of ICT aware South African SMEs; the more mature firms had more advanced information technology capability. The paper offers insights into the levels and purposes of ICT utilisation with implications for practitioners and academics.
User Acceptance of Telemedicine by Health Care Workers A Case of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
Authors: Cilliers Liezel , Flowerday Stephen
Published: December 2017

The Eastern Cape province of South Africa is one of the poorest provinces in the country with vast rural areas. A telemedicine system was implemented in the province in order to improve health care services. Despite large investments from the National Department of Health, only a third of telemedicine sites in the province are operational. Technology problems, such as unreliable electricity supply and low bandwidth, was identified as barriers to the successful implementation of telemedicine in South Africa, but these issues have since been addressed. Nevertheless, the uptake of telemedicine remains poor. One of the documented barriers to the successful implementation of telemedicine is user acceptance by health care workers. This study made use of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to identify the factors that influence the user acceptance of telemedicine among health care workers in a developing country such as South Africa. The study used a quantitative survey approach. A questionnaire was distributed to all the hospitals and clinics around the province where telemedicine had been implemented. The results were analyzed using SPSS 20 and the conclusions drawn from the results were presented to five experts in the field of telemedicine and Information Systems. In general, the attitude of the health care workers was positive towards telemedicine, although the present usage of the system was low. Health care workers, especially those in the rural areas, perceived the telemedicine system to be useful to improve the quality of health care services they provide. The perceived ease of use of the telemedicine system was influenced by both the educational qualification and area in which the health care workers worked. Those that did not complete high school and worked in rural areas were apprehensive about using the telemedicine system. However, the majority of the health care workers indicated that they did plan to make use of the telemedicine system in the future. Interventions focused on education should be specific for rural or urban areas. In rural areas education should focus on computer literacy skills and how to use the telemedicine system, while in urban areas the awareness of the telemedicine should be increased.
A Mobile Management System for Reforming Subsidies Distribution In Egypt
Authors: El‐Shishtawy Tarek
Published: December 2017

This paper aims to show how advances in mobile technologies can help solve social and political aspects involved in the reform of subsidies in developing countries. It describes the work done to build a mobile‐based supportive network that integrates all subsidy partners: governmental, non‐governmental organizations, merchants, and beneficiaries. One main contribution of this work is the setting of a framework for identifying the requirements of information systems for subsidies distribution. Seven domains were identified to build a Mobile Subsidizing Business Model (MSBM). Based on MSBM, detailed requirements were gathered in three stages, each having its appropriate methodology. We focus on the layered architecture implementation of the mobile subsidizing system to break down complexities due to variations in mobile technologies, different business rules, and multiple distribution scenarios.
Mobile Phone Ecosystems and the Informal Sector in Developing Countries – Cases from Jamaica
Authors: Johnson Stephen C. , Thakur Dhanaraj
Published: December 2017

This study investigates the role of the ICT ecosystem within the informal business sectors of rural and urban Jamaica, relying on an exploratory collective case study methodology to highlight the differences in how the use of mobile phones have facilitated and enhanced entrepreneurial opportunities for business operators existing in the informal economy. The findings of the study confirm existing research about the socio‐economic benefits of ICTs but also highlight specific characteristics related to informal ICT ecosystems. For example, we found that there was a close‐knit set of entrepreneurs who were motivated by competition between one another but who would still engage in mutual learning and information sharing. These ecosystems also entail a system of social hierarchy among the actors, although there is potential for mobility. Finally, we note that our findings suggest a potential reconsideration of definitions of the informal sector that emphasize low‐skilled labour.
PGIS Based Land Information Mapping and Map Updating to Support Rural Community Knowledge Building
Authors: Mulalu Mulalu I. , Veenendaal Bert
Published: December 2017

This paper outlines an approach developed to assist a rural community in Botswana to utilise Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to compile and update a village land parcels dataset. The work is based on a PhD research work which was carried out at a remote rural village, where participatory action research was employed. Participation is defined as learning and the Participatory Geographic Information Science (PGIS) framework was considered to be appropriate. The contention here is that community learning is a pre‐condition for successful implementation of human development interventions. The PGIS activity itself served mainly to anchor the learning of the creation of the database, the construction of knowledge and its contribution to improve individual household livelihoods. The rationale here is that the database design process can be devolved to ordinary language so that the attention is drawn more to the subsequent use of the data rather than to its compilation. Therefore the PGIS was envisaged as interacting objects and people, relations among them and the role of the containing space. It was also anticipated that in the process, the information would be conversed and the knowledge perceived, constructed and conceived. The basic essence of the PGIS approach was to use georeferenced digital colour aerial photographs and on screen digitizing (OSD) to create land parcels vectors and use the plotted land parcels as references to update the village plot layouts by measuring and scaling in the missing plots at the field. The GIS based mapping was preceded by entry and collaborative team building processes and basic training in computing, business process modeling, business calculations and business planning. This was followed by social survey focused on the poor and struggling members of the community. The produced PGIS artifact served to be the sink for all the produced data. The early conclusion that was drawn was that the PGIS serves as an effective instrument to help a rural community to create and construct knowledge and to strike the link with the political institutions that are intended to support citizens to improve their living standards.
E‐Commerce Enablers and Barriers in Tanzanian Small and Medium Enterprises
Authors: Kabanda Salah K. , Brown Irwin
Published: December 2017

The purpose of this study is to identify enablers of and barriers to E‐Commerce in Tanzanian small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Tanzania is classified as a least developed country (LDC) and has received relatively little research attention with respect to E‐Commerce in the SME sector. The study is qualitative in nature and a set of semi‐structured interviews were used to collect data. 32 SMEs were interviewed. A thematic analysis approach was used for reporting SME's experiences, perspectives, and meanings, whilst examining the ways in which events, realities, meanings, and experiences come about. The study unearthed contextual understanding of E‐Commerce and the challenges faced by Tanzanian SMEs. Factors perceived to be conducive for E‐Commerce, include the availability of business resources, specifically business relationships with ICT foreign companies; top management support; the use of mobile technology for interactive and transactive purposes with consumers and suppliers; and the strategic use of mobile phones to avoid ICT‐related challenges such as those associated with fixed line telephone and Internet‐enabled desktop computing.
Mobile Ecosystems Among Low‐Skilled Migrants in Singapore: An Investigation into Mobile Usage Practices
Authors: Aricat Rajiv George
Published: December 2017

The paper explores how the ideas of freedom and constraints are inherent to the phenomenon of adaptation. In order to explicate this tension in the migrant adaptation process, the study adopts the development approach that has highlighted freedom as means and ends of development – the capability approach. The study explores answers to the questions (i) To what extent does migrants’ adaptation to the host country, including to its mobile ecosystem, ensure their freedom and to what extent the adaptation is a constraint for them?; and, (ii) How do various strategies of adaptation help migrants achieve development in social, economic and political domains? In‐depth interviews were conducted among 50 low‐skilled migrants from Bangladesh and India in Singapore. Findings showed that mobile phone usage helped enhance the functionings of migrant workers, although there were constraints in achieving improvements in their capabilities. Hierarchical organizational structures acted as external constraints, whereas overdependence on mobile phones and forsaking of ideals of collective action acted as internal impediments. The study calls for a renewed understanding of adaptation in transnational migration context, with more focus on revealing the tensions between the adapting entity and the factors curtailing the freedom of the adapting entity.
Determinants of the Success of Information Techology Project Management in Thailand
Authors: Winley Graham Kenneth
Published: December 2017

A theoretical model of information technology (IT) project management was formulated based on the results of previous studies incorporating transactional and transformational leadership styles, team diversity, and team culture as determinants of team processes and project outcomes. The study addresses the lack of previous studies of IT projects and is concerned with infrastructure and software projects conducted in cross‐functional environments with co‐located teams in the context of Thailand. The model was tested and developed to a final model using data collected from a sample of 219 professionals with experience in IT projects in Thailand. The results confirmed several reported effects of leadership styles, team diversity, and culture on team cooperation, cohesion, and conflict and their subsequent effects on performance and psychosocial project outcomes. The findings highlighted results not commonly reported in previous studies of IT project management concerning the role of dominant cultural characteristics of Thai society at the level project teams as well as important direct effects of leadership styles and aspects of team diversity on performance and psychosocial outcomes. Based on the findings practical recommendations for improving IT project outcomes are presented.
Perceived Factors Influencing ICT Vendors – Value Added Reseller Partnerships’ Satisfaction in South Africa
Authors: Hassa Ishmael , Tanner Maureen
Published: December 2017

This study explores the perceived factors contributing to relationship satisfaction between Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) downstream supply chain management (SCM) and Vendors and Value‐added Resellers (VARs) in South Africa (SA). The study is qualitative, and relevant experts from both ICT Vendors and VARs were interviewed. The study utilises the Interaction Approach (IA) as the theoretical lens to analyse the data. The themes resulting from the thematic analysis are Power/Dependence (IA), Cooperation, Closeness (IA) and Expectation (IA). As part of the findings, the IA model is also extended to reflect interesting and important factors that emerged from the study. The findings extend the environment variable within IA for the South African context. Unique environment issues are exposed, such as Broad‐Based Black Economic Empowerment (B‐BBEE) and Currency that have a bearing on relationship satisfaction in the ICT industry. This inquiry is intended to encourage discussions between stakeholders and to be a catalyst for further research. The results from these findings could aid transparent cooperation and collaboration between ICT industry partners and stakeholders in SA (customers, government, etc.).
Is mHealth Disrupting the Status Quo? Evidence from Implementations Highlighting Network vs. Hierarchical Institutional Logics
Authors: Asangansi Ime
Published: December 2017

Health Management Information Systems (HMIS) in developing countries have yet to live up to expectations because of the significant proportion of implementation failures. Mobile health (mHealth) technologies are being adopted increasingly in Ministries of Health (MoHs) to address aspects of HMIS implementation failure, such as the timeliness and ease of data collection from the lowest levels of healthcare. However, networked technologies such as mobile technologies used in mHealth data collection can introduce a network logic into the organization. This network logic, which often favors open, non‐hierarchical modes of communication, must work with the traditional hierarchical bureaucratic logic of the HMIS and the MoH in which they become embedded. This paper conceptualizes the interaction between these two logics. It draws on succinct, empirical vignettes from two action‐research projects involving the use of mHealth technology to improve data collection for the HMIS in Nigeria.

Based on these findings and an institutional logics lens, this paper argues that the interaction between these logics potentially leads to a conflict where the logic embedded in networked technologies (such as mHealth) disrupts and challenges the existing hierarchical logic in the bureaucracy (such as in the MoH). It threatens not only to unsettle existing practices and norms in the organization, but also to restructure (flatten) the organization, due to resistance, loss, or changes in some pre‐existing roles. Practitioners and implementation researchers need to be sensitive to potential hierarchical and network‐centric forces that are involved in implementing mHealth in traditional hierarchical settings, particularly with regards to the unintended side effects that may arise in the process.
The Usability of IVRs for Smart City Crowdsourcing in Developing Cities
Authors: Breetzke Thayne , Flowerday Stephen V
Published: December 2017

The Public Safety Smart City Project explores the use of an interactive voice response (IVR) system by citizens of a city in a developing country to ease urban challenges arising as a result of growing urbanisation. Given that usability problems can prevent users from adopting and using any system, the IVR system was designed with the user in mind by endeavouring to meet key usability goals. The study sought to determine whether these citizens would deem such an IVR channel usable for telephonically reporting public safety matters and whether any noteworthy usability issues arose. By means of a survey, citizens who participated in this study assessed the system's usability. The survey results showed that from a usability perspective, an IVR system is an effective crowdsourcing channel for citizens to report such matters. In addition, the paper suggests recommendations for designing and building participatory crowdsourcing IVR channels for similar projects, from the end‐user perspective, to avoid potential usability problems.
Evaluation of a Government ICT Policy Document from a Communicative Action Perspective: A Case of Bangladesh
Authors: Hasan Zahid
Published: December 2017

The literature on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) policy studies have revealed multiple limitations concerning design and implementation of policies adopted by many governments of developing countries, which include contextual limitations in design, a mix of incomprehensive projects and strategies, as well as gaps between addressed goals and actual outcomes. However, nothing is said about the policy document itself with regard to the communication of ideas, issues, themes, and perspectives of the policy. This article extends to do a discourse analysis of Bangladesh's ICT policy document to evaluate communicative aspects, using the framework of Habermas’ Theory of Communicative Action (TCA). The findings uncover multiple limitations to the policy document in terms of four TCA validity claims: truth, legitimacy, sincerity, and clarity. The truth claim shows a lack in defining and describing multiple terms and issues, explaining varied ideological stances and accounting for benefits and challenges, along with interpretation of some facts. Similarly, the legitimacy claim reveals that matters that appeal to emotion, such as constitutional obligation, social equity, disabled people, minorities, and women and community issues, lie as foundation to justify that claim. The uses of connotative words and metaphors in addition to uses of jargon and unexplained terms are also found under the claim for sincerity and clarity, all of which ultimately are not compatible with the values of the validity claims.
Offshore Business Process Outsourcing for Developing Countries: A South African Perspective
Authors: Alkali Abubakar Mohammed , Abbott Pamela , Dasuki Salihu Ibrahim , Quaye Ago K.M.
Published: December 2017

Offshoring of IT‐enabled services to developing countries will continue to dominate the offshoring sector. Companies are constantly on the lookout for locations where they can provide services at a low cost. This has made developing countries to take advantage of this opportunity to create value propositions for companies in developed countries leading to economic development. This paper describes the South Africa's BPO industry in order to explore the current opportunities and potential challenges the industry offers. The role of government support, quality infrastructure, prevalence of HIV/AIDS and inflexibility in labor laws are found to feature significantly within the South African context. The paper contributes to literature on outsourcing in developing countries which has elaborated how African Countries can serve as attractive location for offshoring BPO. This study concludes by providing implications for policy and practice.
Notions of Home and Sense of Belonging in the Context of Migration in a Journey through Participatory Photography
Authors: Gomez Ricardo , Vannini Sara
Published: December 2017

The question of where is home is especially difficult for migrants, who live in a place different than their place of origin, and particularly for undocumented migrants, who don't have any legal recognition or rights and constantly risk being detained and deported. Through participatory photography and interviews, a process we called Fotohistorias, we explored human experiences in relation to migration in the US (the North), at the US‐Mexico border (the border), and in Colombia (the South). Along with a reflection on the methodology on both researchers’ work and participants’ empowerment, this paper reports on outcomes related to the notions of home and sense of belonging that emerged in the experiences shared by migrants in those three settings. They evidence different notions of “what is home” as well as “where do I belong,” reflecting the different degrees of transience and impermanence in the everyday experiences of migrants.
Public Perceptions of the Role of IT in Resolving Governance Challenges in a Transition State: THe Case of Tanzania
Authors: Mimbi Lucas , Kyobe Michael
Published: December 2017

International bodies and donors demand that countries demonstrate how they use IT to ensure effective governance. However, measuring the role of IT in governance remains problematic, particularly in transition economies characterised by poor IT capabilities. This paper measured public perceptions of the role of IT in addressing governance challenges in transition Tanzania. The paper identifies (i) usage of IT for governance and democratic purposes, (ii) governance processes and (iii) external pressures as key interplaying factors influencing effective governance. Adopting the Gestalts (configurational) approach, we argue that IT contributes to effective governance when it is coherent with (ii) and (iii). One hundred and sixty six members of the public were surveyed and cluster analysis was used to determine the degree of coherence. None of the three clusters of (i), (ii) and (iii) that emerged revealed a strong coherent relationship, indicating that IT was not playing a major role in addressing governance challenges in transition Tanzania.
Collaborative Development of Global Information Systems: Toward Community Based Generification
Authors: Fruijtier Elisabeth , Pinard Matthieu
Published: December 2017

This paper examines generification in open source software development of information systems for low resource environments. The challenge addressed is that of designing generification processes in which key aspects of generification – information flow, selection and prioritisation – involve a distributed community. The objective of this study is to understand how this challenge is dealt with in practice, with the aim of expanding the current analytical scope available to researchers to study generification processes as well as the guidance available to practitioners to address its practical challenges. Doing so, we build on the work of Gizaw et al (forthcoming) who broach a debate on more ‘open’ generification. We propose a reconceptualization of open generification by being more specific on its conditions and process aspects. Open, we argue, is about closed generification circuits that enable a ‘community based’ generification process.
Comparing Downloads, Mendeley Readership and Google Scholar Citations as Indicators of Article Performance
Authors: Naudé Filistéa
Published: December 2017

This single journal article level indicator study investigated the relationship between download usage statistics, Mendeley readership scores and Google Scholar citation counts. The 378 articles published in the Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries (EJISDC) in the 14‐year period 2000 to 2013 were examined. Results showed that all 378 articles were downloaded and had Mendeley readers. Of the 378 articles, 359 (94.97%) articles received Google Scholar citations and 19 (5.03%) articles received no citations. For the 359 cited articles, the average Google Scholar citations per article were 28.82. The average EJISDC downloads were 7440.69, the average Mendeley readership was 19.30 and Google Scholar citations were 27.36. The most influential articles in the EJISDC were identified by ranking and by comparing the top 20 articles by downloads, Mendeley readership and Google Scholar citations. The leading authors were identified using the top 20 ranking and comparing it to the most productive authors. For this journal, the results seem to indicate that the highest correlations (Spearman correlation coefficient) were between Google Scholar citations and downloads, a slightly lower correlation between Google Scholar citations and Mendeley readership, and the lowest correlation was between downloads and Mendeley readership.