bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Exploring the Socio‐Economic Structures of Internet‐Enabled Development: A Study of Grassroots Netrepreneurs in China
Authors: Avgerou Chrisanthi , Li Boyi , Poulymenakou Angeliki 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThere is increasing interest in the potential of internet platforms for networking and collaboration – often referred to as web 2.0 – to open up unprecedented prospects for individuals to come together and engage in economic and political activities, bypassing and indeed subverting the corporate structures of the market economy and state control. The prevailing discourse on this technology‐driven transformative potential focuses on networks of individuals interacting through technology tools with little, if at all, attention to the social context that gives rise and sustains their networked economic or political activities. In this paper we study the social embeddedness of the empowering potential of internet‐enabled economic activity. We present and discuss a case of intense entrepreneurial activity in a Chinese community, engaging in e‐commerce trading conducted on a platform of internet tools. Our analysis of this case juxtaposes the emerging views on web2.0 business activities with views drawn from a long established literature on entrepreneurship as a networked activity. We found that internet‐based entrepreneurial activity at this case of grassroots development enacts online social networking mechanisms of peer‐to‐peer and vendor‐customer interactions and heavily depends on a corporate service provider, as well as the historically developed community infrastructure for commerce. Overall, our research explores whether economic activity enabled by web 2.0 is an individualistic phenomenon, or it relies on institutional bearings and if so what is their nature.
Research Testbed Networks: Practical Tools for Service Delivery?
Authors: Wertlen Ronald , Siebörger Ingrid , Tsietsi Mosiuoa , Shibeshi Zelalem , Terzoli Alfredo 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThe Telkom Centre of Excellence (CoE) at Rhodes University, housed in the Computer Science department was opened in 1997. The CoE's focus on Distributed multimedia service platforms soon showed that the technology being researched could be applied in the disadvantaged peri‐urban communities. The CoE has thus concentrated its research on building a testbed network that delivers real services to real users. In 2007, the testbed was extended to include a marginalised rural area in the Siyakhula Living Lab. The greatest factor in the sustainability of the CoE testbed network has been maintaining usefulness to all the stakeholders over the last 12 years. Industrial funding, University outreach goals and research goals could all be harmonised, while sustaining the delivery of high quality informatics services in the community. This paper presents a brief case study of the communications network testbed and how it was applied to the Development Informatics space. It analyses the roles played by stakeholders in either assisting and sustaining or obstructing the service delivery. It makes key recommendations on best practices for research networks that can also bring informatics to disadvantaged communities. It shows how testbeds for the research of new technologies can be designed so as to allow Development Informatics work to take place on such networks.
Improving Data Quality in the Banking Supervisory Data of Southern Africa Central Banks
Authors: Motjolopane Refiloe , Lutu Patricia E.N. 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThe importance of effective supervision of banking institutions in developing countries cannot be over‐emphasised. Central banks are responsible for the supervision of the banking institutions of a country. In order to effectively perform the supervisory role of banking institutions, central banks need to collect and analyse data about the operations of the banking institutions they supervise. Data analysis is conducted in order to establish the health of these institutions. Central banks in the SADC region experience many problems with the quality of the data that they receive from the banking institutions they supervise. Needless to say, decisions made on the basis of poor quality data increase the risk of allowing unsound institutions to continue in operation. This creates the real risk of loss of money by the individuals and organisations that form the clientele of these institutions, and will adversely affect the economy of the country. Despite the commendable efforts made by the regional central banks to implement a banking supervision application to expedite the supervisory activities through instituting a one‐stop‐shop for all the banking supervisory information, and the introduction of an electronic platform for collecting and analysing periodic banking supervision returns, there are still many imperfections in the information. A survey was conducted to investigate data quality problems at three SADC central banks. Recommendations are provided in this paper on measures that can be taken to improve the quality of the banking supervisory data for the SADC central banks.
Boundary Objects to Guide Sustainable Technology‐Supported Participatory Development for Poverty Alleviation in the Context of Digital Divides
Authors: Blake Adam , Garzon Margarita Quiros 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThere is a growing body of evidence to show that sound implementation of information and communications technologies (ICTs) can benefit development goals. However these benefits are still far from reaching those who are most impoverished. In part, this lack of effectiveness is attributed to a lack of clarity in the theory and practice of ICT for development (or ICT4D as it is commonly known). We have sought to address these concerns by reviewing a range of ‘boundary objects’ – conceptual frameworks and participation processes – that have been used to support sustainable development projects with multiple stakeholder interests. Using Sen's ‘capability approach’ as an organizing principle, we have considered how these boundary objects can be combined to provide a comprehensive framework for sustainable technology‐supported participatory development to alleviate poverty. We consider that this framework offers an easily understandable, step‐by‐step approach to planning, implementing, and evaluating ICT4D projects, yet is based on a growing empirical research base, and points to detailed and concrete methods and tools to facilitate effective practice. By ensuring that stakeholders are central to the process right from the beginning, the framework is intended as a boundary object able to be adopted and adapted by those stakeholders to facilitate grassroots innovation and achievement of community goals as a means to alleviate poverty.
“Sister‐Groups” and Online‐Offline Linkages in Networked Collective Action: A Case Study of the Right to Information Movement in India
Authors: Rao Anuradha 
Published: December 2017

AbstractIn this paper, the rise of hyperlinked activist communities, and their role in organizing, coordinating and supporting offline (physical) activism, is discussed as a new form of information and communication technology (ICT)‐enabled collective action. The role of networked civil society in India is examined in the context of the movement for the right to information (RTI), which is known as freedom of information (or FOI) in some Western democracies. The paper focuses on the role of RTI‐related online discussion groups, known to each other as “sister‐groups”, and their offline networks in generating collaborations towards collective actions, at least in the short term. The study assumes significance in light of attention surrounding the highly visible, ICT‐driven anti‐corruption movement of 2011, often referred to as “India's Arab Spring”. By examining a period of comparably intense collective action in the real and virtual worlds by the RTI movement during 2006, the paper takes a step back to look at the emerging connections between ICTs and civil society in India. A thematic analysis (N=959) is conducted of the email discussion messages of the premier RTI e‐group in India, the Hum Janenge (‘We Will Know’) yahoo group, in August 2006, during which sister‐groups rallied against the federal government's proposal to amend the RTI legislation. The thematic analysis reveals the types of collective actions that materialized; the role of Hum Janenge and its sister‐groups in creating a relatively unified and coordinated RTI campaign; as well as the difficulties in sustaining collective actions, despite the connecting medium of the internet. It is found that the existence of networked online communities amplifies the abilities of activists and enables greater coordination of collective actions, rather than create any new repertoires of collective action; a finding that resonates with arguments about the role of technology as amplifier.
Communicating Information for Development: A Cartographic Approach
Authors: Akinyemi Felicia O. , Sester Monika , Balogun Olayinka Y. 
Published: December 2017

AbstractIn developing poverty reduction strategies, poverty and welfare maps are made based on estimated values for use in decision making. Targeting public resources is better achieved with information derived from these maps. This use of poverty and welfare maps in shaping policy practically illustrates information use for development. On poverty maps, for example, poverty estimates are depicted as graphic symbols through which information is transferred to the map user. This paper investigates how effective these maps are as graphic communication media. A cartographic approach is adopted to examine the symbolization of poverty and welfare maps with the aim of enhancing their design. Eight criteria were developed and used to infer map communication effectiveness in the context of poverty mapping. These criteria are interpreted as map defects and major ones are overlapping class value, problems with symbol type, choice of color scheme and class differentiation which are all related to map symbolization. Map symbolization challenges within the poverty mapping context are related to the need to visually perceive shared spatial patterns between two related variables, highlight units with high poverty levels as well as emphasize high and low points in a poverty or welfare data. This paper illustrates how to address these by applying basic cartographic principles. These principles are generic to all kinds of maps, but it is their applicability to poverty and welfare maps that is paper's focus.
Considering Pigeons for Carrying Delay Tolerant Networking Based Internet Traffic in Developing Countries
Authors: Scholl Jeremiah , Lindgren Anders 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThere are many regions in the developing world that suffer from poor infrastructure and lack of connection to the Internet and Public Switched Telephone Networks (PSTN). Delay Tolerant Networking (DTN) is a technology that has been advocated for providing store‐and‐forward network connectivity in these regions over the past few years. DTN often relies on human mobility in one form or another to support transportation of DTN data. This presents a socio‐technical problem related to organizing how the data should be transported. In some situations the demand for DTN traffic can exceed that which is possible to support with human mobility, so alternative mechanisms are needed. In this paper we propose using live carrier pigeons (columba livia) to transport DTN data. Carrier pigeons have been used for transporting packets of information for a long time, but have not yet been seriously considered for transporting DTN traffic. We provide arguements that this mode of DTN data transport provides promise, and should receive attention from research and development projects. We provide an overview of pigeon characteristics to analyze the feasibility of using them for data transport, and present simulations of a DTN network that utilizes pigeon transport in order to provide an initial investigation into expected performance characteristics.
An Exploratory Sudy of Mobile Multimedia Agricultural Advisory System: Challenges and Lessons from Tamil Nadu, India
Authors: Muthiah Ganesan , Prashant Suma , Umadikar Jayalakshmi , Karthikeyan Kavitha 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThis paper describes the experiences gained in terms of challenges encountered and lessons learned in an exploratory initiative of mobile phone‐based multimedia agricultural advisory System (MAAS), which helps in providing timely agricultural expert advice to farmers on their mobile phone. When a farmer is calling, a call‐centre‐like interface containing personalized information of that farmer pops up at the expert's end. The expert views the farmer's dashboard and analyses the situation and query based advisory is provided to the farmer. This agricultural advisory system formed part of a research study under National Agricultural Innovation Projects (NAIP), New Delhi. The MAAS is developed by Indian Institute of Technology Madras's Rural Technology and Business Incubator and it was field tested with 1200 farmers in three districts of Tamil Nadu (Kancheepuram, Erode and Dharmapuri), India, during December 2010 to June 2012. The aim of this paper is to describe the experiences, highlighting a number of specific challenges and lessons associated with providing mobile based agricultural advisories to farmers in rural areas.
Impact of Online Social Networking on Youth: Case Study of Mauritius
Authors: Khedo Kavi Kumar , Suntoo Rajen , Elaheebocus Sheik Mohammad Roushdat Ally , Mocktoolah Asslinah 
Published: December 2017

AbstractOnline social websites have achieved a phenomenal global growth over the last decade, attracting much attention from researchers worldwide. It is a known fact that young adults and teenagers are the most avid users of such sites. Based on the findings of several research studies in the Online Social Networks (OSNs) area, it has been found that these OSN sites are having a great impact on the lives of young people. But since most of the research works were carried out in other countries, it was found necessary and important to carry out a study in Mauritius on the impact of OSNs on the local youth. Such a study would provide an insight on the influence of OSNs on the behaviour and lifestyle of youngsters in the country. This paper reports the findings of a research work that was carried out in Mauritius targeting adolescents aging from 12 to 18 years where 4545 responses were collected through a survey. It was found that the majority of Mauritian youths were using OSNs on a large scale, mainly for communication purposes. According to this study, although OSNs have a positive impact on the adolescents, yet quite a large number of respondents reported having met with negative experiences on these online sites.
Information Systems Deployment in Libyan Oil Companies: Two Case Studies
Authors: Akeel Hosian , Wynn Martin , Zhang Shujun 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThis article assesses information systems deployment in two oil companies in Libya and thereby helps address the general shortage of information on the implementation of information systems in Libyan companies. It explores the information systems strategies of these two companies and explores and analyses how these have been implemented in recent years. One company has pursued an in‐house/best of breed approach, whilst the other is in the process of migrating to an integrated ERP software solution. The study uses a number of analytical models developed in a western context in recent years to assess the status and nature of IS deployment, and concludes that a combination of these models is of value in an IS industry context in developing world countries.
Aligning Work Practices, Mobile Technology and Strategy for Performance Improvement: The Case of SMEs in Uganda
Authors: Muhanguzi Samuel , Kyobe Michael 
Published: December 2017

AbstractSmall and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) contribute to economic development. However, their competitiveness is threatened by globalization and poor work practices. While mobile technology can address work practice challenges in SMEs, this technology has not been effectively leveraged by SMEs and little is still known about how best SMEs can match mobile technology applications with work practices and business strategy to enhance performance. The objective of this study was to identify combinations of these elements that provide better performance in SMEs in a developing nation. To achieve this objective the perspective of alignment as Gestalts was adopted. A survey was conducted in 174 SMEs in Uganda, followed by some interviews. Quantitative and qualitative techniques were then used to analyse the findings. High performers align ordinary mobile technology applications to strategies that improve customer services and productivity in order to optimise work practices across different stages of their business activities.
Capability Outcomes from Educational and ICT Capability Inputs – An Analysis of ICT use in Informal Education in Kenya
Authors: Hatakka Mathias , Ater Sarah , Obura David , Mibei Brigid 
Published: December 2017

AbstractIn the field of Information and Communication Technologies for Development (ICT4D) ICT use in education is well studied. Education is often seen as a pre‐requisite for development and ICTs are believed to aid in education, e.g. to make it more accessible and to increase its quality. In this paper we study the access and use of ICT in a study circle (SC) education program in the south coast of Kenya. The study is qualitative reporting results based on interviews and observations with SC participants, government officers and SC coordinators and teachers. The study builds on the capability approach perspective of development where individuals' opportunities and ability to live a life that they value are focused. The aim of the study is to investigate the capability outcomes enabled through the capability inputs access and use of ICT in education as well as the factors that enabled and/or restricted the outcomes. Findings show that many opportunities have been enabled such as an increase in the ability to generate an income, learning benefits, community development and basic human development (e.g. literacy and self‐confidence). However, conversion factors such as a poorly developed infrastructure and poor IT literacy prevent many of the individuals from taking full advantage of the ICT and the opportunities it enables.
Balancing Work Practices and Protocols in the Design of EMR Systems: The Case of Developing an EMR System for Antenatal Care Services in Malawi
Authors: Chawani Marlen Stacey , Kaasbøll Jens , Finken Sisse , Herstad Jo , Malata Address 
Published: December 2017

AbstractImplementing ICTs in healthcare settings has proved to be very challenging such that progress towards widespread adoption and use of Electronic Medical Record (EMR) systems has been slow. The challenges of implementing these technologies have been described as complex, diverse, and locally situated. One of the challenging aspects of designing EMR systems is the need for inscribing standardised protocols whilst taking into account local work practices. Previous research has called for the need to balance work practices and protocols in the design of EMR systems. We present an attempt to balance the work practices and protocols in the development of an EMR system for antenatal care in a developing country, Malawi. This was done through implementing weak inscriptions of the protocols in some cases and strong inscriptions in other cases. The study highlights the important role that clients play in healthcare work and thus, influence the design of EMR systems.
The Good, The Bad and the Ugly: Internet Use, Outcomes and the Role of Regulation in the Philippines
Authors: Hechanova Ma. Regina M. , Ortega‐Go Renee 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThis study expands the Uses and Gratification Theory by examining Internet use and its outcomes among Filipino Internet users. It also tests the Social Cognitive Theory by examining the role of both self and external regulation on Internet use outcomes. The study was done in two phases. In the first phase, interviews were conducted to elicit how the Internet is used as well as perceptions of healthy versus problematic Internet use. In the second phase, surveys were administered to 387 respondents from all over the Philippines. Results revealed that purposes or activities using the Internet can be grouped into seven factors, namely basic Internet use, entertainment, expression and interaction, e‐commerce, school‐related, and technological deviance. Although the last three have been cited in other studies, they have not been included in past taxonomies. Positive outcomes of Internet use are greater productivity and personal enhancement. Negative outcomes can be described in terms of social harm and Internet addiction. Results link specific usage with outcomes. The use of Internet to express oneself and interact predicted both personal enhancement and problematic Internet use. Basic Internet use and entertainment predicted problematic Internet use. External regulation predict personal harm and social harm but not productivity and addiction. Self‐regulation is associated with greater productivity and personal enhancement and is negatively related to social harm and addiction. Self‐regulated was also a strongest predictor of both positive outcomes suggesting that beyond putting in controls for Internet use, developing users ability to self‐regulate are more important in enabling the productive use of the Internet.
Managing Gender‐Related Challenges in ICT4D Field Research
Authors: Potnis Devendra Dilip 
Published: December 2017

AbstractA significant number of ICT4D projects funded by the developed world cannot meet their objectives. One cause of failures of ICT4D projects is likely to be the failures or shortcomings of the field research component since it is an integral part of a majority ICT4D projects. Hence, it becomes an imperative for researchers to be able to manage the challenges encountered in ICT4D field research. Project management principles (PMP) concerned with the scope, time, cost, quality, human resources, communications, and risks related to a variety of projects may help researchers to manage ICT4D field research challenges. However, PMP developed in and for the developed world cannot be applied as is; they need to be customized to a developing nation context. This paper illustrates the culturally sensitive application of PMP to manage contextual challenges mainly consisting of gender‐related challenges in field research with poor female mobile phone users in rural India. The communications and risk management principles were most useful when collecting quantitative and qualitative data from one of the most disadvantaged communities in the world. The insights into gender relations between the male researcher, the female local mediator, the female study participants, and their male family members would better equip researchers and practitioners to manage gender‐related challenges in ICT4D field research.