bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Constraints of ICT in Lifelong Learning on Disadvantaged Women
Authors: Hallberg David , Hansson Henrik , Nilsson Anders G. 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThis paper draws attention to the urgency of taking into consideration women's genderspecific needs and interests in the implementation of community‐based ICT projects in lifelong learning. We set out this research to understand the constraints of information and communications technology (ICT) in lifelong learning on disadvantaged women. National statistics and data from field studies were used. The constraints and their consequences at national level are often a result of national policies and regulations – or lack thereof – while the constraints and their consequences at local/regional level involve everyday‐life occurrences that are present in women's immediate surroundings. Hence, an understanding of both levels is critical. This research is valuable for stakeholders delving into issues of development intervention using ICTs, not only in Kenya but in a broader, global perspective.
Understanding the Introduction and Use of a Mobile Device‐Supported Health Information System in Nigeria
Authors: Ezenwa Chioma , Brooks Laurence 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThis paper presents an in‐depth analysis of efforts to introduce a mobile health information system in Nigeria as part of a development initiative aimed at improving maternal and child health. Specifically, it examines the use of mobile devices to facilitate maternal health information accessibility and exchange among health practitioners in order to reducing maternal, newborn and child mortality. Further, it also looks at the challenges raised while introducing mobile devices into work practices in the healthcare sector.The study adopts a case study approach, relying on semi‐structured interviews and document analysis as its main methods for collecting data. The specific case examined is a mobile phone‐based information system introduced to support a national government effort in Nigeria, known as the midwives service scheme. The findings of this study show that this integrated approach of using mobile phones to support (health) information systems has vast potential; for instance increasing the timeliness of (health) data available to stakeholders for monitoring and planning purposes. However, we also find that over time, attaining the potential of development efforts such as this remains difficult as initiatives involving the use of mobile devices is not just about getting the technical aspect right. It is equally dependent on deep seated social‐cultural influences such as poor political and financial commitment. These two mutually reinforcing influences have been identified in this study as significant impediments to efforts of this kind. Therefore, this paper argues for, first a strong political commitment across all levels of government whereby their words are backed with action. Second it is important that the government maintains financial integrity by releasing the funds budgeted to support the smooth running of these efforts, for such initiatives to thrive and ultimately contribute to development.
Issues and Challenges, Strategies and Recommendations, in the development of ICT in a small island developing state: the case of Samoa
Authors: Mow Ioana Tuugalei Chan 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThis paper is based on a study whose goals were to i) trace and analyse the developments of ICT in Samoa over the last 20 years, ii) identify issues and challenges in implementing these ICT developments iii) identify past and present strategies employed to resolve them and iv) from these findings make recommendations for the future in terms of policy implications, best practices and research. The conceptualisation of ICT developments, issues, challenges and strategies are based on Heeks’ Inclusive Innovation theory (Heeks, 2013), Schumpeter's development theory (2002) and Sen's capability approach (1999). Analysis of ICT developments makes use of the World Bank Infodev framework for assessing ICT projects (World Bank, 2005). Analysis, reporting and discussion of the findings are made within the Framework of Action in ICT development in the Pacific (FAIDP, 2010). From this investigation of issues and strategies, recommendations have emerged for best practice and areas for potential research.
Different Shades of Success: Educator Perceptions of Government Strategy on E‐Education in South Africa
Authors: Mooketsi Bojelo E. , Chigona Wallace 
Published: December 2017

AbstractIn most literature evaluating ICT4D projects in education, the yard stick used to evaluate ICT implementation in business which seeks to establish value is used. As a result most of the projects are in our opinion, wrongly deemed to have been failed. We propose that a better measure of success should consider the context in which the project exists and the perception of the intended recipients – for example a similar objective measure of project outcome could be perceived differently by people of different economic and social status. In this paper, we will demonstrate this concept by evaluating the perception of success of the implementation of an e‐learning strategy in disadvantaged areas in South Africa. Data for the study was collected through various qualitative means in selected disadvantaged areas of Cape Town. Even though a number of existing evaluations point to general failure of implementation of the e‐learning strategy, our study showed that the teachers in the disadvantaged areas considered the system a success based on the intangible benefits they derived from the implementation. Therefore this paper calls for a different way of evaluating ICT for education systems.
The Impact of Communication Technologies on the Performance of SMEs in a Developing Economy: Nigeria as a Case Study
Authors: Rufai Ibrahim Adeniyi 
Published: December 2017

AbstractInformed by Social Shaping Theory (modified), this paper presents a research that examines the impact of communication technologies (mobile telephony, personal computer and internet facilities) on the performance of small and medium businesses in Lagos state, Nigeria. Results indicate that SMEs operating in different socio‐economic settings present varying performance results from the use of communication technology tools. The study was undertaken through a firm survey and also a number of semi‐structured interviews with purposively selected 100 SMEs operating in both the affluent and disadvantaged districts of the city. Using basic descriptive statistics and thematic analytical techniques for the survey and interview data respectively, major findings suggest that: 1) as communication technologies positively impact the performance of SMEs, existing socio‐economic factors within the districts where the firms operate also influence the choice of communications technology and significantly shape its impact on business performance; 2) class differences with respect to income and education disparity, as well as communication habits in the affluent and disadvantaged communities account for different outcomes in the business performance of firms; 3) the Impact of communication technologies on the local economy seems to be more prominent and significant in regard to the performance of firms operating in the affluent districts compared to the performance of firms operating in disadvantaged districts
Leveraging E‐Health for Future‐Oriented Healthcare Systems in Developing Countries
Authors: Kalema Billy M. , Kgasi Mmamolefe R. 
Published: December 2017

AbstractHealth IT has become a driving force for health institutions to embrace holistic integration so as to offer high‐quality diagnoses and to provide solutions designed to assist medical personnel to improve patients’ healthcare. However, success of integrating IT in healthcare has been seen mainly in developed countries. Health institutions in developing and least developed countries are still being challenged by many factors that have hindered the successful integration of IT in healthcare. Readiness has been one of the major challenges for electronic health (e‐health) implementation in developing countries’ health institutions. It is therefore essential that health institutions in developing countries carryout E‐health readiness assessment prior to its implementation. The goal of this study was to report on the E‐health readiness assessment model contextualized in developing countries. The study employed the Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP) to validate the data that was collected from health institutions of the rural North‐west province of South Africa. The results indicated that core readiness is the most essential element for E‐health readiness. The designed model will be used both theoretically and practically. Theoretically, it will be used in the investigation of new ways of implementing E‐health in developing countries. Practically, the model will be used to assist healthcare decision makers and governments to make informed decisions on how to grant citizens affordable access to healthcare, especially those in disadvantaged rural areas.
Transitioning Customized ACASI Windows.NET Solution to Android Java on Lower‐Priced Devices and Technical Lessons Learned
Authors: Mierzwa Stan , Souidi Samir , Austrian Karen , Hewett Paul , Isaac Adan , Maimbolwa Minyoi , Wu Chung 
Published: December 2017

AbstractResearch‐based organizations are continuing to find ways to leverage newer technologies in projects, specifically using lower cost hardware solutions if at all possible. There exist many electronic data collection solutions for purchase, as well as free open‐source options to assist researchers and investigators, particularly those engaged in international public health. Sometimes, however, these solutions may not meet the specific needs of the research project. In this case, organizations may opt to architect and develop a custom product. Android devices, both smartphone and tablet‐based, continue to expand into many markets globally, particularly in the developing world. These devices can be found in most major cities and local technology support for them, as well as an understanding of their operation is growing along‐side this expansion in use. Recently Google chose India to introduce the first of a series of affordable smartphones under its Android One initiative, a bid by the company to win over the “next billion” users in emerging economies (Rai, Saritha 2014). Software developers may be required to transfer existing developed applications and programs to operate on the new Android‐based devices. In our case we had a working Microsoft.NET program developed in the C# programming language that works well on Windows‐based laptops and tablets, but it could not be used on the lower priced Android units. Converting the.NET application or at least the heavier programming logic in the application, to the Java language may be possible and the details of performing this task are discussed in this paper.
Towards a Framework for Accessing Agricultural Market Information
Authors: Magesa Mawazo M. , Michael Kisangiri , Ko Jesuk 
Published: December 2017

AbstractMaking markets work for the poor in rural communities involves different stakeholders. Management, development partners, private sector and NGOs are accustomed to ensure enabling infrastructure is provided. Access to markets requires good transport and low transaction cost accompanied with recent market information. To provide market information to rural community, stakeholders may initiate the program by providing funds and finding the means of ensuring the sustainability of the program. Delivering market information requires established ICT infrastructure and capable staffing. Thus, a framework to access agricultural market information requires management to provide infrastructure and funding, and also to ensure rural areas are equipped with the technology.
Citizens’ Use of New Media in Authoritarian Regimes: A Case Study of Uganda
Authors: Grönlund Åke , Wakabi Wairagala 
Published: December 2017

AbstractBy subsidizing the costs of civic participation, the use of the Internet use is believed to stimulate participation but there are fears that intensive Internet use causes withdrawal from public life. This paper investigates the connection between the way individuals participate online and offline in authoritarian, low‐income regimes, and the nature of eParticipation among citizens in authoritarian regimes such as Uganda. Based on personal interviews with 116 Internet users, the study found that common drivers of eParticipation, such as low cost, security and anonymity are hard to transplant into the offline world for citizens of authoritarian states such as Uganda. Perceived risks of retribution and intimidation for expressing a particular opinion or supporting a political cause mean that citizen‐to‐citizen participation is the predominant form but still at low levels, while citizen‐to‐government participation is negligible.
A Socio‐Technical Analysis of ICT Investments in Developing Countries: A Capability Perspective
Authors: Dasuki Salihu Ibrahim , Abbott Pamela 
Published: December 2017

AbstractMost existing ICT for development (ICT4D) literature tends to focus mainly on design, transfer and implementation issues. There is limited focus on the impact of ICT projects on development and little concrete analysis of these initiatives in terms of their long‐term developmental impact. In this paper, we draw upon Luke's (1974) concept of power and Sen's (1999) notion of capabilities as an evaluative space for ICT project assessment. The novel approach taken from Luke's concept of power with Sen's capability approach attempts to understand the social powers that may inhibit or enable individuals from taking full advantage of ICT resources for furtherance of their lives. The framework's utility is illustrated with a case study based on an empirical work in the Nigerian electricity sector. The combined framework and case study contribute to knowledge on the development of theory and informs practice by offering a novel approach to examining ICT‐led developmental projects. The study concludes with some implications for policy makers advancing an agenda on “ICT for Development”.
Effect of Gen Y's Affective Attitudes Towards Facebook Marketing Communications in South Africa
Authors: Duffett Rodney G 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThe ubiquitous role of technology in the lives of Generation (Gen) Y consumers is commonly recognized in scholarly circles, as well as the pervasive use of interactive and social media among younger consumers, which is significant for marketers from an advertising perspective. Widespread usage of social media such as Facebook is generating billions of dollars in advertising revenue, however, little is known about the attitudes of consumers towards advertising on this conduit in developing countries, especially in terms of the effect of various usage characteristics and demographic factors. This study investigates the influence of Facebook advertising on affective attitudes amongst Gen Y in South Africa (SA). The findings of the inquiry revealed a generally positive predisposition towards Facebook advertising vis‐à‐vis affective attitudes, which makes a noteworthy contribution to the limited social media research on hierarchy response theory in developing countries. This investigation should also assist companies and their brands to understand what makes Gen Y like and develop a preference for their products that are promoted on Facebook, as well as the impact of various usage and demographics variables, thereby abetting the development and implementation of more effective marketing communications on this vast digital interactive medium in South Africa.
Measurement and Determining Factors Affecting the Level of Knowledge Management
Authors: Naicker Visvanathan , Omer Nasraldine 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThis paper provides a new model for assessing the performance of firms in their Knowledge Management (KM) endeavours. This research investigates and identifies the main determinants of successful KM processes. Firms have been accumulating and applying knowledge to create competitive advantages. The emphasis on knowledge management in contemporary firms is based on the notion that problems to the transfer and replication of knowledge bestow KM with strategic prominence. As a result, firms are at various stages of planning and implementing knowledge‐based strategies to improve their competitiveness in the marketplace. Moreover, there are human factors that facilitate or hinder the ability of firms and their staff to adopt and implement competitive, business technologies. Hence, the use of institutional theory to develop an integrative model in measuring the constructs of successful KM process capabilities is considered in this paper. The research model is tested with a survey study involving 682 firms in which data was collected over 6 months. The empirical results provided strong support for the model. In addition to its theoretical contributions, this study presents important practical suggestions through the identification of specific proficiencies leading to KM success.
Exploring the Cybersex Phenomenon in the Philippines
Authors: Cruz Elinor May , Sajo Trina Joyce 
Published: December 2017

AbstractIn its “Philippine Information Society” discourse, the State promotes Filipino service‐based ICT skills while condemning other “offensive” and “illegal” activities, such as cybersex. This dichotomy fails to capture the complex nature of the cybersex phenomenon, and accordingly, the varied lived experiences of individuals in the context of an emergent “Information Society.” We wish to broaden the discursive space by adopting the affective labor perspective and showcasing cybersex narratives that traverse themes of exploitation, negotiation, resistance, and agency in ICT use. Using two case studies, we illustrate how cybersex is experienced, organized, mediated, and made meaningful. We also describe how laborers are inscribed in mechanisms of surveillance and control, as they develop counter‐measures to compromise, challenge or take advantage of these mechanisms. Our analysis reveals that cybersex laborers create value, not just in monetizing their labor, but also in pursuing autonomy, personal development, and kinship‐oriented care. The lived experiences of cybersex laborers also produce new and potent forms of bio‐politics. These multi‐faceted narratives problematize the State‐sponsored ICT discourse. On one hand, laborers embody the impositions made upon service‐based labor by the global digital economy: rudimentary technological skills, the ability to speak English, the ability to empathize and foster customer relations. On the other, their exclusion engendered the refusal to be subjected to the standards and prerequisites of the legitimate, “formal” digital economy. Cybersex's anomalous position, we contend, is a reflexive by‐product of the neoliberal digital economy that puts premium less on ICT for development and more on labor that serves, foremost, ICT for capital.
Analyzing Multmedia Data: Exploring the Dimensions of COntext in ICT for Development Research
Authors: Chandwani Rajesh , De Rahul 
Published: December 2017

AbstractIt is argued that ICT‐for‐development interventions should be seen as a dynamic and hybrid network of actors, artefacts, communities, and institutions embedded within the context. Comprehensive understanding of contextual nuances in ICT4D research is thus, an important determinant of quality of research. Scholars have emphasized that qualitative research is opportune in uncovering unique insights and comprehension in a poorly understood and hitherto unexplored arena such as ICT4D interventions in developing countries. While ‘data’ in most of the qualitative research refers to ‘words or textual data’, the advancements in the mobile technology, especially incorporation of compact cameras in the mobile phones, and increasing penetration of mobile phones allow researchers to easily capture multimedia data in their field study. We posit that multimedia data, having multiple dimensions as compared to textual data, enhance the capability of the researchers to understand and explore a specific dimension of qualitative research, namely the contextual dimension, enabling the researcher to undertake a more valid or rigorous investigation of the phenomenon as embedded in the context. By explicating the process of analysis of multimedia data‐video recordings of doctor‐patient interaction over telemedicine, the authors emphasize that multimedia data analysis can considerably enhance the quality of research in the ICTD domain. In doing so, this paper addresses two important issues related to the methodological issues in qualitative analysis of multimedia data: (1) when and why should the researcher consider collecting multimedia data as opposed to textual data and (2) how should the researcher proceed in analyzing the multimedia data.
Disciplinary Kingdoms: Navigating the Politics of Research Philosophy in the Information Systems
Authors: van Zyl Izak 
Published: December 2017

AbstractIn this position paper, I discuss the intellectual politics of research philosophy in the field of Information Systems (IS). I make particular reference to the higher education landscape of South Africa, and attempt to trace personal and scholarly encounters with what I deem to be ‘paradigmatic thinking’. The aim of the ensuing discussion is to deepen the understanding of the politics of paradigms, as instantiated in IS research teaching and philosophy. This discussion attempts to broaden existing discourse by considering the university of technology as an emerging player in IS research philosophy. In particular, I consider paradigmatic thinking as the emergence of Disciplinary Kingdoms within which academics navigate the sacred grounds of philosophy, and rule over these with epistemological authority. I discuss these dynamics critically, and argue for conceptual‐critical undertakings in the research philosophy of IS that encourage autonomy, agency, and self‐reflection.
Women and ICT in Africa and the Middle East: Changing Selves, Changing Societies
Authors: Addo Atta 
Published: December 2017

AbstractWomen and ICT in Africa and the Middle East: Changing Selves, Changing Societies. Edited by: Ineke Buskens & Anne Webb. Zed Books, London 2014: ISBN: 978‐1‐98360‐042‐7; £ 21.99; 326pp
ICT Policies in Developing Countries: An Evaluation with the Extended Design‐Actuality Gaps Framework
Authors: Palvia Prashant , Baqir Naveed , Nemati Hamid 
Published: December 2017

AbstractInformation and communication technologies (ICT) are often represented as a factor in global economic growth and social development. Consequently, countries and governments invest large amounts of resources in the ICT sector. However, it is not certain whether the results of these investments necessarily match expectations. In order to investigate this conundrum, this study evaluates government policies for Information Communication Technologies (ICT) growth in a developing country by extending and utilizing the design‐actuality gaps framework. A qualitative analysis of government's ICT policy documents (i.e., design) and interviews with 35 citizens and 54 government officials (i.e., actuality) shows significant design‐actuality gaps. Additional insights are derived from two focus groups involving 11 citizens. The analysis shows that not only there are gaps between policy design and actuality but also the dimensions of design and actuality are different. The causes of these gaps are discussed along with implications for practitioners and a theoretical extension of the design‐actuality gaps framework. This research contributes to the literature on design‐actuality gaps, ICT in developing countries, and government policy evaluation.