Contribution of ICT (Information and Communication Technology) for development: a case study in Brazil

The concept of development as freedom can be seen as an expansion process of real freedoms people enjoy, associated with their freedom of choices in social, political and economical spheres. Certain international agencies propose that Information and Communication Technology (ICT) allow this development to be reached more efficiently and quickly. While there are success stories galore, there is acknowledgement of not all investments in ICT bringing positive effects towards development. Following this development approach and choice framework, this paper discusses how the use of ICT can promote a more effective development, buy studying the case of Sudotec (an association for technological and industrial development in the southwest of the state of Paraná, in Brazil). It is a non-profit organization that saw in ICT the opportunity to change the local scenario. The results revealed positive effects of the use of ICT in social, economical and cultural spheres, not presenting political effect

Evaluating How Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Interventions Affect the Wellbeing of Indigenous Communities in the North Rupununi, Guyana

Having its roots in computer science and information systems, the field of information and communication technologies (ICT) in development has arguably been dominated by technocentric approaches, mainly concerned with describing and managing the mechanisms of technology diffusion and adoption. However, the high failure rate of many ICT for development (ICT4D) interventions and their limited focus on wellbeing impact has drawn attention to the needs for designing better evaluation frameworks to help make sense of the complex realities in which ICT interventions take place, and for interrogating the usefulness of mainstream approaches on the impact of ICT4D interventions on wellbeing. Efforts to operationalise the capability approach, and to apply it to the field of ICT4D constitute an increasingly popular alternative in this regard. The alternative shifts the focus of ICT4D evaluation away from an exclusive focus on technology access and use, towards understanding their multidimensional development outcomes, including their impact on wellbeing. One avenue, which has largely been underexplored, is the potential contribution of systems thinking approaches for further strengthening the focus on multidimensional development outcomes while improving the practical applicability of ICT4D evaluations. This doctoral research sets out to explore how systems thinking concepts and techniques can be used to complement existing approaches so as to increase the success rate of ICT4D interventions, as measured by their effect on the wellbeing of intended beneficiaries. Drawing on multiple theoretical influences, including the capability approach, systemic inquiry, critical theory and pragmatism, this thesis evaluates four ICT4D interventions, including a researcher-led ICT4D intervention, which have all taken place in Indigenous communities of the North Rupununi, Guyana, between 2005 and 2015. The findings of this study suggest that the wellbeing impact of ICT4D interventions is primarily determined by whether they are introduced to address locally-defined needs and the extent to which beneficiary communities are involved in their design, implementation and evaluation. It argues that applying concepts and techniques from systems thinking can help address some of the criticism and shortcomings of established and emerging approaches for evaluating ICT4D interventions, by looking beyond efficiency and optimisation towards questions of participation, power, purpose and values. The research then outlines the contours of a Systemic Implementation and Evaluation (SIE) framework, as a way to draw attention to the inevitable clashes of worldviews that characterise interventions involving multiple stakeholders, and to allow a critical reflection on the nature of these interventions and the changes brought about. It concludes by producing a series of policy recommendations associated with enhancing the impact of ICT4D interventions on Indigenous wellbeing

Memahami Perjalanan "Kampung Cyber" Melalui Lensa Actor Network Theory

Penelitian terdahulu menunjukkan tingginya risiko kegagalan dari proyek-proyek penerapan teknologi informasi dan komunikasi (TIK) untuk pembangunan. Salah satu tantangan utamanya adalah mendapatkan kepercayaan dari masyarakat dan memastikan bahwa program-program itu lestari. Penelitian ini akan membahas detail proses implementasi TIK untuk pembangunan menggunakan lensa Actor Network Theory. Detail proses implementasi TIK nantinya akan dianalisis berdasarkan fase-fase pada Actor Network Theory.  Studi kasus penelitian ini adalah sebuah desa bernama “Kampung Cyber” di Yogyakarta yang sudah menerapkan TIK sejak tahun 2008. Penelitian ini merupakan hasil dari studi kualitatif berdasarkan wawancara dan observasi dari masyarakat Kampung Cyber beserta dengan tokoh-tokoh utama dalam implementasi TIK. Detail temuan penelitian ini dapat dijadikan referensi dalam implementasinya di daerah lain. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan Actor Network Theory mampu memetakan bagaimana proses implementasi TIK di Kampung Cyber. Hasil analisis juga menunjukkan perubahan peran Ketua RT yang di masa awal menjadi sangat dominan, yang akhirnya digantikan oleh masyarakat.  AbstractPrevious studies have documented failures in various information and communication technology for development (ICT4D) projects. One of the main challenges in ICT4D project is gaining the trust of the community and ensuring its sustainability. This paper presents stories from ICT4D project implementation through the lens of Actor Network Theory (ANT). The case is a village called "Kampung Cyber" in Yogyakarta. This study employs a qualitative approach using data gathered from interviews with the main actors and observations in Kampung Cyber. Details from the findings may be adapted as a reference to ICT4D project implementation in similar context. The finding unveil that the theory is very useful to explain the implementation process along with involved actors. The study also finds that the role of the leading actor (i.e. the head of neighborhood unit)) diminishes over time and the dominant role is taken over by the community.   

Fostering Participation and Capacity Building with Neighborhood Information Systems.

Applying information to decision making, monitoring neighborhood conditions, targeting resources, and recommending action have long been key urban planning functions. Increasingly, nonprofit organizations like community development corporations (CDCs) carry out these functions in distressed urban areas. Scholars in multiple disciplines argue that “data democratization”—increased access to data—would support a wide range of community change efforts. Proponents of a specific data delivery tool—neighborhood information systems (NIS)—claim that the technology can increase public participation and build capacity in distressed urban neighborhoods. This research evaluates these claims in Cleveland where the mortgage foreclosure crisis has left a glut of vacant and abandoned properties and a dire need to prioritize activities with limited resources. The research provides an integrated theoretical framework, bringing together four distinct bodies of knowledge for the first time: science and technology studies; participation, capacity, and capacity building; geographic information systems; and management information systems. The mixed-methods approach employed includes interviews with sixty community development professionals in Cleveland and a longitudinal regression analysis of thirty CDCs’ housing rehabilitation outcomes between July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2011. NIS increased the networking capacity of CDCs engaged in the city’s Code Enforcement Partnership by improving communication between partners. NIS also increased programmatic capacity, especially as measured by the percentage of CDC-owned properties sold to new owners who pay taxes on those properties. Staff in one CDC successfully leveraged NIS to improve public participation, a measure of political capacity. The findings also suggest that access to NIS does not fundamentally change CDC priorities. This research helps to fill specific gaps in multiple bodies of knowledge and features an in depth analysis of threats to validity, practical implications for decision-making with NIS, and recommendations for NIS developers and funders. Developers and funders in other cities may wish to consider their role as not just democratizing data—but providing a platform for partnerships by enabling organizations to better share data in order to achieve shared objectives.PHDUrban and Regional PlanningUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/111415/1/davideps_1.pd