ICT for development reconsidered: a critical realist approach to the strategic context in Kenya's transition to e-governance

This study contributes to critical information systems research understanding of the broader strategic context of information systems initiatives in developing countries. It investigates contextual influences with structural impacts that may lead to instabilities and discontinuities in the immediate project context using a critical realist paradigm. It was informed by literature on development as discourse, ICT4D policy and technology transfer, E-Government adoption, and information systems research paradigms and applications in developing countries. A disconnection was observed between ICT4D policy practice that favors positivist technology diffusion models and research findings that suggest interpretive and critical contextual approaches. A theoretical framework was developed to reconsider ICT4D from a postcolonial country perspective by integrating critiques of modernity from Critical realism and postcolonial theory. An empirical case study investigation of change in Kenya‘s transition to E-Governance was then conducted and analyzed using a critical realist research framework, the Morphogenetic approach, supplemented by Q-methodology to study subjectivity. Finally ICT change was interpreted using critical realist concepts for structure, culture, and agency, with an overriding direction towards greater freedom. The main research contribution is a new approach to ICT4D where change is conceived within a dialectical framework that assumes people are moral and ethical beings possessing values. Research findings have implications for understanding the strategic context of E-Governance and ICT4D, time and temporality in contextual integrative frameworks, and suggest an alternative approach to strategy analysis in situations of rapid political and institutional change. They highlight the importance of political leaders and development agencies as mediators and interpreters of the strategic context. Development was conceived as a dialectical process towards transformative praxis, which together with the suggested approach to the strategic context, may require us to rethink the meaning of IS project success or failure in postcolonial developing countries

ICT for development reconsidered : a critical realist approach to the strategic context in Kenya's transition to e-governance

This study contributes to critical information systems research understanding of the broader strategic context of information systems initiatives in developing countries. It investigates contextual influences with structural impacts that may lead to instabilities and discontinuities in the immediate project context using a critical realist paradigm. It was informed by literature on development as discourse, ICT4D policy and technology transfer, E-Government adoption, and information systems research paradigms and applications in developing countries. A disconnection was observed between ICT4D policy practice that favors positivist technology diffusion models and research findings that suggest interpretive and critical contextual approaches. A theoretical framework was developed to reconsider ICT4D from a postcolonial country perspective by integrating critiques of modernity from Critical realism and postcolonial theory. An empirical case study investigation of change in Kenya‘s transition to E-Governance was then conducted and analyzed using a critical realist research framework, the Morphogenetic approach, supplemented by Q-methodology to study subjectivity. Finally ICT change was interpreted using critical realist concepts for structure, culture, and agency, with an overriding direction towards greater freedom. The main research contribution is a new approach to ICT4D where change is conceived within a dialectical framework that assumes people are moral and ethical beings possessing values. Research findings have implications for understanding the strategic context of E-Governance and ICT4D, time and temporality in contextual integrative frameworks, and suggest an alternative approach to strategy analysis in situations of rapid political and institutional change. They highlight the importance of political leaders and development agencies as mediators and interpreters of the strategic context. Development was conceived as a dialectical process towards transformative praxis, which together with the suggested approach to the strategic context, may require us to rethink the meaning of IS project success or failure in postcolonial developing countries.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceCommonwealth Scholarship Commission in the United Kingdom (CSCUK)Warwick Business School (WBS)GBUnited Kingdo

Reverse Logistics and Competitive Advantage: The Mediating Effect of Operational Performance Among Manufacturing Firms in Kenya

Today globally, countries and manufacturing entities alike are concerned with environmental sustainability apart from economic gains. Implementation of reverse logistics programs has been contemplated as a feasible alternative to mitigate the negative environmental effects of manufacturing while gaining competitory position. Literature has also suggested that improved operational performance results in the achievement of competitiveness. However the question has been whether implementing reverse logistics creates comparative advantage that leads to gaining competitive advantage for manufacturing entities. Specifically, the study sought to determine the influence of operational performance on the relationship between reverse logistics and a firm’s competitive advantage. Using correlation cross-sectional survey design, primary data were collected from 175 Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) registered firms through a semi-structured questionnaire. Covariance-based, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the data and test the study hypothesis. Results from the hypothesis tests revealed that operational performance significantly mediates the association linking reverse logistics and a firm’s competitive advantage. The study confirmed that when resources are mobilized uniquely, they create comparative advantage consequently leading to competitive advantage. The study recommends that implementation of reverse logistics should be guided by a process that requires identifying the uniqueness of resources the organization has and strategically utilizing these resources in a manner that builds comparative advantage. Policymakers within the manufacturing sector in Kenya should improve the regulatory framework to upscale application of reverse logistics strategies in a manner that improves operational performance. Based on the limitations of the study, areas for further research have been suggested

Examining the Effect of Organizational Culture on the Relationship between Supply Chain Quality Management Practices Adoption and Performance of Private Hospitals in Kenya

Health care institutions have complex global supply networks and organizations that have heterogenous cultural configurations. There are a number of studies that have directly linked supply chain quality management practices in the manufacturing sector and other service firms to organizational performance. However, minimal research has been done to examine the role of corporate culture in the relationship. Moreover, there is need to empirically confirm effect of corporate culture in private hospitals in Kenya where provision of quality and affordable health care remains a challenge. Corporate culture fit between organizations serves as a thread that ties firms together. The study was conducted in order examine the effect of organizational culture on the relationship between supply chain quality management practices adoption and performance of private hospitals in Kenya. Positivist research orientation and descriptive cross-sectional research design guided the research process. Raw data was collected from management staff tasked with supply chain decision making responsibility in the hospitals. A response rate of 70.51% was realized. Normality, collinearity, homoscedasticity and autocorrelation constituted model diagnosis. Hypothesis was tested using model fit indices and significance of path coefficient. The findings indicate that corporate culture has significant positive effect on the relationship. The study concluded that right corporate culture among supply chain partners both internally and externally serves as catalyst while implementing SCQM practices to bring about improved performance. It is therefore recommended that for private hospitals to benefit more from improved performance upon adopting SCQM practices, they must ensure homogeneity of cultural configurations internally and externally. In addition, the study provides future researchers with a useful conceptual and methodological reference that can be used in the pursuit of further studies particularly in the area of both supply chain and quality management with specific reference to the corporate culture as a moderating variable

The Influence of Process Innovation and Operational Performance on the Relationship between Adoption of Reverse Logistics and Competitive Advantage: A Critical Review of Literature

This paper examines the relationship between process innovation, operationalperformance, reverse logistics adoption and competitive advantage. According to theresource advantage theory of competition organizations gain competitive advantagethrough marshaling comparative advantage in resources. Empirical studies have shownthat marshaling comparative advantage through the adoption of reverse logistics can leadto sustainable competitive advantage for firms. However, these studies have notdemonstrated how various strategies to the adoption of reverse logistics impact on a firm’ssustainable competitive creating capabilities. Further studies have shown that processinnovations have the potential to reposition organizations’ current assets in a manner thatallows them to gain new capabilities that enable the achievement of higher operationalefficiency and ultimately generate sustainability creating processes in the short and longrun.Studies have also revealed that firms gain comparative advantage when resources intheir control facilitate them to generate and implement strategies that result in highlyefficient and effective operations.   Keywords: Reverse Logistics, Competiti

GREEN SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND PERFORMANCE OF ISO 14001 CERTIFIED MANUFACTURING FIRMS IN EAST AFRICA

Increasing levels of environmental degradation by manufacturing firms hasresulted in heterogeneous pressures from various organizational groups on the need for themto conduct environmentally friendly operations. A viable option for these firms has been theimplementation of green supply chain practices. The key concern however is whether theimplementing these practices actually lead to improved performance. The main objective ofthis study therefore was to examine the relationship between the implementation of GSCMpractices and performance of ISO 14001 certified firms in East Africa. Through the use ofpositivist research paradigm and descriptive cross-sectional research design, primary datawas collected from persons in charge of environmental issues in ISO 14001 manufacturingfirms in East Africa. Based on the objective, the study establishes a statistically significantpositive direct relationship between implementation of GSCM practices and organizationalperformance. The study therefore confirms existence of a positive link between GSCMpractices and organizational performance thus helping to reduce the uncertainty which hasarisen out of contradictory findings from past studies on whether it is beneficial to pursuethese practices. The results support the natural resource based view that GSCM practicesaffords the firm an opportunity for competitive advantage and performance improvementthrough unique causally ambiguous and socially complex resources. The study recommendsthat manufacturing firms should implement environmentally sound practices in all phases ofthe supply chain, beginning with procurement of raw materials through to design,manufacture, packaging, distribution and end of life disposal of their products. Regulatorscan use the findings to scale up the level of implementation of GSCM practices by enforcingstricter environmental legislation and giving incentives to firms that have alreadyimplemented these practices. The findings also provide future researchers’ with a usefulconceptual and methodological reference to pursue further studies in this under-studiedGSCM area especially in the African context

Correlation of Product Quality of Extruded Sorghum Products to Extent of Starch Gelatinization 1

A comparison was made of extrudes made from pure sorghum flour (Ll87), wheat flour (biscuit) and  composites of the two flours containing various percentages of sorghum. The different parameters which were contrasted included expansion and density, mechanical strength (shear) and colour. Correlation of these  properties to the extent to which starch was gelatinized at the extrusion temperature was made. Amount of gelatinized starch was monitored by Direct Scanning Calorimetry (D.S.C) in conjunction with Scanning  Electron Microscopy (S.E.M). Results indicated that there is a direct relationship between extent of product expansion and extent of gelatinization, loss of shear with extent of gelatinization; increase in expansion with increased moisture content for sorghum products and-decrease of colour (tannin content) with increased  gelatinization. The ability of wheat and sorghum to gelatinize at different temperatures was identified as the main setback to production of good composite extrudes.Key words: Sorghum, wheat, extrusion, Direct Sc,mning Calorimetry (D.S.C), Scanning Electron  Microscopy (S.E.M

The broader context for ICT4D projects: A morphogenetic analysis

This paper demonstrates the value of Archer's morphogenetic approach (MA) in understanding and explaining the complexity of the broader context within which many developing country information and communication technology (ICT) projects are implemented. It does this by using MA's analytical and explanatory apparatus to examine the evolution of the context of public sector ICT provision in Kenya over the period 1963-2006. In addition to demonstrating the practical value of MA, the paper contributes to the Information Systems literature on ICT for development (ICT4D). The analysis identifies (1) global normative pressures, polity, the national socio-economic base, disruptive technology, and the emergence of multistakeholder networks as key forces in shaping the evolutionary trajectory, (2) the explicit treatment of time and temporality as key for understanding mechanisms underpinning the evolutionary process, and (3) the difficulty of cleanly isolating the implementation of individual public sector ICT projects from the broader context and ICT4D agendas. The discussion elaborates on the features of MA found to be particularly valuable in this study. The paper concludes that explicitly attending to time and temporality, and to the broader context for ICT4D projects, would contribute to the development of more nuanced accounts of such projects and a more emancipatory outlook for ICT4D research

Comparative evaluation of the antimicrobial efficacy of four chewing sticks commonly used in South India: An in vitro study

Background and Aim: The use of chewing sticks has been well documented since ancient times in India. Chewing sticks are a good alternative to the toothbrush for maintaining oral hygiene. The present study was designed and conducted to compare and evaluate the antimicrobial effects of the aqueous extracts of neem, miswak, mango, and banyan chewing sticks against two bacterial species considered the most important in the initiation and progression of dental caries, namely Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus acidophilus, respectively. Materials and Methods: Twigs of the above mentioned chewing sticks were sun dried and powdered, and sterile aqueous solutions of 10%, 25% and 50% concentrations were prepared. Culture plates for S mutans and L acidophilus were prepared and the growth was transferred to nutrient agar and Mueller-Hinton agar; antimicrobial activity of the extracts was tested after 72 h, using the disc diffusion method. Normal saline was used as control. Results: The antimicrobial activity of neem, miswak, and mango extracts increased as their concentrations increased. Both banyan extract and saline showed no antimicrobial activity against the organisms tested. Conclusion and Recommendations: Based on the zones of inhibition, aqueous extracts of neem showed the most antimicrobial activity against S mutans, while miswak extracts showed superior antimicrobial activity against L acidophilus. We recommend further phytochemical and pharmacological studies to discover newer nonsynthetic tooth pastes and mouthwashes

The broader context for ICT4D projects : a morphogenetic analysis

This paper demonstrates the value of Archer’s morphogenetic approach (MA) in understanding and explaining the complexity of the broader context within which many developing country information and communication technology (ICT) projects are implemented. It does this by using MA’s analytical and explanatory apparatus to examine the evolution of the context of public sector ICT provision in Kenya over the period 1963–2006. In addition to demonstrating the practical value of MA, the paper contributes to the Information Systems literature on ICT for development (ICT4D). The analysis identifies (1) global normative pressures, polity, the national socio-economic base, disruptive technology, and the emergence of multistakeholder networks as key forces in shaping the evolutionary trajectory, (2) the explicit treatment of time and temporality as key for understanding mechanisms underpinning the evolutionary process, and (3) the difficulty of cleanly isolating the implementation of individual public sector ICT projects from the broader context and ICT4D agendas. The discussion elaborates on the features of MA found to be particularly valuable in this study. The paper concludes that explicitly attending to time and temporality, and to the broader context for ICT4D projects, would contribute to the development of more nuanced accounts of such projects and a more emancipatory outlook for ICT4D research