A Decision Model for Technology Assessment to Reduce the Internal Digital Divide in Emerging Economies (case: Costa Rica)

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) such as Wireless, the Internet, and e-commerce software are profoundly impacting how business and government are conducted. Digital divide (DD) refers to the gap that opens up between those who have access to, benefit and interact with ICTs and those who can not. ICTs can either accelerate change and thereby increase the DD in developing countries, or, if deployed carefully can be a tool to reduce the DD within a country. This study presents a systematic approach for doing the latter by identifying the ICTs, technology applications and key sectors that most impact the internal digital divide in developing countries. The specific case study is Costa Rica. The methodology selected for conducting this study is the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), and the model is based on the United Nations Development Program report titled “Creating a Development Dynamic: Final Report of the Digital Opportunity”, concepts from the literature and expert judgments. A four level hierarchical decision model has been developed using weights provided by an expert panel. The model computes the contribution of ICTs and ICTs applications to the reduction of the DD, through the reduction of the DD in key sectors. The model was developed for 2003 and 2010. The study found that a reduction of the DD in the education sector would have the highest impact followed by the DD in the economic, government and health sectors. Education and government applications have the highest impact on reducing the DD, due to their focus on innovation and creativity, enhancing the education process through ICTs use as well as improving the efficiency of public administration. In 2003, the ICTs with the highest impact are: land-based devices, general-purpose software, the Internet content and infrastructure. The impact of collaborative tools increases dramatically from 2003 to 2010, suggesting that the role of technology in 2010 will be distinctively oriented toward Internet mobility and collaboration. In addition to developing a general modeling approach for prioritizing ICTs, this research provides the Costa Rican government officials with a solid basis for making important policy decisions related to reducing DD

An investigation of ICT project management techniques for sustainable ICT projects in rural development

Poverty alleviation by means of rural development has become a priority among developing countries. In turn, rural development may be significantly enhanced and supported by Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), the use of which is highlighted by the emerging importance of information and knowledge as key strategic resources for social and economic development. An analysis of rural case studies where ICTs have been introduced, suggests that there are a number of barriers and constraints that are faced when taking advantage of these technologies. These include access to infrastructure, limited formal education, insufficient training and capacity building, financial and political constraints, and social and cultural challenges. These challenges threaten the success and sustainability of rural ICT projects. Sustainability is key to the effectiveness of a rural ICT project; therefore it is important to understand the concept and categories associated with ICT project sustainability in rural areas. The categories of sustainability which include social and cultural, institutional, economic, political, and technological, reveal critical success factors that need to be considered in the implementation and management of rural ICT projects. The project management discipline acknowledges the importance of understanding the project’s environment, particularly environmental factors associated with rural communities. The complexity of the environment therefore implies the need for a project to be undertaken in phases comprising the project life cycle. Project management practice for rural ICT project sustainability can therefore be examined, adapting the traditional project life cycle to a rural ICT project. A Rural ICT Project Life Cycle (RICT-PLC) that is sensitive to the critical success factors of sustainability is therefore proposed. In order to further investigate the phases of the life cycle of a rural ICT project, two case study investigations are explored: the Dwesa ICT community project, and the Rhodes University Mathematics Education Project (RUMEP) (MathsNet). A multiple case study analysis confirms the practices associated with the RICT-PLC model, and identifies additional characteristics, phases and practices associated with rural ICT projects. Finally, an enhanced RICT-PLC model is developed, that sets sustainability guidelines for ICT project management in rural areas and identifies the people, environments, technologies, systems, and requirements for ICTs to support rural development activities