How Does Information Technology Effect Development? Integrating Theory and Practice into a Process Model

The concept of development suggests that countries and regions grow to become self-sustaining partners in what is being called the global economy. In more recent years this concept has been synonymous with the emergence of an “information society” whose wheels are oiled by information sharing and the application of knowledge. Some international agencies even propose that information and communications technologies enable development to be achieved more effectively and efficiently. While success stories abound, there is a recognition that not all investments in information technology bring about growth or economic development. So the question remains: how does information technology effect development? Following an overview of contemporary perspectives on development, this paper offers a model of socio-economic development and analyses what is known about the role of IT in bringing about development. In drawing upon an analysis of descriptive case studies, this paper concludes a Model of IT for Development

Discovering Development outcomes from ICT interventions in a set of micro-enterprises operating in low resource environments

The concept of Development has alluded scholars and practitioners when information technology becomes prevalent. The majority of research in the Information Technology for Development (ICT4D) field is considered to be practice intended to make the world better with Information and Communications technologies (ICTs). In addition a majority of well-intentioned ICT4D projects tend to fail, often due to unrealistic expectation set by development agencies responding to their political objectives. At the same time, Information Systems (IS) research is ripe with well-studied concepts on IT adoption (i.e. TAM/UAUT: perceived usefulness, ease of use), that do not offer insights on the effects or outcomes of technology adoption. The result is a plethora of research in the variables studied as part of Information Systems adoption research that do little to assist small and micro-enterprises struggling with technology. This research investigates ICT interventions in a set of micro-enterprises operating in low resource environments randomly selected from a public database of about 30,000 micro-enterprises in Nebraska. Based on prior research in which we used grounded theory to analyze the ways in which ICTs are used by micro-enterprises, concepts were developed further to build theory of IT adoption in sets of micro-enterprises. This project proposes to test the theory of ICT adoption micro-enterprises by developing, testing and deploying an IRB approved instrument to the sample of micro-enterprises randomly selected for this study. The results are analyzed quantitatively to 1) identify the concepts that affect the use of ICTs in micro-enterprises. Based on the quantitative analysis a set of micro enterprises are selected to receive technology and training interventions. These micro-enterprises receive interventions customized to their needs. The results of these interventions will be assessed qualitatively using grounded theory analysis to 2) discover the ways in which ICTs are used to support business development and growth and 3) arrive at development outcomes from the ICT usage by micro-enterprises. The potential scientific contribution of this research is in advancing knowledge of the concepts that involve the development of micro-enterprises. It also offers insights into the technology and training interventions needed to enable the growth of micro-enterprises. Such contributions, as provided in this proposed project, entail the discovery of factors that can 1) enable information systems outcomes to be assessed in terms of their success in enabling micro-enterprises to grow and 2) offer strategies for improving the lives of people, in particular the micro-entrepreneur, through IS. The societal impact of this study is in offering specific new knowledge that can be used by policymakers in supporting small business development efforts through investments in ICT infrastructures

Are we making a Better World with Information and Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D) Research? Findings from the Field and Theory Building

As Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) continue to penetrate people’s lives the world over, there is a sense that understanding the role of ICTs in the context of development needs to be conceptualized theoretically while making empirical contributions that add to what we know (Avgerou, 2008; Davison, 2012; Sein and Harindranath, 2004; Sahay and Walsham, 1995). Other scholars have pointed to the importance of this research for the field of Information Systems (ISs) in offering broader contributions. Avgerou (2008) suggests that in the era of globalization such research offers contributions in ISs beyond “organizational organizational and national boundaries and support global economic and political activities” (p. 134). If the concept of development can be used to conduct research and offer contributions that lead to improvements in people’s lives globally, then it follows that we should be, at some level, making a better world. The purpose of this editorial is to understand the challenges faced by scholars hoping to make contributions to this field and explore the ways in which they may continue to create a better world

Creating a Better World with Information and Communication Technologies: Health Equity

When news broke on 23rd July 2014, that a case of the deadly virus Ebola had been confirmed in Lagos, home to about 21 million people and a major transportation hub, the World held its breath. If not contained, this virus could spread quickly killing a multitude of people around the World. By 15th October, cases of Ebola had been recorded around the World: Liberia reported 4249 cases with 2458 deaths, Sierra Leone reported 3252 cases with 1183 deaths, Guinea 1472 cases with 843 deaths, Nigeria reported 20 cases with 8 deaths, the USA reported 3 cases and 1 death, Spain and Senegal reported 1 case with no deaths (Qureshi et al, 2015)

Factors Affecting Information and Communications Technology Adoption of Small Businesses: Studies in China and United States

Small businesses in China and United States generate the largest share of economic activity and employment. As the driving force behind the economic growth of both countries, Information and Communications Technology (ICTs) has fundamentally shaped the two countries. This research-in-progress paper reports the research model we conduct to analyze the factors that will affect ICTs adoption of small businesses in both countries. The purpose of the paper is to (1) report proposals of the current status of the research project (2) build an understanding of ICTs adoption in both countries (3) build the framework to explore the relationship between ICTs adoption in less developed and more developed areas in China and United States. Four small businesses in Nebraska, California, Zhejiang and Sichuan are chosen. A quantitative research method will be conducted to test the cases in the next step of the research

Physician Interaction with Electronic Health Records: The Influences of Digital Natives and Digital Immigrants.

The integration of EHR (Electronic Health Records) in IT infrastructures supporting organizations enable improved access to and recording of patient data, enhanced ability to make better and more-timely decisions, and improved quality and reduced errors. Despite these benefits, there are mixed results as to the use of EHR. The literature suggests that the reasons for the limited use relate to policy, financial and usability considerations, but it does not provide an understanding of reasons for physicians\u27 limited interaction and adaptation of EHR. Following an analysis of qualitative data, collected in a case study at a hospital using interviews, this research explains how physicians interact with EHR. The key contribution of this research is explaining how physicians interact with EHR in terms of concepts that are grounded in the real world experiences of physicians

The Role of an Effective IT Intervention for Micro-enterprises

Information technology (IT) interventions for micro-enterprises are fragmented and their approach lacks theoretical foundations. While various researchers have conducted studies on the effects of IT adoption in micro-enterprises, little research has been conducted to explain critical aspects of an effective IT intervention for micro-enterprises from a theoretical perspective. This study aims to fill this gap and empirically investigate how IT interventions can effectively facilitate the process of IT adoption by micro-enterprises. This paper suggests that effective IT interventions may have considerable potential for facilitating IT adoption among micro-enterprises across the United States and the world. Following an analysis of four micro-enterprises using a theoretical lens developed from Actor Network Theory, this paper provides insight into the ways in which IT interventions can improve the ability of micro-enterprises to adopt IT to benefit and grow their businesses. The key contribution of this study is an analytical model that may assist researchers and practitioners in examining the effects of their IT interventions. This has implications for effective IT intervention policy development and implementation for micro-enterprises

The Role of Mobile Phones in the Provision of Equitable Health Care for Human Development

The equitable provision of healthcare entails the distribution of resources and other processes to overcome health inequality. The concept of heath equity suggests that it is differences in social and economic backgrounds of people that lead to differences in their ability to access health care. Following a review of what is known about health equity and the role of mobile health, this paper investigates the relationship between Mobile Phone Subscriptions, the United Nation Development Program’s (UNDP) Health Index, the Human Development Index, and Gini Index for all the countries of the world. The analysis discovers a significant relationship between the use of mobile phones in the provision of healthcare and human development outcomes. Further cluster analysis offers three groups of countries with certain unique characteristics that help understand the relationship between Mobile Phone Subscriptions, the Health Index and the Human Development Index and the effects of income inequalities within the countries. The contribution of this paper is in understanding the use of mobile phones for the provision of equitable healthcare