Framework
• Context• Importance of trust between citizens and intermediaries
• Case – Akshaya @ Kerala• Discussion – Trust & Services• Implications
Vignesh 2
Context
• Rise of non state actors in governance• New public management
– Hollow state, ICTs– Importance of integration
• Egovernance– Biz, NGOs, Citizens, provisions of entitlement & services & information
• Rise of telecenters
Vignesh 3
Intermediaries
• Projected dis‐intermediation & realities• ICT intermediaries• Need of human intermediaries to bridge the information gap in using ICTs– Ex: Soochak in Gyandoot– Need to be local, ICT skills & trusted
• Why community has to trust the intermediaries?
• Whether replaces the earlier mechanisms?
Vignesh 4
Trust• Discussion limiting to intermediaries • Types of trust
– Thick, Thin, characteristics‐based, process‐based, institution‐based.
• Giddens– ‘Trust’ in ‘dis‐embedding’ ‘Abstract systems’ as part of modernity
– Access points of abstract systems are meeting ground of facework and faceless commitments
– Telecenter operator ~ facework
• Trust, doctors & telecentersVignesh 5
Case
• Akshaya– Adequate user skill level, easy physical access, local content
– Mallapuram Dist.
• e‐literacy, e‐pay, • 249 interviews – all stakeholders (FRIENDS, KISSAN)
• Presently – statewide implementation & additional services.
Vignesh 6
Trust & service• Thro e‐literacy program – operator is known to most of the families
• Trust in govt as institution and govt. driven project
• Egov service delivery– Making payment (active | e‐pay)– Getting entitlements (NA – backend not ready, but operators undertook, govt. printed increased trust, print from telecenter skeptical)
– Information (lack of trust on agri, health)
Vignesh 7
Trust Cont…• Additional observations• FRIENDS –
– E‐pay– Preferred over conventional centers– Trust high due to trust in institution ‐ govtoperated
– Despite lack of awareness how money paid is transferred via computers
Vignesh 8
Trust Cont..2
• KISSAN– Web, TV, data center, kiosks, Agricultural officers (AO)
– AOs used extensively – translator of expert knowledge to local understanding
– Mediation of information flow between experts and farmers – yellowing of coconut leaves
– Similar trust is not there on the telecenterintermediary for agri related info.
• Health mapping in Akshaya– Request for a medical person– Simple medical tests (BP, sugar) – not preferred
Vignesh 9
Implications
• Level of participation ~ trust in abstract systems & their access points (doctors & AOs)
• Importance of institutional membership of intermediary to be effective
• Just ‘local’ intermediary inadequate• Multipurpose telecenters – problematic• Egov as extension of established institutions
Vignesh 10
References
• Rajalekshmi, K. G. 2007. E‐governance services through telecenters: The role of human intermediary and issues of trust, ITID, 4(1), 19‐35.
• http://itidjournal.org/itid/article/view/242
Vignesh 11