Roger Harris Associates
2. Case Studies, Contemporary Issues and Current Research
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES
FOR POVERTY REDUCTION AND RURAL
DEVELOPMENT
Roger W. Harris PhDRoger Harris Associates
Hong Kong
China Agricultural University2010
Agenda
Case studiesIssuesResearch
Case studies eBario Khoun Radio M-PESA Mission 2007 India
Issues Sustainability Evaluation Scaling up Mobiles vs. Computers Indigenous peoples & ICTs
Research Teaching ICT4D Why do research Publishing: conferences Publishing: journals Getting cited in ICT4D
Agenda
Case studiesIssuesResearch
Case studies eBario Khoun Radio M-PESA Mission 2007 India
Issues Sustainability Evaluation Scaling up Mobiles vs. Computers Indigenous peoples & ICTs
Research Teaching ICT4D Why do research Publishing: conferences Publishing: journals Getting cited in ICT4D
e-Bario Telecentre, Sarawak, Malaysia
BarioRemote, isolatedFly-in onlyStarved of informationPoor communicationsIndigenous, minority cultureDwindling population
e-BarioTelecentre with satellite Internet and solar powerProject began in 1998 by Universiti Malaysia SarawakNow owned by the communityContributing to local development; culture, tourism and tradeWon multiple awards.ReplicatingImplementing Community Radio
Khoun Community Radio - Laos
On air since October 2007UNDP, Ministry of Information and Culture and the Province Department of InformationCommunity-led, operated by volunteersLocal line agencies broadcast information Broadcasts in three local languagesRadio is in 61% of households Radio is rated as the most useful medium for receiving information.
M-PESA
Mission 2007 India Grameen Gyan Abhiyan, Rural Knowledge
Movement Multi-stakeholder partnership network Nation-wide initiative launched in 2004
to facilitate setting up knowledge centres in each of India’s 600,000 villages by 2007
412 partners: Private sector Academic Health Bi-lateral/ Multi-lateral Donors Civil Society International Outreach
Jamsetji Tata National Virual Academy
Agenda
Case studiesIssuesResearch
Case studies eBario Khoun Radio M-PESA Mission 2007 India
Issues Sustainability Evaluation Scaling up Mobiles vs. Computers Indigenous peoples & ICTs
Research Teaching ICT4D Why do research Publishing: conferences Publishing: journals Getting cited in ICT4D
Telecentre Sustainability Sustainability usually means the ability to
generate revenue to cover operational costs
Market-based approaches fail the poorest The more a telecentre is required to
generate revenues, the less emphasis it will place on supporting development and the more it will place on revenue-generating services
But without incentives for generating some revenue, telecentres will continue to depend on subsidies
Necessary to strike a careful balance between subsidy and revenue
Universal service funds can support telecentres, the same way other public services are supported, which are often enjoyed by the rich
Who pays? – Multiple models
Government Malaysia: two schemes under two ministries Vietnam: ‘Culture Points’ under Ministry of Info & Comms
Universal Service Funds Subsidy schemes: Malaysia ‘Kedai.com’, libraries Least cost auctions: Nepal
Private sector New entrants: Sri Lanka, with decreasing subsidies Corporations: ITC India – e-Choupal
Civil Society NGOs CBOs Research institutions
Evaluation Why evaluate? Evaluate what?
Outputs Outcomes
When to evaluate? Independent? How to interpret the results? Success or failure?
We have this indicator
that measures...
...let me tell you a story...
We have this indicator
that measures...
...let me tell you a story...
Evaluations look for this
Evaluations downplay these
Evaluations probably miss
these
UnexpectedExpected
Desirable
Undesirable
Time
Evaluations don’t look for this
Scaling up The difference between pilot projects and scaling projects.
The need for coordinated delivery of public e-services
The importance of methodologies.
Establishing the telecentre eco-system; Universities Businesses Development agencies NGOs Media Government
Mobile vs. ComputersComputersMobile
Positive
Negative
• Affordable by BOP• Low power use• Approaching ubiquity• Grass-roots driven applications
• Endless innovation with function
• Low cost internet access• Nearly free to operate• FOSS keeps costs down • Many to many
• Walled garden; cost of entry• Limited functionality• Difficult to modify• Metered use• Centralised systems - vulnerable
to disasters and government control
• Hub and spoke
• Unaffordable domestically• Telecentres have limited reach
and sustainability issues
False Dichotomy: Convergence of applications and services which interoperate seamlessly over mobile networks and the Internet
e-Inclusion for Indigenous Peoples
5% of the world’s population, 15% of the world’s poor.
350 million, 70% in Asia. Least-served, poorest and most
vulnerable. Perceived as being against
development. Many of the characteristics of new
media lend themselves to solutions to the problems faced by indigenous peoples.
The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples provides an opportune platform for action.
The eBario Vision for Indigenous Peoples and ICTs.
Agenda
Case studiesIssuesResearch
Case studies eBario Khoun Radio M-PESA Mission 2007 India
Issues Sustainability Evaluation Scaling up Mobiles vs. Computers Indigenous peoples & ICTs
Research Teaching ICT4D Why do research Publishing: conferences Publishing: journals Getting cited in ICT4D
Teaching ICT4D – Multi-Disciplinary Information Systems
What can be done with technology and how to get the most from it. Computer Science
How the technology works. Development Studies
The causes of poverty and efforts to alleviate it. Social Sciences
Social impacts Communication
How the media, including new media, promotes social change Economics
Micro enterprises, social enterprises and ICTs
Why do research?
To obtain a degree Satisfy the examiner
To advance an academic career Publish Publish Publish
To influence practice Multiple communications
To enjoy the lifestyle To change the world Some or all of the above
Researching ICT4D Impact and evaluation
Poverty reduction – really? Technology appropriation Unexpected but desirable outcomes Gender differentiation
Sustainability Types of sustainability Who pays?
Replication Conditions required for successful replication and scaling
Technology diffusion and convergence Mobiles, internet, radio etc. E-inclusion for vulnerable groups Regulatory reform
Publishing; Conferences
International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies for Development ICT4D 2010 London
IFIP9.4 Social Implications of Computers in Developing Countries 2011 Nepal
eIndia July 2011
eBario Knowledge Fair November 2011
Journals - Impact
African Journal of Information & Communication Technology
International Journal on Advances in ICT for Emerging Regions
Information Development
Journal of Health Informatics in Developing Countries
Asian Journal of Communication
International Journal of Education and Development Using Information and Communication Technology
African Journal of Information and Communication
Information Technology for Development
Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries
Information Technologies and International Development
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5
Getting cited in ICT4D
90% of Social Science conference papers are never cited.
The average citation rates in computer science conferences are much higher.
The average citation rates in multi-disciplinary conferences such as the ICTD conferences that span both the technical and the social, are somewhere in between.
Therefore: Conference papers should be the
lowest priority (but there are many other good reasons for presenting at a conference).
Publish in the top 3 journals
THANK YOU
Roger Harris Associates
Roger W. Harris PhDRoger Harris Associates
Hong Kong