Bridging the digital divide in Africa via universal service funds: an institutional theory perspective

E. Arakpogun, J. Whalley, R. Wanjiru, Ziad Elsahn, R. Kummitha
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引用次数: 1

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide evidence-based policy recommendations for improving the implementation of universal service funds (USF) with a view to closing the digital divide in Africa.Design/methodology/approachThe paper adopts a qualitative approach that draws examples from various African countries supported by 25 interviews from key stakeholders with hands-on experience and roles that shape telecommunications policy in Africa and other developing countries.FindingsThe study's findings point out that institutional voids which characterize several African countries inhibit the effectiveness of USF in African countries. The authors identify several institutional and organisational factors and explain how they negatively affect the performance of USF. The authors find that in order to overcome these obstacles, there is a need for a clear redefinition of Universal Access and Service (UAS) policies, restructuring the governance of USF, encouraging cross-sectoral collaborations, and bottom-up initiatives to bridge the digital divide in African countries.Originality/valueThe paper contributes to the underexplored USF literature by shedding light on the role of institutional factors in determining the success of USF. The paper thus complements and provides a different perspective on promoting digital inclusion in Africa from the viewpoint of institutional voids, bringing new insights into the existing literature on how to deal with an intractable area of UAS policy and the wider digital divide debate in developing countries.
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通过普遍服务基金弥合非洲的数字鸿沟:制度理论视角
本文的目的是为改善普遍服务基金(USF)的实施提供基于证据的政策建议,以期缩小非洲的数字鸿沟。设计/方法/方法本文采用定性方法,从各个非洲国家中选取了例子,并对具有实践经验和角色的关键利益相关者进行了25次访谈,这些利益相关者在非洲和其他发展中国家制定电信政策。该研究的发现指出,一些非洲国家的制度空白抑制了非洲国家USF的有效性。作者确定了几个制度和组织因素,并解释了它们如何对USF的绩效产生负面影响。作者发现,为了克服这些障碍,需要明确重新定义普遍获取和服务(UAS)政策,重组USF的治理,鼓励跨部门合作,以及自下而上的倡议,以弥合非洲国家的数字鸿沟。原创性/价值本文通过揭示制度因素在决定USF成功中的作用,为未被充分探索的USF文献做出了贡献。因此,本文从制度空白的角度补充并提供了促进非洲数字包容的不同视角,为如何处理UAS政策的棘手领域和发展中国家更广泛的数字鸿沟辩论的现有文献带来了新的见解。
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