Pub Date : 2006-12-01DOI: 10.1109/ICTD.2006.301853
P. Arora
A folksongs karaoke product has been created to increase usage of subtitled media to enhance literacy and technology use, particularly among girls in rural India. This entails generating and proliferating popular local folksongs with social and cultural themes of interest to girls, accompanied by the award-winning Same Language Subtitling (SLS) feature. In this paper, the prime goal is to discuss possible implications of this novel technology content on girls' socialization, education, and activism. Based on initial findings from a pilot test of this product in schools, private and public in rural India, I propose that this product has the potential to raise literacy among girls through musical enculturation and entertainment in rural India. By linking folksongs to computers, I argue that this association can shape, transform and/or (re)configure spaces for/by girls in rural India through interaction with technology in ways meaningful to them. Thereby, I problematize the transposition of "western" perspectives of gender and technology onto the rural terrain as understood within a development discourse
{"title":"E-Karaoke Learning for Gender Empowerment in Rural India","authors":"P. Arora","doi":"10.1109/ICTD.2006.301853","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ICTD.2006.301853","url":null,"abstract":"A folksongs karaoke product has been created to increase usage of subtitled media to enhance literacy and technology use, particularly among girls in rural India. This entails generating and proliferating popular local folksongs with social and cultural themes of interest to girls, accompanied by the award-winning Same Language Subtitling (SLS) feature. In this paper, the prime goal is to discuss possible implications of this novel technology content on girls' socialization, education, and activism. Based on initial findings from a pilot test of this product in schools, private and public in rural India, I propose that this product has the potential to raise literacy among girls through musical enculturation and entertainment in rural India. By linking folksongs to computers, I argue that this association can shape, transform and/or (re)configure spaces for/by girls in rural India through interaction with technology in ways meaningful to them. Thereby, I problematize the transposition of \"western\" perspectives of gender and technology onto the rural terrain as understood within a development discourse","PeriodicalId":239878,"journal":{"name":"2006 International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies and Development","volume":"8 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2006-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"133729260","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2006-05-25DOI: 10.1109/ICTD.2006.301830
Paul Braund, A. Schwittay
ICTD projects are usually driven along the three axes of technological innovation, development programs or new market creation. These drivers have to be complemented by a focus on the people served by ICT, and their needs. In this paper, we argue for the importance of human-driven design and research (HDDR) to take into account the four human dimensions of ICT: local practices; participatory design processes; socio-cultural contexts, and political conditions. Building on our ethnographic and design research on the LINCOS project in Costa Rica and Hewlett-Packard's e-Inclusion program, we show how Lincos' success was impeded by its inattention to human design features, the deployment of a neoliberal discourse of community appropriation, and the market-driven focus of e-Inclusion. We conclude by situating ICTD in the larger context of human development, and with reflections on what constitutes sustainable, successful ICTD projects
{"title":"The Missing Piece: Human-Driven Design and Research in ICT and Development","authors":"Paul Braund, A. Schwittay","doi":"10.1109/ICTD.2006.301830","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ICTD.2006.301830","url":null,"abstract":"ICTD projects are usually driven along the three axes of technological innovation, development programs or new market creation. These drivers have to be complemented by a focus on the people served by ICT, and their needs. In this paper, we argue for the importance of human-driven design and research (HDDR) to take into account the four human dimensions of ICT: local practices; participatory design processes; socio-cultural contexts, and political conditions. Building on our ethnographic and design research on the LINCOS project in Costa Rica and Hewlett-Packard's e-Inclusion program, we show how Lincos' success was impeded by its inattention to human design features, the deployment of a neoliberal discourse of community appropriation, and the market-driven focus of e-Inclusion. We conclude by situating ICTD in the larger context of human development, and with reflections on what constitutes sustainable, successful ICTD projects","PeriodicalId":239878,"journal":{"name":"2006 International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies and Development","volume":"18 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2006-05-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"122376326","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2006-05-25DOI: 10.1109/ICTD.2006.301856
O. Kamga
The widespread uptake of mobile phone technology among Cote d'Ivoire's most disadvantaged populations demonstrates that even within the context of socio-political and economic turmoil - as is the case in Cote d'Ivoire ndividuals will combine digital devices with ingenuity or "tactics" (de Certeau, 1990) to "progress". In other words, people's improvement is not necessarily linked to the social and economic structures of their environment. This paper explores: 1) the various uses of the mobile phone in Cote d'Ivoire; 2) how typical mobile phone uses have proven effective in improving individual lives in three areas: economic life, professional life, and social relations. The concept of uses is framed here by de Certeau's conception which suggests that individuals are never deprived of their ingeniousness. Subscribing to this view, Jean-Godefroy Bidima noted that whatever might be the level of alienation or hostility which an individual is subjected to, the consubstantial emergence of the subject moves him to auto-engender himself and outwit the constraints he faces. In the Ivorian context, the outworking of this concept leads to new perceptions of the mobile phone and generates polyvalent meanings among populations
{"title":"Mobile phone in Côte d'Ivoire: uses and self-fulfillment","authors":"O. Kamga","doi":"10.1109/ICTD.2006.301856","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ICTD.2006.301856","url":null,"abstract":"The widespread uptake of mobile phone technology among Cote d'Ivoire's most disadvantaged populations demonstrates that even within the context of socio-political and economic turmoil - as is the case in Cote d'Ivoire ndividuals will combine digital devices with ingenuity or \"tactics\" (de Certeau, 1990) to \"progress\". In other words, people's improvement is not necessarily linked to the social and economic structures of their environment. This paper explores: 1) the various uses of the mobile phone in Cote d'Ivoire; 2) how typical mobile phone uses have proven effective in improving individual lives in three areas: economic life, professional life, and social relations. The concept of uses is framed here by de Certeau's conception which suggests that individuals are never deprived of their ingeniousness. Subscribing to this view, Jean-Godefroy Bidima noted that whatever might be the level of alienation or hostility which an individual is subjected to, the consubstantial emergence of the subject moves him to auto-engender himself and outwit the constraints he faces. In the Ivorian context, the outworking of this concept leads to new perceptions of the mobile phone and generates polyvalent meanings among populations","PeriodicalId":239878,"journal":{"name":"2006 International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies and Development","volume":"64 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2006-05-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"123323231","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2006-05-25DOI: 10.1109/ICTD.2006.301873
C. Maitland, Nicolai Pogrebnyakov, A. V. Gorp
When disasters strike and aid agencies pour in to help the survivors they are increasingly making use of advanced information and communication technologies (ICTs). For remote areas of developing countries, this use of ICTs may be the community' s first exposure to these technologies. And while the role of these ICTs is primarily linked to disaster response and recovery, in certain situations they can be transitioned for use in development programs. This paper discusses the crucial factors in design and deployment of relief ICTs that are likely to influence their ultimate use as tools for development. Derived from cases developed through secondary data, the factors are broken into those related to communication technology transfer and those related to information technology transfer. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are also discussed
{"title":"A Fragile Link: Disaster Relief, ICTs and Development","authors":"C. Maitland, Nicolai Pogrebnyakov, A. V. Gorp","doi":"10.1109/ICTD.2006.301873","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ICTD.2006.301873","url":null,"abstract":"When disasters strike and aid agencies pour in to help the survivors they are increasingly making use of advanced information and communication technologies (ICTs). For remote areas of developing countries, this use of ICTs may be the community' s first exposure to these technologies. And while the role of these ICTs is primarily linked to disaster response and recovery, in certain situations they can be transitioned for use in development programs. This paper discusses the crucial factors in design and deployment of relief ICTs that are likely to influence their ultimate use as tools for development. Derived from cases developed through secondary data, the factors are broken into those related to communication technology transfer and those related to information technology transfer. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are also discussed","PeriodicalId":239878,"journal":{"name":"2006 International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies and Development","volume":"59 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2006-05-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132877456","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2006-05-25DOI: 10.1109/ICTD.2006.301867
Thorsten Scherf
A critical element of most national telecom policy objectives in developing countries is advancing universal access. Due to specific characteristics, rural areas in developing countries are of the most challenging regions. It is widely recognized that there are limits to how well the market can or will function in extending service in these areas. Therefore telecom policy has to intervene in the market to ensure the provision of telecommunications. This paper examines some frequently implemented measures for providing universal access in rural areas: universal access obligations and universal access funds in conjunction with minimum-subsidy competitive auctions. Despite experiencing that results and satisfaction with them are far from uniform across countries, there is no systematic theoretical analysis of relative efficiency and effectiveness of these measures. This article addresses this lack by applying a principal agent model to explore the incentive schemes of the announced mechanisms. This is done by taking into account the impact of economic, institutional and governance characteristics of developing countries. This paper carves out relative advantages of implementing one or another measure depending on the features of existing institutional frameworks. It is shown that successful measures in one institutional setting may be only second best in another. Critical characteristics are high shadow cost of public funds, carrot regulation incentive of output based subsidies, financial and human capacity constraints of regulators and the number of market contacts between regulator and operators. Theoretical analysis is illustrated by some actual universal access experiences in Peru, Bolivia and Uganda
{"title":"Policies for Universal Access to Telecommunications in Rural Areas of Developing Countries - An Institutional Economics Approach","authors":"Thorsten Scherf","doi":"10.1109/ICTD.2006.301867","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ICTD.2006.301867","url":null,"abstract":"A critical element of most national telecom policy objectives in developing countries is advancing universal access. Due to specific characteristics, rural areas in developing countries are of the most challenging regions. It is widely recognized that there are limits to how well the market can or will function in extending service in these areas. Therefore telecom policy has to intervene in the market to ensure the provision of telecommunications. This paper examines some frequently implemented measures for providing universal access in rural areas: universal access obligations and universal access funds in conjunction with minimum-subsidy competitive auctions. Despite experiencing that results and satisfaction with them are far from uniform across countries, there is no systematic theoretical analysis of relative efficiency and effectiveness of these measures. This article addresses this lack by applying a principal agent model to explore the incentive schemes of the announced mechanisms. This is done by taking into account the impact of economic, institutional and governance characteristics of developing countries. This paper carves out relative advantages of implementing one or another measure depending on the features of existing institutional frameworks. It is shown that successful measures in one institutional setting may be only second best in another. Critical characteristics are high shadow cost of public funds, carrot regulation incentive of output based subsidies, financial and human capacity constraints of regulators and the number of market contacts between regulator and operators. Theoretical analysis is illustrated by some actual universal access experiences in Peru, Bolivia and Uganda","PeriodicalId":239878,"journal":{"name":"2006 International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies and Development","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2006-05-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"131674775","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2006-05-25DOI: 10.1109/ICTD.2006.301862
Rahul Tongia, E. Subrahmanian
In this paper, we make the case that ICT projects in the developed and developing world often lead to partial or total failures due to the incomplete assessment of the problem being solved and the metrics used to evaluate solutions. While in the developed world the success of ICT solutions are often determined by the market, with available infrastructure and market mechanisms, in the developing world this ecosystem does not exist thus requiring an understanding of the ecosystem in which ICT solutions are to be applied. Using literature from the design space, and experiences in ICT for development, we elaborate the dimensions of design such as incorporation of stakeholders, incentive structures, and design participation that are critical to successful deployment. We examine some successes and failures in product/solution development in the ICT area to identify the dimensions of good design incorporated by these products and services. With the perspective that ICT for sustainable development issues are ill-structured and "wicked problems" that have to incorporate all the defined dimensions of design, we propose a model of product and service identification and development that is based on insights from asynchronous computational agent problem solving. We claim that new methods such as the one proposed need to be identified, developed and tested for their effectiveness in the development of products and services that satisfy the needs of human development
{"title":"Information and Communications Technology for Development (ICT4D) - A Design Challenge?","authors":"Rahul Tongia, E. Subrahmanian","doi":"10.1109/ICTD.2006.301862","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ICTD.2006.301862","url":null,"abstract":"In this paper, we make the case that ICT projects in the developed and developing world often lead to partial or total failures due to the incomplete assessment of the problem being solved and the metrics used to evaluate solutions. While in the developed world the success of ICT solutions are often determined by the market, with available infrastructure and market mechanisms, in the developing world this ecosystem does not exist thus requiring an understanding of the ecosystem in which ICT solutions are to be applied. Using literature from the design space, and experiences in ICT for development, we elaborate the dimensions of design such as incorporation of stakeholders, incentive structures, and design participation that are critical to successful deployment. We examine some successes and failures in product/solution development in the ICT area to identify the dimensions of good design incorporated by these products and services. With the perspective that ICT for sustainable development issues are ill-structured and \"wicked problems\" that have to incorporate all the defined dimensions of design, we propose a model of product and service identification and development that is based on insights from asynchronous computational agent problem solving. We claim that new methods such as the one proposed need to be identified, developed and tested for their effectiveness in the development of products and services that satisfy the needs of human development","PeriodicalId":239878,"journal":{"name":"2006 International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies and Development","volume":"31 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2006-05-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"126969005","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2006-05-25DOI: 10.1109/ICTD.2006.301840
U. Pawar, J. Pal, K. Toyama
A distinct feature observed in computer use in schools or rural kiosks in developing countries is the high student-to-computer ratio. It is not unusual to see more than five children crowding around a single display, as schools are rarely funded to afford one PC per child in a classroom. One child controls the mouse, while others are passive onlookers, without operational control of the computer. Learning benefits appear to accrue primarily to the child with the mouse, with the other children missing out. The obvious technical solution is to provide each child with a mouse and cursor on screen, thus effectively multiplying the amount of interaction per student per PC for the cost of a few extra mice. To our surprise, both the concept and the implementation appear to be unique to date, for the specific application to computers in education in resource-strapped communities, with previous work restricting studies to two mice, or for largely non-educational applications. We have developed software that allows multiple coloured cursors to co-exist on the monitor, along with two sample games with some educational content. Initial trials with both single-mouse and multiple-mice scenarios suggest that children are more engaged when in control of a mouse, and that more mice increases overall engagement. Our results suggest new areas of research in pedagogy for computers in education
{"title":"Multiple Mice for Computers in Education in Developing Countries","authors":"U. Pawar, J. Pal, K. Toyama","doi":"10.1109/ICTD.2006.301840","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ICTD.2006.301840","url":null,"abstract":"A distinct feature observed in computer use in schools or rural kiosks in developing countries is the high student-to-computer ratio. It is not unusual to see more than five children crowding around a single display, as schools are rarely funded to afford one PC per child in a classroom. One child controls the mouse, while others are passive onlookers, without operational control of the computer. Learning benefits appear to accrue primarily to the child with the mouse, with the other children missing out. The obvious technical solution is to provide each child with a mouse and cursor on screen, thus effectively multiplying the amount of interaction per student per PC for the cost of a few extra mice. To our surprise, both the concept and the implementation appear to be unique to date, for the specific application to computers in education in resource-strapped communities, with previous work restricting studies to two mice, or for largely non-educational applications. We have developed software that allows multiple coloured cursors to co-exist on the monitor, along with two sample games with some educational content. Initial trials with both single-mouse and multiple-mice scenarios suggest that children are more engaged when in control of a mouse, and that more mice increases overall engagement. Our results suggest new areas of research in pedagogy for computers in education","PeriodicalId":239878,"journal":{"name":"2006 International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies and Development","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2006-05-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130603072","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2006-05-25DOI: 10.1109/ICTD.2006.301837
Reuben Abraham
There is considerable speculation about the correlation between investments in telecommunications and economic development. Mobile phones, by virtue of their role as carriers and conduits of information, ought to lessen the information asymmetries in markets, thereby making rural and undeveloped markets more efficient. This research tests this assumption using a case-study from India, where the fishing community in the south-western state of Kerala has adopted mobile phones in large numbers. We find that with the wide-spread use of mobile phones, markets become more efficient as risk and uncertainty are reduced; there is greater market integration; there are gains in productivity and in the Marshallian surplus (sum of consumer and producer surplus); and price dispersion and price fluctuations are reduced. The potential efficiencies are, however, subject to easy access to capital, without which the market remains less efficient than it could be. Finally, the quality of life of the fishermen improves as they feel less isolated, and less at risk in times of emergencies
{"title":"Mobile Phones and Economic Development: Evidence from the Fishing Industry in India","authors":"Reuben Abraham","doi":"10.1109/ICTD.2006.301837","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ICTD.2006.301837","url":null,"abstract":"There is considerable speculation about the correlation between investments in telecommunications and economic development. Mobile phones, by virtue of their role as carriers and conduits of information, ought to lessen the information asymmetries in markets, thereby making rural and undeveloped markets more efficient. This research tests this assumption using a case-study from India, where the fishing community in the south-western state of Kerala has adopted mobile phones in large numbers. We find that with the wide-spread use of mobile phones, markets become more efficient as risk and uncertainty are reduced; there is greater market integration; there are gains in productivity and in the Marshallian surplus (sum of consumer and producer surplus); and price dispersion and price fluctuations are reduced. The potential efficiencies are, however, subject to easy access to capital, without which the market remains less efficient than it could be. Finally, the quality of life of the fishermen improves as they feel less isolated, and less at risk in times of emergencies","PeriodicalId":239878,"journal":{"name":"2006 International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies and Development","volume":"98 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2006-05-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"114423539","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2006-05-05DOI: 10.1109/ICTD.2006.301863
N. Ramanathan, L. Balzano, D. Estrin, Mark H. Hansen, T. Harmon, J. Jay, W. Kaiser, G. Sukhatme
Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are a relatively new and rapidly developing technology; they have a wide range of applications including environmental monitoring, agriculture, and public health. Shared technology is a common usage model for technology adoption in developing countries. WSNs have great potential to be utilized as a shared resource due to their on-board processing and ad-hoc networking capabilities, however their deployment as a shared resource requires that the technical community first address several challenges. The main challenges include enabling sensor portability: (1) the frequent movement of sensors within and between deployments, and rapidly deployable systems; (2) systems that are quick and simple to deploy. We first discuss the feasibility of using sensor networks as a shared resource, and then describe our research in addressing the various technical challenges that arise in enabling such sensor portability and rapid deployment. We also outline our experiences in developing and deploying water quality monitoring wireless sensor networks in Bangladesh and California
{"title":"Designing Wireless Sensor Networks as a Shared Resource for Sustainable Development","authors":"N. Ramanathan, L. Balzano, D. Estrin, Mark H. Hansen, T. Harmon, J. Jay, W. Kaiser, G. Sukhatme","doi":"10.1109/ICTD.2006.301863","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ICTD.2006.301863","url":null,"abstract":"Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are a relatively new and rapidly developing technology; they have a wide range of applications including environmental monitoring, agriculture, and public health. Shared technology is a common usage model for technology adoption in developing countries. WSNs have great potential to be utilized as a shared resource due to their on-board processing and ad-hoc networking capabilities, however their deployment as a shared resource requires that the technical community first address several challenges. The main challenges include enabling sensor portability: (1) the frequent movement of sensors within and between deployments, and rapidly deployable systems; (2) systems that are quick and simple to deploy. We first discuss the feasibility of using sensor networks as a shared resource, and then describe our research in addressing the various technical challenges that arise in enabling such sensor portability and rapid deployment. We also outline our experiences in developing and deploying water quality monitoring wireless sensor networks in Bangladesh and California","PeriodicalId":239878,"journal":{"name":"2006 International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies and Development","volume":"4 4","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2006-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132605784","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2006-05-01DOI: 10.1109/ICTD.2006.301861
Tapan S. Parikh
Microfinance, the provision of financial services to poor and under-served communities, has emerged as one of the most promising avenues for stimulating rural economic development through local enterprise. In this paper we will discuss some of the major technology gaps faced by rural microfinance institutions, focusing on areas that are most important for the future growth of the industry. This work builds upon six months of field research, including field studies with eight different microfinance organizations located across Latin America and Asia, and discussions with many other organizations worldwide. Historically it has proved difficult to provide sustainable micro-financial services to remote rural clients. As formal financial institutions begin to look seriously at this market, the microfinance industry faces significant challenges in maturing and scaling to sustainability. We will look at three of the major tasks faced by rural microfinance service providers today - 1) the exchange of information with remote clients, 2) management and processing of data at the institutional level and 3) the collection and delivery of money to remote rural areas. Each of these has been a difficult problem to solve for microfinance institutions worldwide, and may offer opportunities for information technology-based solutions. For each of these "gaps" we will look at current best practices, examine the role information technology has (or has not) played in overcoming these obstacles, and discuss promising future directions. In this context, we will discuss the use of handheld technologies for rural data collection, experiences in the implementation of MIS systems at the institutional level and current strategies for introducing electronic banking to remote rural areas. For each of these, we will look at the results obtained thus far and the potential ramifications for the long-term growth and sustainability of the sector
{"title":"Rural Microfinance Service Delivery: Gaps, Inefficiencies and Emerging Solutions","authors":"Tapan S. Parikh","doi":"10.1109/ICTD.2006.301861","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ICTD.2006.301861","url":null,"abstract":"Microfinance, the provision of financial services to poor and under-served communities, has emerged as one of the most promising avenues for stimulating rural economic development through local enterprise. In this paper we will discuss some of the major technology gaps faced by rural microfinance institutions, focusing on areas that are most important for the future growth of the industry. This work builds upon six months of field research, including field studies with eight different microfinance organizations located across Latin America and Asia, and discussions with many other organizations worldwide. Historically it has proved difficult to provide sustainable micro-financial services to remote rural clients. As formal financial institutions begin to look seriously at this market, the microfinance industry faces significant challenges in maturing and scaling to sustainability. We will look at three of the major tasks faced by rural microfinance service providers today - 1) the exchange of information with remote clients, 2) management and processing of data at the institutional level and 3) the collection and delivery of money to remote rural areas. Each of these has been a difficult problem to solve for microfinance institutions worldwide, and may offer opportunities for information technology-based solutions. For each of these \"gaps\" we will look at current best practices, examine the role information technology has (or has not) played in overcoming these obstacles, and discuss promising future directions. In this context, we will discuss the use of handheld technologies for rural data collection, experiences in the implementation of MIS systems at the institutional level and current strategies for introducing electronic banking to remote rural areas. For each of these, we will look at the results obtained thus far and the potential ramifications for the long-term growth and sustainability of the sector","PeriodicalId":239878,"journal":{"name":"2006 International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies and Development","volume":"27 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2006-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"115650193","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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