Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries最新文献

This study examines the mechanisms fostering sustainable value propositions of implemented e-Governments projects in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) as a research focus. Value propositions identify how public organizations use e-Government to fulfill citizens' needs across different roles. Using a concept-centric systematic review, we identified such value propositions as effective public organizations, quality service delivery, open government and democratic values, as well as social values and well-being. We chose some selected e-Government projects in Nigeria and Rwanda; adopted realist evaluation (RE) multiple case studies as a methodology and introduced affordance actualization, self-determination theory, and sustainability framework for e-Government success as theoretical lenses. To collect data, we adopted a mixed method RE approach and used a contingent valuation method (CVM) as a quantitative aspect to identify the actualized value propositions in operations in the implemented e-Government projects in Nigeria and Rwanda as outcomes. Sequentially followed by a realist interview as a qualitative approach to collect and analyze data we uncovered the generative mechanisms causing such outcomes to exist and be sustainable. Our findings revealed technological cognizance and autonomy as well as competence as individual mechanisms identified for sustaining such outcomes. While organizational mechanisms revealed are continuous availability of funds, institutional, administrative, and coordinating capacity with leadership and political support. Other organizational mechanisms include institutionalizing the technology within local settings with ongoing monitoring and improvement evaluation enabled by both internal and external contextual conditions. We synthesized our findings into an actualized value sustainability framework for implemented e-Government projects in SSA to contribute to academics and practice in ICT4D, particularly RE application in e-Government study, which is nascent.

This article addresses the multifaceted and far-reaching implications of digital inequality (DI), drawing upon emerging trends and examples. The aim is to sensitize policymakers, practitioners, and academics to issues surrounding DI and foster a common and deeper understanding among relevant stakeholders. While research has recognized digital inequality and its dimensions, it has not explicated its broader impact thoroughly, particularly in the current era of digital transformation. The information communication technology (ICT) domain has evolved significantly because of its strong interrelationship with many other sectors, encompassing critical issues such as ethics, inequality, leadership, social capital, governance, and management. There is still a considerable gap in understanding the complexities around digital inequality, which varies across different contexts. Reflecting on over 15 years of experience in information communication technology for development (ICT4D) as both a practitioner and researcher, the evolution of DI in terms of social transformation and its growing short- and long-term implications are discussed. Strategies and pathways for the future are presented, grouped into six areas: a call for a renewed philosophical shift and campaign for digital equality, policy interventions, inclusive technology solutions and services, holistic human capacity building, the universities' role, and the need for a multi-disciplinary approach to address DI.

The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak and the subsequent lockdowns and restrictions by many countries worldwide to control the spread of the virus forced several organizations to shift work to homes, aided by digital technologies. However, digital infrastructure and homeworking space, which facilitate home-based e-working, are constrained in the developing world. It is, therefore, crucial to understand how developing country organizations maintain business operations under pandemic situations using home-based e-working and the challenges it poses. This study employs interpretive qualitative research methodology with a socio-technical perspective to explore home-based e-working under COVID-19 conditions using five reputable corporate organizations in Ghana. Findings from the study show that home-based e-working under pandemic conditions can be seen as a business continuity strategy that requires business continuity policy and plan, digital infrastructure and platforms, and cybersecurity. The findings also identified the challenges as partial work virtualization, cybercrime, transition cost, digital divide, and home environment constraints. The findings have implications for research and organizational management in developing countries.

Information system (IS) implementation can often lead to inherently contradictory issues, standardization, and evolve-ability, which requires different, sets of information technology (IT) governance mechanisms. Recent research advocate ambidexterity mechanisms which consider the contradictory logic for long-term success yet it has paid little attention to resource-constrained settings which is a source of contradiction for the lack of technical and financial resource. Using an interpretative approach, based on institutional logic and dynamic ambidexterity concepts, this study revealed how centralized, systemic, and IT logics shaped IT governance mechanisms toward centralized and ad hoc-based decentralized structures. Furthermore, the study depicted how the lack of a common vision for IS implementation impeded defining roles, identifying and collaborating with similar initiatives that led the implementation to uncontrolled evolve-ability. Despite the absence of a common vision in resource-constrained settings, the study identified the importance of resource-chasing collaboration among heterogeneous actors to achieve standardization and evolve-ability at a certain level though not sufficient. The study proposed an ambidextrous implementation framework by combining dynamic ambidexterity and institutional logic concepts to complement the resource-chased collaboration with major HIS logics-based collaboration through devising common vision, strategy, and mechanisms which allows sensing, seizing, and reconfiguring the emergent heterogeneous system implementation initiatives to achieve standardization and evolve-ability simultaneously.

The increasing popularity of Industry 4.0 and the premises to apply it in different industries are obvious in the Albanian business environment. The role of new technologies, which stay at the center of this paradigm, is unseparated from the whole management systems in the framework of companies and value chains. Introducing new technologies should be supported by new or adapted business models, organizational systems, and human resources capable to manage them. Preparing the present and future human resources to execute their roles in compliance with the requirements of Industry 4.0 enabling technologies is a challenge for all actors involved. It requires recognition, acceptance, and development of the relationship between technology advancement and management. Our paper deals with human resource development and management in the context of Industry 4.0 introduction and implementation in the Albanian economy. It intends to highlight the role of education and management in preparing the workforce, the companies, and other stakeholders to understand and commit to new technological development, which brings manifold benefits to the country. The method used for the above analysis is a combination of a desk study and an empirical survey. The data analysis enables to point out the key factors influencing human resources development in Albanian companies. Their discussion can modestly bring some theoretical and practical implications regarding the human resources that will implement I4.0 enabling technologies in the country.

This study investigated the extent to which media richness, dialogic loop, and content type affect citizen engagement with local government social media information on the Covid-19 pandemic. Quantitative content analysis through scraping of Facebook posts by the local government was employed in this study. Effects of the determinant variables was tested using negative binomial regression. Results show that both media richness and dialogic loop have significant and positive effects on citizens' engagement. This means that the richer the media, and the more dialogic features present in a Facebook post, the higher the turnout of reactions, shares, and comments of such post. Content type, on the other hand, was found to have no significant effect, implying that the number of content categories a certain post belongs to does not influence engagement from citizens. The study focused only on the local government's pandemic information posted on Facebook. Local governments should continue utilizing social media in disseminating pandemic information, and in the process, consider maximum utilization of the social media features to generate more engagement from its citizens. This study is the first to determine the factors affecting citizen engagement with government social media during the Covid-19 pandemic in the Philippine context.

One of the perennial causes of food insecurity in Sub-Saharan African countries is crop pests and diseases that affect agricultural production. To address this concern in Uganda, a mobile phone crowdsourcing Adhoc surveillance tool, Adsurv, was deployed and used by smallholder farmers. Adsurv is a crop health surveillance and monitoring mobile application that facilitates diagnosing and managing crop pests and diseases. Existing literature has examined the impacts of mobile technologies on food security or livelihoods in isolation, but has not conducted a holistic assessment of both. This study on the other hand aimed at assessing the contribution Adsurv made towards improved food security and livelihood assets of the smallholder farmers, which were not fully understood. The study contributes to applying the sustainable livelihood framework (SLF) as theory in evaluating Mobile for Development (M4D) initiatives. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was further adopted to facilitate the development of a hierarchical assessment model of the multidimensional food security and livelihood aspects using data collected from 56 out of the targeted 70 participants. Results show that Adsurv mainly contributed towards food availability rather than utilization or access. These gains mostly enhanced the human assets of the smallholder farmers, empowering them with skills that positively impacted all other assets to support the attainment of sustainable livelihoods. The implication of these results in both research and practice is the need for further research trials, which will motivate farmers to recognize the importance of the nutritional value of food in their agronomic practices.

The implementation of information systems (IS) architecture is a step in constructing enterprise architecture (EA) according to The Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF) and can introduce notable benefits in supporting the management and governance of information and communications technology (ICT) in organizations. However, the literature lacks models that support the construction of IS architectures in university hospitals (UHs). The Hospital das Clínicas of the Federal University of Pernambuco (HC-UFPE) is a large UH that confronts ICT misalignments of with other internal areas. In this context, this study investigates and proposes an IS architecture model for UHs through a case study conducted at HC-UFPE. The data collection methodology for constructing the IS architecture of this hospital was based on consultations with institutional documents, interviews with strategic stakeholders, and participant observations in the hospital's ICT sector. Open coding and data triangulation were used to analyze the data. This study presents two main contributions. (1) The development of a model used to assist in the construction of IS architecture for UHs. The model developed in this study has a practical application with the TOGAF 9.2 framework and Archi software for constructing an IS architecture for HC-UFPE. (2) The development and delivery of an HC-UFPE IS architecture to support the hospital's ICT governance, providing, through EA artifacts, a holistic view of the hospital's current and future ICT processes, in addition to the identification of gaps, challenges, and viable solutions to be considered for decision making to improve service delivery and ICT alignment with other hospital areas.

In this paper we propose a framework to explain the possibilities of ICT in ICT4D. The PAR (Possibility, Action, Result) framework is based on the theoretical concepts of IS artifacts, affordances, and the capability approach, and is further refined by findings from an eGovernment project in Indonesia aiming to develop a digital platform to facilitate inclusive public debate for the citizens. The framework describes the process by which IS artifacts enable various action possibilities and choices. Furthermore, the framework shows how actors may realize their possibilities and choices, which in turn enhances their functioning. Our analysis also revealed the role of conversion factors, such as personal commitment and digital literacy, that hindered the actors' ability to actualize the possibilities of ICT. We make three main contributions. First, the PAR framework explains the process by which ICT can enhance individual and collective capabilities. Second, the concept of IS artifacts describes the perception of ICT possibilities and choices in the ICT4D context. Third, the process of feedback explains how an outcome of an action can lead to perception of new affordances.

This manuscript details a critical reflection on how Design Science Research (DSR) was applied to the guided development and implementation of a strategy formulation process for a civic tech project called MobiSAM, which was executed in a marginalized local government context. It also demonstrates how the application of DSR is augmented by Soft Systems Methodology (SSM), to ensure that the unstructured properties typically present in multi-stakeholder deliberation (required in civic tech project strategizing) are accounted for in the strategy formulation exercise. To underpin this critical reflection on the emergence and application of the civic tech project strategy framework (the artifact), pragmatist interpretivism is employed. This qualitative paradigm underpinning the critical reflection supports better understanding of strategy related challenges primarily through participant observation and interviews with actors in the civic tech context. The findings reveal that for an unstructured problem like civic tech project strategizing, SSM is particularly instrumental to the application of four DSR guidelines, namely—problem relevance, design evaluation, research contribution and communication of DSR.