Impact of ICT4D project

Research in the multi-disciplinary domain of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and Development indicates there is potential for ICT to contribute to a nation's socio-economic development. We contend that there is a need for extending existing IS or ICT theoretical paradigms by the creation of frameworks set in the local context that will either analyse individual ICT applications or understand/measure ICT impacts on socio-economic development, especially in developing countries. Our research constructs a conceptual framework in order to understand the developmental impact at micro or community level in rural areas of one developing country, Bangladesh. We achieve this through an interpretive case study of one type of ICT4D project or intervention in three village areas in Bangladesh. Its results were analysed using Heeks information chain model and Sen notion of development as freedom. Our research makes a contribution to expanding the scope for impact assessment and to identifying social constraints (religious issues, perceptions held of female community members, and so on), and we believe that these constraints demand further investigation.

Autorentext

Dr. Ashraf, Lecturer in the department of MIS at University of Dhaka, Bangladesh, has been studying the impact of ICT for development (ICT4D) projects in developing nations. He obtained IDRC, Canada supported research grant in 2009 and published number of research articles in peer-reviewed academic journals, edited books and conferences.