Title: Mobile Technology in Africa: a comparative view between Kenya and South Africa
Author: Mariska Du Preez
Source: MIH Media Lab
Date (published): 07/12/2011
Date (accessed): 13/12/2011
Type of information: blog post
Language: English
On-line access: yes (HTML)
Abstract:
"A recent GSMA report stated that Africa is currently the second biggest market for mobile in the world. This means that there is huge innovation potential in terms of mobile technology application development, as well as creating solutions (think access to information, ability to transfer money, creating jobs) for the more than 649 million handset owners on the continent.

As part of my research I’ve been investigating the mobile tech space in South Africa and Kenya as well as the developer communities in both countries. It is interesting to see how many differences (and surprising similarities) there are in terms of mobile usage and user statistics."

Title: Why we shouldn’t put mobile money on a pedestal…yet?
Author: Laura Fedoryk
Source: Peace Dividend Trust Blog
Date (published): 01/12/2011
Date (accessed): 04/12/2011
Type of information: blog post
Language: English
On-line access: yes (HTML)
Abstract:
"Mobile money initiatives have exploded throughout the developing world. We’ve been hearing a lot over the past few years about its ability to provide access to savings, cash transfers, bill payments and other money management tools to unbanked populations. Yet given the dearth of cautionary literature on the topic, it appears it’s been a bit harder for development enthusiasts to pause and consider the possible pitfalls. What happens when a population — the one that is most likely to benefit from its services — rapidly adopts a new technology, like mobile money?
…
I’m not saying that mobile money is inherently bad – far from it. But as we click away on our smart phones, iPads, and other tech devices, it’s easy to forgive their flaws and look past the potential dangers they create (speaking of which, if you’re reading this while, say crossing the street, save it for later – it won’t be useful to you when you’re in the path of a city bus…).

Mobile money is a tool and, much like we have seen activists and repressive governments alike use social media platforms to spread information or incite action, it can both positively and negatively affect large numbers of people with the tap of a single button..."

Title: ICTs for Agricultural Extension: A Study in the Indian Himalayan Region
Authors: Vyakaranam L.V. Kameswari, Devash Kishore, Vinita Gupta
Pages: 12 pp.
ISSN: 1681-4835
Source: The Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries, (2011) 48, 3, 1-12
Publisher: City University of Hong Kong
Date (published): 28/08/2011
Date (accessed): 20/11/2011
Type of information: peer reviewed article
Language: English
On-line access: yes (pdf)
Abstract:
"This paper reports on the availability, use and information seeking behaviour of a farming community with specific reference to Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). It fills a research gap by examining what people do with a medium when they have access to it, rather than looking at barriers surrounding the use of ICTs and digital divide issues arising due to differential access and capabilities. The study was conducted in a state in North India, and provides insights into intentions and factors surrounding the use of various media by farmers. It highlights the socio-cultural context within which information seeking and use occurs in rural India."

Title: Branchless Banking in Pakistan: A Laboratory for Innovation
Author: Chris Bold
Publisher: CGAP: Consultative Group to Assist the Poor
Date (published): 24/10/2011
Date (accessed): 20/11/2011
Type of information: brief
Language: English
On-line access: yes (pdf)
Abstract:
"Pakistan is one of the fastest developing markets for branchless banking in the world. Clear regulations and a regulator that is willing to both listen to the private sector and provide incentives for innovation have promoted a dynamic branchless banking sector. Two players
have already launched services, and others are waiting in the wings. This Brief highlights
both existing and anticipated businesses and outlines the key challenges and opportunities
that are likely to shape the market over the next 12 months.

Branchless banking regulation was first introduced in Pakistan in April 2008. From the beginning, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has taken a constructive regulatory approach by providing clear guidance and being willing to listen to businesses and adjust regulation where necessary. A variety of business models is emerging that involves a wide range of players, including mobile network operators (MNOs), technology companies, and even a courier business.(Notably, a bank remains ultimately liable to SBP in all the models.) The government is further encouraging innovation by piloting the use of branchless banking to distribute government payments. Taken together, these factors make Pakistan a unique laboratory for innovation.

SBP has issued four branchless banking licenses and is considering several others."

Title: Beyond Payments or Just Different Payments?
Author: Sarah Rotman
Source: CGAP: Consultative Group to Assist the Poor
Date (published): 15/11/2011
Date (accessed): 20/11/2011
Type of information: blog post
Language: English
On-line access: yes (HTML)
Abstract:
"Everyone is always talking about trying to move the branchless banking industry beyond just payments. Those of us concerned with accelerating “real financial inclusion” long to see credit, savings and insurance products pushed over new delivery channels. But is it possible that there’s still work to be done within the payments space itself, just diversifying a bit beyond simple P2P transfers?

For example, I’ve been hearing a lot of talk recently about really trying to crack the nut on merchant payments. Branchless banking providers see this as a huge opportunity not only for increased transactions (and therefore revenue), but also as a way to solve some of the tricky problems around liquidity management at agent locations when more people use electronic value for direct purchases instead of just cashing in and out. But how do small merchants respond to the possibility of being brought into the formal economy through using a traceable payments service? Will merchants and customers be willing to pay a fee to transact electronically instead of in cash? These are just a couple of the open questions that still need to be answered."

Title: Cutting-edge ICT incubator set to unleash entrepreneurship in Tanzania
Source: infoDev
Publisher: The World Bank
Date (published): 01/11/2011
Date (accessed): 20/11/2011
Type of information: article
Language: English
On-line access: yes (HTML)
Abstract:
"Technology accelerator Dar Teknohama opened in Tanzanian capital

A new ICT business incubator was inaugurated on October 31st by business and government leaders in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The new Dar Teknohama Business Incubator (DTBi) will support local technology-based companies and other young entrepreneurs with high growth potential.

Business incubator DTBi works to lower the risk of starting a new business and accelerate the growth rate of early-stage enterprises by providing ICT entrepreneurs with business advice, mentoring services, networking opportunities, and access to finance, markets and shared facilities. Tanzanian entrepreneurs and small enterprises are critical drivers of innovation, but they face numerous challenges. Business incubators can be effective mechanisms for helping them establish themselves and become competitive. The business incubator aims to boost the local ICT sector so that it creates jobs and leads to economic growth."

Title: Exploring the Socio-Economic Structures of Internet-Enabled Development: A Study of Grassroots Netrepreneurs in China
Authors: Chrisanthi Avgerou, Boyi Li, Angeliki Poulymenakou
Pages: 12 pp.
ISSN: 1681-4835
Source: The Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries, (2011) 49, 4, 1-12
Publisher: City University of Hong Kong
Date (published): 12/10/2011
Date (accessed): 20/11/2011
Type of information: peer reviewed article
Language: English
On-line access: yes (pdf)
Abstract:
"There is increasing interest in the potential of internet platforms for networking and collaboration - often referred to as web 2.0 - to open up unprecedented prospects for individuals to come together and engage in economic and political activities, bypassing and indeed subverting the corporate structures of the market economy and state control. The prevailing discourse on this technology-driven transformative potential focuses on networks of individuals interacting through technology tools with little, if at all, attention to the social context that gives rise and sustains their networked economic or political activities. In this paper we study the social embeddedness of the empowering potential of internet-enabled economic activity. We present and discuss a case of intense entrepreneurial activity in a Chinese community, engaging in e-commerce trading conducted on a platform of internet tools. Our analysis of this case juxtaposes the emerging views on web2.0 business activities with views drawn from a long established literature on entrepreneurship as a networked activity. We found that internet-based entrepreneurial activity at this case of grassroots development enacts online social networking mechanisms of peer-to-peer and vendor- customer interactions and heavily depends on a corporate service provider, as well as the historically developed community infrastructure for commerce. Overall, our research explores whether economic activity enabled by web 2.0 is an individualistic phenomenon, or it relies on institutional bearings and if so what is their nature."

Title: Electronic Payment Systems Development in a Developing Country: The Role of Institutional Arrangements
Authors: Austin Briggs, Laurence Brooks
Pages: 16 pp.
ISSN: 1681-4835
Source: The Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries, (2011) 49, 3, 1-16
Publisher: City University of Hong Kong
Date (published): 24/09/2011
Date (accessed): 20/11/2011
Type of information: peer reviewed article
Language: English
On-line access: yes (pdf)
Abstract:
"This paper examines the institutional arrangements in the development of Nigeria’s electronic payment system (EPS) using a new institutional economics (NIE) perspective. A case study of Nigeria’s EPS was carried out using semi structured interviews to collect data from 18 participating stakeholders; a thematic method was used for the data analysis. The study suggests that a well-functioning set of arrangements, which is lacking in the institutional setup in Nigeria may be required to build necessary institutional capacity suitable for development of safe and efficient electronic payment systems. Although the technological payment infrastructure in Nigeria is modern and of comparable standard, the failure to put in place reliable and relevant market and collaborative agreements has not enabled full exploitation of the available infrastructure. Current governance structures show elements of power struggle and distrust between stakeholders (players and regulators), hampering the creation of an environment that would sustain free market economic activities and effective development of payment systems."

Title: ICT must be used in improving the employability of youth
Author: Tyrone Hall
Source: ICTWorks
Date (published): 07/11/2011
Date (accessed): 10/11/2011
Type of information: blog post
Language: English
On-line access: yes (HTML)
Abstract:
"The use of ICT to strengthen youth employability in the developing world ought to be pursued vigorously. To be clear: ICTs aren't the only route to improving the employability of youth, but it should be used as a key tool because of the anticipated growth potential and youth employability crisis experienced by most societies in the developing world.

Youth constitute more than half of the world’s population, of which 81 million are unemployed− 7.8 million more than the number in 2007− a disproportionate number as youth only make up a third of the world's working population. No where is youth employability constraints worse than in the developing world, where a majority of the world’s youth live.

This is a huge development challenge. Clearly, a deeper engagement with youth is needed to foster more sustainable futures. That must start with efforts to equip young people, a demographic force, with marketable ICT skills because of the immense employment and wider economic opportunities ahead.
…
As the World Bank's flagship ICT initiative for Africa, the New Economy Skills for Africa Program: Information and Communication Technology (NESAP-ICT), puts it: “The lack of skilled manpower is a binding constraint to realizing the potential of the sector. Even India which has 30% of the global labor supply suitable for the industry expects a shortfall of 0.8 to 1.2 million skilled workers for its ITES industry by 2012.” The onus is therefore upon Sub-Saharan Africa and other developing parts of the world “to boost its "talent" profile so as to benefit from this burgeoning market opportunity”"

Title: The Economic Impact of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) on Microenterprises in the Context of Development
Authors: Chew, H. E.; Vigneswara Ilavarasan, P.; Levy , M. R.
Pages: 19 pp.
ISSN: 1681-4835
Source: Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries, (2010) 44, 4, 1-19
Publisher: www.ejisdc.org
Date (published): 06/10/2010
Date (accessed): 09/11/2011
Type of information: research paper
Language: English
On-line access: yes (pdf)
Abstract:
"This paper investigates the impact of information and communication technologies, especially landline and mobile phones, computers, and Internet cafés in facilitating economic growth in the developing world. Data on access to ICTs, as well as business-relevant behaviors and attitudes, was collected by a multi-stage probability sample of women microentrepreneurs in Mumbai, India. Main findings include evidence that in urban microenterprises owned by women, business growth is a function of ICT access and is related to motivation to use ICTs for business purposes; and that the more positive a woman microentrepreneur feels about her status and power because of her business, the more she will be motivated to use ICTs in support of her business. Implications for the study of digital divides and strategies for studies of communication and technology more generally are considered."