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School of Interactive Computing

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Special Editorial from Michael Best

2012 , Best, Michael L.

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The Contribution of User-Based Subsidies to the Impact and Sustainability of Telecenters: The eCenter Project in Kyrgyzstan

2010 , Best, Michael L. , Thakur, Dhanaraj , Kolko, Beth

We examine the extent to which user-based subsidies can promote the financial/social sustainability and development impact of telecenters. We do this by looking at a coupon scheme used by the USAID funded eCenter network in Kyrgyzstan. We found that user-based subsidies have, to a certain degree, aided financial sustainability by bringing new users to the center. However, the distribution of the coupons did not improve social sustainability since, for instance, the process favored more regular users of the eCenters. Finally, the coupon program had a limited development impact on participating communities. We argue that, if the eCenters had narrowly targeted particular participants for the coupon programs, it is likely that the benefits of the program could have been enhanced. A method of incentivizing eCenter management to perform such targeting is probably required.

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Understanding Our Knowledge Gaps: Or, Do We Have an ICT4D Field? And Do We Want One?

2010 , Best, Michael L.

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The telecommunications policy process in post-conflict developing countries: the case of Liberia

2008 , Best, Michael L. , Thakur, Dhanaraj

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop an understanding of the telecommunications policy process in immediate post-conflict countries and how that process differs from traditional settings. Design/methodology/approach – The authors consider the case of Liberia, a country that recently emerged from a protracted civil war. The authors focus on the Liberian Telecommunications Act of 2007 and the processes through which this act came about by applying a modified research framework. This framework identifies several factors in the literature that are posited to influence the policymaking process in developing countries. The authors also include other factors based on previous studies in post-conflict countries. The aim is to test the usefulness of this framework using the 2007 act. The authors apply it through the use of interviews with key actors in the government, industry, and international agencies. This was supplemented by secondary data from published reports and other sources. Findings – From the framework the authors identify the main factors influencing the telecoms policy making process in Liberia such as a weak and nascent institutional environment, intra-governmental competition, limited human and technical resources, the supportive (especially initially) role of the international actors such as the World Bank, and the dominance of elite groups in decision-making. The authors then make suggestions on overcoming some of existing challenges to the sector. Originality/value – This paper looks at the intersection of research in telecommunications policy, policy processes and post-conflict countries, an area in which there is currently very little work. The results indicate that several dimensions of the framework are germane to the post-conflict case and that some of these observations are also relevant to the future development of telecommunications in these countries.

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From the Editors

2011 , Best, Michael L. , Bar, François

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Building on Seven Years of Collaborative Effort

2010 , Best, Michael L. , Tomaya, Kentaro , Bar, François

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Forward

2010 , Best, Michael L. , Bar, François

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Exploring Facets of Community

2011 , Best, Michael L. , Bar, François

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Uses of Mobile Phones in Post-Conflict Liberia

2010 , Best, Michael L. , Smyth, Thomas N. , Etherton, John , Wornyo, Edem

Liberia is a country emerging from years of protracted and devastating civil conflict. Left without any fixed-line telephone infrastructure, it relies solely on the mobile phone for telephony. This study investigates the usage of mobile phones in this immediate post-conflict setting. In particular, we adopt the uses and gratifications approach to media research, giving focus to both instrumental and intrinsic motivations for use. We surveyed 85 mobile phone users in both the capital city of Monrovia and various rural areas, as well as interviewing experts from two major service providers and the industry regulator. Users were interviewed using the Q methodology, which identified distinct perspectives within these urban and rural groups. These identified perspectives included sets of users who saw their phones as productivity enhancers, means of connectivity to family and friends, essential business tools, technological curiosities, and sources of personal security. The idea of a phone as a stylish object was markedly rejected, especially in rural areas. Expert interviews confirmed and supplemented these findings. We contrast these results from Liberia with previous work from Kigali, Rwanda, finding differences especially as related to security.

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Crossing the Disciplines

2009 , Best, Michael L. , Bar, François

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