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TLets298110
Tribal drums on the information superhighway :
[Thesis]
Kimani-Nuttall, Muthoni J.
telematics and local community development in Kenya and South Africa.
Manchester Metropolitan University
2000
Ph.D.
Manchester Metropolitan University
2000
This thesis is concerned with the role of new information and communicationtechnologies (lCTs) in community development. Bhalla and James (1988) havestated, 'The rapidly advancing scientific and technological frontier will inevitablyhave monumental consequences for the Third World ... Equally predictable, however,is that modem technologies will be deployed in developing countries ... ' With this inmind, questions central to the current research are asked: Is Africa being left behindin the new information revolution? Will the new ICTs aid deVelopment in Africancountries, and in particular, are local communities going to be empowered ormarginalized? Is there room for optimism? To address these questions andinvestigate the potential of ICTs to aid community development, the author outlinesthe importance of community development, particularly the role played by smallenterprises and women in development (Chapter Two). Further, the chapter looks atthe information needs of these economic sectors and the intermediary bodies thathave been formed to assist them. Chapter Three seeks to show the importance oftechnology within the development process, and in particular, the importance of localcapacities and local technologies. These are deemed necessary for technologyblending which adapts new technologies to local circumstances. In Chapter Four, theauthor reviews the growth ofICTs and related institutions identifying constraints thathave been encountered and how they are being addressed. Significant is thediscovery that African telecommunications generate higher profits than those in otherparts of the world; this should allow efficiency gains which should permit majorexpansion in ICTs within current investment levels.Reports on field research carried out in Kenya and South Africa are given in ChapterFive. In both countries, small enterprises and women's development were identifiedas key players in community development. To this end, intermediary organizationsinvolved in these two areas were identified for study: the Women's Bureau and theKenya Industrial Estates in Kenya; and the Women's National Coalition, the SmallBusinesses Advisory Bureau, BRIDGES and Mamelodi in South Africa. Whilst allthe organizations were providing benefits to target communities, the South Africanorganizations showed greater capacity for delivering assistance. All demonstratedhigh management skills and exploited the new opportunities provided through asound infrastructure and a political will, to extend assistance to local communities invarious ways.The final Chapter draws reasoned conclusions pointing out three necessary successfactors: infrastructure, management skills and political will. With these three criticalfactors in mind, the author makes recommendations to government, commerce andindustry, agencies serving local communities, international agencies and toresearchers. To this end, the thesis makes a contribution of value to all potentialstakeholders. It also provides guidance to future researchers into Africandevelopment.
Women and technology; Local access to IT
Kimani-Nuttall, Muthoni J.
Manchester Metropolitan University
مطالعه متن کتاب p
[Thesis]
276903
a
Y
