ICT in Development: A Contextual Approach

The importance of information and communication technology (ICT) in economic development is a topic that still raises contention. The view held commonly among global development institutions—the World Bank, UN, The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and so on—is that it plays a positive role. Within a new approach to the role of knowledge in economic development, stress is laid on how to bridge the gap between technologically advanced countries (TACs) where ICT use is widespread and less developed countries (LDCs) where shortage or lack of access to it is perceived as an impediment to growth and development. While agreeing, in principle, with a positive viewpoint on ICT in economic development, this essay takes a different approach; it seeks to analyse the contextual adaptations of ICT use rather than its use ipso facto leading to a positive outcome. It is argued that ICT use adapts itself to the socio-organizational design of work in an LDC rather than transforming it. Further, to bring this technological change, a much more hands-on approach in ICT service production and dissemination would be required instead of these countries functioning as mere recipients of arm’s length ICT services.