ICTs and Governance in Africa

2011 ◽  
pp. 978-983
Author(s):  
W. M. Olatokun
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Good Governance ◽  
Technological Development ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Technological Capabilities ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Developed Economies ◽  
Technology Products ◽  
Education Environment ◽  
Telecommunications Services

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) comprise a range of technology products and activities that enable the recording, storage, processing and retrieval, transmission, and reception of information. These products include computers, basic telecommunications services, e-mail, satellite communications, microelectronics, and the Internet. Arguably, these products and activities have found pervasive “functional inclusion” in virtually all sectors of any economy. Their use can help improve the quality of life for citizens, especially in the health, education environment, and agriculture sectors (Mansell & Wehn, 1998). IDEA (2000) asserts that ICTs and the phenomenal growth of the Internet also create new opportunities and challenges for the process of widening and deepening the process of good governance. For example, electronic communications through the use of ICTs offers the potential for greatly enhancing the transparency, efficiency and ease for sustainability of good democratic governance (IDEA, 2000). It is apparent that though ICTs have emerged as the major engine of economic growth and international competitiveness in certain developing countries (mostly in Southeast Asia) and some of the larger developed economies, applications and developments of these technologies, however, are still at a minimal level, starting to make very small beginnings in African countries. Although there are some noticeable applications of ICTs to governance in some African countries, most of the countries are yet to grasp the underlying dynamics of ICT contribution to economic development. Of particular concern are those countries that lack the technology capacity and legal policy frameworks. The implications and importance of ICTs in different countries, thus, vary considerably in complexity, and this can be argued to be a function of the national level of technological capabilities (NLTC) available, as well as the governance regimes to guide and coordinate the efficient use of ICTs (Oyeyinka, 1997). Many of the less-developing countries (LDCs), especially in Africa, were by-passed in the earlier technological development train … largely as a result of the historical antecedent of lack of assets and technological capabilities and good governance. Rather than being further left behind, these countries have started to appreciate the fact that ICTs can present opportunities to allow them join in the new economic order, and help reduce some of the technological gap between the developed and less-developed economies (Dzidonu, 2001). Much research would seem to have gone into understanding the component of NLTC with very little done on the governance component. This article attempts to consider the application of ICTs in governance in Africa.

Global Digital Divide

2011 ◽  
pp. 1664-1670 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nir Kshetri ◽  
Nikhilesh Dholakia
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Low Income ◽  
High Income ◽  
Income Country ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Global Trade ◽  
Technology Products ◽  
Global Digital Divide ◽  
Telecommunications Services

Despite rapidly falling costs of hardware, software and telecommunications services, a wide gap persists between rich and poor nations in terms of their capabilities of accessing, delivering, and exchanging information in digital forms (Carter and Grieco, 2000). According to a report published by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development in 2006, a person in a high-income country was more than 22 times likely to use the Internet than someone in a low-income country (UNCTAD, 2006). The ratios were 29 times for mobile phones and 21 times for fixed phones. An estimate suggested that more than 95% of e-commerce transactions in 2003 were industrialized countries (Tedeschi, 2003). Another estimate suggested that 99.9% of business-to-consumer e-commerce in 2003 took place in the developed regions of North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific (Computer Economics, 2000). This is a form of commercial divide (UN Chronicle, 2003). Another estimate suggests that 80 percent of the global trade in high technology products originates from Europe, the U.S., and Japan (Bowonder, 2001) and 92 % of the patents granted in the world are owned by the members of Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (Archibugi and Iammarino, 2000). Whereas high-income countries have income 63 times that of low-income countries, the respective ratios are 97 for PCs, 133 for mobile phones, and over 2,100 for Internet hosts (Dholakia and Kshetri, 2003). While reliable data on e-commerce transactions are not available, the ratio is likely to be even higher for e-commerce transactions since e-commerce is virtually non-existent in many developing countries. The pattern indicates that the gap between developed and developing countries is wider for more recent technologies such as PC, mobile phone, and the Internet than for technologies which were introduced earlier. This article provides an assessment of three computer networks that redefine the conventional definition of market value by allowing developing nations and communities (Brooks, 2001) reap the benefits of modern ICTs: Global Trade Point Network (GTPNet) and Little Intelligent Communities (LINCOS).

Connecting the poor: the internet, mobile phones and financial inclusion in Africa

2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
pp. 568-581 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olaniyi Evans
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Financial Inclusion ◽  
The Internet ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Macroeconomic Factors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Developed Economies ◽  
Causality Tests ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The increased adoption of internet-enabled phones in Africa has caused much speculation and optimism concerning its effects on financial inclusion. Policymakers, the media and various studies have all flaunted the potentials of internet and mobile phones for financial inclusion. An important question therefore is “Can the internet and mobile phones spur the inclusion of the financially excluded poor? This study therefore aims to examine the relationship and causality between internet, mobile phones and financial inclusion in Africa for the 2000-2016 period. Design/methodology/approach The empirical analysis followed these three steps: examination of the stationarity of the variables; testing for the cointegration; and evaluation of the effects of the internet and mobile phones on financial inclusion in Africa for the 2000-2016 period using three outcomes of panel FMOLS approach and Granger causality tests. Findings The empirical evidence shows that internet and mobile phones have significant positive relationship with financial inclusion, meaning that rising levels of internet and mobile phones are associated with increased financial inclusion. There is also uni-directional causality from internet and mobile phones to financial inclusion, implying that internet and mobile phones cause financial inclusion. The study also shows that macroeconomic factors such as capital formation, primary enrollment, bank credit, broad money, population growth, remittances, agriculture and interest rate, as well as institutional factors such as regulatory quality are important underlying factors for financial inclusion in Africa. Originality/value In the literature, there is a dearth of research on the internet, mobile phones and financial inclusion, especially in Africa. Most of the related studies are conceptual and micro-based, with little empirical attention to the relationship and causality between internet, mobile phones and financial inclusion. In fact, this dearth of rigorous empirical studies has been attributed as the main cause of inadequate policy guidance in enhancing information communication technologies (Roycroft and Anantho, 2003), despite saturation levels in developed economies. This study fills the gap by evaluating the effects of the Internet and mobile phones on financial inclusion for 44 African countries for the 2000-2016 period.

Modern Technology and Mass Education

2008 ◽  
pp. 1806-1821 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed Ali
Keyword(s):  
Interactive Video ◽  
Modern Technology ◽  
Learning System ◽  
The Internet ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Education Environment ◽  
Use Of The Internet

This case study examined the effectiveness and significance of the Internet and interactive video broadcasting as instructional and communication media in a global virtual learning system. The study explored how differences in students’ technology experiences, curriculum, cultures, and access to technology influence learning and student attitude in a technology-based distance education environment. The research also investigated whether the use of online references and materials is adequate and appropriate for successful distance learning. The setting was a virtual campus that linked universities in the U.S., Australia, and Canada with learning centers in different African countries. E-mail and face-to-face interviews, observations, and Web-based surveys were utilized to collect the data. The study reveals that students had mixed perceptions about the effectiveness of technology, with positive attitudes exhibited towards interactive video and some anxiety and dissatisfaction with the use of the Internet.

Modern Technology and Mass Education

2011 ◽  
pp. 194-204
Author(s):  
Ahmed Ali
Keyword(s):  
Interactive Video ◽  
Modern Technology ◽  
Learning System ◽  
The Internet ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Education Environment ◽  
Use Of The Internet

This case study examined the effectiveness and significance of the Internet and interactive video broadcasting as instructional and communication media in a global virtual learning system. The study explored how differences in students’ technology experiences, curriculum, cultures, and access to technology influence learning and student attitude in a technology-based distance education environment. The research also investigated whether the use of online references and materials is adequate and appropriate for successful distance learning. The setting was a virtual campus that linked universities in the U.S., Australia, and Canada with learning centers in different African countries. E-mail and face-toface interviews, observations, and Web-based surveys were utilized to collect the data. The study reveals that students had mixed perceptions about the effectiveness of technology, with positive attitudes exhibited towards interactive video and some anxiety and dissatisfaction with the use of the Internet.

Modern Technology and Mass Education

2011 ◽  
pp. 327-340 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed Ali
Keyword(s):  
Interactive Video ◽  
Modern Technology ◽  
Learning System ◽  
The Internet ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Education Environment ◽  
Use Of The Internet

This case study examined the effectiveness and significance of the Internet and interactive video broadcasting as instructional and communication media in a global virtual learning system. The study explored how differences in students’ technology experiences, curriculum, cultures, and access to technology influence learning and student attitude in a technology-based distance education environment. The research also investigated whether the use of online references and materials is adequate and appropriate for successful distance learning. The setting was a virtual campus that linked universities in the U.S., Australia, and Canada with learning centers in different African countries. E-mail and face-to-face interviews, observations, and Web-based surveys were utilized to collect the data. The study reveals that students had mixed perceptions about the effectiveness of technology, with positive attitudes exhibited towards interactive video and some anxiety and dissatisfaction with the use of the Internet.

Review of Sustainable Multimodal Freight Transportation System in African Developing Countries: Evidence from Ghana

2019 ◽  
Vol 41 ◽  
pp. 155-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Okyere ◽  
Jia Qi Yang ◽  
Kwabena Sarpong Aning ◽  
Bin Zhan
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Traffic Congestion ◽  
Developing Economies ◽  
Freight Transport ◽  
Transportation Systems ◽  
Transport Systems ◽  
Intermodal Transport ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Developed Economies ◽  
Intermodal Freight

The importance of transportation in the socio-economic development of nations cannot be downplayed. Intermodal transport has become vital concept for ensuring sustainable freight transport in developed economies but less focused on among African scientific community as it attracts fewer researches and developments. This paper aims to review and promote the development of sustainable intermodal freight transport systems in African developing countries with insights from Ghana.The researchers adopted literature review approach for the global intermodal developments and that of developing economies with emphasis on Africa and Ghana.Transport experts and experienced practitioners’ opinions were sought to complement the limited literature on the means to improve intermodal transport and logistics management systems. Authors discovered that some African countries like Ghana potentially posses some relevant multimodal resources such as seaport, waterway, railway and road infrastructures. However, they are not well interconnected to acquire intermodal benefits. Besides, the existing transportation systems were mostly road dominated and frauded with cost-inefficiencies; greenhouse gas emissions, traffic congestion, accidents, high maintenance and service deficiencies.The constraints are lack of skilled labor, limited infrastructure, safety and security problems, limited institutional capacity, poor intermodal transport network and connectivity issues. Some practical measures to improve the lapses in the transport system were highlighted. It was suggested that management of African developing countries must remodify their transport policies to attract investors and transport players. This would strengthen Public Private Partnerships (PPP) collaborations in developing intermodal freight transport and logistics systems.

scholarly journals Supporting the Sustainable Development of Railway Transport in Developing Countries

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 3572 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agnes Wanjiku Wangai ◽  
Daniel Rohacs ◽  
Anita Boros
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
System Development ◽  
Technological Development ◽  
Legal Framework ◽  
Transport Systems ◽  
Railway Transport ◽  
Management Tools ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Developed Economies ◽  
Railway Systems

Generally, the development process of the railway transport system is determined by the market pull effects initiated by the economy and society and the market push effects induced by technological progress. The policymakers can provide a balance between these two effects; this results in more effective, safer, and greener future railway systems. In developing countries, the railway systems lag compared to the developed economies. Therefore, the supporting management tools and legal supports for policymakers and strategic management play significant roles in the development of future sustainable transport systems. This paper deals with such required tools and the potential legal framework that support the development of sustainable railway systems in developing countries. The major novelty and advantages of the introduced methodology is the harmonised interaction between society, economic demands, technological development, and regulation. The proposed tools are applied to the Kenya rail system development.

ANALISA PERBANDINGAN DALAM RANGKA PEMILIHAN BEBERAPA IP UPSTREAM PROVIDER DI PT. INDOSAT

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 57
Author(s):  
Yuli Anwar ◽  
Dahlar .
Keyword(s):  
Business Strategy ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Sustainable Growth ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Network Service Provider ◽  
High Speed Data ◽  
Telecommunications Services ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Internet Network

Abstract. One of the advances in information technology that now has changed the outlook and human life, business process and business strategy of an institution is the internet. The internet is a very large networks that connected to computers and serves throughout the world in one centralized network. With the internet we can access data and information anytime and anywhere.    As one provider of high-speed data communications services and the pioneer of the internet network service provider in Indonesia that provides integrated services, as well as one of the pioneer development of internet services that provide extensive services in the building and apply it throughout Indonesia. Indosat ready to seize opportunities for sustainable growth of business spectrum are still sprawling Indonesia.    Therefore, Indosat continues to focus on the development of increased efforts to provide the best service for customers of Indosat. Indosat will continue to develop and expand network coverage and a larger investment that the company will achieve excellence in the field of integrated telecommunications services.    Ranking by region of the IP Providers can be seen by grouping IP Providers, and management over IP Providers prefer to choose providers based on where it orginates as an example for the region of the U.S if it will be preferred providers that come from U.S. providers.With the commencement of the internet network optimization start early in 2008 with the selection of the appropriate IP Upstream Provider criteria, it is up to date according to data obtained from Indosat, seen any significant changes to the cost of purchasing capacity of the IP Upstream.    Based on the data obtained that until Q3 or September 2008, the number of IP Upstream Providers that previously there were 20 to 10 IP Upstream Provider, IP Transit Price total decrease of 11% to the price of IP Transit Price / Mbps there is a decrease of 78%, while from the capacity bandwith an increase of 301% capacity from 2008.

Exploring the World Trade Organisation's Trade and Environment/Public Health Jurisprudence as a Model for Incorporating a Trade–Labour Linkage into the Organisation's Multilateral Trade Regime: Should African Countries Accept a Policy Shift?

2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-65
Author(s):  
Tapiwa V. Warikandwa ◽  
Patrick C. Osode
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
World Trade ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Trade Regime ◽  
Multilateral Trade ◽  
Appellate Body ◽  
The World ◽  
Labour Standards ◽  
The Impact

The incorporation of a trade-labour (standards) linkage into the multilateral trade regime of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has been persistently opposed by developing countries, including those in Africa, on the grounds that it has the potential to weaken their competitive advantage. For that reason, low levels of compliance with core labour standards have been viewed as acceptable by African countries. However, with the impact of WTO agreements growing increasingly broader and deeper for the weaker and vulnerable economies of developing countries, the jurisprudence developed by the WTO Panels and Appellate Body regarding a trade-environment/public health linkage has the potential to address the concerns of developing countries regarding the potential negative effects of a trade-labour linkage. This article argues that the pertinent WTO Panel and Appellate Body decisions could advance the prospects of establishing a linkage of global trade participation to labour standards without any harm befalling developing countries.

Rising to Grand Challenges: A Need for a Comprehensive Rusafrica Рroject

2018 ◽  
pp. 11-24
Author(s):  
Leonid Fituni
Keyword(s):  
Development Strategy ◽  
Technological Development ◽  
High Technology ◽  
Mutual Cooperation ◽  
Grand Challenges ◽  
Cooperative Approach ◽  
Technology Products ◽  
Innovative Products ◽  
The Russian Federation ◽  
Scientific And Technological Development

The author presents a vision of the mainstream vectors of global development against the backdrop of the “Grand Challenges” of the 21st century. He formulates optimal ways for Russia and Africa to interact in order to achieve the goals set by the UN Third International Conference on Financing for Development. The author proposes a RUSAFRICA project, which combines a dual goal of boosting economic, social and technological development of both Russia and Africa. The project envisages an integrated cooperative approach to mutually significant economic, technological and infrastructural requirements and capacities while prioritizing the human development aspect. Innovative approaches to mutual cooperation shale open ways to promoting Russian technologies and innovative products to new markets, generating growth of income from exports of high technology products and services with the aim to enhance Russia’s influence and competitive strengths, in accordance with the Scientific and Technological Development Strategy of the Russian Federation.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document