Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Exploring The Impact Of Information And Communication Technology (Ict) On Intermediation Market Structure In The Microfinance Industry, Frederick Riggins, David Weber

The African Journal of Information Systems

The microfinance industry provides financial services to the world’s poor in hopes of moving individuals and families out of poverty. In 2013 there were 4.7 million active microfinance borrowers in Africa. This represents a smaller percentage of the population compared to other regions of the world, indicating the potential for rapid growth of microfinance in Africa. However, microfinance is maturing, in part due to the adoption of information and communication technologies (ICTs). This research examines how ICTs are changing the microfinance industry given recent advancements in mobile banking, Internet usage, and connectivity. By examining the microfinance market structure, we determine …

Icts And Regional Economic Integration: An Anticipatory Scenario For The Horn Of Africa, Ali Noor Mohamed

International Journal of African Development

Development experts are telling increasingly fascinating stories about how human development indices (HDI) among the poor in Africa, Asia, and Latin America have been buoyed by the diffusion of ICTs (Information and Communication Technologies) over the last two decades. According to data compiled by the World Economic Forum, ICTs have facilitated faster and more reliable communication with regard to almost all important spheres of life including healthcare, education, agriculture, commerce, e-banking, the environment, etc. Perhaps the greatest impact of ICTs has been in their democratizing effect and their role in promoting gender equity, especially with regard to access to information …

Enhancing Workplace Productivity And Competitiveness In Trinidad And Tobago Through Ict Adoption, Kennedy Jerome Swaratsingh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The productivity of Trinidad and Tobago's public sector workplaces is related to their absorptive capacity for technological adoption. Guided by the technology acceptance model, which suggests that individuals' and institutions' use of technology increases in relation to perceived ease of use and apparent value, this case study explored how Trinidad and Tobago used information and communications technology from 2001 - 2010 to improve public sector workplace productivity. Study data were collected from 22 individual interviews with senior executives from the government of Trinidad and Tobago, members of the e-business roundtable, and local industry experts, and from reviewing the archives of …

Ict, Social Media, And The Arab Transition To Democracy: From Venting To Acting, Mohammed M. Aman Dr.

Mohammed M. Aman

There is widespread use of information and communications technology (ICT) in the Middle East and North African countries. Blogging and social media have played an important role in the recent calls for reform and change. Using these new communication systems and devices, citizens have been venting their anger and frustration with their autocratic governments and rulers. Most recently, the venting has turned into action, as shown by the eradication of the old regimes in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and Yemen, as well as the ongoing struggle in Syria.

The most notable issues include lack of individual freedoms, deteriorating economic conditions, high …

The Challenges Faced By Portuguese-Speaking Universities In Africa, Stephen Thompson, Jorge Ferrao

Articles

A common challenge faced by members of the Association of Portuguese Language Universities (AULP) and by other higher education institutions around the world is providing access to up-to-date and relevant academic literature. In an age where more research is being published than ever before, institutions need to move with the times and recognise that we should change our approach to tertiary education. This report considers how a university based in a Portuguese speaking country can use e-learning to overcome some of the barriers presented by language in higher education.

Cosmopolitanism And Suppression Of Cyber-Dissent In The Caucasus: Obstacles And Opportunities For Social Media And The Web, Brian J. Bowe, Michigan State University, Robin Blom

Journalism Faculty Publications

Around the world, social media offer an informal virtual space for citizens who feel disenfranchised to connect socially. But for those who live in countries such as the three former Soviet republics of the Caucasus — where free expression is curtailed and official news outlets are under government censorship — information and communication technology (ICT) offers an increasingly important alternative vehicle for political expression. Recent developments in Tunisia, Egypt, and Iran demonstrate how blogging and social media tools may fulfill a crucial role for non-journalists and oppositional groups that journalism serves in more democratic societies. This article considers the use …

Cosmopolitanism And Suppression Of Cyber-Dissent In The Caucasus: Obstacles And Opportunities For Social Media And The Web, Brian J. Bowe, Robin Blom

Brian J. Bowe

Around the world, social media offer an informal virtual space for citizens who feel disenfranchised to connect socially. But for those who live in countries such as the three former Soviet republics of the Caucasus — where free expression is curtailed and official news outlets are under government censorship — information and communication technology (ICT) offers an increasingly important alternative vehicle for political expression. Recent developments in Tunisia, Egypt, and Iran demonstrate how blogging and social media tools may fulfill a crucial role for non-journalists and oppositional groups that journalism serves in more democratic societies. This article considers the use …