While big data has the potential to make a significant contribution to international development, that potential is currently constrained by a number of barriers. Systematic analysis of those barriers is rare, so this paper applies the design-reality gap model to identify and evaluate barriers...

Rapid recent growth in the role of data within international development has meant analysis of this phenomenon has been lagging; particularly, analysis of broader impacts of real-world initiatives. Addressing this gap through a focus on data's increasing presence in urban development, this paper...

This paper reviews the past, present and future of Romania's information technology (IT) industries. It describes Romania's IT industry under Communism and the changes in both IT policies and the IT industry following the December 1989 revolution. Though flawed in many ways, Romania's...

Information technology forms an increasingly important component of donor-funded development projects, yet evaluation of such projects has been comparatively-rarely reported. This paper presents an evaluation of the information technology component within four Chinese technology projects, each...

It often seems that use of participative approaches in the development of information systems (IS) has reached the status of a new orthodoxy: a ‘magic bullet' technique that is always relevant, always beneficial in trying to overcome the high failure rate of information systems. Yet...

Production of software provides many potential benefits for developing countries (DCs), including creation of jobs, skills and income. This paper reviews five different strategic approaches to software production that can be adopted:• Export of software services, the model followed by India...

Can information and communication technologies (ICTs) help to alleviate poverty in low-income countries? The paper investigates this question, focusing particularly on the role of ICTs in assisting the development of small and micro-enterprises. The investigation is based on a systemic...

To increase the value and reduce the costs and risks of global software outsourcing, clients and developers are 'synching': building congruence along six identified 'COCPIT' dimensions. Case studies from a longitudinal research project identify practical synching strategies used by North...

Most information systems — including current ICT projects — in developing countries fail either totally or partially. This paper develops a model which explains those high rates of failure. The model is based on the notion of design — reality gaps: the match or mismatch between IS designs...