ICT and rural societies: Opportunities for growth

The application of ICT solutions for the development of rural India and other developing countries opens up a vast range of possibilities. Giving an opportunity to the vast majority of the population living in rural areas, to cross the digital divide to obtain access to information resources and services provided by ICT is the next revolution waiting to happen. Although this is a development issue, it is just not the government, non-government organizations or the rural masses that have a role to play. Private profit-making institutions can develop solutions to capture the hitherto unrecognized markets, make profits and at the same time aid the rural societies. The new technologies being developed can help surmount barriers present in providing information resources at a low cost and make applications feasible and profitable. This paper presents some cases where ICT has been effectively used for the benefit of the rural societies and analyzes the opportunities that lie in this sphere. The cases range from successful use of ICT in governance, to ICT solutions for improved profits to ICT in microfinance. A case of an initiative by a large mainstream corporation to reach out to the rural sector, help in development and realize profits mutually is also presented. The projects discussed should generate more interest and facilitate private investment in the hitherto virgin territory. A large number of hurdles still remain but creative ideas, breakthrough ICT technologies and committed organizations can usher in the next revolution in the developing world.     

The effects of ICT use and ICT Laws on corruption: A general deterrence theory perspective

Investigations of white collar crimes such as corruption are often hindered by the lack of information or physical evidence. Information and communication technologies (ICT), by virtue of their ability to monitor, track, record, analyze, and share vast amounts of information may help countries identify and prosecute criminals, and deter future corruption. While prior studies have demonstrated that ICT is an important tool in reducing corruption at the country level, they provide little explanation as to how ICT influences corruption and when does it work best. We explore these gaps in the literature using the hypothetico-deductive approach to research, by using general deterrence theory to postulate a series of main and moderating effects relating ICT use and corruption, and then testing those effects using secondary data analysis. Our analysis suggests that ICT use influences corruption by increasing the certainty and celerity of punishment related to corruption. Moreover, ICT laws moderate the effect of ICT use on corruption, suggesting that ICT investments may have limited effect on corruption, unless complemented with appropriate ICT laws. Implications of our findings for research and practice are discussed.     

Innovative policies to support technology and ICT development

This study is concerned with the government policies and programs to support the process of technology and innovation development of Thailand. The paper also discusses the government policies to promote the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) businesses. The comparative case of Taiwan has shown that the strong innovation networks under the management of the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) enable the successful technology catch-ups. The results show the government interventionist models of Thailand and Taiwan in providing various financing policies and programs to develop high technology-based businesses. The analyses of policy implications and strategic implementation of innovation financing programs provide useful lessons for other developing economies.     

A public value perspective for ICT enabled public sector reforms: A theoretical reflection

The purpose of this paper is to offer a critical discussion of information system adoption in the public sector (often referred to as e-government) and to contribute to the debate by offering a public value perspective. The paper points to the public value paradigm as an alternative approach to studying ICT-enabled public sector reforms. This paradigm, we argue, proposes an alternative way of framing the nature of the problems faced when ICT enabled public sector reforms are initiated and studied. The public value perspective proposes a new and richer context in which to study and research these phenomena. It also calls for the redefinition of the ways we assess e-government in the context of public sector reforms. It is therefore seen as vital to evaluate the socio-political impact of ICT adoption in the public sector.     

Linking ICTs to rural development: China's rural information policy

The issue of rural communication development has been conventionally examined under labels such as universal service, digital, divide, broadband deployment, and E-Government, which generally fall into two seemingly distinct categories—access and applications. In China, these concepts are currently incorporated into a single program, if not a single term—“Village Informatization Program” (“VIP”). The VIP upgraded the objectives of previous telephone and television “Village Access Projects” (“VAPs”), an upgrade which is intended to provide “comprehensive information services” in rural areas. The execution of the VIP regime has been faced with challenges. The lack of explicitly defined objectives and institutional arrangement has led to regulatory confusion and has compromised the outcome of initiatives taken by central department and regional/local governments which are more often independent in actions. China is therefore faced with the imperative of formulating the VIP regime which is to assimilate to China's unique institutional context. This article first reviews the current status of the VIP regime before moving on to the discussion of establishing an integrative and sustainable VIP regulatory regime in China. Then, the current regulatory regime is characterized based on which reforms are suggested—in which is highlighted a layer-based localization regulatory solution, which delineates provincial/local roles from central roles based on a stratified incentive policies and governance arrangement. Possible applications in other countries are discussed in the conclusion.     

The folksong jukebox: singing along for social change in rural India

In designing digital literacy content for marginalized demographics, we need to garner local resources to structure engaging and meaningful media experiences. This paper examines the socio-cognitive implications of a novel edutainment product in rural India on learning, stemming from an e-development initiative funded by Hewlett-Packard. This product encapsulates a multiplicity of media forms: text, audio and visual, with social-awareness folk themes endemic to the locality. It uses the karaoke ‘same language subtitling’ feature that won the World Bank Development Marketplace Award in 2002 due to its simple yet innovative application that has proven to have an impact on reading skills. The product strives to combine cultural regeneration, value-based education, incidental literacy and language practice through entertainment. The paper investigates how this product addresses engagement and empowerment simultaneously, based on elements such as emotional appeal, multimodal stimulation, interactivity, contextual content and local representation. This is useful for practitioners and scholars interested in the design of novel edutainment content for international, underrepresented demographics.     

Practices and representations of environmental rights in rural China and India

Using China and India as examples, this article analyses how different regimes influence people’s perceptions of environmental rights. In addition to a literature review and fieldwork, it looks at two documentaries reporting environmental movements in rural China and rural India to investigate the politics of expression in their environmental arenas. In order to enrich the understanding of the grassroots movements in the two countries, the study examines how their common people differ from middle-class activists in the way in which they participate and make alliances in civil society. The findings suggest that the Indian campaigners tend to seek allies in civil society in order to formulate a joint voice in the public sphere, while the Chinese campaigners aim to gain assistance directly from official institutions. The poor communication among the public may result in a shortage of critical discourses in support of people’s movements and weaknesses in the legitimacy of public participation in the environmental arena.     

Collection development education: An Australian perspective

This paper describes efforts by the library profession in Australia to improve the teaching of collection development, especially attempts to achieve greater articulation between professional practice and professional education at university level. It surveys a number of important seminars and workshops, reviews a set of educational guidelines, and offers as a case study the curricular response of a specific library school (School of Information Studies, Charles Sturt University—Riverina) to professional concerns regarding collection development education.     

Information and its value to health workers in rural Uganda: a qualitative perspective*

A study was conducted in 1998/99 to investigate the accessibility and use of information by health workers in rural Uganda. Data were collected qualitatively using semi‐structured interviews. As a qualitative study, it focused in‐depth on a relatively small sample of health workers selected purposefully. Different categories of health workers were interviewed. Data were analysed using a grounded theory approach. In this paper, two main categories that emerged from the data will be discussed, namely: value of information and constraints. Information was valuable in clinical work, information dissemination, decision making, administration and detection. Constraints to effective information use included the quality and relevance of the information as well as the difficulties of sometimes putting theory into practice. Finally, the concepts that emerged from the analysis of the use of information pointed directly to the information needs of the health workers studied, which shows that information was valuable in meeting those needs. Some implications of the study and areas for further research are highlighted.     

Lokvani (voice of the masses): A case study of e-governance in rural India

The paper defines and explains e-governance. It also discusses an e-governance initiative Lokvani (which means voice of the masses) which has been taken in the small district of Sitapur; it is located in Uttar Pradesh, northern part of India. Highlights the upsides and downsides of Lokvani. This paper also dwells upon the challenges which must be overcome before implementing e-governance projects across the length and breadth of the country. It offers suggestions for successfully implementing e-governance in the country.     

Lokvani (voice of the masses): A case study of e-governance in rural India

The paper defines and explains e-governance. It also discusses an e-governance initiative Lokvani (which means voice of the masses) which has been taken in the small district of Sitapur; it is located in Uttar Pradesh, northern part of India. Highlights the upsides and downsides of Lokvani. This paper also dwells upon the challenges which must be overcome before implementing e-governance projects across the length and breadth of the country. It offers suggestions for successfully implementing e-governance in the country.     

浅谈偏远乡村教育与流动图书馆的发展

根据对目前偏远乡村教育情况的调查，建立“流动图书馆”可促进农村尤其是偏远乡村教育的发展，非常必要。     

Structural change in search engine news service: a social network perspective

This research investigates structural change made by Naver's online news section and how it has impacted the overall traffic flow of Korea's online news. This paper examined 45 websites in 2008 and 2010, and the total number of pages viewed within these sites was considered in the analysis. Social network analysis was applied to study the relationships between the news sites. The analysis through degree centrality and Bonacich powers shows that there has been a shift in market leadership. In 2007, Naver, the top search engine in Korea, stepped down from its leading position after they started to provide news services. Daum, the second largest search engine, has taken over the central position as the most influential news site. Based on the results of this study, practical implications for online service markets and theoretical implications for online services are recommended accordingly.     

Use of electronic journals in astronomy and astrophysics libraries and information centres in India: A users' perspective

The purpose of this study was to create a substantial body of knowledge about the factors that influence the success of electronic journals, and to share this knowledge with that in the fields of astronomy and astrophysics in order to help facilitate change.

Structured questionnaires for users (Academic Members, Post-Doctoral Fellows and Research Scholars) containing 40 different questions, many of which were further subdivided and framed in order to get information on various aspects of the usage of electronic journals. The purpose was to identify the basic minimum infrastructure necessary to provide users access to electronic journals and to facilitate easy response in all major A&A organizations in India.

The increasing use of the electronic information-seeking environment has produced changes in the practice of science. Significant research has been conducted already on the impact of new information and communication technologies on scholarly work.

This study was limited to astronomy and astrophysics libraries and information centres in India.

This paper identifies the information needs of the users. Each community and discipline has its own specific legacy of journal structure, reading, publishing, and researching practices, and it will take trial and error to establish which kinds of e-journals are the most effective and useful.

Case study.     

Organizational network analysis: A study of a university library from a network efficiency perspective

A library is a particular kind of organization. It plays a valuable role and is dedicated mainly to the development and growth of society. Analyzing a library from the perspective of a network of relations and ties, which exist between social and technical network nodes, contributes to a more nuanced assessment of effectiveness. Building on social network analysis and going beyond human relations in a library, this study examines perceptions related to knowledge and skills, resources, and tasks, identified through a survey conducted at the university library in Warsaw. Overall, the analyzed library is characterized by redundancy and congruence of knowledge, resources, and tasks required at the library (organizational) level and at the particular node (employee) level. Analyzing the network efficiency of a library is a new and valuable research design which uses a unique network measurement that should attract more interest in the future. This form of analysis gives managers the tools to dynamize relations and understand the flow, use, and sharing of resources or knowledge within a library context. However, more studies in the public sector would be invaluable in order to formulate new theories or conclusions.     

网络环境下地方文献信息资源建设

文章阐述了网络环境下图书馆地方文献资源数字化的三种数据形式；对网络地方文献信息资源的组织和加工进行了初步探讨。     

Sublimity and Solutions: Problematization in ICT for Development Perspectives

This essay situates ICT for Development (ICT4D) perspectives in relationship to the neo-liberal rationality characteristic of the WTO, World Bank, and G8 economic frameworks. Using James Carey's (2005) pragmatist perspective and recent work on problematization, the essay proceeds in three steps: 1) it situates the emergence, role, and organization of the UN ICT Task Force in amplifying ICT4D perspectives, 2) it discusses the importance of problematization in the articulation of communication to international development frameworks, and 3) it recommends supplementing studies of the digital sublime with a pragmatist perspective better able to illuminate the practices of transnational policy networks.     

OCTANET--an electronic library network: I. Design and development

The design and development of the OCTANET system for networking among medical libraries in the midcontinental region is described. This system's features and configuration may be attributed, at least in part, to normal evolution of technology in library networking, remote access to computers, and development of machine-readable data bases. Current functions and services of the system are outlined and implications for future developments in computer-based networking are discussed.