INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS: International Development Research Centre
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Book(s)
DIGITAL REVIEW OF ASIA PACIFIC 2007–2008 Edited by Felix Librero and Patricia B. Arinto Sage/IDRC/Orbicom 2007
The biennial Digital Review of Asia Pacific is a comprehensive guide to the state-of-practice and trends in information and communication technologies for development (ICT4D) in Asia Pacific. This third edition (2007–2008) covers 31 countries and economies, including North Korea for the first time.
THE MEDIA AND THE RWANDA GENOCIDE Edited by Allan Thompson Pluto Press/Fountain Publishers/IDRC 2007
The news media played a crucial role in the 1994 Rwanda genocide. This book examines how local radio and print media were used as a tool of hate, encouraging neighbours to turn against each other. It also critiques international media coverage of the cataclysmic events in Rwanda. Includes an opening statement from Kofi Annan and a chapter by Senator Roméo Dallaire.
DIGITAL POVERTY Latin American and Caribbean Perspectives Edited by Hernan Galperin and Judith Mariscal Practical Action Publishing/IDRC 2007
This book examines the problem of inadequate access to information and communication technology (ICT) and the need to develop appropriate pro-poor ICT policies within the Latin American and Caribbean context.
E-GOVERNANCE IN AFRICA: FROM THEORY TO ACTION A Handbook on ICTs for Local GovernanceGianluca Misuraca Africa World Press/IDRC 2007
This book presents the context, theory, and current thinking on the interaction between ICTs and local governance, particularly in Africa. It discusses the shift from “government” to “e-governance,” describes the role of local-level authorities, and presents the benefits and limitations of introducing ICTs in government operations.
PEOPLE, LAND, AND WATER Participatory Development Communication for Natural Resource Management Edited by Guy Bessette Earthscan/IDRC 2006
Describes the major issues involved in applying participatory development communication to natural resource management practices and research, discusses the challenges and the difficulties linked to such an approach, and offers insights and lessons from research and experience in the field.
AT THE CROSSROADS ICT Policymaking in East Africa Edited by Florence Etta and Laurent Elder East African Educational Publishers/IDRC 2005
Based on experiences from East Africa, this book captures elements of both the process and the outcomes of ICT policymaking and shows what worked and what did not. This useful guide for countries and institutions that are contemplating their own ICT-policymaking exercise will interest researchers, educators, and students.
TICs EN LAS PYMES DE CENTROAMÉRICA Impacto de la adopción de las tecnologías de la información y la comunicaciónRicardo Monge-González, Cindy Alfaro-Azofeifa, and José I. Alfaro-Chamberlain ETCR/IDRC 2005
The digital revolution, information and communication technologies, and globalization pose new challenges for micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). Extensive field studies in five Central American countries resulted in a set of policy recommendations aimed at improving MSME competitiveness in the information economy.
E-COMMERCE IN THE ASIAN CONTEXT Selected Case Studies Edited by Renald Lafond and Chaitali Sinha ISEAS/IDRC 2005
The explosion of Internet connectivity and technologies in Asia has led to a surge of interest in e-commerce. This book presents the results of four studies commissioned by IDRC to investigate various economic, social, methodological, and security issues related to this trend.
FUNDING AND IMPLEMENTING UNIVERSAL ACCESS Innovation and Experience from UgandaUganda Communications Commission Fountain Publishers/IDRC 2005
This book presents Uganda’s experience as one of the first countries in Africa to develop a policy on universal access to information and communication technologies (ICTs) and to implement a universal access fund, designed to support initiatives to improve poor and rural populations' access to ICTs.
TELECENTRES, ACCESS AND DEVELOPMENT Experience and Lessons from Uganda and South AfricaSarah Parkinson Practical Action Publishing/Fountain/IDRC 2005
Universal access to information and communication technologies (ICTs) is a policy goal for many national governments, international development organizations, and intergovernmental agencies. Analyzing the experiences of South Africa and Uganda, the author presents a number of recommendations to support and strengthen shared ICT-access centres and to increase their developmental impact.
The research contained in this book is designed to foster discussion about the policies and actions that must be promoted for building an Internet culture in Latin America and the Caribbean based on the principles of social and cultural equity.
ETHICS AND THE INTERNET IN WEST AFRICA Toward an Ethical Model of IntegrationPatrick Brunet, Oumarou Tiemtoré, and Marie-Claude Vettraino-Soulard Africa World Press/IDRC 2004 The world is undergoing a period of profound change brought about by the development of the Internet, which affects every sphere of social life. The spread of the Internet in Africa raises serious ethical issues — issues that should be identified to ensure that, in the future, the adaptation and integration of Internet technology will be compatible with the development goals of Africa's nations.
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA Three-volume Set CODESRIA/IDRC 2004
In 1997, IDRC launched its Acacia initiative in an effort to empower sub-Saharan African communities with the ability to apply new information and communication technologies, or ICTs, to their own social and economic development. Now, 7 years later, the Acacia initiative presents this unique and groundbreaking three-volume collection of original research on this important and timely issue.
INVOLVING THE COMMUNITY A Guide to Participatory Development CommunicationGuy Bessette Southbound/IDRC 2004
This guide is intended for people working in research and development. It introduces participatory development communication concepts, discusses the effective two-way communication approaches, and presents a methodology to plan, develop, and evaluate communication strategies.
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA: VOLUME 2 The Experience with Community Telecentres Edited by Florence Etta and Sheila Parvyn-Wamahiu CODESRIA/IDRC 2003
This volume examines the setting, operations, and effects of community telecentres. It describes the telecentre experiences of a variety of local and often rural communities, exploring the management structures and mechanisms that have been established to support these telecentres. The book provides profiles of telecentre usage and discusses the potential and challenges of setting up and maintaining community telecentres in the context of poor information infrastructure and limited human capacity.
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA: VOLUME 1 Opportunities and Challenges for Community Development Edited by Ramata Molo Thioune CODESRIA/IDRC 2003
This volume looks at the introduction, adoption, and utilization of ICTs at the community level. In various contexts – geographical, technological, socioeconomic, cultural, and institutional – the book explores the questions of community participation. It looks at how communities in sub-Saharan Africa have reacted to the changes brought about by the introduction of these new ICTs and, in detail, presents both the opportunities and the challenges that ICTs present for community development.
Information alone does not ensure sustainable development. People and communities also need to be actively engaged in the processes, and their participation should be harnessed through communications activities designed for development purposes. This book reports on an action-research conducted in West Africa by 23 centres de lecture et d'animation culturelle (CLAC). The aim of the research was to determine whether the centres’ communication activities could become part of their curricula to enlarge their mandate and transform them into real community development tools.
AFRICAN YOUTH ON THE INFORMATION HIGHWAY Participation and Leadership in Community Development Edited by Osita Ogbu and Paschal Mihyo IDRC 2000
As is happening in the industrialized North, the information revolution could well transform the developing nations of the South. In fact, it is already happening. Countries that only a decade ago seemed remote now have the potential to be active players in the processes of global development. As these information and communication technologies (ICTs) emerge in Africa, they offer hope to the continent's youth.
WRITING FOR CHANGE An Interactive Guide to Effective Writing, Writing for Science, and Writing for AdvocacyAlan Barker and Firoze Manji IDRC/fahamu 2000
In Writing for Change, you will learn the core skills of effective writing, how to write for scientific publication, and how to write for advocacy. Writing for Change will enhance your capacity to write in ways that promote action from your target audience. It is full of practical exercises and examples from the field of international development. A resource centre contains training materials and links to many useful websites. Site maps and a printed users’ guide make it simple to follow.
GENDER AND THE INFORMATION REVOLUTION IN AFRICA Edited by Eva M. Rathgeber and Edith Ofwona Adera IDRC 2000
The essays in this book examine the current and potential impact of the ICT explosion in Africa. They focus specifically on gender issues and analyze the extent to which women's needs and preferences are being served. The authors underscore the need for information to be made directly relevant to the needs of rural women, whether in the areas of agriculture, health, microenterprise, or education. They argue that it is not enough for women simply to be passive participants in the development of ICTs in Africa. Women must also be decision-makers and actors in the process of using the new ICTs to accelerate African economic, social, and political development.
ASSESSING COMMUNITY TELECENTRES Guidelines for ResearchersAnne Whyte IDRC 2000
This guidebook will assist researchers as they assess and evaluate the role and impact of community telecentres. It provides an introduction to some of the key research issues, a framework for telecentre evaluation, and an impetus for research teams to share ideas, instruments, and methods. Assessing Community Telecentres will interest researchers, practitioners, and academics in information science, communications, international development, and evaluation, including telecentre operators, telecentre managers, and community leaders.
MARKETING INFORMATION PRODUCTS AND SERVICES A Primer for Librarians and Information Professionals Edited by Abhinandan K. Jain, Ashok Jambhekar, T.P.Rama Rao, and S. Sreenivas Rao IDRC/Tata McGraw-Hill 1999
This comprehensive manual describes the fundamentals of marketing in the context of library and information sciences, presents various options for raising money, offers tips and techniques for better service management, and provides a step-by-step approach to developing marketing strategies. It is assembled as a practical guide, with case studies and illustrations from libraries and information centres throughout the world.
In the developing regions of the world, email currently extends much further than does any other Internet-based technology. Consequently, email lists have evolved as a powerful tool for collaboration in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. In these and other regions of the world, however, experienced users of email lists are few and far between. And, for the inexperienced user, participating in such a list can be a frustrating and sometimes intimidating experience. This guide provides practical and useful advice on how to set up an email list, how to launch it, and how to keep it active and vibrant.
KNOWLEDGE SOCIETIES ... IN A NUTSHELL Information Technology for Sustainable DevelopmentAndreas Credé and Robin Mansell (for IDRC and the UN Commission on Science and Technology for Development) IDRC 1998
The Information Revolution and the accelerating spread of information and communication technologies (ICTs) are at the heart of recent societal transformations around the world. Developing countries in particular are now being encouraged to invest in national ICT infrastructure so that they might experience the expected future social and economic benefits. But at what cost? What are the true risks and benefits of the "new technologies" to the countries of the developing world?
DEVELOPMENT AND THE INFORMATION AGE Four Global Scenarios for the Future of Information and Communication Technology Edited by J. Howkins and R. Valantin (for IDRC and the United Nations Commission on Science and Technology for Development) IDRC 1997
Around the world, new information and communication technologies are increasingly affecting societies and their governments, industries, communities, and individuals. The Information Revolution is producing astonishing transformation in virtually all spheres of human activity. But how can these technologies help to balance the scales of development between the countries of the "industrialized" world and those of the "developing"world? Indeed, will they narrow the existing gap, or will they widen it?
INFORMATION AND TELECOMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES The Impact of their Adoption on Small and Medium-sized EnterprisesÉlisabeth Lefebvre and Louis A. Lefebvre IDRC 1996
Many studies have shown that adopting new information and telecommunication technologies can have a profound influence on a company's productivity and competitiveness. This book focuses on the prime factors associated with the adoption of such technologies in the specific context of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as well as the impact of these technologies on a firm's productivity and key competitive advantages. It also identifies the critical issues, both theoretical and practical, related to these new technologies.
PARTICIPATORY DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION A West African Agenda Edited by Guy Bessette and C.V. Rajasunderam IDRC 1996
This book presents valuable information on the use of participatory communication for nonformal education, on the specific needs of women and young girls, and on the roles they can play as communicators within their community.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND UNIVERSAL SERVICE International Experience in the Context of South African Policy ReformSeán Ó Siochrú IDRC 1996
This publication suggests some approaches to the delivery of universal service. What institutional, financial and technological arrangements have been tried elsewhere, and how successful have they been? Are they more effective with a monopoly or in a competitive environment? How does international experience compare with the efforts undertaken in South Africa? Telecommunications and Universal Service was prepared in the context of a national effort in South Africa to develop a telecommunications policy that would balance the aims of economic growth and social justice.
MAKING A DIFFERENCE Measuring the Impact of Information on Development Edited by Paul McConnell IDRC 1995
This book reports on an international research program investigating the impact of information on development. It presents a series of case studies and essays that describe practical, operational experience with methodologies to assess the impact of information. Amongst many issues, authors examine sampling and interview techniques, questionnaire design, survey instruments, data definitions, and approaches to identifying different user communities.