Development as Freedom in a Digital Age
The Missing Link for the Impact of ICT on
development
Björn-Sören Gigler
Innovations in Governance
World Bank
April 22, 2015
@bgigler

Presentation Outline
I) Research Questions
II) Research Focus
III) Background
IV) Theoretical Framework
IV) Hypotheses
V) Methodology
VI) Case Studies
VII) Main findings
VIII) Conclusions

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Development as Freedom in a Digital Age

I) Research Questions
1) Under which conditions can ICTs enhance the well-
being of indigenous communities?
2) Which factors influence whether IP can enhance their
human capabilities through the use of ICTs and thus
improve their well-being?
3) What is the role of intermediary organizations, such
as grassroots organizations, NGOs or governments
in the process of introducing ICTs to indigenous
communities?

II) Research Focus
• Alternative Evaluation Framework for ICT
- Unpack the link between ICTs and economic/social
development => going beyond access and usage (micro-
level analysis)
• Information as a critical Human Capability
- Operationalize and expand the CA => application to the
evaluation of ICT programs
• ICT Impact chain
- Develop a causal link between the access & use of ICTs
& enhanced human capabilities
• Intermediary process
- Focus on change processes and on economic & human
development not on technology itself

III) Bolivia: Indigenous Poverty Analysis
• Reduction of poverty at national level however not in
indigenous communities (1992 to 2001)
• Important regional differences between Western
highlands and Eastern lowlands (Geographic Clusters)
• Lack of economic opportunities in rural areas=> large
scale migration to urban centers
• Strong social networks & institutions (social capital)
• Persistent challenge to achieve inclusive development
• Lack of access to basic productive and social services
(rural roads, education, health, energy)
• Continuous severe socio-economic differences
between indigenous vs non-indigenous peoples

Incidence of Extreme Poverty (2001)

IV) Theoretical Framework
• Expand the CA by introducing the concept of
‘informational capabilities’
• Develop an Impact evaluation framework for ICT
programs based on CA (outcome and process)
• Integrate CA into the sustainable livelihood framework
(Bebbington)
• Emphasis on Information as a human capability for
economic and social development
• Emphasis on empowerment: Include an analysis of
institutional analysis and social structures into the CA
(‘Conscientization’- Freire)

Informational Capabilities
1. ICT capability -to use ICTs in an effective
manner
2. Information Literacy- to find, process,
evaluate, and use information
3. Communication Capability: to effectively
communicate with family members, friends,
and professional contacts
4. Content Capability: to produce and share
local content with others through the network

The concept of Informational Capabilities

Empowerment through ICTs framework
Develop Alternative Impact Evaluation Framework
based on Informational Capabilities (2004)
Link to the Impact Evaluation Framework

V) Hypotheses
1. The access and use of ICTs have to be facilitated by
an effective and local intermediary organization, in order
to enhance peoples well-being
2. ICT’s have to be locally appropriated and owned by
local communities, in order to enhance peoples well-
being

H1: Effective and local Intermediation
 How does the process work?
 How is the intermediary organization perceived by the
indigenous community?
• Proximity to local communities is essential (High level of
intermediation)
• Demand-driven: respond to local needs
• Clear understanding of communities information needs
• Knowledge of traditional communications channels (community
radios, printed media, etc.)
• Integrate ICTs into development priorities of community
• Combine technical know-how with knowledge of social and
community structure
• Support community in adopting technology to local and cultural
context
• Organization has to enjoy the trust of the community

H 2: Local Appropriation
=> dynamic process of adopting the technology to
people’s needs– Iterative Process of Technology
Adoption---Structuration Theory
ICTs have to be financially sustainable- individual
business plans need to fit local markets and socio-
cultural context
ICT have to be socially sustainable –embedded
into existing social community structures
=> demand-driven and respond to real needs
 Strengthen local Human Capital to ensure that
people can be involved in the Management of
ICTs

VI) Methodology
Comparative Case Study Analysis
(i) contextual conditions are key to understand different
outcomes (how and why ?)
(ii) compare two cases with each other which are similar
in their socio-economic situation- variation in ICT
Triangulation:
(i) Quantitative Methods:
- Surveys with non-users (n=365) and ICT users
(n=148)
- National UNDP ICT survey (n=3600 users)
- Multi-variant Logistical Regression Analysis
(ii) Qualitative Methods:
- In-depth interviews (24)
- Focus groups with specific groups (12)

ICT Impact Chain
Unpack the causal relationship between ICT and
Development based on the concept of Informational
Capabilities
Link to the ICT Impact Chain

Information Needs Assessment
• value horizontal information exchanges (between
communities) more than vertical information exchanges
• strong distrust about the information provided by the national
government
• local government information is rated much higher
• information from local organizations highly valued
• information from other communities in Latin America highly
valued
 a large majority of IP believe that access to information is very
important to enhance their well-being (75%)
• information flow between national government and IP is very
problematic
• information flow between national organizations and IP is also
with problems

Information Needs Assessment
Importance of Horizontal Information Exchanges
38
41
45
46
57
58
58
42
32
33
32
25
30
26
20
26
22
22
19
12
16
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Local Org. and NGOs
Poor peoples Org. at the intern level.
Local org. and the government
Local org.and international donors
Poor people orga. at the national level
Between communities
Local org. and Communities
A lot Little Nothing

Need to go beyond ICT access
No Access
36%
Don’t know
how it works
21%
Other
5%
N/a
14%
All
7%
Language
problems
6%
Not useful
2%
Very expensive
9%
Principal Reasons for not using the Internet

Primary Data: ICT user survey
• What factors (individual and/or socio-economic) influence whether or
not a person is able to use ICTs?
• To what extent do these factors influence peoples’ ICT capabilities?
Individual factors Socio-Economic Variables
• Age - Geographic Location
• Gender - Unsatisfied Basic Needs
• Education - Human Development Index
• Language spoken - Illiteracy Rates
• Profession - Population Density
- ICT infrastructure (Access)
- ICT intermediary

Results from ICT user survey
• High correlation between ethnicity, geographic location,
and Internet use and ICT capabilities (rural  urban)
• Significant disparities among various indigenous groups
• Socio-Economic factors (Literacy rates, belong to IP,
poverty, location) and not individual factors (age, gender,
education) are critical in explaining digital inequalities
• Education is a key variable to explain differences in
Internet use, however ICT capabilities are independent
from education
• Internet use and capabilities are independent from age,
gender and profession
• Intermediary factors are by large the strongest
determinant influence in a person’s use/non-use and on
his/her ICT capabilities

Ethnicity is a key variable
ICT capabilities by ethnicity
22.8 24.1
47.2
28.3
35.2
48.9
40.7
26.4 26.4
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Non-Indigenous Indigenous Total
Ethnicity
Percentage(%)
Advanced Intermediate Basic

Within Group Differences
Internet Use by ethnic groups
65.0 66.7
35.0
19.6
33.3
80.4
49.2 50.8
0
20
40
60
80
100
Principal language spoken in HH
%
No 49.2 65.0 80.4 66.7
Yes 50.8 35.0 19.6 33.3
Spanish and/or
English
Spanish and
indigenous
Aymara Quechua

Intermediary factor is a key variable
ICT capabilities by program
5
19
28
45
24
28
19
50
18
44
11
36
28 26303032
43
61
70
76
31
44
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
C
ID
O
BC
IO
EC
/líderes
C
IO
EC
-Potosi/O
r.
C
O
NA
M
AQ
EN
LA
R
ED
FO
N
D
O
IN
D
IG
E
N
A
IC
O
-C
O
M
AR
A
PA
O
M
AK
ICT Program
Percentage(%)
Advanced Intermediate Basic

Results from Impact user survey
• In which dimensions (economic, political, social and
cultural) do local communities perceive ICTs to have the
greatest impact on their well-being?
• To what extent does the use of ICTs enhance peoples’
human and social capabilities?
• Social dimension is perceived to have the greatest
positive impact
• Economic dimension is the most polarized- 52% vs 24%
• Political dimension is perceived to have the weakest
positive impact
• None of the socio-demographic variable (age, gender)
influence peoples perceptions
• People’s perceptions vary significantly dependent on (I)
ICT program, (ii) informational capabilities (iii) rural vs
urban

Results from Impact Survey

Results from Impact Survey
Perceptions on the Impact of the Internet
on people's well-being
(National Grassroots-led programs)
38
38
54
62
69
77
62
62
46
23
23
15
0
0
0
15
8
8
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Political
Perconal
Cultural
Organizational
Economic
Social
Alot Somewhat None/NA

VII) Case Studies
Organization Type Highlands Lowlands
Grassroots organizations
High Level Intermediation
CIOEC - Oruro
CIOEC - Potosi
OMAK – Tihuanacu*
OMAK – youth
CIDOB
APCOB - Concepción
NGOs
Intermediate Level Intermediation
ICO – Comarapa
National organization
Intermediate Level Intermediation
CONAMAQ CONAMAQ
International organization
Low Level Intermediation
Fondo Indígena Fondo Indígena
Government
Low Level Intermediation
En la Red Municipal -
Batallas, *
En la Red Municipal –
Comarapa *

Case Study 1 : Tiahuanacu- An Andean
Perspectives

VII) Tiahuana- a rural Aymara community
• Ayllu- traditional governance has been fragmented by
syndicalism and ‘green revolution”
• High levels of extreme poverty (92%) &very low HDI (0.34)
• Small-scale subsistence farming (Minifundistas)
• Severe effects of natural disasters (El Nino)
• Very high levels of temporary and permanent migration
• Lack of access to basic social services (education/health)
• Most important archeological site in Bolivia, however benefits
don’t reach local Aymara population
• Livelihood strategies based on traditional local knowledge &
partial integration in labor market
• Lack of accountability of local government: limitations of Law of
Popular Participation

VII) OMAK- Tihuanacu
(Grassroots Organization)
• High ownership by local women’s organization
• Strong linkages to traditional community structures (Mallkus,
Ayllu, women’s groups)
• Responsiveness to local demands
• Dynamic process of cultural appropriation of ICTs
• Lack of information needs assessment
• Strong family and kinship networks (bonding social capital)
• Issue of indigenous leadership and patronage system early
enthusiasm => controlled by a small group of leaders
 High level of local intermediation
 Enhancements in Human Capabilities (Self-esteem, political
dimension)
 Limited capacity to implement project
 High dependency on international donors
 Lack of continuity due to changing priorities by donors

VII) NGO: Instituto de Capacitación del Oriente
• Information needs assessment
• ICT fully incorporated into agricultural project
• Continuous capacity-building program
• Convergence of technologies (radio and Internet)
• Special focus on youth and indigenous women
 Intermediate level of intermediation through local NGO- issue of
dependency & overly technocratic approach
=> Increased self-esteem of vulnerable groups (women, youth)
 enhanced informational capabilities (market prices, education)
 economic capabilities enhanced? (i.e. negotiation power)
 Market structures remain the same (small-scale producers,
intermediaries, transportation costs)

Case Study 2: Comarapa- A perspective of small-
scale farmers

Comarapa- a community in the Santa Cruz
Valley
• 75% of population lives from agriculture produced for the
Santa Cruz market
• Improvements in living conditions and access to basic
services
• Important inequalities between rural and urban population
• Relatively strong local governments but weak social
control by the community
• Low Vertical accountability of the local government
• Lack of strong community-based organizations
• Strong presence of international donors and local NGOs

Comarapa- A perspective of small-scale farmers
Promote Sustainable Economic Development
i) Improve access to markets
ii) Strengthen productive organizations
iii) Improve access to rural infrastructure (electricity, irrigation, roads)
iv) Develop regional development plans based on the common cultural
background of communities (Mancumidades)
Reduce Existing Regional Disparities
i) Abolish existing gaps in agricultrual productivities
ii) Improve incomes in the informal sector
Support Income Generating Activities
(i) Promote the production and export of products in agricultural market
niches (i.e. fair trade, organic products)
(ii) Eliminate price discrimination by middlemen (transport)
Enhance Access to Rural Finance
(i) Improve access to microfinance
(ii) Set up financing mechanism through Micro-credit institutions

VII) Case Study 3: En la Red Municipal- Comarapa
(Government)
• Context: Decentralization- Law of Popular Participation
• Pilot program in 15 municipalities
• Very ambitious and poorly focused objectives
• Overemphasis on technology (Portal, connectivity)
• Lack of local ownership by municipalities and communities
• Local content production and dissemination (radio, newspapers)
• Information needs and evaluation (surveys)
 Low level of intermediation through centralized approach
 Political character of implementing agency (FAM)
 Low capacity of local governments to implement project
 Political changes in local governments <=> Sustainability
 Low level of appropriation of technology
 Limited Effects on the Enhancement of Human Capabilities

VIII) Main findings
Hypothesis 1: Intermediation
• Local intermediation is key (content, training, sustainability)
• Absence of National government ICT program
• Strong role of local and international NGOs
• Uncoordinated and isolated programs
• Limited local impact
• Overemphasis on technology issues
• Continuous dependency (same approach as in other sectors)
 Hypothesis confirmed however it is key to strengthen the
capacity of central government
 Structural problems: high costs, lack of basic infrastructure,
low-level of education

VIII) Main findings
Hypothesis 2: Appropriation of ICTs
• ICT programs are being frequently managed outside the
community
• Existing inequalities within communities impede widespread
benefits
• Danger that a few community leaders appropriate
themselves of the ICT program
• Capacity-building and local presence are key success
factors
• Convergence of Technology (Internet and Community
Radio– (Comarapa)
• Badly managed project– negative effects on community

VI) Conclusions
• ICTs can play an important role in enhancing the human
capabilities of the poor (literacy-ICT skills)
• The extent to which the uses of ICTs expands peoples
‘informational capabilities’ is critical for positive impact
of ICTs on economic and social development
• The expansion of peoples ‘ICT capabilities’ is not
sufficient
• Need to fully integrate ICTs into other sectors (i.e.
education, agriculture) <=> Stand alone projects
• Local intermediation is key (Content, Capacity-building,
Connectivity, Continuity)
• Convergence of technologies most effective (Radio &
Internet)

VI) Conclusions
• Dynamic interaction between people, cultures and
technology
• Program evaluations should be based on the priorities of
ICT users themselves
• Social, organizational, political and cultural factors key
while technical issues are minor for the outcomes of ICT
program
• Direct impact of ICTs on ‘self-esteem’ (subjective well-
being)
• Long-term financial and social sustainability is critical for
ensuring a positive impact of ICTs

Please contact me for any
questions or comments:
@bgigler