Abstracts Contents:
Please note that this list of Abstracts is subject to change. Please
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EXPLORING 'TRIBAL' IDENTITY TO STUDY ONLINE COMMUNITIES
John Campbell
Griffith University
Australia |
Gordon Fletcher
spaceless.com
United Kingdom |
Anita Greenhill
UMIST
United Kingdom |
Information Systems (IS) and Community Informatics (CI) research
encompasses a variety of interpretative approaches that inform the
endeavours of researchers. The research presented here is an ongoing
project being conducted by IS academics from different academic
backgrounds in sociology, finance and anthropology. The research
is a cross-disciplinary study of online communities and offers an
interpretive analysis that focuses on a conflict-based taxonomy
of roles and social behaviours. We feel that this interpretive approach,
drawn from anthropology, enables the potential for more erudite
discussions of the contemporary IS and CI contexts. Exploring the
full scope and implications of role taking in online communities
will enable the achievement of the research goal of challenging
the relatively conservative explorations of communities that rely
upon concepts and assumptions of trust and social cohesion. The
goal of this research is also a reminder to the IS academic community
that strong well-articulated and alternative theories do exist in
the various forms of conflict studies. In this particular research
project we identify three core roles in online communities as the
initial genera in a possibly widely expansive taxonomy of identities.
These roles, the Big Man, the Sorcerer and the Trickster can all
be clearly identified within the online finance forum that has been
examined in this research. This forum is a specific example of how
taxonomic understandings of an online community and of how its participant’s
roles can be developed.
CONNECTIVITY DOES NOT ENSURE COMMUNITY: ON SOCIAL CAPITAL, NETWORKS
AND COMMUNITIES OF PLACE
Marcus Foth
Creative Industries Research and Applications Centre,
Queensland University of Technology
Putnam reports a decline of social capital in society, Castells
speaks of a privatisation of sociability. In this paper, I argue
that, in local contexts, the internet holds the potential to grow
strong communities of place which are rich in social capital. However,
this potential can only be realised by online communication networks
which are designed to create a sense of social ownership within
the community. This paper provides the rationale for a research
project currently undertaken by the author which seeks to inform
the design and development of online communication networks to grow
sustainable communities of place.
COMMUNITY SECTOR ORGANISATIONS: A DIGITAL DIVIDE IN COMMUNICATION
AND KNOWLEDGE CREATION?
Tom Denison
Centre for Community Networking
Monash University
In 2002, the Centre for Community Networking commenced a research
programme aimed at improving the understanding of the use of communications
and information technology (ICT) by community and third sector organisations
within Australia. The immediate goal of this research was the creation
of the Monash Community ICT Index. This paper represents the first
attempt to provide a more in-depth analysis of the data obtained
in that survey, setting the results in the context of research that
shows that not only is the Internet a natural fit with “winner-take-all”
markets but reinforces existing patterns of geographic centralisation
in the information society and economy. It will pay particular attention
to factors such as the location and size of organisations, and whether
there is any support for the notion of a digital divide in the social
communications networks and creators of knowledge within the Australian
community sector.
SOUTH AFRICAN , RURAL, ICT IMPLEMENTATION: A CRITICAL RETROSPECTIVE
APPLICATION OF LATOUR’S DUE PROCESS MODEL
Jo Rhodes, University of Cape Town, South Africa
The potential developmental role of ICTs can pressurise governments
to engage in ‘catch up’ and ‘leapfrog’.
Consequently, analysis of the accompanying socio- political dimensions
and risks can be, disastrously, neglected. This paper examines a
specific technology implementation – a South African government
sponsored telecentre- using Latour’s Due Process model, an
analytical tool grounded in Actor Network Theory, where technology
implementation is viewed as a symmetrical treatment of technology
and society within a single collective. It is used here, retrospectively,
to make sense of why the telecentre both failed to institutionalise
within a successful actor-network, and, contributed to the destabilization
and partial destruction of a successfully established women’s
development organisation.
THE SHAPING OF AN ELECTRONIC LIST BY ITS ACTIVE MEMBERS
Melih Kirlidog
Marmara University
Turkey |
Haluk Bingol
Bogazici University
Turkey |
The links in a network of a discussion list, which manifest itself
as the number of messages sent to the list by individual members,
display some common characteristics. Contrary to the common perception
that the distribution of the messages sent should be randomly distributed
among the members, some members tend to dominate the list by their
high number of messages. The resulting structure is a scale-free,
rather than a random network. This paper investigates the archived
records of a discussion list and seeks to understand the shaping
of the list through interviews with its active members who act as
‘hubs’ in the scale-free sense.
NET DRAG: NETWORK EXTERNALITIES AFFECTING NARROWBAND INTERNET
CONNECTIONS IN A BROADBAND ENVIRONMENT
Alicia (Lucy) Cameron
University of Queensland
Preliminary evidence from the qualitative phase of research being
undertaken at two study sites in Australia indicates that significant
network externalities are beginning to emerge as a result of increased
broadband use. These externalities are reported to be having adverse
effects for businesses and individuals utilising narrowband connections,
and are suggested to be resulting in a migration to broadband services.
This paper terms the effects of these network externalities net
drag. In contrast to previous work in New Zealand this paper suggests
that net drag resulting from network externalities generated on
a hetergenous web-speed environment will become a primary driver
of broadband take-up over the next two to five years.
DEVELOPING A HOLISTIC APPROACH FOR EVALUATING THE ROLE OF ICTS
IN REGIONAL AUSTRALIA: A TASMANIAN PERSPECTIVE
Dean Steer & Paul Turner
University of Tasmania
Regional Australia continues to be the recipient of public programmes
premised on assumptions about the benefits of ICT-related development
at the same time as it is experiencing a reduction in basic services
and problems associated with the digital divide. From a research
perspective, these circumstances pose challenges on how to meaningfully
evaluate the impacts of ICTs on regional development. These challenges
are compounded by the considerable confusion that exists over what
is meant by regional development, how it can be achieved and what
role ICTs can play in reviving and sustaining regional communities.
This exploratory research paper examines the issues around what
is meant by ICT-related development in a regional context. Also
explored is the usefulness of multiple measures as opposed to single
measures to describe what, in reality, is a very complex process.
In this context the paper outlines the preliminary development of,
and the rationale behind, a holistic approach for evaluating the
role of ICTs in regional development based on insights generated
from on-going research in Tasmania.
THE S3 MODEL TOWARDS A FRAMEWORK FOR ANALYSING THE CURRENT STATE
OF REGIONAL COMMUNITY PORTALS IN AUSTRALIA.
Lejla Vrazalic, Peter Hyland, Robert MacGregor, Andrew Connery
University of Wollongong
Regional community portals (RCPs) have the potential to bridge
the ‘digital divide’ between urban and non-urban Australia.
The government has recognised this potential and developed various
programs and initiatives to cultivate it. However, the success appears
to be limited. This paper proposes the S3 model to analyse the current
state of play in RCPs. The S3 model will form the basis for a review
of the operational, policy and implementation level issues of RCPs
with the view to develop an RCP framework which best meets the governments’
desired outcomes in terms of functionality, financial sustainability
and appropriateness in the Australian environment.
WHY DON’T THESE PEOPLE CONNECT TO THE INTERNET AT HOME?
ANALYSING THE INTERNAL BARRIERS CAUSING DIGITAL DIVIDE IN CENTRAL
QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA.
G X Zhu, W J Taylor, S Marshall, J Dekkers
Central Queensland University
In order to take practical approaches to bridge the digital divide
between regional Central Queensland and the Australian average,
this study examined internal barriers to the Internet adoption at
home by analysing the perceptions and social influences on the decision
for non-adoption across 2000-2003. The following five reasons were
found to be interrelated and contribute to non-adoption: reduces
community values, not useful, would use a public access point, not
comfortable with the technology, and lack of keyboard skill Practical
training, adult education, and public promotion are suggested to
address these issues.
EVENTSPOOL
Helen Robinson & Rosalie Day
Community Information Strategies Australia Inc. (CISA)
Eventspool is a free, fully searchable, online database of events
of community interest in South Australia. It can be used to promote
events and to find out what’s on. Users can register online
to become contributors, then complete a simple template that prompts
them to provide the required details about the event they want to
include. All information submitted is moderated before going live
to ensure that standards are met and content is appropriate.
Eventspool has become a central authoritative source of information
about 'what's on' in South Australia, capturing a rich and diverse
information set.
REDFERN KIDS CONNECT – A COMMUNITY PROJECT BRIDGING THE
DIGITAL DIVIDE AND BUILDING TRUST
Andrew Solomon, Deborah Rodrigo & Ryan Sengara
Redfern Kids Connect
The Redfern Kids Connect project is a volunteer based project to
bridge the digital and cultural divide between kids in the troubled
Redfern-Waterloo neighbourhood and the wider community. We describe
the project and explore how it fits into the conceptual frameworks
of Cox and Freire. The sociological issues raised are illustrated
by some ofthe challenges our activities encounter and how these
suggest future directions.
E-PHILANTHROPY AS A NEW WAY TO GAIN ONLINE DONATION:
A REVIEW ON CHARITY WEBSITES
Julius Jillberta
Department of Management, Faculty of Economics,
Hasanuddin University (UNHAS)
Indonesia
E-Philanthropy quickly becomes a new trend in this age of interconnected
society as they seen as a new way to gain online donation. Following
the September 11 tragedy in US, charity sites come up in just a
day to seek generous individual who would like to make a contribution
to help family that have lost their loved one during the tragedy.
For this purpose we try to review six charity sites to try to look
on what are their differences and similarities. Next, we look on
what make a successful charity page and give suggestions for generating
on-line interest and/or donations.
TOWARDS CYBER CIVILISATION INITIATIVE
S.Lakshminarayanan, A.B. Patki & S. Sivasubramanian
Department of Information Technology, Government of India
India
The Government of India has set up Community Information Centres
(CICs) in North Eastern States of India. CIC is expected to act
as a catalyst for spreading cyber civilisation. This paper discusses
Cyber Civilisation, how to spread it, its advantages and disadvantages
strategies for controlling disadvantages.
SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT PARADIGMS FOR COMMUNITY INFORMATICS –
TECHNOLOGICAL ASPECTS
A.B.Patki, DIT, New Delhi, India |
M.D. Kulkarni, CDAC, Pune, India |
Dhanvanti D. Patki, CET, Amravati, India |
The trends in Information Technology for Masses are indicative
of the fact that with the adequate level of Government support in
various countries, the Community Information Centers are growing
in numbers. The public expectations from Community Information Systems
are on a different track in respect of the utility. The paper discusses
the basic requirements of future community informatics in the context
of information overload and reducing ‘cognitive load’
of the potential user. Authors examine the software engineering
methodology and bring out the development challenges needed in the
existing practices of Object Oriented philosophy. A futuristic software
model for community informatics is also suggested.
COMMUNITY BUILDING: VIA ONLINE COMMUNITIES AND REGIONAL WEB-PORTALS
Helen Thompson
Centre for Electronic Commerce and Communication
University of Ballarat, School of Business
Despite a rise of interest in information communications technology
(ICT) and in community informatics (CI) initiatives, these are not
‘magic bullets’ or ‘quick-fix solutions’
for SMEs or even larger organisations, communities, or industries
(McGrath and More 2002). There is growing recognition of the need
to go beyond anecdotal evidence and to assess more effectively the
change brought about by providing access to and utilisation of ICT
in communities. Denison et al. (2002) have presented a taxonomy
which differentiates between various types of ICT and community
networking initiatives. The application of this schema to a cluster
of community informatics originating from the Central Highlands
region of Victoria proves to be useful. A case study is then presented
which reviews the evolution of one of the online communities within
that cluster. The diverse factors which are involved in establishing
sustainable online services are examined. Access to a comprehensive
toolset specifically designed to meet the skills and infrastructure
gaps which often exist in regional areas has been important. The
active involvement of community members in designing, implementing
and sustaining web-based services has also been important. By generating
debate and discussion and by sharing the critical learning from
specific cases it is hoped that others can be better informed about
the major characteristics and the diverse factors which impact on
the effectiveness and long-term sustainability of CI initiatives
in a regional and rural context.
RURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: THE IMPACT OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS
TECHNOLOGY
Kenneth Pigg
Laura Duffy Crank
University of Missouri-Columbia
Current literature focuses upon the importance of deploying advanced
telecommunications in rural communities to achieve various objectives,
including economic development. Once advanced ICTs are present,
this literature argues that communities will be better prepared
to participate fully in the “information economy” and
attract or engender new business development. This literature neglects
two points that are essential to successful economic development;
oneadequate social infrastructure (among local organizations, institutions,
and businesses) must exist in order for the community to capture
the capacity of new ICTs, and two—the specific manner in which
ICTs are deployed may have some effect on the outcomes related to
improvements in the local economic sector. After reviewing how these
points are operationalized in actual practice, we turn to Flora’s
E.S.I. framework to discuss how it may be used as a framework for
understanding how ICT infrastructure and social organization are
related regarding the achievement of economic development outcomes
in two rural communities that have deployed ICTs expressly for achieving
these objectives.
Return to Abstract Contents
IT FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES |
FACTORS INFLUENCING INFORMATION SYSTEMS SUCCESS IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA
ORGANISATIONS: A CASE ANALYSIS.
Limbie Kelegai & Michael Middleton
Information Systems (IS) applications have proliferated in Least
Developed Countries (LDCs) as organisations in these countries begin
to realise the benefits of utilising these technologies to improve
business process and enhance productivity. However much IS implementation
in LDCs has been unsuccessful. As a component of a wider study to
identify factors that influence IS success in developing countries,
this paper examines factors that have affected IS implementation
in two Papua New Guinea (PNG) organisations.
CEO ACCEPTANCE AND USE OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN NON-AGRICULTURAL
BUSINESSES IN REGIONAL THAILAND
Heather Gray
Chiangmaimall.com
Thailand |
John Campbell
Griffith University |
This paper reports the preliminary results of research conducted
in South-East Asia on the topic of electronic enablement of businesses
within Thailand. The research reported here extends the work initially
undertaken in Singapore by Thong and Yap (1995) and a more recent
study by Chieochan et al. (2000) into the factors affecting the
use of information technology in Thai agricultural cooperatives.
In contrast, we investigated the attitude of the CEO toward information
systems with a view to discovering opportunities for the electronic
enablement of non-agricultural businesses within the Chiang Mai
province in regional Thailand. Our results highlight the acceptance
of information systems by a high percentage of CEO’s, indicating
opportunities for the acceptance of information systems and the
Internet as business tools within businesses in regional Thailand,
opening opportunities to quickly electronically enable their businesses
and to access information in the global economic sphere of the Internet.
TOWARDS ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM: AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS PERTAINING
TO MALAYSIAN TAX COMPLIANCE ENVIRONMENT
Sheikh Obid, Siti-Normala, Meera, Ahamed Kameel
International Islamic University
Malaysia |
Lai, Ming-Ling
Faculty of Accountancy, MARA University of Technology
Malaysia |
This paper examines the usage intentions, attitudes, perceptions
and compliance considerations of Malaysian tax practitioners towards
a proposed electronic income tax filing system. Mail survey was
administered on 192 tax practitioners throughout Malaysia. The results
report that the respondents have strong usage intentions; nonetheless,
they are ambivalent towards the security of the e-filing system.
The quest for ‘speedy tax refunds’ ranked as the most
important incentive for the respondents to embrace the e-filing
system. At the same time, lack of confidence in the electronic administrative
capabilities of the tax agency appears to discourage take-up of
the e-filing system.
CURIOSITY CURES THE KNOWLEDGE GAP - CWILI TOWNSHIP DIGITAL DOORWAY
PROJECT: A CASE STUDY
Ronel Smith, Grant Cambridge & Kim Gush
Harnessing ICT for development is hampered by the lack of end-user
capacity, technology illiteracy and lack of confidence to use the
technology. The Digital Doorway suggests a unique approach to promoting
functional computer literacy, overcoming the hurdles of technology
use and unfamiliarity. We report on the initial results and learning
of a Digital Doorway installation in a rural community in South
Africa, and discus the way forward. It appears that children and
young adults can teach themselves to use computers fluently. Language,
formal education and lack of formal supervision and instruction
do not seem to have a significant influence.
A ROLE OF ICTs IN URBAN (AND RURAL) DESIGN
Mahmud Rezaei
Faculty of Science and Research
Iran-Tehran
In this article, we first put forth a proposal to improve public
participation and suitable design for rural or urban areas. We will
use Information and Communication Technologies to relate some main
sectors of society. These sectors are universities, services and
organizations related to urban/rural development, and one center
to coordinating actions.
Then we will present our three experiments in our developing country
according to the proposal.
THE INTRODUCTION OF SECURE IT NETWORK COMMUNICATIONS TO SOUTH
PACIFIC ISLAND NATIONS LAW ENFORCEMENT BODIES
Leo Vasiliadis
Australian Federal Police Data Communications
During conferences held by Interpol, The Pacific Island Forum (PIF)
and the South Pacific Chiefs of Police Conference (SPCPC) in 2001
and 2002, it was identified that the various South Pacific Police
organisations were not taking advantage of electronic methods of
information sharing and secure communications did not exist on a
majority of the Islands. Some Law enforcement agencies were connected
by insecure ISP or web mail but the majority were connected by fax.
The Interpol member countries of the South Pacific used International
dialling to download Interpol mail only.
To improve this and expand the cooperation and communication between
the various Island country Police forces, a proposal by the Australian
Federal Police (AFP) was put to the various interested groups representing
some 22 island nations and partner agencies. The new method would
involve the use of South Pacific local Internet Service Providers
(ISP) and Virtual Private Network technology. This system was sponsored
by the AFP Law Enforcement Cooperation Program (LECP) to enable
installation and supply of equipment. The system is the South Pacific
Law Enforcement Extra Net (SplexNet)
This proposal was accepted and the implementation completed in
September 2002.
THE CREATION OF A COMMERCIAL SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT COMPANY (SDC)
IN A DEVELOPING COUNTRY FOR OUTSOURCING PURPOSES
Sam Lubbe, University of Durban-Westville,
South Africa |
Professor Geoff Erwin, Faculty of Business
Informatics, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, South
Africa |
This case study reports on the creation of a software development
company (SDC) in South Africa using a detailed description of interrelationships
between perceptions of what is happening in developing countries
and what is happening in developed countries. The case describes
the scenario and contributions stemming from the methodological
point of view. The case study also illustrates points such as the
value of following a structured method of establishing a methodology
for starting such an SDC. The need is discussed for context specific
measures of the characteristics for an SDC and the reporting of
process measures while establishing an evaluation of the SDC that
is being created. Also the need to explore the necessary relationships
between the clients and the systems that are created and the perceptions
of the clients are discussed. This is because the unidirectional
assessment of the SDC can impact on the users and user characteristics
and on computer software implementation. Despite the normative nature
of the SDC the most important conclusion is the desirability for
a variety of approaches to studying SDCs. No one approach to SDC
research can provide the richness that information systems research
needs for further advancement of the skills in a developing country.
INFORMATION DYNAMICS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
Dr. Hakikur Rahman, SDNP, Bangladesh
Revolutionary advances in information and communication technology
(ICT) with reinforcement in economic and social climates are transforming
the global communities. A new kind of dynamism - the information
dynamics - is emerging where communities are global and becoming
competent with knowledge, networking and versatility on a global
basis. A new society is emerging with pervasive information capabilities,
substantially different from an industrial society; more competitive,
better able to address individual needs, and steady to the environment.
The information revolution creates both the challenge and the means
for the developing world to adjust to the newly developed action
plans and to put in place the needful infrastructure of telecommunications
and information systems. The information revolution also opens up
opportunities to tackle the problems of poverty, inequality, and
environmental degradation.
Concept of sustainable development has arises in the emerging societies,
which is the process of achieving a standard of living and a quality
of life with a degree of dignity and a measure of control over their
lives, including respect for the environment and the natural resources.
This process demands investment, in infrastructure, in human capital,
and in productive capacity.
Information infrastructure comprised of the cross-country telecommunications
network, the user-friendly computing tools and easy-access information
warehouses. Information backbone has the characteristics of easier
transportation, manipulation, storage and dissemination by creating
the "knowledge tank" an essential element for the management
of the new economy. And because the new economic development is
about knowledge networking, the information revolution holds inestimable
promise for downtrodden population in the developing countries.
“A VIEW THROUGH THE RED WINDOW” ON THE CUTTING EDGE
OF THE 21ST CENTURY: A CRITICAL TIME OF THE WORLD CIVILIZATION
Sarawut Chutiwongpeti, Installation Art Project, Bangladesh
My aim is to investigate the possibilities of conceptual visual
language and to develop Collaborative New Art as part of Contemporary
Art/Contemporary Global Social Structure and part of the Technological
Civilization we live in today. Especially, how can Contemporary
Art enhance distribution of information, profound universality in
the nature of man and cross-cultural artistic and critical collaborations.
The meaning of the possibilities to enrich Contemporary Art may
also come into question. Main questions are: are sensations-reactions
concerning
Contemporary Art still meaningful today?; How can conceptual contemporary
artistic ideas and processes solve global problems?; and can conceptual
contemporary art reveal corrupted social values in capital cities
and create a
bridge between present and future generations?
A CASE STUDY ON SOMALILAND, IN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE WDR PROJECT
Professor Knud Erik Skouby & Assistant Professor Reza Tadayoni
Center for Tele-Information Technocal
University of Denmark
Denmark
This report contains a case study of Somaliland, prepared in the
framework of WDR program. Among the case countries in WDR project,
Somaliland is by far the poorest with an ICT development in its
very infancy. The report maps the development of ICT in Somaliland
and gives an analysis of potentials and barriers related to ICT
development and investment, which is the overall theme of WDR this
year.
FROM COCONUT WIRELESS TO THE GLOBAL KNOWLEDGE SOCIETY
A CASE STUDY OF INTERNET DEVELOPMENT IN FIJI
Usha Sundar Harris, Macquarie University
Using the global knowledge society discourse, this paper explores
the potential value of world wide web for community development
and cultural participation in Pacific Island communities within
a framework of participatory communication. The discussion begins
with some ideas about knowledge itself, the differences between
global knowledge and local knowledge, and the localisation of knowledge.
It then presents a case study of internet development in Fiji to
date: current technological condition, impediments and milestones
and finally a discussion of its value to communities.
LOCAL ENTREPRENURSHIP FOR BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE -
A CASE STUDY OF AKSHAYA PROJECT IN KERALA, INDIA
Aruna Sundararajan, Sivasankar, M., Jose, U. V.
Kerala State Information Technology Mission
Department of Information Technology
Government of Kerala, India
Akshaya, an innovative project implemented in the State of Kerala,
India aimed at bridging the digital divide, addresses the issues
of ICT access, basic skill sets and availability of relevant content.
Quality ICT dissemination and service delivery facilities (‘Akshaya
Centres’) are set up within a maximum of 2 kilometers for
any household and networked leveraging entrepreneurship. E-literacy
training is given to at least one member in each family enabling
the entrepreneurs to build a bridge with the local population. Development
of relevant digital content in local languages has also been taken
up in the project through private participation.
AUTOMATED FORMS PROCESSING AND PAPER USER INTERFACES FOR DATA
COLLECTION FROM VILLAGE MICROFINANCE GROUPS
Tapan Parikh
University of WashingtonSeattle
USA |
Vijay Pratap Singh Aditya
ekgaon Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
India |
Muthu Velayutham
Covenant Centre for Development
India |
Microfinance is defined as the provision of financial services
to poor, disadvantaged and under-privileged members of society,
particularly in developing countries. Since the success of the Grameen
Bank in the late 1970s, microfinance has emerged as a sustainable
and effective method of poverty alleviation and local financial
development. Recent years have witnessed an unprecedented growth
in the scale and reach of microfinance services around the world.
For that trend to continue, there is a need for increased data
collection and management capacity within microfinance institutions
(MFIs). Accurate documentation of local transactions is required
for MFIs to track the performance of their clients and to be in
a position to make sound financial decisions. We have conceptualized
a scalable, flexible and accessible way for MFIs to collect data
from village locations using automated forms processing and paper
user interfaces. In this paper we describe the technologies required
in the proposed system and an operational protocol for deploying
it in the field.
RESEARCH AND EDUCATION NETWORK IN GHANA - PROMOTING ICT IN DEVELOPING
COUNTRIES THROUGH RESEARCH COOPERATION
Assistant Professor Reza Tadayoni & Professor Knud Erik Skouby
Center for Tele-Information, Technocal University of Denmark
The aim of this paper is to analyze the ICT development at the
universities and research institutions in developing countries,
based on a case implemented in Ghana. One of the major barriers
for teaching and research at an international level at the universities
and research institutions in developing countries is the lack of
access to ICT networks which prevents participation in the global
information sharing of these communities. The implications are that
the conditions for research and education in these countries are
far behind the similar institutions in developed countries. In the
research project described in the current paper the problem is addressed
and analysed, and the results of a trial project implementing some
of the ideas are reported. The analyses in the paper include, the
problems and barriers, including regulatory challenges and the lessons
learned from the project. The case illustrates how overall political
objectives for development and penetration of ICT networks and services
in developing countries can be targeted as a part of international
research assistance and cooperation programs.
ICT COULD REDUCE THE MMR IN BANGLADESH: ANOTHER AREA OF OPPORTUNITY
Iqbal Hossain, Dustha Manobatar Seba Sangstha (DMSS), Bangladesh
Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) is 4.5 per 1000 live birth in Bangladesh,
which is one of the highest in the world (Afroza Shila, 2003). Though
the health care infrastructure is relatively well developed but
it is evident that structure of Health and Family Welfare do not
respond to the needs of maternal health the way it is expected.
With the objective to gain better understanding of rural maternal
life I have collected different information through visiting some
villages of Bangladesh and also going through few documents. The
information collected for this paper would be able to demonstrate
the rural maternal health scenario, condition of the Maternal Health
Service (MHS) and the causes of maternal deaths. The collected information
are crucial indicators in identifying strategic directions and in
designing programme strategies for the future, which is to incorporate
ICT to facilitate MHS and improve the level of maternal mortality
in Bangladesh.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
Rakhi Gupta, India
Advances in Information technology have been so rapid that it has
changed the shape of all economic activities in the world and as
a result world is moving towards globalization. Countries which
do not deploy communication and information processing capabilities
and which do not have the qualified human resources to run and sustain
such capabilities will be pushed outside the world market because
of “Information Poverty”. Thus many Developing countries
are making strategies to deploy Information technology in all possible
areas be it point of agriculture, women empowerment, manufacturing,
education.
It seems that Information technology for developing countries is
a “MUST HAVE” tool for development, economic growth
and poverty alleviation and as we have arrived at an age where ‘Time’
and ‘Information’ are treated as Capital. So if developing
countries have to join the fast track of the development then present
culture of development has to be reviewed.
This paper aims at discussing impact and economic enrichment of
the society using Information technology in India-A Developing Country
as India’s Information technology sector is an interesting
example of how competitive a development country can be globally
in a High-Technology area and India’s Information Technology
tracks are extraordinary compared to all to all its other business
sectors. This sector has seen an average 42% annual growth in the
past ten years, standing head and shoulder above other sectors of
the economic landscape.
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES AND INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES
(ICTS) – FROM DIGITAL DIVIDE TO DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY TO CLOSING
THE REALITY GAP
Colleen Vanderstaay, Central Queensland University
Information and communication technologies (ICTs) and in particular
the Internet could have great implications for developing countries.
The implications of ICTs for developing countries could be seen
as evolving through three phases – encompassing the digital
divide viewed as a threat, the digital opportunity providing developing
nations with a means of hastening development and a third phase
identifying a reality gap between what was planned and what has
resulted based on the empirical evidence emerging from initiatives
by international agencies to address the digital divide and digital
opportunity. Developments in India and Africa will highlight progress
made in developing countries.
Return to Abstract Contents
INDIGENOUS VOICES ON IT FOR INDIGENOUS
PEOPLE |
TRANSFORMING MY WHAKAPAPA (GENEALOGY): ISSUES AROUND THE TRANSLATION
OF WHAKAPAPA USING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (IT)
Julia Ngatuere, UNITEC , New Zealand
Historically, for Maori, ways of knowing have evolved through an
oral tradition where such information is memorised by successive
generations. Knowledge is given to only those who merit it. Whilst
digital information pertaining to Maori identity is widely available
through the Internet, I am predominately concerned in this paper
with the taonga (treasures) of my own whanau (extended family),
Ngatuere (my surname). If I share my Maori identity, my whakapapa
through the Internet is this appropriate or is such information
tapu (sacred)? What are my responsibilities as a kaitiaki (guardian)
of this knowledge and how does this work in an online world?
CORPORATE COMPUTER SYSTEMS: SHARING FACILITIES AND SKILLS FOR
PEOPLE EMPOWERMENT IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
Marie de Beer, Delene Heukelman, Purity Njobe
Durban Institute of Technology, South Africa
The use of information and communication technology as a tool with
which to enhance socio-economic growth in developing countries to
overcome poverty and empower the people has been gaining momentum
globally. One of the most popular approaches has been the use of
inter-organisational systems. Collaboration between firms through
inter-organisational systems has been used effectively over the
last two decades for economic purposes. This paper explores a research
project, which illustrates the mechanics of an innovative approach
to the technology of inter-organisational systems in collaborate
networks. The main stages of the project are a shared corporate
computer system by small enterprises, the middleware used to distribute
the data, the delivery mechanism for the network, and interactive
kiosks with localised interfaces. The other stages of the project
form the basis of a conceptual discussion and are targeted for future
research.
A MICROWAVE OF DECISIONS: A CASE STUDY OF THE RTC PROJECT IN A
MICROCOMMUNITY IN THE TORRES STRAIT
Fiona Brady
FR Brady Services |
Margaret Mau |
Micro communities and regional initiatives - We would like to be
here talking to you about what we do in our Rural Transaction Centre
(RTC) and how it has changed our lives. However, this case study
charts the progress so far of our endeavour to get an RTC. The story
is told from the perspective of the council of one island in the
Torres Strait, Far North Queensland, Australia.
ICT FOR SUSTAINABLE AND EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT - A PROJECT FOR
THE ETHNIC INDIGENOUS TRIBAL MINORITY COMMUNITY IN THE KHAGRACHARI
HILLY DISTRICT OF BANGLADESH
Goutam K. Sanyal & Uttamalankar Bhikkhu,
Parbatya Bouddha Mission (PBM
Bangladesh
The developments that shape the information society should pursue
goals of sustainable human development and support for cultural
and linguistic diversity. The technological knowledge of the rural
ethnic indigenous minority hilly people needs to be made more accessible
They also have specific concerns and perspectives, which need to
be integrated into ICT project as well as into information systems
for their development. This paper will try to address this issue
and will also speak the decentralized, interactive and non-hierarchical
nature of an IT project which will present an easy space for the
Ethnic Indigenous Tribal Minority Community to develop their views,
opinions and benefit from it.
Return to Abstract Contents
IT FOR REGIONAL MEDIA, CULTURE &
THE ARTS |
REALIZING SELF-PUBLISHING ON THE WEB: A COMMUNITY APPROACH.
Kevin Tharp & John Dekkers
Central Queensland University
The role of Information and Communications Technologies in a community
setting has to this point focused primarily on the areas of access,
training, and local content. Recent trends point toward the need
to go beyond these basic aspects to enhance and facilitate community
engagement and development. This paper examines the use of online
self-publishing in a community environment, and how online community
networks can be a catalyst for increasing the levels of social interaction
both online and in the associated geographic communities.
THE YOUTH INTERNET RADIO NETWORK: A RESEARCH PROJECT TO CONNECT
YOUTH ACROSS QUEENSLAND THROUGH MUSIC, CREATIVITY AND ICT
John Hartley, Greg Hearn, Jo Tacchi & Marcus Foth
Creative Industries Research and Applications Centre,
Queensland University of Technology, Australia
This paper proposes that interactive technologies can combine with
training and enterprise development, and young people’s desires
for content creation, to establish a network of users across differing
geographical and social ecologies, creating new cultural forms and
economic outcomes. The research project described merges innovative
internet design, policy analysis and ethnographic methods. Young
people from urban, regional, remote and Indigenous environments
will learn, network, and create their own content on a Youth Internet
Radio Network, contributing to community capacity building. Analysis
will describe and influence the creative, social and technical processes,
and identify opportunities for innovation, enterprise development
and regional sustainability.
CREATIVE COMMUNITIES AND ONLINE BUSINESS MODELS
Victor Chen & Shirley Gregor
School of Business and Information Management, Australian
National University |
Karin Geiselhart
National Office for the Information Economy |
Developing appropriate local content and reflecting local culture
are key elements for the adoption of higher bandwidth Internet.
These approaches can also contribute to fostering a learning community
and growing local information economy industries. This paper reports
on a preliminary survey of online business models for Australian
community cultural and artistic initiatives. This research sought
to identify those models that have the potential to be scalable,
replicable and sustainable for other Australian regional and rural
groups, even if the initial case site is urban. The study was part
of a Creative Community action research experiment at the National
Office for the Information Economy.
Return to Abstract Contents
IT FOR REGIONAL EDUCATION & TRAINING |
SIMULATION OF PROCESS CONTROL IN A PAPER MILL BOILER – A
STUDENT PROJECT CASE STUDY.
Ron Balsys & Barrie Heaton
We discuss collaboration between industry and tertiary education
providers. The role of student project work as an agent of change
in industry is considered. A case study of the graphical simulation
of process control in an industrial ‘boiler’ at Australian
Paper, Wesley Vale Mill, Tasmania, is presented. User interface
issues in the use of process control of simulation are given. Project
management, development, testing, and evaluation are discussed.
The impacts of the project on the organisation are reported. Conclusions
and outcomes of the project are also discussed.
REGIONAL UNIVERSITIES AND THE REVOLUTION IN HIGHER EDUCATION.
Tim S Roberts, Central Queensland University
The revolution in higher education is already well underway, and
regional universities are leading the charge. This paper describes
the nature of the revolution by examining the changes in higher
education that have already taken place, and predicting other far
more radical changes yet to come. It suggest that the increasingly
universal acceptance of information and communication technologies
will have profound implications for the methods by which courses
are taught, the underlying pedagogies employed by educators, and
the types of intractions that take place between educators and students,
and outlines the reasons why regional universities are playing such
a significant role in the front-line of the revolution.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN: DELIVERING INFORMATION LITERACY TO REGIONAL
QUEENSLAND
Barbara Brown, Rachael Browning, Anna Raunik
State Library of Queensland
The State Library of Queensland has a strong commitment to providing
access to its collections, services and to the wider world of knowledge
available via the Internet. It is driven by its Vision Smart libraries
build smart communities. The State Library has recognised the value
of information technology in enabling this vision to become reality
and is working to make an extensive range of its various collections
available electronically. Recognising that the ability to access
electronic information is not a universal skill, the State Library
has entered into partnership with a number of businesses. The BHP
Billiton Skills.net Roadshow Queensland now successfully delivers
training to communities throughout the state.
NETWORKING THE NORTHERN RIVERS THROUGH CTC@NSW
Lynne De Weaver, Southern Cross University
The CTC@NSW program was jointly funded by the NSW State and Commonwealth
Governments in 2000. To date, over 60 new Community Technology Centres
(CTCs) have been funded in small, rural and regional communities
throughout NSW. During this same period, seven CTCs, with sixteen
outreach locations, were established in the Northern Rivers, an
8th centre at Clunes, was funded under an earlier program but later
joined the CTC@NSW network. To be eligible for funding under the
CTC@NSW program, applicant communities had to meet specific criteria
and prepare a comprehensive business plan that clearly demonstrated
how they could establish and maintain a viable business within their
community during the three years of funding as well as after grant
funding had been expended. A great deal of community consultation
and business planning was required in the application process and
the volunteers on the various committees who undertook this work
did so on their own time with varying levels of skill. They spent
countless hours in achieving, what for them was a successful outcome,
e.g. getting the seed funding for which they had applied. The key
issues that emerged in the process were; the capacity of the organizing
committee to meet all the requirements of the application, their
ability to articulate community needs, their business acumen and
their level of commitment to the concept of establishing a CTC as
a means of promoting economic development in their communities.
DESIGNING AN INTEGRATED CULTURALLY SENSITIVE TEACHING MODEL
Ying Chen & Dr Graeme Faulkner, University of Tasmania
This paper discusses the design phase of a four-phased project
that aims to develop a new pedagogically valid and culturally sensitive
teaching model that could be considered for use in a joint degree
program between the University of Tasmania (Utas) and partner institutions
in China. The model features a more integrated approach making effective
use of onsite block teaching and an elaborate utilization of existing
WebCT tools, especially those of use in communication and assessment,
thus facilitating constructive and collaborative learning. Guidelines
are suggested for online learning, block teaching and tutorials
that constitute the delivery of each academic unit.
INTEGRATED SYSTEMS: MANAGEMENT APPROACHES TO ACQUIRING THEM IN
AUSTRALIAN UNIVERSITIES
Julius Jillbert
Universitas Hasanuddin, Indonesia |
Dewi Rosmalab and Maritess Carreonc
University of Newcastle |
This paper uses the case of Australian university to explain outsourcing
decision within the university perspective. Analysis shown how the
university value chain will be restructured and re-intermediated
by the outsourcing process. And how this will bring dramatic new
paradigms not just for the university but for the entire value chain
supply partners. The result of this study provide more integrative
view on how to apply outsourcing strategies and have important implications
for in-campus managers and software houses in the regional area.
COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE IN ADULT LEARNING, THE BYRON KNOWLEDGE
MANAGEMENT PROJECT
Mitra Ardron
Mitra Technology Consulting |
Jim Nicholls
Principal ACE North Coast |
Communities of Practice offer one opportunity for ongoing lifelong
learning in a changing world, bringing people together across organisational
and sectoral boundaries to share information and experiences. The
Byron Knowledge Management Project is exploring these ideas through
a NSW Board of Vocational Education and Training (BVET) funded pilot
project to create five inter-organisational, Communities of Practice
in 2003, across different economic sectors, from Sustainable Agriculture,
through Event Organisers to Professional Artists. Each CoP has a
slightly different approach to maximise the opportunities for generalisations
and innovation. An interactive web site is online at www.byronkm.com
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES NEED TO ENHANCE PRECISION IN HUMAN RESOURCES
DEVELOPMENT IN THE ICT SECTOR – HIGHLIGHTING THE MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTION
BUSINESS IN BANGLADESH.
Parveen Huda, Bangladesh
It's globalization's next wave--and one of the biggest trends reshaping
the global economy. The first wave started two decades ago with
the exodus of jobs making shoes, cheap electronics, and toys to
developing countries. After that, simple service work, like processing
credit-card receipts, and mind-numbing digital toil, like writing
software code, began fleeing high-cost countries. Now, all kinds
of knowledge work can be done almost anywhere.
Young entrepreneurs in the ICT sector are thinking of setting up
a MT business, but the problems they are predicting lies more in
the human resources development than in financing or marketing of
the new venture. The following Case Study focuses on this employment
relocation opportunity and how some human resources development
interventions can make the story narrate a success.
IMPACT OF ICT ON EDUCATION - AN EMPIRICAL STUDY ON WHAT EDUCATION
REFORMS ARE REQUIRED BY DEVELOPING COUNTRIES TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF
THE ICT REVOLUTION
Parveen Huda, Bangladesh
Computers are about 40 years old. Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) is much younger --- as it is generally understood
today. ICT is the out growth of the microelectronics revolution
and comprises; besides all shapes and sizes of computers, automation
technologies and communications. The notion that ICT is a strategic
management tool is newer still – at least in academic and
professional literature.
A MULTI-METHOD ENQUIRY ON THE REPRESENTATION OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
IN EDUCATION IN SINGAPORE
Chang, M., Liu, X., Detenber, B. H., & Weber, I.
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
This study examines how government institutions represent IT in
education using a method that combines content analysis and syntactical
analysis. Specifically, this project compares the discourses published
by the Ministry of Education (MOE) and two leading universities
in Singapore. The content analysis findings suggest that the IT
discourses of the three institutions are predominantly pro-innovation,
but the discourses of the two universities tend to be significantly
more deterministic than that of MOE. The results of the syntactical
analysis are somewhat concordant. The implications for multi-method
approaches are discussed, as are technologically deterministic representations
of IT in education discourse.
DEVELOPMENT OF IMCI MULTIMEDIA CD ROM TRAINING PACKAGE IN INDONESIA
Upiek Sumanti Riptoningrum
Graduate Program Health Policy and Service Management, Gadjah Mada
University Indonesia
Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) was a strategy
developed by the World Health Organization and United Nations Children’s
Fund to decrease under-five children mortality rate. The IMCI multimedia
program is a multimedia version of generic IMCI training in Indonesia.
This paper will report the design and development of IMCI multimedia
training package in Indonesia which was designed to give practitioners
and students experiences to deal with future implementation of IMCI
in their daily practice.
INTRODUCTORY COMPUTER PROGRAMMING AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE: IS THERE
A LINK?
Christine Prasad, UNITEC, New Zealand
Students from indigenous populations are often a part of the bigger
group of students for whom English is an additional language (EAL
students). This paper reports on a pilot study on the affect of
native language on learning Computer programming at an introductory
level. This study addresses both the surface and deep level impacts
of language on the learning of Computer Programming. Data was gathered
by means of a questionnaire and a card sort exercise; Data analysis
was done by separating the data for EAL and non-EAL students and
comparing them. The results suggested that surface level differences
amongst the two student groups were low, but some evidence of deep
level differences was found. The study concludes with suggestions
for future research.
Return to Abstract Contents
eKW: eGOV – THE SYSTEM TO SUPPORT PROCESS OF GRANTING VISAS
Witold Abramowicz, Andrzej Bassara, Agata Filipowska, Marek Wisniewski
The Poznan University of Economics
Poland
The purpose of the paper is to present the system that can support
national authorities in the process of granting people with visas
by enhancing the information about the people who apply for them.
The process of gathering such information can be enhanced with external
information filtered out from external sources (dedicated sources
in the Internet) and derived from databases that are not accessible
to the public. Moreover, the article touches the subject of e-government
as a compilation of e-administration and e-democracy and the Polish
state-of-the-art in the e-Government solutions.
SHIFTING THE CENTRE: THE INTERNET AS A TOOL FOR COMMUNITY ACTIVISM
Andy Williamson
Faculty of Informatics and Communication
Central Queensland University
Community websites can potentially humanise the process and experience
of government and democracy by shifting debate from the political
centre to the community. By discussing sites with a community representation/democracy
focus located in Waitakere City, Aotearoa/New Zealand, this paper
examines the potential of the Internet to promote discourse and
democratic practices. A narrative case study of one community website,
Laingholm, is provided and its evolution through to current hiatus
and the rise of a cross-community eDemocracy project is mapped.
Key issues and lessons learnt are highlighted.
EPARLIAMENT.ORG:
THE PIONEERING OPERATIONAL MODEL OF WEBOCRACY
Dr. Sichendra Bista
eParliament.org / Global Initiatives International Secretariat,
Nepal
The war in Iraq is widely perceived as the result of democratic
and diplomatic deficits at a global level. Aftermath the polarization
of opinions about the war, electorates have strong resentment that
their elected representatives failed to represent themselves, and
the “power elite” just ignored their say. Citizens now
find themselves controlled by their politicians rather than being
the one in control of their statesmen. They have also realized that
the current system only empowers politicians, not people. Therefore,
electorates want to redefine the meaning and modus operandi of democracy.
Globally, citizens are aspiring for an “ALTERNATIVE”
where they could represent themselves in order to overcome the prevalence
of democratic and diplomatic deficits at all levels.
International terrorism is the result of lack of enforceable international
law. International laws are not enforceable because the treaties
and agreements, signed at bilateral and/or multilateral levels,
lack uniformity. This led to the unjust design of policies on global
issues. Even national legislators lack fora to express their views
on global legal and policy-related issues. Therefore, the legal-
and policy-making sectors desire for an “ALTERNATIVE”
which could serve as an easily accessible clearinghouse and forum
of international laws and policies so that the clearinghouse help
them to ensure uniformity and enforceability.
Likewise, there are 38 armed conflicts, including the recent one
in Iraq, in various regions of the world, particularly in the authoritarian
regimes and transitional democracies in Asia, CIS and Africa. The
conflicts have claimed millions of lives, mainly innocent women
and children, and brought an end to human development! People in
these regions are also desperate for an “ALTERNATIVE”
which can bring the parties-in-conflict together as per their convenience
and in a cost-effective manner so that they could live their normal
life in peace, security and prosperity.
Corruption, lawlessness, information starvation, poverty, illiteracy
are marked signs of the developing world in Asia, Africa, CIS and
Latin America. Majority of population in this segment of the world
lives with less than US$2 a day! Locals are voiceless because they
are either suppressed by the corrupt and authoritarian regimes or
they could not afford, in terms of time and money, the existing
legal mechanism for justice. They desperately want a cost-effective,
easily accessible and secure “ALTERNATIVE” where they
could approach at their convenience to settle their legal and social
problems and speak up against atrocities by the “ruling elite”.
The search for an “ALTERNATIVE”, that our world is
aspiring for, ends at eParliament.org, the pioneering operational
model of webocracy. This paper elaborates how all of the above and
more could be achieved through eParliament.org at this crucial juncture
of human history when the democratically-elected, but much-debated,
physical form of World Parliament seems a distant dream.
ONLINE VOTING FOR E-DEMOCRACY IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES:
IS IT POSSIBLE?
Julius Jillberta
Department of Management, Faculty of Economics, Hasanuddin
University (UNHAS)
Indonesia |
Mustarum Musaruddinb
Department of Electrical Engineering, Haluoleo University
(UNHALU)
Indonesia |
Issues such as reliability, security and affordability of voting
procedures might be seen as factors that can stimulate enthusiasm
upon democracy system among potential voters and increase participation.
This paper argue that online voting may play important role on enhancing
security and cutbacks of burden human and financial resources allocation
to election processes. However, in the emerging democracies, like
some of Asian countries, in this case Indonesia, exhibit other factors,
such as political, cultural, educational, economic sensibilities,
that might be weighted before any online voting system is deployed.
E-DEMOCRACY – GULF STYLE: A WORKING PAPER
Kate Sutcliffe and Margot Richardson
At the recent SEGRA Conference, GSD presented a paper on the value
of investment in development of the social capital of the Gulf region
– it pays off in the long term. In that paper we touched on
the processes that we were employing to broaden the horizons of
the Gulf residents and expand their networks and experiences.
This paper deals in more detail with the specific programs we are
delivering to expand the usage of IT in the region. IT is a tool
we are deploying to build the social capital of the Gulf region,
to enable residents to take maximum advantage of opportunities presented
in the increasingly global economic and social environment. What
we intend to do is discuss how we have used the IT infrastructure
and provide an initial evaluation of projects to look at effectiveness,
impact, identify barriers and some concerns.
Return to Abstract Contents
TOWARDS TEAM-BASED DELIVERY OF PATIENT-CENTRED HEALTH CARE
Stefanie Kethers, Alistair McLean, Anne-Marie
Vercoustre & Ross Wilkinson
CSIRO ICT Centre |
Mohan Krishnamoorthy & David Sier
CSIRO Mathematical and Information Sciences |
This paper discusses the major components of a patient-centred,
team-based health care delivery system to overcome the duplication
of effort and poor communication between members of the different
disciplines delivering patient care. We consider the factors needed
to allocate resources and collect and organise patient data to provide
actionable information to different professional groups in a manner
that recognises the trust and team dynamics operating between the
groups. We suggest that implementing only parts of such a system
will not fully address the complex problem of patient-centred healthcare
delivery by teams, but that an integrated, holistic solution is
required.
DEVELOPING A PUBLIC HOSPITAL – GENERAL PRACTICE
INTERNET INTERFACE: AN EVALUATION OF GPlinkED TASMANIA, A HIRaD
PROJECT
Dean Steer
University of Tasmania |
Liz Cummings
Tasmanian General Practice Divisions |
Paul Turner
University of Tasmania |
GPlinkED is a Tasmanian project funded by the Commonwealth Department
of Health and Ageing (DoHA) through its Health Internet Research
and Development fund (HIRaD). The GPlinkED system aims to provide
timely and secure messaging in a cost effective manner between Hospital
Emergency Departments and General Practices. The system was trialled
in Northern Tasmania with the Launceston General Hospital Department
of Emergency Medicine (DEM) and a number of General Practices within
the Launceston region.
This paper reports on an evaluation of the GPlinkED trial focused
on the administrative messaging components of the implementation
of a simplified Emergency Department Messaging Interface (EDMI)
module. This module covered the construction, storage and transmission
of encrypted administrative messages (attendance advices) from DEMs
to General Practitioners. The evaluation concentrated on qualitative
interviewing of GPs and DEM staff to reveal perceptions of the pre-existing
arrangements, the value of the GPlinkED system and insights into
the likely uptake by GPs of the GPlinkED system in preparation for
its state-wide rollout.
The objectives of establishing a secure communications infrastructure
and obtaining general acceptance amongst project participants were
achieved. More specifically the evaluation revealed: (i) Significant
improvements in the timeliness of the communications between the
DEM and the General Practices; (ii) Significant costs reduction
particularly in terms of administrative staff time; (iii) The use
of location keys made Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) almost ‘invisible’
to the GPs; (iv) Regardless of size, almost all the General Practices
participating in the trial have subsequently maintained GPlinkED
and incorporated it as an integrated part of their patient healthcare
management systems. This has had a major impact on improving the
continuity of care between the DEM and participating General Practices.
WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS:
BUILDING CONNECTEDNESS IN REGIONAL, RURAL AND REMOTE QUEENSLAND
COMMUNITIES THROUGH A HEALTH-BASED MULTIPOINT VIDEOCONFERENCING
PROJECT
Linda McClelland, Kathryn Faulkner, Jennifer Gale and Kylie Johnstone
Women's Health Queensland Wide Inc
A world-first multipoint videoconferencing project developed by
Women's Health Queensland Wide Inc (WHQW) and involving fifty locations
across Queensland was originally designed to deliver health education
to rural and remote communities.
However an impact study found that the project has also made a contribution
to collaboration, communication and service provision within and
across participating communities. Furthermore, there is evidence
that the project has contributed to improved skills and a greater
use of available technology resources.
Findings are discussed within a social capital relationship framework
and related to the features of the project model that the authors
believe have been most important in achieving the positive outcomes.
LOCATING YOUR PATIENTS –USING EXISTING DATA AND GIS SOFTWARE”
Stephen Weeding & Dr Lee Seldon
Monash University
Ideally, health care services should be available when and where
they are required. Presented here is a preliminary study of geographic
distribution of demand for health care services, highlighted by
utilising GIS software to visually map the sources of these patients.
Data showing demand was collected from patients presenting to Emergency
Departments and included items such as Age, Triage Category, Arrival
Time, and other parameters. The primary care services mapped with
this demand data included the locations of Medical Clinics, Pharmacies,
Residential Aged Care Services, and Retirement Villages. Any significant
results should interest Commonwealth and State Government Health
Department strategic planning units and health care providers.
ICT FOR IMPROVING REGIONAL HEALTH IN BANGLADESH
Prof. Lutfor Rahman
Association for Advancement of Information Technology (AAIT)
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are unavoidable
tools at the present age. ICT has seen tremendous unprecedented
growth in the last decade. Its impact has been felt in almost all
sectors. But the impact of ICT on Health care is lagging behind
in many developing countries including Bangladesh. Rural populations
in many regions of Bangladesh are distant from urban centres that
offer employment and income, education, cultural events and public
services. ICT have the potential to improve the situation of rural
people in several ways such as early diagnosis can prevent many
casualties. Once the patient comes to the health care centre, the
medical professionals collect and send the relevant information
to an expert at a centrally located hospital. The primary health
care centre be located in rural area or in a mobile centre installed
in a van. Poor health care can result from a lack of good information.
Establishing reliable communications may be one of the most important
priorities for improving health care. Many rural areas have no or
out dated telephone lines that can transmit Internet based data.
Wireless technology such as radio modems, could solve the infrastructure
problem. Mobile telecentre is a possible solution for remote populations.
Bangladesh is seen as problematic hosts for information and communication
technology. Most developing regions of Bangladesh lack economic
resources and indigenous techno-scientific capabilities to develop
and deploy modern ICT infrastructure. The potential benefit of ICT
for rural people have been outlined, and the ways that ICT for rural
populations to modern health care are described in the paper.
A training program in Bangladesh trained woman medical professionals
drawn from different institutions, hospitals and clinics to use
ICT in health care sectors. A survey identified their training needs.
Training modules and materials were designed in the context of Bangladesh
based on the needs identification survey. The courses were held
at the capital city, Dhaka and in two regional towns; Bogra and
Rajshahi with 20 participants in each stage. Their scientific knowledge
and skills were previously unrecognized, under valued and over looked
by the male dominated colleagues and supervisors. A committee of
seven members selected the prospective woman participants for the
training organized by AAIT in cooperation of the Ministry of Science
and Technology and with the funding support of the Commonwealth
Science Council (CSC). After the training, the trained participants
were found to utilize their gained ICT knowledge for the rural and
marginalized people of the society.
The main purpose of empowering the medical professionals with ICT
is to benefit the people whom they serve. Specifically the trained
medical doctors serve people who live in the islands and in the
highlands of remote areas. A resource centre known as ISTI (Indigenous
Science and Technology at Ikrail) established in a river island
of Bangladesh by AAIT gives tremendous results in curing diseases
caused by water and cold. The ISTI resource centre is run by one
of the trained medical professionals. In this project a plan was
adopted to initiate ICT clinics as an effort to provide better access
to public health initiatives to the rural people. It is found from
the study program that the root problem with most of the countries
in the developing world especially in Asia is the lack of accessibility.
This paper explains how lives of the remote people are saved by
medical professionals after having ICT training organized by the
Association for Advancement of Information Technology (AAIT).
Return to Abstract Contents
IT FOR REGIONAL INDUSTRY & e-COMMERCE |
AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF INTERNET USAGE AMONG INSURANCE COMPANIES
IN MALAYSIA
Ainin, S & Tee CK
University of Malaya
Malaysia
This paper reports the findings of an exploratory study on Internet
usage among Malaysian insurance companies. A questionnaire survey
was administered to 53 insurance companies and a total of thirty
four responded. The study illustrates a relatively high (76%) usage
of Internet among them. In addition, thirty eight percent of them
indicate that they are using the Internet as a sales channel. The
respondents, generally IT managers of insurance companies, feel
that the Internet compliments the existing sales channel. It also
provides new business opportunities as well a more effective way
to improve business activities. Despite the numerous benefits, not
all insurance companies use the Internet. The study identifies security
and cost of initial investment as factors that are most considered
when deciding to adopt Internet technologies.
CRITICAL FACTORS IN ACQUISITION OF SOFTWARE SYSTEMS IN SMALL AND
MEDIUM ENTERPRISES (SME)
Asif Ijaz Sheikh
Millennium Software Pvt. Limited
Pakistan |
Zubair A. Shaikh
National University of Computer & Emerging Sciences
Pakistan |
Recently, external factors like requirement of automation for industrial
units in order to achieve certain quality standards and certifications
for competing in the ever-competitive market after the WTO implementation,
have been stimulating companies of any size, to radically rethink
their Information Systems. Acquisition of software products have
always been a very critical activity for Small and Medium Enterprises
(SMEs), which eventually revolutionize the way these small enterprises
work, particularly for developing nations keeping in view the country’s
economic strength. Software acquisition and implementation for SMEs
have been a neglected area where not much research has been done.
This paper studies certain critical factors from SMEs perspective
for managing an acquisition project concerning an outsourced development
of a software product, customized for the specific needs of the
SMEs. In order to highlight major characteristics for SMEs during
the acquisition phase of Software Systems, case studies from 12
key diversified organizations of Pakistan have been picked. The
qualitative research methodology approach has been used to evaluate
the acquisition process, so as to benefit the SMEs for streamlining
themselves for more efficient and appropriate software acquisitions
and highlight major issues of software acquisitions concerned with
SMEs.
THE ADOPTION OF NEW TECHNOLOGY DOES NOT ALWAYS PROVIDE THE BEST
SOLUTION: EXPERIENCES OF THE ROCK LOBSTER FISHERMEN IN TASMANIA'S
SOUTH WEST.
Stephen Chau & Paul Turner
University of Tasmania
Much information systems research is premised on an implicit and
unquestioned assumption that ‘new technology is better’.
For small business researchers however, there is consistent evidence
that innovative technologies often do not provide the ‘best’,
most viable or even most appropriate solutions. Useability problems,
initial relative high costs of new technology and ongoing support
issues often make the latest technological advances poorly suited
to the requirements of many users. This paper presents a case study
on the issues faced by Tasmanian rock lobster fishermen seeking
a working solution to gain quality daily weather-faxes. The preliminary
analysis suggests that the proffered advanced communications solutions
are more costly, unproven and require additional training without
guaranteeing a ‘better’ overall solution.
E-COMMERCE FOR SMALL REGIONAL FIRMS: EXPERIENCE OF FOUR RECENT
ADOPTERS
Shelly Grist & Aileen Cater-Steel
University of Southern Queensland
After reporting current research about the extent of e-commerce
adoption by small Australian businesses, this study documents the
progress and outcomes of four small regional organisations as they
seek the opportunities promised by e-commerce. Each of the four
cases presents a different focus and mix of web-based applications.
The common factor which contributes to their success is that the
adoption of e-commerce was driven by sound business objectives.
INTERNATIONAL BEST PRACTICE UNIVERSITY TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER MODELS:
FRAMEWORK FOR A STRATEGY FOR SMALL TO MEDIUM ENTERPRISES IN REGIONAL
AUSTRALIA.
Cate Reilly, Laurence Dooley & Srinivas Aswathanarayaniah
Monash University
In both Australia, and overseas, Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
are increasingly performing a central role in technology transfer.
One way to make it possible for SMEs to improve their competitive
advantage and compete with world markets, is to have access and
connection to institutions (such as universities) and networks that
transfer knowledge and applications of technological innovation.
Most SMEs are usually too small to do any significant research and
therefore rely on these mechanisms if they are available.
This paper results from a comparative study on a number of international
Technology Transfer (also referred to as Technology Diffusion) models
involving Institutions and small to medium enterprises (SMEs). Institutions
supply (or transfer) the technological “know-how” and
capabilities to the SME, which either directly or indirectly, demand
technology transfer.
The models of technology transfer differ in terms of strategies
,activities and objectives. Aspects that influence these models
are availability of existing infrastructure, inherent expertise,
linkages with appropriate research institutions and cultural and
social issues. However, the underlying aim is the same; sustainable
mechanisms that transfer technological knowledge and capabilities
to SMEs in order for them to apply, further develop and manage technology.
Best practice technology transfer strategies applied by universities
identified in this study will be applied to the design of a Technology
Diffusion Gateway Network - a project which is currently in the
pilot phase in Gippsland, Victoria. The second phase involves creating
linkages with other regionally-based institutions to develop an
integrated network of technology diffusion nodes in regional Australia,
through which expertise, knowledge and innovation transfer can be
facilitated.
A PRELIMINARY VIEW OF WHERE ELECTRONIC GOVERNMENT CAN HELP LOCAL
GOVERNMENT
Tim Turner
Australian Defence Force Academy
University of New South Wales
The paper presents the results of a literature review and survey
conducted in February and March 2003 seeking to identify the interactions
between the Australian Government and local governments in Australia.
The literature review set expectations of the nature of interactions,
but the survey revealed a different picture. Rather than the dominant
interactions (by volume) being elements of a pseudo-supply-chain
for government service delivery, they were information sharing activities:
reporting and advice seeking. The paper presents findings from the
survey looking through a partitioned lens, considering the differences
in responses from rural and urban councils and large and small councils.
The survey reveals that considerable local government resources
are expended in these information sharing activities across all
local governments. It also reveals that rural councils appear to
be more reliant on interactions with the Australian Government to
deliver services to their clients. Finally, the paper points to
areas where rural councils might benefit from integrated e-government
and to further areas of research, particularly, the need to determine
what new services rural councils are delivering that require substantial
Australian Government involvement, and how can electronic government
reduce the effort required to participate in the substantial volume
of information sharing identified.
ADOPTION OF ONLINE PURCHASING IN COMMUNITIES, AND ITS SOCIO-ECONOMIC
IMPLICATIONS IN REGIONAL CENTRAL QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA
W. J. Taylor, G. X. Zhu, J. Dekkers & S. Marshall
Central Queensland University
This paper analyses the general trends of online purchasing in
Central Queensland (CQ) communities in 1999-2002 and identifies
the socio-economic factors affecting online purchasing activities.
The Online Purchasing Indicator, a concept which is defined as a
combination of percentages of online purchasers and of regular purchasers
(>one item/month) within a group, is applied to compare these
activities between two groups. These factors can be interpreted
as personal attributes, knowledge, trust and need that may play
important roles for the online purchasing activities. The research
indicated that the effect of economic bleeding might exist, but
need not to be overstated.
WORKING AROUND SECURITY: ISSUES OF IMPLEMENTATION AND DISTANCE
Fiona Brady
FR Brady Services
Remote communities have access to increasingly sophisticated technology:
intranets and the Internet are now standard. Technology has been
promoted as a means to overcome “distance” yet, distance
increases the difficulty of implementing and maintaining technology.
So how are remote communities negotiating this situation?
This project uses an actor network approach to look at technology
use in a remote workplace. Through the focus of a workaround of
the computer security I trace the network of associations and alliances
that led to this point. It is my aim to describe the different understandings
of the situation to look at the ways distance, both geographical
and conceptual, affects technology adoption, implementation and
ongoing use.
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IT FOR TOURISM IN REGIONAL AREAS |
DELIVERING BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE FOR REGIONAL TOURISM IN AUSTRALIA:
ANALYSIS OF THE DECIPHER TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION
Dean Carson, Andrew Taylor
Centre for Regional Tourism Research, Southern Cross University |
Fiona Richards
Australian Capital Tourism Corporation |
Decipher is an online information system designed to deliver research
and business intelligence to Australian tourism organisations. Critical
to the success of Decipher will be its uptake by small regional
tourism enterprises and local tourism associations. These organisations
have traditionally faced the greatest barriers to accessing and
applying business intelligence. This paper argues that, in order
to be in a position to contribute to the capacity to foster and
employ innovation in an industrial system, an online information
system such as Decipher must first be accepted and adopted as an
innovation itself. The literature suggests that certain structural
elements including: economic and social capital; fostering of entrepreneurship;
development of networks and clusters; and access to public and private
sector partnerships can be introduced into the system to facilitate
adoption of innovations such as Decipher. However, there are events
outside the control of technology developers which may influence
the capacity of the system to choose to adopt an innovation or to
select between alternative innovations.
AN INVESTIGATION OF A TECHNOLOGY LED RELATIONSHIP MARKETING STRATEGY
IN ALBERTA’S TOURISM INDUSTRY
Doreen Park
University of Guelph
Canada
This paper presents findings of a study (Park, 2002) to investigate
the applicability and relevance of an information technology led
relationship-marketing strategy to create new business and economic
development opportunities within Alberta’s tourism industry.
New theoretical frameworks illustrate how information technology
can be used to manage relationships in regional tourism, and the
competitive advantage of industry clusters/strategic alliances,
and the marketing and management competencies required for virtual
networks are discussed. A survey questionnaire was developed based
on the research objectives. Data collection consisted of two parts:
an electronic mail survey sent to thirty individuals in management
and executive positions, and a review of government and industry
reports. Qualitative analysis was performed for the open-ended survey
questions and reports, and quantitative analysis was performed on
the close-ended survey questions using SPSS for Windows. The paper
will be of interest to strategy and policy makers, researchers,
strategic managers, and corporate marketers working in the tourism
industry.
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