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Competing institutional logics in ICT4D education projects: A South American study

Published: 03 June 2016 Publication History
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  • Abstract

    We take an institutional logics perspective to explain why design-reality gaps persist in ICT4D projects. From case study interviews at development agencies at work on two national education projects, one in Argentina and one in Uruguay, we show how two main institutional logics strongly shaped thought and action among development staff. The presence of an education sector professionalism logic aimed at creating real changes in education was not surprising because both projects were directed towards the education domain. Yet, this logic in many ways was secondary to a technology sector professionalism logic that focused on superior performance in product development, solving problems with technology, and evaluating technology uptake. We show how these two logics competed over time and within projects. We conclude by noting that an institutional logics perspective helps explain the persistence of design-reality gaps by making clear, for example, why solutions such as participatory design may fall short because they fail to come to terms with competing logics.

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    • (2022)Competing Logics in an ICT4D Partnership: Case Evidence from IndonesiaFreedom and Social Inclusion in a Connected World10.1007/978-3-031-19429-0_31(515-530)Online publication date: 20-Nov-2022
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    cover image ACM Other conferences
    ICTD '16: Proceedings of the Eighth International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies and Development
    June 2016
    427 pages
    ISBN:9781450343060
    DOI:10.1145/2909609
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    Published: 03 June 2016

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    Author Tags

    1. Education
    2. Information and communications technologies for development (ICT4D)

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    View all
    • (2022)Competing Logics in an ICT4D Partnership: Case Evidence from IndonesiaFreedom and Social Inclusion in a Connected World10.1007/978-3-031-19429-0_31(515-530)Online publication date: 20-Nov-2022
    • (2022)Introducing online training for health staff: An institutional perspectiveTHE ELECTRONIC JOURNAL OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES10.1002/isd2.1223388:6Online publication date: 22-Jun-2022
    • (2022)A multi‐stakeholder engagement framework for knowledge management in ICT4DJournal of the Association for Information Science and Technology10.1002/asi.2470374:12(1384-1400)Online publication date: 4-Aug-2022
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