Perspectives on ICT4D and Socio-Economic Growth Opportunities in Developing Countries

Technology has been hailed as one of the catalysts toward economic and human development. In the current economic era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, information acquisition, transformation, and dissemination processes are posed to be the key enablers of development. However, in the context of developing countries, there is a need for more evidence on the impact that ICT has on addressing developmental issues. Such evidence is needed to make a case for investments in ICT-led interventions to improve people's lives in developing countries. Perspectives on ICT4D and Socio-Economic Growth Opportunities in Developing Countries is a collection of innovative research on current trends that portray the ICT and development nexus (ICT4D) from economic and human development perspectives within developing countries. While highlighting topics including mobile money, poverty alleviation, and consumer behavior, this book is ideally designed for economists, government officials, policymakers, ICT specialists, business professionals, researchers, academicians, students, and entrepreneurs.

Patrick Ndayizigamiye obtained his PhD (Information Systems and Technology) from the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. Patrick is currently employed as a Senior Lecturer at the University of Johannesburg in South Africa and is the ICT4D research cluster leader at the University of Johannesburg. He has more than 8 years of experience in teaching information systems modules and has published in international journals and conference proceedings. He has also presented his research outputs at many local and international conferences. He is currently an associate editor for the African Journal of Information Systems and has been a Track Program Committee (TCP) member of many reputable international conferences. Patrick is also a member of the Association for Information systems (AIS) and the South African Institute of Computer Scientists and Information Technologists (SAICSIT). His current research interest is in the design and deployment of ICT-led interventions to provide healthcare services in Resource-Limited Settings. He is also conducting research in ICT4D and Cybersecurity.

Glenda Barlow-Jones is a Senior Lecturer in the Applied Information Systems Department at the University of Johannesburg. She is a committed first year lecturer with 23 years of experience teaching students from various social and cultural backgrounds, and is involved with the first year experience and peer-mentoring programs at the University of Johannesburg. Her research centers on 1) the status of women in information technology, with focus on the unequal ratio of females to males and 2) first year university student’s expectations. Dr. Barlow-Jones has presented at various local and international conferences and has a number of published articles and papers.

Roelien Brink is a senior lecturer and researcher in the Department of Applied Information Systems, at the University of Johannesburg. She holds a PhD (University of Johannesburg, South Africa), focussing on information management in the work-integrated learning process. She is also a Champion for Work-Integrated Learning at the College of Business and Economics. Member of the Southern African Society for Cooperative Education (SASCE) team and is active member of SASCE as follows: Chair of the Research Committee, Co-Editor of the African Journal for Work-Based Learning, and Exco and Board member of SASCE. She is also the Vice Chair: Africa on the International Research group for World Association for Cooperative Education (WACE), research for work-integrated learning. She was part of the Advisory Board for the World Association for Cooperative Education (WACE) Second International Research Symposium in 2016 and currently part of the International Review Team for the WACE. Her research interests focus on work-integrated learning, e-assessment, information systems, information communication and technology for development.

Stella Bvuma is currently serving in the department of Applied Information Systems as the HoD focusing on achieving strategic goals within the University of Johannesburg. Dr. Bvuma has a driven robust passion in the area of ICT4 Development and ICT adoption with the focus towards township and rural development. Currently she is engaged in research focusing on ICT adoption by township and rural SMEs in South Africa. She is passionate about small business growth and development and building a sustainable economy and contributing positively whilst addressing the socio economic challenges in Africa. Dr. Bvuma believes that SMEs are the engine for economic growth and that includes SMEs that operates in previously disadvantaged areas such as townships and rural areas in South Africa. She is also a member to the Council of the South African Institute of Computer Scientists and Information Technologists (SAICSIT).

Rehana Minty is a lecturer in the Department of Applied Information Systems at the University of Johannesburg (UJ). She attained her Master’s in Education (Cum-Laude) from the University of Johannesburg in 2012 and is currently registered for her PhD in Education at The University of the Witwatersrand that focuses on the Viability of teaching and learning Mathematics in a paperless environment. She envisages completing her PhD in 2020. Her research interests are on the use of ICTs in Education, which includes electronic and online assessment, online teaching and learning as well as paperless schools. She has managed the End-user computing (EUC) course since 1996 and is currently the academic coordinator for all the EUC modules offered at the UJ campuses. She has extensive experience (since 2004) on the electronic assessment tools that have been employed for assessment purposes for the EUC modules. She is also a member of IEEE and SACE (South African Council of Educators).