A framework for information systems and national development research

Abstract

This paper develops a multidimensional framework to look at the role that information systems can play in the field of National Development. While there are already several frameworks, these are aimed at the employment of IS for specific goals (such as healthcare, education, job creation, administration, etc.) rather than to generate research questions. These frameworks are useful for generating policy, action, or products and generally work at a single lever (usually macroeconomic). The framework proposed here looks at how IS contributes to human activities at various levels, in various roles, and with certain expected results. For example, while GUI interfaces are popular in first-world societies, it is unknown precisely how to design information systems for illiterates, since there are few examples of systems deployed among illiterates. This paper develops a multidimensional framework useful for generating researchable questions that help create theory. A research project to examine the effects of literacy on errors in use of a GUI would be classified as user level (perceptual, learning), tool role, and long-term payoff of results. In many cases, we carry out atheoretic evaluation of schemes without considering that our logic may be flawed by hidden assumptions. The three dimensions are (I) level of activity (2) change agency and (3) results horizon. A discussion of each of these three dimensions is offered. The dimensions can be used to frame (hence the term "framework") a set of theoretical questions. The framework is being applied to guide the design of a doctoral program in Information Systems and National Development to be offered starting in 1999 at the University of Cape Town.