Reflections on the Maturity of the Mobile Communication Technology for Development (M4D) Landscape: 2008 - 2016

Abstract

The 2018 M4D conference marks a decade of dynamic growth in the Mobile Communication Technology for Development (M4D) discipline. This paper reflects on the developments and maturity of the field based on a systematic literature review of the research papers published in the biennial M4D conference series (2008-2016). The findings offer a comprehensive overview of what was studied (application domains), where the research took place (geographic locations), by whom (the researchers affiliations), how the research was carried out (methodologies) and how the research contributed to the maturity of the M4D field. We conclude by summarising the insights gained from our investigation, with the goal of enriching discussions on how M4D research has evolved, where research gaps may exist and what can be gained by retaining a M4D theoretical corpus.