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Social outsourcing as a development tool: The impact of outsourcing IT services to women's social enterprises in Kerala

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  • Richard Heeks

    (University of Manchester, Manchester, UK)

  • Shoba Arun

    (Manchester Metropolitan University, UK)

Abstract

Social outsourcing means the contracting out of goods or services to social enterprises. When used by government, it can be seen as a hybrid of the workfare outsourcing found in wage employment schemes, and the commercial outsourcing of government activities to the private sector. This paper focuses on a social outsourcing initiative operated by the government of Kerala State, India. Part of this outsources information technology (IT) services to dozens of cooperatives of women from below-poverty-line families. Interview and case study research was undertaken to assess the impacts of this initiative on five areas of livelihood assets-financial, human, physical, social and political capital. This scheme has Keralan specificities and research shows that social outsourcing may introduce vulnerabilities and questions of sustainability. Overall, though, this paper suggests that social outsourcing has the potential to deliver developmental benefits to marginalised groups. It is therefore worthy of greater attention from international development agencies and governments in developing countries. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Suggested Citation

  • Richard Heeks & Shoba Arun, 2010. "Social outsourcing as a development tool: The impact of outsourcing IT services to women's social enterprises in Kerala," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 22(4), pages 441-454.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:jintdv:v:22:y:2010:i:4:p:441-454
    DOI: 10.1002/jid.1580
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Martin Ravallion, 2003. "Targeted transfers in poor countries : revisiting the trade-offs and policy options," Social Protection Discussion Papers and Notes 27869, The World Bank.
    2. Richard Duncombe & Richard Heeks, 2002. "Enterprise across the digital divide: information systems and rural microenterprise in Botswana," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 14(1), pages 61-74.
    3. Moser, Caroline O. N., 1998. "The asset vulnerability framework: Reassessing urban poverty reduction strategies," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 26(1), pages 1-19, January.
    4. Veron, Rene, 2001. "The "New" Kerala Model: Lessons for Sustainable Development," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 29(4), pages 601-617, April.
    5. R Gaiha & K Imai, 2005. "A Review of the Employment Guarantee Scheme in India," Economics Discussion Paper Series 0513, Economics, The University of Manchester.
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    Cited by:

    1. Bhatt, Punita & Ahmad, Ali J. & Roomi, Muhammad Azam, 2016. "Social innovation with open source software: User engagement and development challenges in India," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 52, pages 28-39.
    2. Arvind Ashta, 2018. "News and Trends in Fintech and Digital Microfinance: Why Are European MFIs Invisible?," FIIB Business Review, , vol. 7(4), pages 232-243, December.
    3. Thuy Nguyen & Daniel Beimborn, 2022. "A Stakeholder-Specific View on Impact Sourcing—Systematic Literature Review and Recommendations for Future Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-22, November.
    4. Richard Heeks, 2010. "Do information and communication technologies (ICTs) contribute to development?," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 22(5), pages 625-640.
    5. Aini Aman, 2020. "Sustainability of Impact Sourcing Initiatives in Higher Education for Graduates’ Employability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.

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