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ICT4D and the Human Development and Capability Approach: The Potentials of Information and Communication Technology

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  • Jean-Yves Hamel

    (Human Development Report Office of the United Nations Development Programme)

Abstract

This study frames a review of information and communication technology for development (ICT4D) within the human development and capabilities approach. Looking at the basic dimensions of human development, which make up the core measurement of its achievements: health, education and a income, and additionally at the dimensions of participation and empowerment, a survey of research and evidence seeks to evaluate whether or not ICTs have demonstrated positive outcomes for these dimensions of human development and more broadly to the practice of its approach. The paper reviews the literature and research conducted in these dimensions in order to establish a sense of the scope and potential that ICTs have for human development. By doing so, the paper seeks to assess whether or not the use of ICTs is pertinent to the human development of the poor, and if so, which are documented cases and outcomes that can perhaps be replicated in differing development contexts. The paper also seeks to answer questions on the role of government policy and investment in ICTs as keys to their success in development and whether or not ICTs should be emphasized at all in poor countries. The paper concludes with the important realisation that ICTs alone cannot improve peoplesÕ lives; the use of ICTs needs to occur within broader strategies that are tailored to make the most use of these tools and techniques in order to reap their potential benefits for human development.

Suggested Citation

  • Jean-Yves Hamel, 2010. "ICT4D and the Human Development and Capability Approach: The Potentials of Information and Communication Technology," Human Development Research Papers (2009 to present) HDRP-2010-37, Human Development Report Office (HDRO), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
    • Handle: RePEc:hdr:papers:hdrp-2010-37
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    File URL: http://hdr.undp.org/en/reports/global/hdr2010/papers/HDRP_2010_37.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Oecd, 2008. "Measuring the Impacts of ICT Using Official Statistics," OECD Digital Economy Papers 136, OECD Publishing.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. David Mayer-Foulkes, 2013. "A Cross-country Causal Panorama of Human Development and Sustainability," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 17(2), pages 235-251, May.
    2. Mohammed Ali Ahmed Al-Sharafi & Shu Tong & Abdullah Aloqab, 2021. "The Effective Role of Internal Factors on Reconstructing Telecom Companies: The Case of Yemen Telecom," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-23, February.
    3. Abhipsa Pal & Rahul De’ & Tejaswini Herath, 2020. "The Role of Mobile Payment Technology in Sustainable and Human-Centric Development: Evidence from the Post-Demonetization Period in India," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 22(3), pages 607-631, June.
    4. Simon Batchelor & Linda Waldman & Gerry Bloom & Sabrina Rasheed & Nigel Scott & Tanvir Ahmed & Nazib Uz Zaman Khan & Tamanna Sharmin, 2015. "Understanding Health Information Seeking from an Actor-Centric Perspective," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-22, July.
    5. David Mayer-Foulkes, 2011. "A Causal Panorama of Cross-Country Human Development," DEGIT Conference Papers c016_049, DEGIT, Dynamics, Economic Growth, and International Trade.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    human development; information and communication technology; ICT4D; telecommunications reform; empowerment; participation.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D1 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior
    • I0 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - General
    • O3 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • Z1 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics

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