Re: [GKD] Article on How to Bridge the Digital Divide
I hope it is not too late to add another pennyworth to the discussion on the FT article. I am afraid that we might be in danger of throwing the baby out with the bath water. The hardware of earlier PCs often differed, depending on the producer, and was not always compatible. I therefore understand the argument that sending old PCs to developing countries was not always advisable since the hardware could not be maintained. However, this applies less to newer technologies because most hardware is now compatible and spare parts are therefore more readily available. Indeed we (EOS, Educating for an Open Society) had some maintenance problems with computer equipment we sent to Romanian schools in the early days of our work. These problems were largely overcome because we only sent equipment that had been originally produced by RM plc (a specialist in ICT in British education). It was therefore possible to train local technicians to maintain the equipment, and to cannibalise (we regularly send a full lorryload of around 300 computers, acquired when British schools and colleges upgrade - and we have provided more than 100 Romanian schools with 15-station networks). More importantly, we have acquired permission to distribute a package of content-free generic educational software which is compatible with all the networks we have installed into the schools. Even more importantly we have provided ICT teacher training which has enabled Romanian teachers to apply the use of the computer networks and the educational software provided.This training is enabling the use of ICT to improve the quality of education in Romania while pupils are developing transferable skills and entrepreneurial abilities. I suggest that it is important to decide on the objectives and only then decide which hardware and software is appropriate. Lesley Andrews E O S Educating for an Open Society An educational NGO registered in England and Romania ***GKD is an initiative of the Global Knowledge Partnership*** To post a message, send it to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]. In the 1st line of the message type: subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd Archives of previous GKD messages can be found at: http://www.globalknowledge.org
Re: [GKD] Article on How to Bridge the Digital Divide
GKD-ers... Actively monitoring this robust discussion has been a real treat. It's like getting a glimpse of an array of different corners of the world - their trauma and triumphs. Most important, this instrument is providing us all the foundation for a common understanding of what's possible. Since John Hibbs in his recent posting referenced GLD IV, I'd like to offer a few contributions that have been developing: (1) Visit the Webpage - http://www.entovation.com/whatsnew/learn-day-entovation.htm - to get a view of the global network in motion. With 7 vignettes, we are able to capture how the competencies of one another can add value. It is a proof-of-concept in the global dialogue, such as we are promoting with GLD. You'll find stories about: Customer Success, Global Knowledge, Old Mother Europe, Entrepreneurialism, Knowledge-Sharing, Latin American Forum and Executive Leadership. (2) Visit the Webpage - http://www.entovation.com/whatsnew/knowledge-societies.htm - for a posting of the Malaysia Conference (that seems now so long ago, and yet relevant, including some pearls from the GKD discussion. Hopefully, we've done justice to those featured. (3) A new book has just been released, 'Intangibles in Competition and Cooperation: Euro-Asian Perspectives' - http://www.entovation.com/whatsnew/intangibles-competition.htm, that provides some substance to the foundation arguments for what we are all envisioning. (4) For those interested in the measurement aspects, there are some new studies/publications released from the Brookings Institute and New York University - http://www.entovation.com/whatsnew/intangible-innovation.htm - and those looking from the National economy level would benefit from the IC Reports of Nations issued from countries such as Sweden, The Netherlands, Denmark and Israel - http://www.entovation.com/whatsnew/ic-nations.htm. (5) Our free Newsletter - I3 Update/ENTOVATION News - celebrated its 50th issue by publishing nuggets from previous issues - http://www.skyrme.com/updates/u50_f1.htm. Check it out and those wanting to be added to the distribution list, let me know. In the meantime, all of these facets of the new global infrastructure being created is what we call The SuperInnovation Highway - http://www.entovation.com/whatsnew/superhighway.htm - the essence of which will be announced at an upcoming meeting (5/31/01, Boston) on the Western Hemisphere Knowledge Partnership (WHKP) being coordinated by Dr. Tom Malone (another GKD colleague!). The following eight-point agenda is appropriate to bring the power of emerging information-communications technologies (distance education and collaboratories) to bear on the pursuit of a knowledge-based and human centered society: - Education -- life-long learning is a sine qua non for a knowledge-based economy. Distance education is a promising tool with which to pursue life-long learning. - Health and resilience of natural ecosystems requires development of indicators for the pressures on, extent of, and output by agricultural, coastal, forest, freshwater, and grassland ecosystems. As civilization expands, hazards from natural disasters increase. Extensive use of collaboratories is envisioned in this and subsequent agenda items. - Eco-efficiency in the production and consumption of goods and services environment-ally benign to alleviate the impact of further economic growth on world ecosystems. - Energy -- to power economic growth -- conservation and exploration of environmentally friendly sources of energy (the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is emerging as a regional as well as a global problem). - National income accounts extension to include environmental impacts and make realistic the consequences of contemporary patterns of production and consumption. - Intellectual property rights (the knowledge-based economy is transforming legal and measurement standards). - Delivery of health care -- now entering an era of profound change in which integration with the sciences and sharing of new knowledge and its applications to health care are increasingly important. - Community networks -- to foster interactive participation by individuals at all levels -- local, regional, and global -- indigenous communities to major urban centers. This vision and strategy are hallmarks of The Knowledge Age on which world society is now embarking. Panelists will discuss what we can do. This discussion is a prerequisite for the value-laden decisions on what society will do! I am convinced that a focus on the full innovation process (i.e., the creation movement and application of knowledge) is the pathway to bridge the Digital Divide. It can be used to resolve the Productivity Paradox with a new Knowledge Value Proposition; and it will operate on all three levels of the economy simultaneously - enterprise (micro-economic), national economy (meso-economic) and society
Re: [GKD] Article on How to Bridge the Digital Divide
A quick response to John Hibbs response, he wrote: How does ICT happen, commercially, in places where tecno-entrepreneurial skills are as rare as a good working telephone? I believe the Grammen Bank micro-credit intitiative raises question marks over the notion of a lack of entrepreneurial skills in developing countries. I think that the Village Pay phone scheme demonstrates that technical capacities can be introduced via microcredit initiatives. I think the cases of the simputer and the world space foundation show that developing country based techno-entrepreneurial intitiatives can lead to new and useful applications of existing technologies. There is a political problem related to recipient agency involved here that is general to most development discussions: If they are capable of less we need to do more, and that gives us something to do with our lives. I do agree with the idea of a multi stranded approach involving donors large and small and also local skills etc. But never underestimate them. It is their lives after all. Daniel Taghioff ***GKD is an initiative of the Global Knowledge Partnership*** To post a message, send it to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]. In the 1st line of the message type: subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd Archives of previous GKD messages can be found at: http://www.globalknowledge.org
Re: [GKD] Article on How to Bridge the Digital Divide
At 11:37 AM +0100 05/11/01, Daniel Taghioff wrote: Finally, private business might be seen as donors in such a project, since they would gain market research information. snip snip snip Simplistic black and white judgements do not help in this area, if the good guys and bad guys were easy to identify then development would not be the largest social crisis of our age. I've had telephone conversations with others on this List that touched on this, which in our case was booted along because of the Sri Lanka radio station and their funding problems, which (I believe?) triggered this thread. We discussed what John Lawrence has called on this List railhead and depot approacheswhere the very heavy lifting (in support of ICT) is done by the big funding agencies. The question we knocked around was this: What happens after the chunky stuff gets to the depot? While the Big Boys have pretty well figured out how the cattle gets to Chicago, what we don't know is how it gets slaughtered, sliced up, marketed and made affordable, especially to those with slim wallets and no refrigerators? How does ICT happen, commercially, in places where tecno-entrepreneurial skills are as rare as a good working telephone? My thinking continues to drift toward profit making cyber-cafes and modernized, connected post offices which become an ordinary part of every landscape on earth - whether rural or urban. The activities in these Centres, preferably 24/7, include distance learning, technical training, money transfer, overseas Net telephony, data loading, tele-work (especially for First World clients), job matching. If built on two levels, upstairs is print shop and small radio station, the local bank; downstairs are whatever it takes for people make sure a stop there is as important as a stop to the food stalls...bee-hives of knowledge sharing and job opportunity where every one of them is as different as a good art gallery, but all use easels, good lighting, have trained personnel...and make money. Radio, especially radio connected to the Net, plays its part by advertising the services and benefits of the stops to these tele-centers/cafes as well as their their overseas clients. These broadcast services might include info-commercials about such activities in Ghana as Tom Friedman wrote about in the NYTimes a few days ago telling of tele-work in Accra on behalf of an American insurance company. The underlying theme, methinks, is that knowledge is an exportable commodity and that if *brains* are what is developed, people in Bangladesh can compete with people in Boston (meet Debra Amadon www.entovation.com for more on this). The point I am trying to make is there must be a multiplicity of effort, with an understanding within the entire community that those railheads and depots John Lawrence promotes are just *part* of the heavy duty commerce. While they are highly visible and as important as clean water, what *really* sparks the community are the bon fires of activity that take place in these New Economoy Centres,-- advertised by profit making radio stations of a kind now stalled in Sri Lanka. Join us during Global Learn Day V. We will be featuring people like Martha Davies in Peru doing things like the above. Our theme is reach. This year, railheads, radio and cybercafes will be as important as realaudio, education gurus, and gee whiz computery. Better yet, write to me with ideas about activities where we can shine our spotlight. October 7 approaches. John Hibbs About GLD - generally http://www.bfranklin.edu/gld99/plgld3 About GLD5 - http://www.bfranklin.edu/gld5 ***GKD is an initiative of the Global Knowledge Partnership*** To post a message, send it to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]. In the 1st line of the message type: subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd Archives of previous GKD messages can be found at: http://www.globalknowledge.org
Re: [GKD] Article on How to Bridge the Digital Divide
Dear GKD Members, Ekoue's note, as with certain others, offers an important element of realism. I wonder, if no-one has raised this before, whether equipment supply companies can be encouraged, as part of a life-cycle management policy (see e.g., German industrial manufacture, where producers increasingly have to account (and pay) for good environmental practice not just in production and use, but also in disposal). A 'next generation use' fund could be an interesting proposition, provided iof course that the ultimate disposal, in the recipient countries concerned (or shipped back to the West?), could also be accountably managed. An initiative for UNIDO? Some green consumer lobbying? Would Dell, HP, IBM etc recognise this as a positive marketing strategy amongst wealthy and at least slightly guilt-ridden Western consumers? James Muir ***GKD is an initiative of the Global Knowledge Partnership*** To post a message, send it to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]. In the 1st line of the message type: subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd Archives of previous GKD messages can be found at: http://www.globalknowledge.org
Re: [GKD] Article on How to Bridge the Digital Divide
Tom Poe wrote: Large Donor agencies - - - Who would they be? How to get their attention? Here's a more direct, simplified [too simplified] approach that could be used to demonstrate that outfitting an entire nation with community kiosks is the most efficient means to bring money to the developing nations, rather than drain it away from developing nations: http://www.worldccr.org/kiosks.htm In response to Tom's response, The Grameen Bank already runs a commercial operation called the village pay phone project, which siphons off money whilst providing important communication infrastructure. Perhaps this might give pause for thought , when you invoke the business = bad, charity = good dichotomy. Don't forget that development in itself has its roots as a power political business. Secondly, to advocate a one solution fits all strategy underestimates the intelligence of those at the recieving end. The Grameen Bank is in fact a business started by phlianthropically minded entrepreneurs IN BANGLADESH. But even their specific solutions are not a replacement for people within the countries to be helped being engaged in the creative process of finding their own communication products and solutions. Hence the idea, in line with Grameen Bank's Philosophy, of involving local entrepreneurial talent. Who are big donor agencies? Government agencies such as UKs DFID, canada's CIDA and Sweden's SIDA all have a healthy interest in ICTs in development. Unfortunately they often fall for one size fits all approaches too, but admittedly the Grammen Bank solution is much more realistic cost wise. To get their attention requires good old advocacy, just like the process that the Grameen Bank went through in order to catch your attention, and that has made it a model of best practise for such State donors. Finally, private business might be seen as donors in such a project, since they would gain market research information. Don't forget that Sub Saharan Africa is partly under developed not because of Multinational Companies being over-represented there, but due to a lack of foreign interest in investing in anything but natural resource extraction: These countries are crying out for investment in manufacturing. Simplistic black and white judgements do not help in this area, if the good guys and bad guys were easy to identify then development would not be the largest social crisis of our age. Daniel Taghioff ***GKD is an initiative of the Global Knowledge Partnership*** To post a message, send it to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]. In the 1st line of the message type: subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd Archives of previous GKD messages can be found at: http://www.globalknowledge.org
Re: [GKD] Article on How to Bridge the Digital Divide
In response to Richard Labelle's feedback on the Financial Times article: I think the legitimation of recycled PC's by donor government agencies to get past antagonism towards dumping practices felt by third world governments is a valid strategy, but does not address the fact that these governments may have a pint when thinking strategically. Perhaps if Donor agencies bought up or backwards engineered patents on technologies that are becoming cloned and so generic in developed country markets, then they could provide free licenses on these patents to firms in the developing world that have a focus on providing products and services to the low end of the market, possibly with a philanthropic emphasis. This would allow low cost applications of existing technologies to be developed in low invcome, low infrastructure contexts. This would also constitute a true transfer of technology since control of such products would reside within the recipient nation in terms of further research and development. The information generated from the monitoring and evaluation of such activities would also constitute commercially valuable market research for companies wishing to explore, exploit or develop such markets so could be used as an incentive to lever companies in to donating patents in the first place. Presumably the applications produced would be appropriate, with none of the stigma and strategic drwabacks associated with hand me down technologies. Large Donor agencies would have the resources and profile to carry off such a project, and it would strengthen the case for intellectual property rights if they were applied flexibly and constructively in such a fashion. Any more thoughts on this? Best regards, Daniel Taghioff School of Oriental and African Studies London email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ***GKD is an initiative of the Global Knowledge Partnership*** To post a message, send it to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]. In the 1st line of the message type: subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd Archives of previous GKD messages can be found at: http://www.globalknowledge.org
