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Mobile technology utilization for social development in developing countries: An ethnographic futures research study

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Abstract

This exploratory paper aims to apply a qualitative, method known as Ethnographic Futures Research (EFR) to predict the future for mobile phones when used for social development in developing countries. The EFR approach was used in a participatory manner to provide scenarios of the future for mobile phone growth. By employing EFR there is an opportunity to consider different paradigms of mobile services creation deployment in developing environments where historically tele-center models are shown to be unsustainable. The implication of this research study is the provision of a novel way of determining diffusion strategies within regions displaying increasing mobile services adoption patterns. In terms of decision making, this research provides an alternative approach to considering scenarios using a qualitative approach, something amiss within decision support systems literature.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the anonymous reviewers and guest editors who helped us by improving this paper and getting it to this point. Thank you.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Madonna University, 36600 Schoolcraft Rd, Livonia, MI, 48150, USA

    Phillip Olla

  2. Business School, Hertfordshire University, DeHavilland Campus, Hatfield, AL10 9AB, Herts, UK

    Jyoti Choudrie

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  1. Phillip Olla
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  2. Jyoti Choudrie
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Correspondence to Jyoti Choudrie.

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Olla, P., Choudrie, J. Mobile technology utilization for social development in developing countries: An ethnographic futures research study. Inf Syst Front 16, 369–382 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10796-013-9477-y

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