Paper Type
Complete
Description
Information and communication technology for development (ICT4D) research are increasingly impactful in the field of IS, as they aspire to deliver developmental benefits across the different domains of application. Unfortunately, many ICT4D projects often fail to demonstrate in a quantifiable way how they have contributed to development. The United Nations mechanisms for global development, currently the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), offers a quantifiable basis for assessing developmental goals attainment in general, and has been adopted for some ICT4D projects.. However, there is a knowledge gap regarding how SDGs can be achieved through ICT4D initiatives at the local levels, especially when indicators for SDGs are all at a global level. In this research, we propose a Theory of Change (ToC) approach to link ICT4D project outcomes to specific SDG targets through a set of clearly articulated change pathways. We demonstrate how project-level indicators can then be developed to measure the ICT4D project’s impact on SDGs. An example of the approach is provided in the context of the Techies Without Borders project called 'Continues Medical Education Solutions (CMES). The case study shows how ToC is used to explicitly create project-level indicators that are linked to a specific SDG target. This research makes an important contribution by providing guidance to IS researchers seeking to align ICT4D projects with UN SDGs.
Paper Number
1788
Recommended Citation
Arikenbi, Temitayo; Boell, Sebastian; Li, Yan; and Thomas, Manoj A., "Linking United Nations Sustainable Development Goals with the Impact of ICT4D Research – A Theory of Change Approach" (2023). AMCIS 2023 Proceedings. 8.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/amcis2023/sig_globdev/sig_globdev/8
Linking United Nations Sustainable Development Goals with the Impact of ICT4D Research – A Theory of Change Approach
Information and communication technology for development (ICT4D) research are increasingly impactful in the field of IS, as they aspire to deliver developmental benefits across the different domains of application. Unfortunately, many ICT4D projects often fail to demonstrate in a quantifiable way how they have contributed to development. The United Nations mechanisms for global development, currently the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), offers a quantifiable basis for assessing developmental goals attainment in general, and has been adopted for some ICT4D projects.. However, there is a knowledge gap regarding how SDGs can be achieved through ICT4D initiatives at the local levels, especially when indicators for SDGs are all at a global level. In this research, we propose a Theory of Change (ToC) approach to link ICT4D project outcomes to specific SDG targets through a set of clearly articulated change pathways. We demonstrate how project-level indicators can then be developed to measure the ICT4D project’s impact on SDGs. An example of the approach is provided in the context of the Techies Without Borders project called 'Continues Medical Education Solutions (CMES). The case study shows how ToC is used to explicitly create project-level indicators that are linked to a specific SDG target. This research makes an important contribution by providing guidance to IS researchers seeking to align ICT4D projects with UN SDGs.
When commenting on articles, please be friendly, welcoming, respectful and abide by the AIS eLibrary Discussion Thread Code of Conduct posted here.
Comments
SIG GlobDev