Madon, S. (2000). The Internet and socio-economic development: exploring the interaction. Information Technology & People, 13(2). Retrieved on July 25, 2007 from Proquest.
Shirin Madon’s paper examines the extent to which the revolution of the digitally networked information economy of today will effect the quality of life for those in the poorest developing countries. She begins by defining “development,” by giving a detailed review of trends seeking its “definition, explanation, and practice,” and measures the Internet’s impact on developing.
Since information and knowledge—in lieu of the Internet—are becoming more influential in society, Madon argues that development needs to be conceived of and measured in terms of economic means of its people, as well as the social wellbeing and political structures.
As access to the Internet continues to grow, its impact on economic growth, social wellbeing, and political structures need to be explored and monitored in its application. To start, the Internet provides a significant benefit for economic productivity, since it allows company’s greater access to customers, businesses, vendors and information resources.
Health has been significantly improved with the Internet, since doctors can communicate and locate resources where otherwise unable and education institutions benefit from the ability to pool networked resources.
The opportunity for direct communication also provides democracy, poverty alleviation and empowerment to the marginalized groups—as well as the whole—since they are able to connect with like-minded persons and have freedom to express opinions over a wide network of individuals, thus offering sustainable development for low-income countries.
In the end, Madon concludes that the Internet has a great global impact, as access to information and knowledge empowers developing countries to socially progress.
July 31, 2007 at 2:06 am
Remember to have complete and correction citations. See the resources page for correction. Was there nothing more timely on this topic?
July 31, 2007 at 4:05 am
There are several sources on IT penetration and Internet development, but nothing I found as focused (or as concise) as this work.
And I will update my citation.
July 31, 2007 at 5:24 am
Madon’s article reviews some key points also expressed by Benkler. The first key point is the necessity of appropriate tools in order for the exchange of information and utility of the Internet to be beneficial and productive. The tools include not only the hardware and software, but the infrastructure provided by telecommunications. A second point is the idea of individual freedom, or autonomy. Madon references the difficulty authoritarian countries are having with the democratization characteristics of the Internet and the ability of people to “seize control of their destiny” (4). Third, we can see that many people are using and evangelizing the Internet for altruistic purposes. There is participation of many NGOs, health organizations, and educational institutions from other countries that help developing countries with problems of poverty, disease, and literacy with the common goal to make a change and improve human life.
In discussing education, Madon highlights the prospects of distance learning and collaborative learning. A recent television commercial by (I think) Sun Microsystems shows a classroom of American children crowded around and staring at something. The screen then cuts to a classroom of Asian children doing the same thing. It turns out they are staring at each other via a camera and a large screen through an Internet connection. Though they are having a staring contest, this commercial is obviously communicating the international education collaborations that are now possible.
A significant point Madon highlights is the idea of “delinking.” Through a process of delinking, a country removes itself from “worldwide expansion” in order to focus on “their national development strategy” (10). This will help a developing nation avoid becoming dependent on another country for economic and social progress. This is also tied to the importance of developing countries being able to create their own knowledge.
Though this article is a little out-dated, I did find the information to be relevant and enjoyed linking similarities found in Benkler’s book.