2018 Pre-ICIS Workshop

Eleventh Annual SIG Global Development Workshop

Theme:

Information and Communication Technology Innovations

in Global Development

GENERAL CHAIR

Sajda Qureshi, University of Nebraska, Omaha, USA

WORKSHOP CO-CHAIRS

Arlene Bailey, University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica

Kweku-Muata Osei-Bryson, Virginia Commonwealth University, USA

LOCAL ARRANGEMENTS CHAIR

Ted Stohr, Stevens Institute of Technology, USA

PROGRAM COMMITTEE

Pamela Abbott, Sheffield University, UK

Annika Andersson, Örebro University, Sweden

David Asamoah, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana

Irwin Brown, University of Cape Town, South Africa

Jyoti Choudrie, Hertfordshire University, UK

Sue Conger, University of Dallas, USA

Antonio Diaz Andrade, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand

Delvin Grant, Depaul University, USA

Mathias Hatakka, Dalarna University, Sweden

Marlene Holmner, University of Pretoria, South Africa

Stan Karanasios, RMIT University, Australia

Kirstin Krauss, University of South Africa (UNISA), South Africa

Silvia Masiero, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK

David Nemer, University of Kentucky, USA

Paulo Rupino da Cunha, University of Coimbra, Portugal

Piotr Soja, Cracow University of Economics, Poland                                                                         

Sergey Samoilenko, Averett University, USA

Marita Turpin, University of Pretoria, South Africa

Judy Van Biljon, University of South Africa, South Africa

Roland Weistroffer, Virginia Commonwealth University, USA

Jason Jie Xiong, Appalachian State University, USA

Yingqin Zheng, Royal Holloway University of London, UK

WEBMASTER

Salam Abdallah, Abu Dhabi University, United Arab Emirates

PROCEEDINGS MANAGER

Jason Jie Xiong, Appalachian State University, USA

DESCRIPTION

Scholars in Information Systems are investigating societal impacts of ICTs on people, data and things, research in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT4D) is becoming increasingly diverse. Innovations in ICT4D involve investigating innovations in ICTs as well as innovative uses of ICTs.  Current innovative uses of blockchain technologies to track refugees, offer new identification mechanisms, healthcare tracking for epidemics and the use of cryptocurrencies to offer payment systems are offering new ways for people to bring about improvements in their lives. For example, the use of Bitcoin wallets have the potential to empower people through asset ownership and financial inclusion. With the fall of their banking systems and currencies in countries such as Zimbabwe and Argentina, the use of Bitcoins and cryptocurrencies have become prevalent. Innovative applications in open source communities are offering financial inclusion, health and wellbeing to those who were previously left out of opportunities to improve their lives from the global economy.

While drawing upon theories that help understand these emerging phenomena, research in ICT4D and IS also requires attention to the contextual challenges facing practitioners in the field. There have been attempts to develop theories that enable these challenges to be understood. Global pressures, socio-economic pressures, disruptive technology, and the emergence of multi-stakeholder networks are some of the forces being studied (Walsham 2017, Njihia and Merali 2013). An interesting and significant question is whether ICTs can play a sustaining, value-adding role that enables societies to move beyond the conditions that cause mass discontent to beneficial development for all. Such a role may include supporting social groups in: identifying and defining achievable goals, acquirable resources, and constraints to be acknowledged and if possible overcome; supporting sustainable & secure collaboration, offering health and wellbeing; and financial inclusion

The Global Development workshop addresses questions that provide new and meaningful definitions of Development, such as, Can ICTs support the development that will lead to improvements in lives of  individuals, communities and regions? And inevitably, one needs to ask questions about how to better understand these problems and challenges. The papers in this workshop will also further the knowledge of what we know about how ICT enables the global economy by enabling local needs to be met in a manner that preserves the ability of the planet to support human life. It should be noted that focus includes not only development issues relevant to ‘developing’ countries but also those relevant to migrant and other minority communities or enclaves in Europe and North America.

Relevant topics for this Workshop include:

1. Innovations in blockchain, cryptocurrencies for inclusion and sustainable development.
2. Open source communities that offer innovations for financial inclusion, health and wellbeing
3. Theoretical lenses and/or empirical studies that enable an understanding of: ICTs & Sustainable Development; ICTs & Peace building; ICTs & Disaster Recovery.
4. Internet of things and ICT artifacts on the cloud that support holistic Development.
5. Security & Technological constraints on the use of ICTs for development
6. The role of government policy in fostering ICT human capital, cooperation and capacity building
7. Innovations in health and wellbeing
8. Social networking for Development, ICT human capital and capacity building
9. Critical and theoretical perspectives on the digital divide and social inclusion
10. Challenges of ICT human capital and capacity building in remote regions
11. Educational systems; content provision and delivery; developing ICT skills
12. Mobile technologies as infrastructure for ICT human capital and capacity building
13. Frugal Innovation and innovative ways in which technologies are applied in developing regions.

WORKSHOP PROCEEDINGS:

These will be published on the SIG GlobDev website and in the AIS E-Library with ISBN: 978-0-9976176-9-6.

FAST-TRACKING TO JOURNAL:

Authors of selected workshop papers will be invited to submit their papers for possible inclusion in a special issue of the Journal of Information Technology for Development (ITD).

 IMPORTANT DATES

AUTHOR INSTRUCTIONS

Submitted papers should be limited to 7,000 words or approximately 25 pages in length. Use submission template found here.

Please clearly indicate the category of your paper on the title page:

• Research Paper
• Contribution to Practice
• Research-in-progress
• Student Paper

Additional information and instructions for submitting papers and proposals to the workshop can be found at http://www.globdev.org/

SUBMISSIONS

Panel proposals and Paper Submissions should be uploaded to EasyChair submission web site for SIG GlobDev 2018 is easychair.org/conferences/?conf=sigglobdev2018  Any questions or abstract submissions should be sent to Kweku-Muata Osei-Bryson, Virginia Commonwealth University, KMOsei@VCU.Edu. Please include “SIG GlobDev Workshop” in the subject header of the email.