Building hope for the poor with digital services: Providing prosperity, justice, and dignity for ALL

ABSTRACT

Digital technologies offer hope for societal change, with the potential to improve the lives of those in poverty. Avoiding utopian and dystopian views, we offer a more dynamic perspective of ‘realistic hope' where hope can be aspired to and achieved, but also lost. We describe two cases of digital services in Kenya, conceptualizing hope in the process of engaging with ICT4D (information and communications technologies for development). We reveal the intricate relationship between the capacity for economic empowerment and the dangers of perpetuating marginalization and argue for the judicious use of digital technology to bring dignity to all.

KEYWORDS:

• hope
• digital services
• ICT4D
• prosperity
• justice
• dignity

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Acknowledgement

This paper is based on a Keynote Address delivered by Michael Barrett at the 7th Biennial Conference of the Africa Academy of Management, 8–10 January 2024 in Cape Town, South Africa. The first and second authors would like to acknowledge the funding of the Cambridge-Africa Alborada Research Fund for this research.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

M. Barrett

Michael Barrett is Vice Dean of Strategy and University Engagement and Professor of Information Systems & Innovation Studies at Cambridge Judge Business School (CJBS). He is also Distinguished Visiting Professor of Innovation at the Stockholm School of Economics. Michael has served as Director (Associate Dean) of Research, REF2021 Chair for Business and Management, Director (Associate Dean) of Programmes, and Head of the Organization Theory & Information Systems (OTIS) subject group at CJBS. As a qualitative researcher, he primarily uses longitudinal in-depth case studies in his work. A primary focus of his current research is on the role of mobile money for development and has investigated the development and use of mobile payment services in enabling money transfer, clean energy, and climate action. Michael is also passionate about digital innovation and transformation in a healthcare context and examines how emerging digital technologies are enabling new models of care. In 2016, Michael was recognized as a Distinguished Scholar by the OCIS (now Communication, Digital Technology, and Organization) Division of the Academy of Management. He is founder and Academic Director of Cambridge Digital Innovation, Hughes Hall and CJBS at the University of Cambridge.

S. Liyala

Samuel Liyala is a distinguished professional committed to driving positive change through social digital innovation. He possesses a wealth of experience in postgraduate teaching, student supervision, and collaborative research endeavours. Currently serving as an associate professor of Information systems and Innovative studies and a research fellow at Cambridge Digital Innovation. He earned his Ph.D. in Information Systems from De Montfort University in 2012.

E. Oborn

Eivor Oborn is a Professor of Healthcare Management in the area of Innovation and Digital Transformation at Warwick Business School, UK. She earned her PhD at Cambridge Judge Business School, the University of Cambridge in 2006, and is currently an honorary Fellow at Cambridge Judge Business School and Fellow at the Cambridge Digital Innovation Centre (CDI). Eivor is Senior Editor at Information Systems Research and has published work in leading journals, including Academy of Management Journal, Organization Science, Information Systems Research and MISQ. Her research interests span the fields of societal level change, mobile payment platforms, digital innovation & ICTs, as well as entrepreneurship in ecosystem contexts.

K. Prince

Karl Prince is the Director of Knowledge Innovation at Cambridge Digital Innovation (CDI), Hughes Hall and Cambridge Judge Business School at the University of Cambridge. At CDI he aims to advance research on digital innovation as well promote the translational impact of such research through knowledge hubs and education outreach programmes. His research interests include digital innovation particularly in regard to health care and fintech contexts, broader themes of innovation such as ecosystem development and leadership, and information systems. Karl has previous experience in industry and academic contexts, holding consulting and management positions in the Cambridge cluster and research positions at the University of Cambridge, Warwick Business School and Leeds Business School.