Here is the gist of the talk, entitled “ICT impacts in developing Asia: What we know and what we need to know”:
It is known that economic growth and diffusion of information and communication technologies (ICTs) are positively correlated. But that knowledge alone provides little guidance for the design of public-policy interventions in specific domains. Should priority be given to extension of telecom networks throughout the country or to high-speed broadband in commercial areas? Will the benefits be greater if mobile financial services are promoted or if ICTs are incorporated into primary and secondary education? These answers require more than correlation studies.
LIRNEasia has undertaken four Systematic Reviews (SRs) in specific domains, including impacts of mobile network extension in rural areas and of mobile financial services. SR methodology has been adapted from pharmaceutical research and seeks to consolidate the best available knowledge. It tends to privilege quantitative methods and requires additional work to lay bare causal mechanisms and enabling conditions.
Selected findings from LIRNEasia’s SR research, including methodological issues, will be presented. ICT application domains that require additional primary research and those where existing research has potential for consolidation through SRs will be identified. Problems of communicating the findings to policy makers and the media will be discussed drawing from ongoing work.
This could be the start of a beautiful friendship. LIRNEasia has always been interested to establish strong partnerships with good universities. For example, we engaged with Nanyang Technological University within six months of our founding. We presented our research and explored options for cooperation.
We have had good relations with LKY for several years with three LIRNEasians being admitted on full scholarship. Hopefully, 2015 will see us deepen the relationship.
1 Comment
Rokonuzzaman
Good to see LIRNEasia to talk at NUS. Partnership with NUS could add new dimension to LIRNEasia’s work–particularly to optimize policy options to benefit from dynamic efficiency and economies of scale and scope without the creation of market power of dominant operator/s. Look forward to see progress and be informed.