[GKD] Welcome Back to the GKD Discussion!

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Dear GKD Members,

Welcome back to the GKD discussion! We apologize for the longer than
expected hiatus of the List, due to the Moderators' extended travel
commitments. There have been several important recent developments in
the ICT for Development arena -- including some new low-cost
technologies -- which we will tackle in the coming weeks, and we look
forward to our Members' continued contributions and expertise in
assessing their relevance and value.

As you know, while GKD was on hiatus, two strong hurricanes devastated
Southern US, particularly Louisiana and Mississippi. GKD moderators have
been involved with a first-responder organization to help them improve
the use of ICT in their efforts. A major lesson from this tragedy -- but
not one that is new to GKD members! -- was that technology availability
is not enough. Intercommunication among the various relief agencies must
be well planned and effectively implemented on the ground.

We will be sending a message regarding some initiatives related to
disaster first-response that would greatly benefit from GKD members'
expertise and experience. Meanwhile, we would like to get input from our
Knowledge Management experts on GKD as to how fiascos like this can be
avoided in the future, e.g., through better database structures and more
innovative ways of networking under very trying conditions. In this
case, lessons from developing countries can provide very valuable
lessons for the US.


The GKD Moderators



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[GKD] ANN: Resumption of Regular GKD Discussion

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Dear GKD Members,

The GKD List will resume its regular, open-ended discussion starting
today. We thank our members for their valuable insights and
participation during our focussed discussion on the theme of "Empowering
Local Communitites and Improving Local Government Through ICT".

Although the open-ended discussion resumes today, we will still welcome
any further submissions on the Local Government/Governance theme.

Once again, thank you for your continuing contributions to the GKD List.


Sincerely,

The GKD Moderators and the DOT-COM Alliance




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[GKD-DOTCOM] What's on the Horizon for ICT and Local Government?

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

What's on the Horizon for ICT and Local Government?

GKD members have identified a number of cases where ICTs have improved
local government performance, and outlined major obstacles and "critical
success factors." With increasing emphasis on decentralization in
developing countries, the role of ICT in improving local governance will
become more ever more important. As GKD members have noted, technologies
make it possible to gather, analyze and distribute information in new
ways that promote better responsiveness, transparency and efficiency.
But technologies are only part of the solution -- national and local
policies, citizen knowledge and power, and incentives influencing local
government officials all affect the outcomes.

During this week, we would like to discuss how local governments could -
and should - be using ICT in the next three years. We would like to
focus on:

* Identifying successful cases that should be brought to scale: We in
the development community hear many accounts of "ICT for local
government" accompanied by a great deal of hype. We would like to cut
through the hype and identify concrete uses of ICT that have had a
positive impact, and determine what is needed to bring them to scale.

* Identify new and "emerging" ICTs that can provide important tools for
improving local government: What exciting new technologies are becoming
available over the next 3 years, and what other inputs are needed to
make them effective.


Key Questions

(1) What cases of ICT for local government show concrete positive impact
and should be brought to scale? What is needed to bring them to scale
successfully?

(2) What technologies have already shown great promise in the field and
should be promoted over the coming three years?

(3) What new technologies will soon be available, which can help improve
local government performance? What is needed to use them effectively?

(4) Should the ICTs we introduce, and our strategies for introducing
them, be different for different kinds of communities, e.g., for
different levels of "local" government (regions, districts, cities),
different sized municipalities, and rural communities vs. urban
communities?

(5) Based on what we have learned, what are the critical success factors
and pitfalls for helping local governments use ICT? Please provide a
case that demonstrates each of those factor(s)/pitfall(s).




This DOT-COM Discussion is funded by the dot-ORG USAID Cooperative
Agreement, and hosted by GKD. http://www.dot-com-alliance.org provides
more information.
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[GKD-DOTCOM] How Can Local Governments Use ICT To Improve Their Efficiency?

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

How can local governments use ICT to improve the efficiency of service
delivery to local citizens and businesses?


Under decentralization, local governments must deliver more services to
citizens, often with little or no increase in resources. These
governments, and the donors that want to strengthen them, face a
dilemma: ICT purportedly helps improve efficiency, reducing costs while
improving services. Yet given their extremely limited resources, should
local governments and donors invest in ICT? If so, how?

Consider a poor rural county of Romania. In the past, Social Services
assistance employees had to hand-write information from applicants, and
make time-consuming trips to deliver the information to the Country
Social Services Center, creating long delays between citizens' applying
for and receiving social services assistance. Under a USAID-supported
project, the local administration established a computer-based system
with Internet connectivity, which, along with training of local
government employees, greatly improved the efficiency of the Social
Services Administration application process and helped deliver
assistance to low-income residents far more quickly, when they needed it
most.

This week, we would like to identify projects that are trying to improve
the efficiency of local government service delivery -- whether specific
applications affecting a limited range of services, or a broader range
of applications, such as the Citizen Service Centers mentioned by Gary
Garriott (in his message of May 5). We hope to learn from GKD Members
the steps local governments have taken to use ICT to improve their
service delivery, the outcomes of those actions, and "lessons learned"
from both successes and problems.


Key Questions:

1. Do you know of specific local governments that adopted ICT to improve
their efficiency? What approaches have been successful? What 'lessons
learned' have emerged from their successes? or failures?

2. What key challenges do local governments face when they aim to use
ICT to improve local service delivery?

3. Should local governments try to involve the community in planning and
decision-making regarding investments in ICT for improved service
delivery? (See Eddi Sakti's message of May 6).

4. Can ICT investments improve efficiency and generate a
return-on-investments (e.g., by increasing tax revenue) that enables
local governments to cover the costs of operations, maintenance, and
upgrades?

5. What are some critical factors to consider in terms of technology
options and choices?  Are there specific technologies that have proven
effective?

6. What benefits, (e.g., easier form filing), should citizens experience
from local government adoption of ICT? Which of those benefits are most
important to citizens?




This DOT-COM Discussion is funded by the dot-ORG USAID Cooperative
Agreement, and hosted by GKD. http://www.dot-com-alliance.org provides
more information.
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[GKD-DOTCOM] How Can ICT Facilitate Community Participation in Local Governance?

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

How can ICT help communities/civil society (e.g., businesses, media,
schools, etc.) participate more effectively in local decision-making?

As GKD members have often discussed, public participation is a critical
ingredient for good governance, whether at the local or national level. 
Citizens must be able to communicate their needs and demands to
decision-makers, and vice versa. In theory, at least, active public
participation also promotes government responsiveness to public needs.
This week's discussion focuses on identifying how ICT can facilitate the
exchange of information between decision-makers and the public, as well
as ensuring that consultation mechanisms are open and transparent.

There are many ways in which governments try to give citizens a voice.
It can be as simple as establishing a telephone hotline citizens can use
to report wrong-doing or corruption by local government officials within
a broader anti-corruption strategy. And it can involve providing complex
tools to facilitate effective citizen participation in many areas of
local government.

For example, allocation of local resources is a critical function of
local governments - and a growing responsibility during
decentralization. Local governments may want to establish participatory
budgeting mechanisms and use ICT to improve public access to budget
information, and even to facilitate broader participation in the
decision-making process. Take the municipality of Ipatinga in the
southeast state of Minas Gerais (Brazil). In 2001, they began using the
Internet to give citizens an opportunity to vote on budgetary priorities
and allotments for local projects. They had introduced participatory
budgeting a few years before, but participation became much easier when
they began using the Internet and citizens could voice their opinions on
budget priorities through computer stations in various public locations.
In addition, citizens could submit online proposals, keep an eye on the
implementation of city projects, and participate in online chats with
the mayor. For more information on Interactive Participatory Budgeting
in Ipatinga, see a short case study: "Internet Use and Citizen
Participation in Local Government: Ipatinga's Interactive Participatory
Budgeting: An Innovations in Technology and Governance Case Study".
URL: http://www.ashinstitute.harvard.edu/Ash/Ipatinga_ITG_Case.pdf

We hope that this week's discussion will help to identify other
successful cases where ICT has facilitated community/civil society
participation in local government.


Key Questions

1. Are there local communities using ICT to access information, improve
transparency, and participate in local government decision-making? If
so, what technologies are they using?

2. Are there specific examples of successful approaches, projects, or
lessons learned?

3. What are the 'critical factors' required to use ICT effectively to
improve participation, transparency, and accountability of local
government? For example, are there particular pre-conditions required
for success?

4. What are the pitfalls and challenges to using ICT to improve local
governance? Please be specific and provide concrete examples.

5. Are there specific technology options and choices that are more
likely to result in successful use of ICT to improve community
participation in local decision-making?

6. What steps and technologies would you recommend to a local government
that is serious about improving public participation, and local
government transparency and accountability? What would you recommend to
citizens?





This DOT-COM Discussion is funded by the dot-ORG USAID Cooperative
Agreement, and hosted by GKD. http://www.dot-com-alliance.org provides
more information.
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[GKD-DOTCOM] Welcome to the Focussed Discussion: Empowering Local Communities and Improving Local Government Through ICT

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Dear GKD Members,

Welcome to the discussion on "Empowering Local Communities and Improving
Local Government Through ICT".

In recent years, many developing countries have embraced
decentralization - devolving power to local governments - in hopes that
it will produce a wide range of benefits: broader political
participation, greater transparency and accountability, better use of
local knowledge, more efficient government services. Yet these hopes
pale beside the realities: Decentralization has largely failed to
achieve its goals.

"The key to effective decentralization is information flow."
   - Center for Institutional Reform and the Informal Sector

Without ready access to information, citizens cannot hold their local
governments to account any better than they could the national
government. Worse yet, local elites can capture the lion's share of
benefits without any concern for accountability. Take Zambia, where
hopes for improved governance through decentralization were dashed. The
problem: Local populations relied on community leaders for information
about political options and corruption, and those leaders provided only
the "information" that benefited them. Although local officials
understood local conditions better than did the national ones, they did
not act on local needs, but rather for personal benefit.

Yet some communities have managed to improve information flows by using
ICT, making their local governments more responsive, transparent, and
efficient. What did those communities do right and how can we learn
from them in order to use ICT to empower local communities and improve
local governments?

This discussion seeks to answer this question with concrete examples,
specific cases, guidelines drawn from experience and recommendations
that can guide local communities, local governments, ICT practitioners
and decentralization experts. We also seek examples of specific
technologies that work -- and those that don't. We encourage those in
developing countries to contribute their experience and perspectives.


Agenda

Week 1: What are the 'critical success factors' for using ICTs to
support successful decentralization and improve local governance?

Week 2: How can local communities (e.g., businesses, NGOs, media,
schools, etc.) use ICT to participate more effectively in local
decision-making?

Week 3: How can local governments use ICT to improve the efficiency of
service delivery to local citizens and businesses?

Week 4: Where do we want local governments to be in three years, and
what should we be doing now, using ICT, to help realize that goal?


Additional Information:

The DOT-COM Alliance website provides additional information, including
the archives of this discussion as well as past discussions organized in
collaboration with the GKD list; and information on other projects using
ICT to support development.
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org  

The DOT-COM Archive of this discussion (as of May 2nd) is available at:
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/archive.html

The GKD database provides an easy way to search messages of this and
other GKD discussions:
http://www.GKDknowledge.org 

This discussion is sponsored by the DOT-COM Alliance and hosted by GKD,
with the generous support of Education Development Center, a Non-Profit
Organization.

For more information about the DOT-COM Alliance, please contact:
Barbara Fillip
[EMAIL PROTECTED]

For more information about GKD, please contact:
Janice Brodman
[EMAIL PROTECTED]




This DOT-COM Discussion is funded by the dot-ORG USAID Cooperative
Agreement, and hosted by GKD. http://www.dot-com-alliance.org provides
more information.
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[GKD-DOTCOM] How Can ICT Help Improve Local Governance?

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

How Can ICT Support Decentralization and Help Improve Local Governance?

"Decentralization increases the opportunities for citizens to take
interest in public affairs; it makes them get accustomed to using
freedom."
  - A. de Tocqueville 

De Tocqueville's optimism seems utterly naive in light of widespread
failures of decentralization to improve local governance in developing
countries. Yet many studies point to one factor as pivotal in
determining the success or failure of decentralization: information
flows. This is precisely the type of problem that ICT should address.
Yet examples of ICT helping ensure successful decentralization are rare
-- or at least under-reported. Far more prevalent are stories of
failure: local power-holders use decentralization to consolidate their
control over resources, and evade the transparency that ICTs are
intended to enforce. Or local governments simply lack the wherewithal --
money, skills, equipment and software -- to use ICT to handle new
responsibilities successfully.

Nonetheless, there are cases illustrating the benefits ICTs offer. For
example, a GKD member described the positive impact of UNDP-supported
PFNet email stations in the Solomon Islands, which use packet radio to
support decentralization of government services, and de-militarization
and re-integration of former combatants into community service and
entrepreneurial activity. Another member, from Zimbabwe, described the
Kubatana Project website, which they describe as "electronic activism,"
that provides users with information on new legislation, the electoral
system and voter registration procedures, as well as major social issues
confronting the country, such as HIV/AIDS.

This week's focus is on identifying successful cases and drawing lessons
from them. In an era of shrinking development funding, we want to
understand exactly how ICT can help improve decentralization and empower
local communities, and what must be done to achieve success.


Key Questions:

1) What are the 'critical success factors' for using ICT to support
decentralization and improve local governance?

2) Which ICT interventions deliver the greatest benefit in improving
local government services?

3) What cases demonstrate the use of ICT to support successful
decentralization, empower local communities and improve local
governance?

4) What actions are essential for using ICT to support successful
decentralization, i.e., what are the 'critical success factors'?

5) What are the risks and pitfalls of using ICT to support
decentralization?

6) Are there particular local government functions (e.g., fiscal
management, service delivery, procurement) that lend themselves
particularly well to using ICT?

7) How can ICTs in the hands of citizens help empower them to enforce
responsive local government?





This DOT-COM Discussion is funded by the dot-ORG USAID Cooperative
Agreement, and hosted by GKD. http://www.dot-com-alliance.org provides
more information.
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[GKD] ANN: Empowering Local Communities Through ICT

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Empowering Local Communities and Improving Local Government through ICT

JOIN THE ONLINE DISCUSSION
May 2 - May 27, 2005

"ICT can contribute to fostering empowerment and participation and
making government processes more efficient and transparent by
encouraging communication and information-sharing among people and
organizations, and within government." (Creating a Development Dynamic)

"ICTs can empower people and significantly improve local government" --
statements like this are often treated cynically. Yet some communities
have managed to use ICT to make their local governments more responsive,
transparent, and efficient. Widespread trends toward decentralization
make it crucial to learn from these communities.

This discussion focuses on the question: How can ICT empower local
communities and improve local governments, especially during a process
of decentralization?

Decentralization -- the transfer of power from central to local
government -- has a highly questionable record. Decentralization reforms
are often poorly designed and executed. As a result, local governments
fail to fulfill their new responsibilities -- fiscal management,
strategic planning, and very basic public services degenerate.

Yet many donors and citizens continue to believe that decentralization
provides new opportunities for active participation of an informed
citizenry that will create more responsive, transparent and effective
local government.

Can ICT help improve the poor record of decentralization and make the
goals of decentralization a reality? Can ICT empower citizens with the
information and means they need to make their governments work
effectively for them? What is needed to make ICT an effective tool for
good local governance? These questions are crucial to the well-being of
people throughout the developing world.

This discussion will seek to answer these questions with concrete
examples, specific cases, experience and recommendations that can guide
local communities, local governments, ICT practitioners and
decentralization experts. Join the discussion and share what you know
regarding:

* Cases of successful decentralization efforts that have utilized ICT
   effectively
* Challenges to introducing ICT successfully into decentralization
   efforts
* Technology options that work -- and those that don't
* Cases of local governments using ICT to improve transparency,
   responsiveness and efficiency
* Cases of citizens/civil society groups using ICT to participate more
   fully in local government decision-making
* Technologies that have proven particularly effective in improving
   local government


AGENDA

Week 1: Can ICTs support successful decentralization and improve local
governance?

Week 2: How can local communities (e.g., businesses, NGOs, media,
schools, etc.) use ICT to participate more effectively in local
decision-making?

Week 3: How can local governments use ICT to improve the efficiency of
service delivery to local citizens and businesses?

Week 4: Where do we want local governments to be in three years, and
what should we be doing now, using ICT, to help realize that goal?


This discussion is sponsored by the USAID-funded DOT-COM Alliance and
hosted by GKD. It will focus on "Using ICT to Empower Local Communities
and Improve Local Government" for four weeks (May 2 to May 27, 2005).
However, GKD is a major forum for exchange of experience and knowledge
on all aspects of ICT for development, with thousands of members from
over 100 countries. The ongoing GKD forum will continue after this
discussion topic.
   

***THE DOT-COM ALLIANCE***

This discussion is sponsored by the DOT-COM Alliance. The DOT-COM
Alliance is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development
(USAID): (GDG-A-00-01-9-00, dot-GOV; GDG-A-00-01-00014-00, dot-ORG;
GDG-A-00-01-00011-00, dot-EDU).
   

***WORLD WIDE WEB SITES FOR THE DISCUSSION***

For those who would prefer to follow the discussion on the Web, the
DOT-COM Archive (as of May 2) is available at:
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/archive.html 

The DOT-COM Alliance website provides information about this discussion
and other projects using ICT to support development:
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org
http://www.dot-com-alliance.com/events/discussiongroup.htm


The GKD database provides an easy way to search messages of this and
other GKD discussions: http://www.GKDknowledge.org


***MODERATOR***

This discussion is hosted by GKD and moderated by EDC, a nonprofit
organization.


***FOR FURTHER INFORMATION***

For further information about the discussion, please contact:

Janice Brodman
[EMAIL PROTECTED]

For further information about the DOT-COM Alliance, please contact:

Barbara Fillip
[EMAIL PROTECTED]




***GKD is solely supported by EDC, a Non-Profit Organization***
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[GKD] South Asian Earthquake and Tsunami Disaster

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Dear GKD Members,

Our hearts go out to the millions of people affected by the devastating
earthquake and tsunami that hit South Asia and Southeast Asia on Sunday.
We hope that our members in all of the affected countries are safe,
along with their families. If any GKD members have information on the
use of ICT for disaster relief that they would like to share, we will
forward the information to relief organizations.

Our thoughts and prayers are with all those who have been struck by this
terrible disaster.


The following URLs provide information on organizations that are working
in the disaster relief area and are accepting donations:

USAID Tsunami / Earthquake Relief
http://www.usaid.gov/locations/asia_near_east/tsunami/
http://www.usaid.gov/locations/asia_near_east/tsunami/ngolist.htm

Medecins Sans Frontieres International - Tsunami Emergency Appeal
http://www.msf.org/donations/index.cfm

Oxfam Asian Earthquake & Tsunami Fund
https://secure.ga3.org/02/asia_earthquake04

UNICEF South Asia Tsunami Relief Efforts
http://www.unicefusa.org/tsunami

Sarvodaya Relief Fund for Tsunami Tragedy
http://www.sarvodaya.org/

AmeriCares South Asia Earthquake Relief Fund


American Red Cross International Response Fund 
https://www.redcross.org/donate/donation-form.asp

Canadian Red Cross
South East Asia Tidal Wave and Earthquake Appeal
http://www.chsredcross.org/article.asp?id=011440&tid=001

British Red Cross - Asia Earthquake and Floods Appeal
http://www.bluepeter.redcross.org.uk/tsappeal/appeal.htm

Australian Red Cross - Asia Quake and Tsunamis Appeal





***GKD is solely supported by EDC, a Non-Profit Organization***
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[GKD-DOTCOM] GKD Weekly Summary (11/15 - 11/19)

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

 GKD Weekly Summary (11/15 - 11/19)

This week GKD members continued examining the relationship between
profitability and sustainability, and identified opportunities for
win-win solutions that both reduce poverty and enable a company to
realize a profit. Members also explored new technologies and business
approaches that can "disrupt" the status quo and open new business
opportunities for the poor.

This message attempts to summarize briefly the major discussion points
made on the GKD discussion focused on "Technology, Globalization and the
Poor." Inevitably, many valuable points will not be captured here, and
new List members are encouraged to visit the List archives
.


**Profitability and Sustainability**

The debate continued regarding the value -- and dangers -- of the profit
motive. Members emphasized that profitability is a key indicator of the
potential "value" that a project might bring to local and national
economies. However, profitability is not the only -- nor even the most
important -- measure of value to poor communities. As one member argued,
"...value creation is needed for sustainability, and profitability may
be a measure of value creation, but not necessarily." Although some
profitable projects can add value to a given economy, many valuable
activities will not generate a profit. Thus, some development can occur
through profitable business ventures from the private sector, but public
and internationally funded projects continue to be essential.

Some members further questioned the entire notion that profitability is
a useful measure. They argued that we need measures of 'social benefit'
independent of profit, but classical economists have failed to address
this issue. Indeed, profitability could be a misleading indicator of value.
As one
list participant insisted, "something that sells does not necessarily
serve." In this view, the fact that the poor buy a given service or
product does not prove that it adds value to their lives or to society.

GKD members also described the challenges to achieving profitability by
serving low-income markets. Although there is a role for private
enterprise and entrepreneurs in development, in many key areas,
"profitability seems to be a distant dream."

Given List members' sense that many important services cannot generate a
profit, they turned to a discussion of creative methods for measuring
the value provided by such services. One GKD member shared an example of
a radio program in Nepal that would be hard to sustain through profits
alone, yet adds much value to the society it serves. The ensuing
discussion examined possible approaches to measuring the value of this
type of service. These ranged from using "numbers of users" to
"willingness to make in-kind contributions." A particularly interesting
alternative is the use of "community" or "complementary" currencies,
which are defined at local, regional or sectoral levels and offer a
'measuring tool' for effort, skills and value at the *local* level. Such
currencies can be used by individuals, groups and businesses and are
designed to work in parallel with national currencies.

Some members expressed concern about the impact that a "business
approach" to poverty alleviation will have on the environment. For
example, as countries like China seek to increase business development,
they are also increasing consumption of natural resources and of
pollution emissions. Another list member countered that ICTs can open
new opportunities for "knowledge-based" livelihoods rather than reliance
on exploiting natural resources. Furthermore, ICTs provide access to
knowledge that can "help people make more sustainable choices."


**Win-Win Business Models**

Members also continued to examine potential "win-win" models that serve
the poor while generating business profits. List members identified
win-win business models which, along with the spread of ICTs, can help
alleviate poverty.  Several members described ways in which ICTs have
enhanced their particular project, providing a range of benefits
including improved ability to network, find information, and attract new
partners. For example, something as simple as a telephone in a local
village (operated by local entrepreneurs) has added a measure of
efficiency to their work. List members also identified telecenters as a
clear win-win model, which can transform many aspects of a developing
economy.  One participant discussed his experience with telecenters
throughout India, adding that "they are making the poor less poor by
aiding the villagers in their various activities." Members also
emphasized the value telecenters provide in spreading the benefits of
eGovernance.

Despite the potential for win-win benefits of telecenters and other
access to ICTs, there are major hurdles for projects engaging in ICT and
business approaches. Perhaps the most difficult relates to limited
international funding. Members recommended seeking funding

[GKD-DOTCOM] ANN: Further Extension of the Focused Discussion

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Dear GKD Members,

Due to the large backlog of interesting messages yet to be posted, we
will extend the focused discussion on "Technology, Globalization and the
Poor" through this Friday, November 26. Once again, we thank the List
Members for their continued participation.


Sincerely,

GKD Moderators
WRI
DOTCOM Alliance




This DOT-COM Discussion is funded by USAID's dot-ORG Cooperative
Agreement with AED, in partnership with World Resources Institute's
Digital Dividend Project, and hosted by GKD.
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org and http://www.digitaldividend.org
provide more information.
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[GKD-DOTCOM] ANN: Extension of Focused Discussion

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Dear GKD Members,

Thank you for another outstanding discussion. As most of you know, the
focus on "Technology, Globalization and the Poor" was scheduled to end
today. However, due to the large number of messages yet to be posted, we
are extending the focused discussion until next Tuesday, November 30.

Again, many thanks to all List members for your valuable contributions
and continuing vibrant dialogue.


Sincerely,

GKD Moderators
WRI
DOTCOM Alliance




This DOT-COM Discussion is funded by USAID's dot-ORG Cooperative
Agreement with AED, in partnership with World Resources Institute's
Digital Dividend Project, and hosted by GKD.
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org and http://www.digitaldividend.org
provide more information.
To post a message, send it to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
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[GKD-DOTCOM] GKD Weekly Summary (11/8 - 11/12)

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

   GKD Weekly Summary (11/8 - 11/12)

This week GKD members continued examining the advantages and risks of
using ICT and a business approach to achieve development goals. A lively
debate also continued regarding whether the profit motive supports or
conflicts with social benefit. Members also considered the opportunities
that ICTs offer in the creation of new business partnerships between
corporations and the poor.

This message attempts to summarize briefly the major discussion points
made on the GKD discussion focused on "Technology, Globalization and the
Poor." Inevitably, many valuable points will not be captured here, and
new List members are encouraged to visit the List archives
.


**A Technology and Business Approach to Development**

Members continued examining the question: "Can Technology and a Business
Approach Make Globalization Work for the Poor?" One member cautioned
that technological innovation does not necessarily open new employment
opportunities for everyone. Even advanced economies of Western Europe,
which can boast of extensive technological innovation, suffer from high
unemployment. How much greater, then, is the challenge for developing
countries that want to use technology to generate jobs? Another GKD
member countered that although technology alone does not necessarily
create employment opportunities, when technology is introduced into an
entrepreneurial environment, people will find ways to create new
businesses and create new jobs.

Members generally agreed that different business models can have
differing impacts on an emerging economy. Although an export platform
model can generate new jobs, it generally benefits only the few who are
directly involved in that venture. In contrast, companies that have the
poor as a target market segment, can spread benefits more broadly by
providing needed products and services, and by expanding employment
opportunities. Members shared examples of small and medium-sized
businesses that follow the latter model, including India-based
Datamation, n-Logue, Drishtee, and Reliance. Another GKD member added
that examples also exist amongst larger companies, and pointed to ITC's
e-Choupal and the efforts of Hindustan Lever and their Shakti project.

List participants also raised a note of caution, however. One member
captured the concerns by noting that globalization, business and
technology are complex and powerful forces, and their impact can just as
easily be negative as positive. Other List members emphasized the dual
nature of technology and globalization, which can solve many problems
when carefully implemented, but have also been responsible for widening
income gaps, deepening dependency and ultimately, exacerbating poverty.
Thus, members concluded, careful design and implementation are essential
to ensure that the benefits "trickle down" to the poor. Otherwise, poor
communities will experience little improvement in their lives despite
thriving businesses and new uses of ICT elsewhere in the country.

Yet other members expressed deeper concerns. They questioned whether
aiming to increase "consumption of external goods and services is the
most appropriate model for development," especially when such
consumption is provided by large corporations that compete with -- or
substitute for the development of -- local businesses. These members
argue that this type of model moves capital out of the local community
and into the hands of big corporations, and therefore might not be
beneficial for sustainable development in the long run.

Finally, one List member from India haled the enormous opportunities
that exist in the Indian market for international companies willing to
change the ways they typically operate. This member advised companies
interested in developing countries like India to gain a clear
understanding of the particular products and services that will be
attractive to the local market. For example, Indian consumers generally
spend less on each item, so savvy companies package items in smaller
quantities than they would for Western markets. Companies can gain a
strategic advantage by establishing research centers in the countries
where they want to operate, to develop products that will be tailored to
and competitive in the local market. Such operations would obviously
open new job opportunities within the developing countries in which they
are located.


**Profitability, Sustainability, and Social Benefit**

Members continued the debate of the previous week regarding the
conflicting impacts of the profit motive. One member suggested that
profit has both advantages and risks. The profit motive alone will not
solve the problem of poverty, yet private companies are likely to be the
most efficient providers of the tools that can help people improve their
conditions.

Members emphasized that profit and social motives need not be mutually
exclusive goals. One member argued that sustainable growth is most
likel

[GKD-DOTCOM] GKD Weekly Summary (11/01 - 11/05)

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

 GKD Weekly Summary (11/01 - 11/05)

This week GKD members continued examining the win-win benefits that can
be reaped from "pro-poor" business strategies, and provided some
examples. They also turned to a discussion of the striking challenges
involved in creating and implementing those strategies. Members also
considered a new topic: the functional -- and dysfunctional -- role
profit can play in promoting activity that provides real value to the
poor.

This message attempts to summarize briefly the major discussion points
made on the GKD discussion focused on "Technology, Globalization and the
Poor." Inevitably, many valuable points will not be captured here, and
new List members are encouraged to visit the List archives
.


**A Technology and Business Approach to Development**

Members continued examining the issues raised in week 1: the advantages
of risks of using ICT and a business approach to achieve development
goals. One member noted that reference to "the poor" might include a
range of populations. Low income groups may well benefit from ICTs while
the "desperately poor" may have little opportunity or motivation to use
technology. Clearly identifying the target group -- or market segment --
of "the poor" is essential to offering products or services that are
valuable to that particular group.

Another member raised a point that GKD members from developing countries
have discussed in the past: the fact that small enterprises and
nonprofit organizations in developing countries often are very similar.
Both are primarily motivated by an effort to generate a livelihood for
those operating the organization. Both respond to their "market":
funding sources influence NGO's focus and activities in the same way the
revenue sources affect businesses' decisions and actions. More than one
participant added that some funding opportunities or potential revenue
streams are worth rejecting if they compromise the company or NGO
involved.

One participant offered a succinct analysis, emphasizing that businesses
can be efficient service providers and that there is a business case for
"bottom of the pyramid" (BoP) investment. However, he added, "social
issues" such as environmental protection and human rights are not always
best served by the free Market, and the global economy is not always a
level playing field.

One list member neatly summarized much of the discussion when he stated,
"There are no single simple solutions for all, no vacuums where one
actor can be single-handedly responsible for an outcome. Therefore,
partnerships and dialogue between business, civil society, government,
intergovernmental and UN institutions, seeking best practices, etc. will
have to continue to be important."

Some list members were uncomfortable with the idea that an NGO would
profit from serving a population, and worried that the NGO's activities
would be influenced more by profit than by service. Other list members
countered this view, arguing that if NGOs can achieve sustainability
through profits, and continue to offer services at reasonable rates,
then profits are a valuable element in ensuring that the operations
continue. Otherwise, the NGO might disappear and be replaced by a
company that might charge a higher price for those services.


**The Profit Motive**

The discussion this week also focused on the role of the 'profit motive'
and reflected the discrepancies and conflicting impacts that this
powerful force can have on efforts to serve the poor. One participant
captured the advantages that profit offers by describing it as a
powerful feedback mechanism to those providing goods and services to the
poor, "a very convenient metric that indicates whether the goods or
services are useful when compared to alternatives." If products and
services do not offer value to a particular population, the provider
will have difficulty making a profit from it. Others noted that the
profit motive also encourages providers to offer products and services
efficiently.

Participants also argued that the profit motive may have negative
impacts on the poor. Although the profit motive can be powerful, it may
lead providers to ignore many communities because they are not perceived
as "profitable" populations to serve. Furthermore, even if companies do
aim to serve the poor, their drive to generate profit can lead to
pricing that is unreasonable for bottom of pyramid populations.


**Profits and Sustainability**

There was a general consensus that profits are necessary for
sustainability. Whether a project is founded through philanthropy or
entrepreneurship, it needs resources to sustain itself. An initial
grant might get a project off the ground, but it is essential to find
resources to cover ongoing operations costs. As one participant noted,
"one year's operation costs can, in many cases, equal initial investment
costs." Without profit, projects are forced to continually seek support
from government, donors 

[GKD-DOTCOM] What New Technologies and Business Models are on the Horizon?

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Some claim that emerging ICTs will disrupt the existing global market,
opening new opportunities for the poor in developing countries. These
technologies will enable the poor to enter international markets. For
example, villagers can use cell phones that can link to the Internet to
send information about handicrafts, herbal remedies and other locally
produced items. New technologies can also make it easier and more
attractive for corporations to invest in areas of developing countries
that are outside the major cities. WiMAX, for example, can make it easy
to locate data entry facilities in rural areas.

Other observers are more pessimistic. They argue that ICT costs will
never be sufficiently affordable to open new livelihood opportunities
for the majority of the poor. They warn that ICT breakthroughs will
never alter corporate investment patterns. Those investments will never
reach the poorest countries, but only the emerging market "stars".


Key Questions:

1) Are there new technologies that will "disrupt" the status quo and
open new business opportunities for the poor? What specific technologies
and how will they be used?

2) Are there new technologies and new business models that will help the
poor compete in -- or benefit as consumers from -- global markets? What
are those new technologies and models, specifically, and how will they
reach the poor?

3) What new roles can ICT play in expanding "pro-poor" business
approaches during the next 5 years?

4) Can open-source-like collaborations facilitate the growth of pro-poor
business approaches in the coming years? Or will market forces and
competition be a more effective driver for meeting the needs of the
poor?

5) Do new ICTs pose risks by making corporations less reliant on local
input from poor communities? Could new ICTs undermine efforts to create
partnerships between corporations and the poor?




This DOT-COM Discussion is funded by USAID's dot-ORG Cooperative
Agreement with AED, in partnership with World Resources Institute's
Digital Dividend Project, and hosted by GKD.
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org and http://www.digitaldividend.org
provide more information.
To post a message, send it to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message to:
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. In the 1st line of the message type:
subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd
Archives of previous GKD messages can be found at:

[GKD-DOTCOM] How Can ICT Create New Business Partnerships?

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

During the past two weeks, GKD members have discussed businesses that
are engaging in "pro-poor" business strategies, and the challenges they
face. Members also wrestled with the role profit can play in encouraging
activity that provides real value to the poor. This week we would like
to add a new topic to the discussion: The ways ICT can create new
business partnerships that provide value to the poor.

Most corporations trying to enter markets in developing countries view
the poor simply as consumers and consider NGOs as just an extension of
welfare services. Yet international corporations often lack sufficient
market data, an understanding of local needs and preferences, or
distribution channels. ICT could help the poor and NGOs become business
partners, suppliers, distributors and sources of market information to
large companies. For example, using ICT, small local enterprises can
network to produce for large-scale demand from corporations, while
operating individually when demand is slow. Some corporations have
gained success by using ICT to partner with micro-enterprises, local
entrepreneurs, and NGOs. In India, for example, Hewlett Packard worked
with a local women's self-help group to "product test" solar-powered
digital cameras cum printers, and helped create business opportunities
for hundreds of local women. Vodacom's community phone shops in South
Africa and Uganda's Grameen Phone create jobs for local entrepreneurs as
well as low-cost access to phone service.

Yet some argue that powerful multinational corporations (MNCs) drive out
small, local companies in poor communities, and local businesses should
be protected. Brazil nurtured its computer industry that way. This view
contends that the power balance between MNCs and local entrepreneurs or
NGOs is so uneven that the latter can't possibly protect their
interests.

>From a different perspective, some warn ICT-based corporations to avoid
partnerships in poor countries because intellectual property rights go
un-enforced, and the companies will find themselves competing with cheap
bootleg copies of their own products.


Key Questions:

1) Do you know of examples where ICT helped create win-win partnerships
between an international corporation and local entrepreneurs? What
factors made it successful?

2) Are there examples of small companies using ICTs to thrive in local
contexts, and to collaborate when international corporations demand
large-scale production? Please give concrete examples.

3) How can ICTs be used to encourage corporate investment that creates
productive partnerships with the poor in developing countries, and not
just expanded consumerism?

4) What role can NGOs and universities play with regard to "ICT and
pro-poor business approaches"? Should they partner with businesses to
expand ICT-based products and services offered to poor communities?
Should they take on a "watch-dog" role to monitor business practices?

5) What role should donor agencies play? Should they just focus on
improving the ICT regulatory and enabling environment for business?
Build more private sector roles into "ICT for development" projects?
Create incubators or investment funds to stimulate local ICT
entrepreneurship?

6) How serious is the threat of intellectual property violations for
potential partnerships between international corporations and local
companies? What are the best solutions for addressing this problem?

7) Are there times when developing countries should shut their borders
to foreign imports in order to protect their nascent ICT industries?




This DOT-COM Discussion is funded by USAID's dot-ORG Cooperative
Agreement with AED, in partnership with World Resources Institute's
Digital Dividend Project, and hosted by GKD.
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org and http://www.digitaldividend.org
provide more information.
To post a message, send it to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message to:
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. In the 1st line of the message type:
subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd
Archives of previous GKD messages can be found at:

[GKD-DOTCOM] GKD Weekly Summary (10/25 - 10/29)

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

  GKD Weekly Summary (10/25 - 10/29)

This message attempts to summarize briefly the major discussion points
made on the GKD discussion focused on "Technology, Globalization and the
Poor." Inevitably, many valuable points will not be captured here, and
new List members are encouraged to visit the List archives.


**Technology in Context**

Several members made the point that technology can certainly provide
benefits to the poor -- but only as part of a larger set of inputs and
resources, including a healthy economic context. Most agreed that
technology is simply a tool, albeit a very powerful one.


**ICT and e-Administration**

One list member from India shared a project that helps improve
government administration using an open-source e-Administration
platform. In addition to helping make governance more effective, which
has development benefits of it's own, the platform allows businesses and
NGOs to communicate more effectively with government and helps to
streamline business-to-government (B2G) processes. Although the software
is free and open source, consultation and implementation are for-profit
and provide another example of a win-win business proposition.


**Win-Win Models**

Members shared a number of win-win models of ICT and pro-poor business
practices in India, Philippines, South Africa, Laos, and Mauritius, and
described three positive impacts of these strategies: they broke up
local monopolies in goods and services that had exploited the poor, they
brought empowering information and technologies to otherwise
marginalized groups, and they provided new employment opportunities.

Other GKD members found the examples informative and valuable, but
argued that more empirical and quantifiable analysis was needed to prove
the positive impact of these types of strategies. Expanding on this
theme, a list member pointed to a study they had conducted on this
topic. The analysis revealed a clear correlation between GDP per capita
and rating on the ICT Readiness Index: The lower the per capita income
level of a country, the lower the country's networked readiness rating.
India was an exception. In response to these data, a member posed the
question: Can India's success be replicated?


**Negative Impacts of ICT and Globalization**

A detailed analysis demonstrated that globalization and new technologies
have increased the process of Brain Drain. Members proposed that
developing countries experiencing brain drain use those same new
communications technologies to benefit from the skills and knowledge of
former residents. They suggested that the development community find
creative ways to allow expatriates to participate in the economies of
the countries they had left.

Others added that although there are many positive examples of
successful ICT-based business models, there are also negative
externalities that do not get the attention they should. Some projects
in India, for example, have the unanticipated negative effect of
reinforcing long standing caste divisions.

Other participants shared specific examples of the negative effects of
globalization, particularly the consolidation of agricultural
production. They emphasized the need to look beyond neo-classical
economics for solutions in the fight against poverty.


**Business Approach and Business Drivers**

One member asked: "What do we mean by business approach?" On one hand,
it could mean an approach that relies entirely on market mechanisms. In
that case, businesses might fail to serve the "bottom of the pyramid"
(BoP) market if they lack concrete information about the needs of that
segment and base their business decisions on false assumptions of what a
'typical' customer wants and needs. Alternatively, 'business approach'
could refer to small, local entrepreneurs taking full advantage of their
knowledge of local markets.

This discussion was echoed by another participant who emphasized that
the best models are driven by "the people closest to the ground." In
other words, the poor know their own needs and understand their own
markets better than anyone else. Businesses will succeed in serving the
BOP segment only if they can design products and services specifically
to align with BOP customer needs and contexts. Thus, businesses will do
well to partner with local individuals or organizations in order to gain
a solid understanding of the needs of particular groups of people.


**Conclusions**

The response to the question, "Can Technology and a Business Approach
Make Globalization Work for the Poor?" was complex. Members offered
cases from wide range of geographies and contexts that argued
compellingly that ICT and a business approach can and has serviced the
poor. On the other hand, members also raised concerns and provided
examples in which ICT and a business approach were either unable to
serve the poor -- and in the worst scenarios, exacerbated the problem.
For example, some attributed the problem of "brain drain" to the
emergence of new tech

[GKD-DOTCOM] Is Profitability Essential for Sustainability?

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Last week, GKD members discussed some of the benefits that can be gained
from "pro-poor" business strategies, along with some examples, and the
striking challenges to creating and implementing those strategies. This
week we examine profit, and the functional, and dysfunctional, role it
can play in promoting activity that provides real value to the poor.

Telecenters are a telling example. During the past decade, international
donors have spent tens of millions of Euros/dollars to fund telecenters
throughout the developing world. Yet most telecenters have failed to
become sustainable. Worse yet, subsidized telecenters often drive out
for-profit companies that cannot compete with the subsidized prices.
When the donor funding ends, the telecenters often founder and fail, and
the community is left with nothing.

A couple of years ago, GKD received a message from an enterprising young
Nepali, describing a striking contrast. He had established a cyber-cafe
(i.e., for-profit telecenter) in a small town, and explained how he had
made his company successful. Initially, he followed the standard
approach: put out some signs, talked to some of the town leaders, handed
out some flyers. But few people came and he faced failure. He decided to
take a new approach. He visited people at their homes and shops to find
out what they were interested in. Then went back to the cafe and
searched the web for relevant websites. When he had collected enough
material, he invited them to the cyber-cafe to review the material
(sometimes with his accompanying translation) for free -- the first
time! His driving motive: profit.

The story has been repeated with other products and services. This kind
of experience has convinced some that profitability is essential for
sustainability. They argue that profit provides the incentive needed for
the kinds of effort and investment needed to make enterprises
successful. Further, the need to make a profit forces all companies --
large and small -- to identify and deliver products and services that
are valued by customers, i.e., that customers will pay for.

Others harshly criticize the recent emphasis on "public-private
partnerships." They feel that for-profit firms inevitably place profits
above the well-being of poor communities. They charge that companies,
especially international corporations, will make the investments needed
to serve the middle and upper class, but not the poor. They argue that
for-profit companies are less likely to provide sustainability, because
they will desert a poor community as soon as higher profits can be found
elsewhere.

Key Questions:

1) Is profit important -- even essential -- to successful and
sustainable "ICT for development" activities?

2) Do you know of large or small local companies that have used ICTs to
serve the poor while making a profit? How about multinational
corporations?

3) How do we ensure that the profit motive drives companies to provide
ICT goods and services with real value for the poor? To succeed in
selling to the poor, do companies have to create trust by providing real
value?

4) Are there ICTs that offer entrepreneurs from poor communities a
chance to create successful small enterprises, either free-standing or
as franchisees of a larger entity?

5) When large corporations seek to serve the poor, who are the "winners"
and "losers"? What "win-win" models are possible?





This DOT-COM Discussion is funded by USAID's dot-ORG Cooperative
Agreement with AED, in partnership with World Resources Institute's
Digital Dividend Project, and hosted by GKD.
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org and http://www.digitaldividend.org
provide more information.
To post a message, send it to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message to:
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. In the 1st line of the message type:
subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd
Archives of previous GKD messages can be found at:

[GKD-DOTCOM] Can Technology and a Business Approach Make Globalization Work for the Poor?

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

"Poverty is not inevitable...Change for the better is within our grasp."
John Browne, chief executive of the energy giant BP

During the past few years, corporate investment in developing countries
has increased markedly, both from multinational corporations (MNCs) and
from large local companies -- the latter often investing to serve
low-income communities. These firms are responding to relatively rapid
economic growth rates in many developing countries and, for MNCs,
reduction of legal limits on foreign investments. Companies offering ICT
products and services have particularly active. This investment is
hailed by many as a powerful lever in generating economic growth that
will provide new jobs as well as valuable products and services. There
are notable examples, such as Smart Communications' innovations with
text-messaging in the Philippines, or ITC's e-choupal network bringing
market information and higher crop prices to farmers, or Voxiva's health
alert software that offers a low-cost solution to the widespread problem
of monitoring health indices in rural areas.

Yet others warn that corporate investment will exacerbate existing
economic and "digital divide" disparities between rich and poor. They
argue that corporations will target only the wealthy and ignore the
needs of the poor. They fear that powerful international companies will
put local companies out of business.


Key questions:

1) What are the successful models of companies providing
technology-based products/services that promote development and serve
the poor, and doing so profitably?

2) Can large companies and entrepreneurs use ICT to serve poor
communities in ways that cannot be done by NGOs, donors and governments?

3) Do multinational companies add any value that cannot be provided by
local entrepreneurs? If so, what role does ICT play?

4) Can ICT products and services created for industrialized country
contexts be modified to solve problems in underserved, poor and rural
communities, especially the need for low-cost solutions? Who must do
what to make it happen?

5) What new kinds of ICT tools are needed to serve poor and rural
communities? How can we best encourage companies to create and invest in
such tools and in the business models that can profitably deploy them?

6) Women often face special challenges in becoming ICT entrepreneurs
(e.g., lack of capital, education, family responsibilities). What
approaches can and should be used to support women entrepreneurs who
want to create profitable businesses that offer ICT solutions to poor
communities?




This DOT-COM Discussion is funded by USAID's dot-ORG Cooperative
Agreement with AED, in partnership with World Resources Institute's
Digital Dividend Project, and hosted by GKD.
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org and http://www.digitaldividend.org
provide more information.
To post a message, send it to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message to:
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. In the 1st line of the message type:
subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd
Archives of previous GKD messages can be found at:

[GKD-DOTCOM] Welcome to "Technology, Globalization and the Poor"

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

"The falling costs of communications, information...have contributed to
globalization...Many poor people are benefiting from globalization. The
challenge is to bring more of them into this process."
 Globalization, Growth and Poverty

"Contrary to the rosy picture presented by the World Bank, the evidence
is overwhelming that this current globalization agenda is a scourge on
the poor."
 The Unremarkable Record of Liberalized Trade


Dear GKD Members,

Welcome to the discussion on Technology, Globalization and the Poor.

Globalization -- the integration of economies and societies worldwide --
and access to information and communications technology (ICT) are both
expanding at breakneck speeds. Driven by the private sector,
globalization and technology change have largely ignored the poor. Yet
in a world where about one-fifth of the population lives on less than
US$1 per day, fierce arguments rage about whether and how these dynamics
should change.

Can technology help make globalization work for the poor? Can the
private sector use ICT to create, as CK Prahalad argues, "sustainable
win-win scenarios where the poor are actively engaged and, at the same
time, the companies providing products and services to them are
profitable"?

During the next four weeks, we will tackle these questions to examine:

* How ICT can make it easier and more attractive for companies to tap
into the huge market potential of the world's poor -- and the benefits
and risks to all concerned: international and local companies,
governments, communities, and the poor themselves

* Opportunities that ICT and business approaches offer to reduce poverty
and foster new productive partnerships and business options for the poor
-- and the associated dangers of deepening inequality

* Businesses' use of ICT to improve quality of life and reduce poverty
worldwide, and what actions are needed from other stakeholders --
governments, NGOs, international development organizations, labor
unions, etc. -- to make it happen

As always, we seek concrete cases, field experience and specific,
actionable recommendations that business in all sectors, donors, NGOs,
governments, and individuals can adopt. Key messages from the discussion
will be presented at the "Eradicating Poverty Through Profits/Making
Business Work for the Poor" Conference, sponsored by WRI (San Francisco,
December 12-14). In addition, a CD citing the cases, projects,
experience, success stories, and recommendations presented by GKD
members, along with summaries of the main discussion threads, will be
provided to all registrants of the conference and widely circulated
throughout the development community. We look forward to an exciting and
informative interchange.

Agenda

Week 1: Can technology and a business approach make globalization work
for the poor?
Week 2: Is Profitability Essential for Sustainability?
Week 3: How Can ICT Create New Business Partnerships?
Week 4: Tomorrow's Solutions: What New Technologies and Business Models
are On the Horizon?


Additional information:

The DOT-COM Alliance website provides information about this discussion
and other projects using ICT to support development:
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org

The World Resources Institute's "Eradicating Poverty Through Profits"
Conference website provides more information about the Conference:
http://povertyprofit.wri.org

The DOT-COM Archive of this discussion (as of October 25) is available
at:
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/archive.html

The GKD database provides an easy way to search messages of this and
other GKD discussions:
http://www.GKDknowledge.org


This discussion is sponsored by the DOT-COM Alliance and World Resources
Institute.




This DOT-COM Discussion is funded by USAID's dot-ORG Cooperative
Agreement with AED, in partnership with World Resources Institute's
Digital Dividend Project, and hosted by GKD.
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org and http://www.digitaldividend.org
provide more information.
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[GKD] ANN: Technology, Globalization and the Poor

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Technology, Globalization and the Poor
 A GKD Focused Discussion
October 25 - November 19, 2004


"What is needed is a better approach...that involves sustainable win-win
scenarios where the poor are actively engaged and, at the same time, the
companies providing products and services to them are profitable."
   - CK Prahalad


Dear GKD Members,

Technology and globalization: GKD members have discussed these twin
themes of the modern era. But where do the poor fit into the equation?
To grapple with that question, we are pleased to announce that GKD will
host a focused discussion on the theme of "Technology, Globalization and
the Poor" (10/25/ - 11/19/04) This discussion focuses on the role of ICT
in making globalization work for the poor. We will examine questions
that cut across sectors and industries: Can ICT and a business approach
create products and services that actually serve the poor? Does ICT open
new ways for all businesses to understand and serve local markets in
developing countries? Can ICT help entrepreneurs in poor countries enter
the global marketplace more effectively? Who wins and who loses when
businesses use ICT to penetrate the huge untapped market of the
worldwide poor?

The discussion leads up to the "Eradicating Poverty Through
Profits/Making Business Work for the Poor" Conference, sponsored by
World Resources Institute (San Francisco, December 12-14). Key messages
from the discussion will be presented at the Conference. In addition, a
CD-ROM citing the cases, projects, experience, success stories, and
recommendations presented by discussion members, along with summaries of
the main discussion threads, will be provided to all registrants of the
conference and widely circulated throughout the development community.

We seek concrete, specific cases, experience and recommendations that
business in all sectors, donors, NGOs, and governments can adopt. We
look forward to learning from GKD members' experience and information
regarding:

* Cases of companies in all sectors using ICT and a business approach to
engage the poor in marketing, innovation and operations
* Successful business models that use ICT to reduce poverty
* Challenges for business attempting to serve the low-income market, and
ways ICT can help them create successful products, business models, and
metrics
* Risks when international corporations engage in pro-poor business
activities, and the use of ICT to address those risks
* Opportunities and challenges in using ICT to offer the poor new
business opportunities
* Partnerships of government, communities, businesses, NGOs, and the
poor to reduce poverty, and the role ICT can play in building those
partnerships


Agenda

Week 1: Can Technology and a Business Approach Make Globalization Work
for the Poor? (10/25 - 10/29)
Week 2: Is Profitability Essential for Sustainability? (11/1 - 11/5)
Week 3: How Can ICT Create New Business Partnerships? (11/8 - 11/12)
Week 4: Tomorrow's Solutions: What New Technologies and Business Models
are on the Horizon? (11/15 - 11/19)

This discussion is sponsored by the USAID-funded DOT-COM Alliance and
World Resources Institute's Digital Dividend Project. The regular GKD
forum will continue after this focused discussion.


***WORLD WIDE WEB SITES FOR THE DISCUSSION***

The DOT-COM Alliance website provides information about this discussion
and other projects using ICT to support development:
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org
http://www.dot-com-alliance.com/events/discussiongroup.htm

The World Resources "Eradicating Poverty Through Profits" Conference
website provides more information about the Conference:
http://povertyprofit.wri.org/resources/virtual.html

The DOT-COM Archive of this discussion (as of October 25) is available
at:
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/archive.html

The GKD database provides an easy way to search messages of this and
other GKD discussions:
http://www.GKDknowledge.org


***FOR FURTHER INFORMATION***

For further information about the discussion, please contact:

Janice Brodman
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>

For further information about the DOT-COM Alliance, please contact:

Barbara Fillip
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>

For further information about World Resources Institute, please contact:

Robert Katz
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>





***GKD is solely supported by EDC, a Non-Profit Organization***
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[GKD-DOTCOM] What is the Future for Cyber-Security?

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

The Internet is becoming integral to every area of our lives --
education, economics, health, politics. As Internet access reaches
throughout the globe, its benefits are expanding...along with growing
threats. Take VOIP. It promises to make cheap communications accessible
worldwide...and simultaneously to open a new era of cyber-fraud and
human rights violations.

Perhaps the most disquieting threat comes from cyber-terrorism.
Terrorists can use the Internet to coordinate deadly attacks in multiple
countries or to cripple international e-commerce.

International agencies, governments, businesses, and civil society must
collaborate to avert these threats. Open source software provides both a
metaphor and a concrete model of the benefits that accrue when everyone
can contribute and benefit. Yet for all stakeholders to cooperate, they
must rise above mutual suspicion and distrust. Encryption is a case in
point. It can help prevent fraud and protect information about NGOs
fighting international crimes such as trafficking in persons. Yet some
governments fear that it will give criminals and terrorists the means to
evade detection.


Key questions:

1)  Do we need to think and operate differently to prevent cyber-crime
and cyber-terrorism in the future? Who needs to change what? Please be
specific.

2)  What is the responsibility of donors and NGOs who are helping expand
Internet access? Should they always ensure secure networks? Should they
demand a proper balance between security and privacy protection?

3)  What new threats come from new technologies, e.g., cell phones that
access the Web? What, specifically, must be done -- and by whom -- to
address these threats?

4)  Are there new technologies that can help meet the cyber-security
threats?

5)  What policies and strategies do you recommend developing countries
adopt to take advantage of new technologies while preventing cyber-crime
and terrorism?

6)  Can open source software help build cyber-security? What must donors,
businesses, governments and NGOs do to make it happen?

7)  Where should we draw the line between development of legal and
illegal encryption?

8)  Growing collaboration between regulatory and security agencies helps
fight cyber-crime and cyber-terrorism, but simultaneously poses threats
to privacy and human rights. What is the best approach to maximizing the
benefits and reducing the threats?





This DOT-COM Discussion is funded by the dot-ORG USAID Cooperative
Agreement, and hosted by GKD. http://www.dot-com-alliance.org provides
more information.
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[GKD-DOTCOM] Cyber-Security, Policy and Cyber-Terrorism

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Preventing cyber-terrorism demands an effective international legal
infrastructure and strong national and cross-border law enforcement
mechanisms. To build the infrastructure, countries must be able and
willing to negotiate viable settlements. Yet, as criminal and terrorist
organizations adeptly operate across borders, governments flounder in
their attempts at cross-border collaboration. The problem deepens when
they do not share borders. Worse yet, developing countries are often
left out of these negotiations altogether.

As governments grow more determined to fight cyber-crime and
cyber-terrorism, new issues arise. Governments and citizens struggle to
distinguish between legitimate anti-terrorism efforts and illegitimate
invasion of privacy. Take international terrorist lists of US government
agencies and Interpol, for example. Some consider them essential, while
others question their fairness and accuracy. Long-standing suspicion and
mistrust also hobbles collaboration between key players in
cyber-security: developing countries and industrialized countries,
businesses and civil society.


Key questions:

1) How can international and regional organizations build effective
international legal frameworks that address cyber-crime and
cyber-terrorism? What role should civil society play?

2) How can we ensure that developing countries participate equitably in
creating international legal frameworks?

3) Are there developing countries with model legal frameworks that
foster global collaboration to thwart cyber-crime and cyber-terrorism?

4) What dangers arise in creating an international legal infrastructure
to prevent cyber-crime and cyber-terrorism? What checks and balances
are needed?

5) What is needed to build trust and collaboration between the private
sector and civil society? Are there concrete examples of "success
stories"?

6) What tools and techniques are effective and appropriate for
developing countries, e.g., collective knowledge management linked to
security measures?

7) What consequences do developing countries face if they -- or donor
organizations -- ignore the threat of cyber-crime and cyber-terrorism?





This DOT-COM Discussion is funded by the dot-ORG USAID Cooperative
Agreement, and hosted by GKD. http://www.dot-com-alliance.org provides
more information.
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[GKD-DOTCOM] Cyber-Security and E-commerce

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

  Cyber-Security and E-commerce

Cyber-security is essential to e-commerce. Businesses must establish
trust with their potential customers. Countries need to prevent
cyber-fraud that can cripple e-commerce activity. Yet developing
countries face special obstacles in their efforts to safeguard their
companies' e-commerce activities. Many lack a legal infrastructure that
can thwart digital crime. Yet these countries also have conditions that
foster cyber-crime: many people with sophisticated computer skills and
very low incomes, in an environment of expanding organized crime. The
financial lure of cyber-crime can outweigh that of legitimate
e-commerce. The challenge is particularly daunting for developing
countries that lack representation in international merchant and bankers
associations, and use accounting norms unlike those of the dominant
economic powers.

Clearly, developing countries need more effective approaches to address
this challenge. They need better communication with other countries, to
collaborate and move quickly when cyber-crime threatens. Countries
accused of poor cyber-security must establish their innocence or prove
they are taking the steps needed to ensure security. Everyone involved
in promoting e-commerce -- from businesses to the development community
-- must find effective means to build cyber-security so that e-commerce
can flourish.


Key questions:

1) Who must take what steps to build global e-commerce systems? WTO?
Donors? Transaction companies such as Paypal and Visa? Governments?
Private firms?

2) Are there examples of public-private partnerships that have increased
cyber-security?
 
3) Within countries, who must take what measures to build cyber-security
and trust among consumers? The government? NGOs? Businesses? Citizens?

4) What solutions are working? Are there tools and techniques that have
been effective and would be appropriate for developing countries?

5) How can organizations in developing countries get certified in order
to build trust among potential e-customers? Do certification agencies
have a responsibility to support cyber-security in developing countries?

6) When countries are branded as "unsafe" for e-commerce, what can
innocent companies do to rescue their own e-commerce efforts?





This DOT-COM Discussion is funded by the dot-ORG USAID Cooperative
Agreement, and hosted by GKD. http://www.dot-com-alliance.org provides
more information.
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[GKD-DOTCOM] Welcome to the GKD-DOTCOM Discussion: Cyber-Security in International Development

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Dear GKD Members,

Welcome to the DOT-COM discussion on Cyber-Security in International
Development. We use the term cyber-security to refer to securing both
data and information systems. Cyber-crime refers to violations of
cyber-security with criminal intent, be it for financial, political, or
social gain.

Cyber-security is everyone's business. Whether a casual computer user,
a network administrator or a policy maker, we are all responsible for
knowing as much as we can about protecting our data and information
systems.

The critical challenges we face in countering violations of
cyber-security are:

* The global nature of security threats - a cyber-criminal can
perpetrate a crime in one country while operating from another country
with a different legal framework.

* The virtual nature of cyber-security - no physical intrusion needs to
take place. Modern ICT networks make security much more complicated than
in the past.

* The processing power of computers - computers improve efficiency of
most activities - including criminal behavior. A few people can do great
harm using the multiplier effect of computer technology.

Although cyber-security is a global issue, organizations, governments
and individuals in developed countries often have a clear advantage in
addressing such threats. They have easier access to information about
new threats, as well as the means to counter them. They have more
resources available to prevent security violations.

In contrast, developing countries often lack the information and
resources necessary to protect themselves. Many lack the infrastructure
(both physical and legal) to prosecute cyber-crimes effectively, leaving
their citizens vulnerable to fraud and exploitation. Worse yet,
violations of cyber-security may be more damaging to developing
countries. For example, if a country is perceived (rightly or wrongly)
as a source of online fraud, all companies in that country will have
difficulty doing business globally.

Developing countries need more effective responses at every level: from
the national government and legal policy, down to individual actions to
protect personal data and equipment. Wherever awareness or information
is limited, cyber-criminals tend to strike.

We would like to focus this discussion on recommendations for positive,
concrete actions needed from government, businesses, NGOs and
individuals in order to enhance cyber-security.

The Agenda:

Week 1 - (9/20-9/24): Cyber-security and Human Rights
Week 2 - (9/27-10/1): Cyber-security and E-commerce 
Week 3 - (10/4-10/8): Legal Infrastructure and Cyber-terrorism 
Week 4 - (10/11-10/15): New threats...and security measures...on the
horizon 

The discussion builds on a session of the DOT-COM/InterAction ICT
Speaker Series (September 16, 2004) entitled "Cyber-security Issues in
International Development Environments". More information on the
session, and presentations by the speakers, can be found at the DOT-COM
Alliance web site



***WORLD WIDE WEB SITES FOR THE DISCUSSION*** 

The DOT-COM Alliance website provides information about GKD's
Cyber-Security discussion, the DOT-COM/Interaction Speaker Series, and
other projects using ICT to support development:
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/
   
The DOT-COM Archive of this discussion (as of September 20th) is
available at:
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/archive.html

The GKD database provides an easy way to search messages of this and
other GKD discussions:
http://www.GKDknowledge.org 


*** FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ***

For further information about the DOT-COM Discussions, please contact:
Barbara Fillip, DOT-COM Secretariat
[EMAIL PROTECTED] 

For further information about the GKD List, please contact:
Janice Brodman, dot-ORG,
[EMAIL PROTECTED] 





This DOT-COM Discussion is funded by the dot-ORG USAID Cooperative
Agreement, and hosted by GKD. http://www.dot-com-alliance.org provides
more information.
To post a message, send it to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
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http://www.GKDknowledge.org

[GKD-DOTCOM] Cyber-Security and Human Rights

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Dear GKD Members,

This week we would like to focus on the issue of protecting
Cyber-Security while preserving human rights.

ICTs make it increasingly easy to collect, store and transfer massive
amounts of data virtually instantaneously. We often consider this power
crucial to providing universal access to information and knowledge
sharing.  Yet, the benefits are not risk-free. Worldwide, there are
growing concerns about misuse of this power in ways that infringe on
personal privacy, data integrity and human rights.  Take, by way of
example:

* Criminals can gain access to personal information (through keyboard
loggers, for example), resulting in financial loss, and even personal
identify theft.

* Governments can use data against their own citizens. Rwanda is a case
in point. The government wants to automate the work of the electoral
commission, improving its functioning. Yet the data they want to gather
includes how citizens vote in elections. This type of data gathering
would clearly violate citizens' right to vote without fear of
repercussions.

* Encryption is a major source of controversy. Some argue people using
the Internet have the right to encrypt their messages to ensure privacy.
Others insist that the same encryption tools are dangerous, enabling
criminals or terrorists to avoid detection.


Key Questions:

1. What efforts do your projects take to protect data from misuse?

2. What solutions are effective for protecting information from human
rights violations?

3. Are there cyber-security tools and techniques that are particularly
important and appropriate for developing countries?

4. When gathering data, what kinds of dangers should be anticipated?
What types of measures should be taken to protect individual privacy?

5. Who is responsible for taking what measures, especially when
regulations are unclear? Donors? Government? NGOs? Businesses? Citizens?
ISPs?

6. Where do we draw the line between individual rights and freedoms
(e.g., to use encryption to protect privacy) and government
responsibility to protect citizens (e.g., outlawing encryption)?

7. What concrete good practices have you observed, that we should
publicize and utilize?




This DOT-COM Discussion is funded by the dot-ORG USAID Cooperative
Agreement, and hosted by GKD. http://www.dot-com-alliance.org provides
more information.
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[GKD] ANN: Cyber-Security and International Development

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Dear GKD Members,

List Members have often discussed the importance of cyber-security as a
key element of using ICT for development. Cyber-Security is essential
for developing countries to engage in e-commerce and actively join the
global economy. It is crucial to providing reliable access and online
services in education, health and other areas. It protects users from
criminal online activity.

Yet crucial questions arise in establishing cyber-security. How can we
set up measures to secure financial transactions while preserving
freedom of access? How do we provide law enforcement with information
they need, while preventing government's use of information in ways that
infringe on human rights?

We ask GKD members to tackle these and other thorny questions as part of
a four-week focus on Cyber-Security and International Development,
beginning 20 September 2004. This focused discussion follows on a
DOT-COM/InterAction Speaker Series session, "Cyber-Security Issues in
International Development Environments" (16 September 2004) and is
sponsored by the DOT-COM Alliance.

The aim of the focused discussion is to:

* Examine the impact of cyber-security on international development,
   e.g., economic growth, government services, opportunities for private
   citizens
* Identify concrete policies, strategies, and tools that counter threats
   to cyber-security for developing countries
* Share cases, success stories, failures, and lessons learned
* Learn about partnerships that help meet the challenge of establishing
   cyber-security
* Develop recommendations for governments, donors, businesses, and NGOs

A White Paper citing the cases, projects, experiences, and
recommendations presented by GKD members will be widely circulated
throughout the development community.

The discussion agenda will focus on four themes:

* Week 1: Cyber-security and Human Rights (9/20 - 9/24)
* Week 2: Cyber-security and E-commerce (9/27 - 10/1)
* Week 3: Legal Infrastructure and Cyber-terrorism (10/4 - 10/8)
* Week 4: New Threats...and Security Measures...On the Horizon (10/11 -
   10/15)


***WORLD WIDE WEB SITES FOR THE DISCUSSION*** 

The DOT-COM Alliance website provides information about GKD's
Cyber-Security discussion, the DOT-COM/Interaction Speaker Series, and
other projects using ICT to support development:
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/
  
The DOT-COM Archive of this discussion (as of September 20th) is
available at:
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/archive.html 

More information about the InterAction ICT Initiative can be obtained
at:
http://www.interaction.org/ict 

The GKD database provides an easy way to search messages of this and
other GKD discussions:
http://www.GKDknowledge.org 

For further information, please contact: 

Barbara Fillip 
[EMAIL PROTECTED] 

Brian King 
[EMAIL PROTECTED] 

Janice Brodman 
[EMAIL PROTECTED] 





***GKD is solely supported by EDC, a Non-Profit Organization***
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[GKD] Resumption of Regular GKD List Discussion

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Dear GKD Members,

Today we resume the regular GKD discussion on various topics related to
ICT for Development. We want to take this opportunity to thank our
members for their extremely valuable comments, ideas, suggestions and
cases during the focused DOT-COM discussion on "Online Professional
Development". Although we are resuming the open-ended discussion, we
will continue to post messages related to the DOT-COM theme as well. We
eagerly look forward to sharing more of your insights and experiences.

Sincerely, 

GKD Moderators




***GKD is solely supported by EDC, a Non-Profit Organization***
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[GKD-DOTCOM] What's On the Horizon for Professional Development?

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Dear GKD Members,

The future of technology is exciting: online "face-to-face" courses with
simultaneous translation; virtual reality training offering real-world
experience; tiny hand-held devices providing just-in-time job mentoring
from top experts. It is easy to imagine inspiring possibilities. Yet how
much of this will actually be available to professionals in developing
countries? And is this where our training investments should go?

This week we explore the cutting edge of technology for professional
development and what it means for the future. Technology R&D investment
for developing countries is limited and many promising new technologies
flounder for lack of support. At the same time, there is much hype about
what new technologies can deliver. We need to understand where the
technology trends are going, and assess them carefully in light of our
concrete experience with the needs and resources of developing
countries.

KEY QUESTIONS:

1) What are the most innovative, cutting edge ICT-related practices
currently used for professional development in developing countries?

2) Can technology innovations revolutionize professional training for
developing countries? What is needed to make it happen?

3) What new technologies will significantly improve and expand
professional development? What will it cost to develop these
technologies -- and is it worth the cost?

4) What do cognitive and pedagogical sciences tell us about using these
technologies effectively?

5) Where are the pitfalls in using these new ICTs in developing
countries?

6) How do we want to be using ICTs 3 years from now? Where is the line
between hype and reality?

7) How can GKD members be effective advocates for reaching these goals?


We look forward to your insights regarding these questions, based on
your concrete experience with professional development in developing
countries.





This DOT-COM Discussion is funded by the dot-ORG USAID Cooperative
Agreement, and hosted by GKD. http://www.dot-com-alliance.org provides
more information.
To post a message, send it to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
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[GKD-DOTCOM] How Do We Evaluate ICT-Enhanced Professional

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Development?
Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Precedence: bulk
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]

Dear GKD Members,

During last week's discussion we heard from members working in Peru,
Uganda, Macedonia, Nigeria, Pakistan and the Philippines regarding the
"right" resources to foster ICT-enhanced professional development.

Many GKD members have raised the issue of evaluation and cost/benefit
analysis. Some emphasize the importance and value of thorough
evaluation, cost-benefit analyses, and quantitative measures of impact.
As one member noted, "Cost benefit analysis would help program planners
to choose the most convenient path."

Others argue that it is not appropriate to apply a quantitative measure
to improved professional skills, better understanding, wider
professional networks. Return-on-investment, they hold, is fine for
businesses but has no place in education and training.

Still others argue that evaluation must be done, but is rarely done
well. For example one member stated, "Statistics are not desegregated to
show what the situation is in rural communities."  Furthermore, they
say, no one pays any attention to "lessons learned" so why bother?

This week we would like to focus on evaluation -- the best approach for
trying to determine the value ICT-enhanced professional development
provides.


KEY QUESTIONS:

1. Can we effectively measure the costs, benefits, and educational
impact of ICT-enhanced professional development initiatives? If so, what
is the best approach -- are there concrete examples?

2. Can we measure return on investment (ROI) for these initiatives? If
so, how?

3. Are there methodologies for evaluating the "soft side" of training
activities, e.g., the cultural, technological, or social
"appropriateness" of different approaches?

4. Are there methodologies for measuring the cost of effectively
bringing particular models to scale?

5. What is the best way to disseminate and promote the use of "lessons
learned"?




This DOT-COM Discussion is funded by the dot-ORG USAID Cooperative
Agreement, and hosted by GKD. http://www.dot-com-alliance.org provides
more information.
To post a message, send it to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
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[GKD-DOTCOM] What Are the 'Right' Resources to Foster Professional Development?

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Dear GKD Members,

This week we would like to expand our focus to examine the use of all
types of ICTs for in-service training of professionals working in all
sectors.

There seems to be a consensus that ICTs can improve and expand
in-service professional development IF sufficient resources are brought
to bear. With the "right" resources, ICT-facilitated training can be
highly interactive, learner-directed, tailored to local audiences,
deliver world-class expertise, and expand access to virtually every
community.

But what are the "right" resources? What financial, human resource,
infrastructure and technical investments are needed to get the impact we
want at an affordable price? What innovative uses of technology are
effective, cost-efficient, and sustainable?

KEY QUESTIONS:

1. What are the latest advances in using technology to provide effective
training at cost-efficient prices?

2. What resources do we need to provide effective ICT-enhanced
professional training? What technologies? Tools? Human resources?
Infrastructure? Incentives, etc.? What level of financial investment
should we be making?

3. What role should ICT training programs play in developing countries?
Can ICT-based training take the place of teachers and the social
environment of classrooms?

4. How can we ensure ICT-based training responds to the needs of the
society? Are there community-based approaches to using ICT for
professional training? Does the policy environment matter? If so, what
kinds of policies are needed?

5. Are there gender consideration issues related to using ICTs for
professional development?

6. Do different ICTs have different "scalability requirements"?


We look forward to hearing your experience and insights about the use of
ICTs for professional development.




This DOT-COM Discussion is funded by the dot-ORG USAID Cooperative
Agreement, and hosted by GKD. http://www.dot-com-alliance.org provides
more information.
To post a message, send it to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message to:
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For the GKD database, with past messages:
http://www.GKDknowledge.org

[GKD-DOTCOM] What Activities Are Offering Online Professional Development for Educators?

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Dear GKD Members,

"Education for All." Sounds great. Tough to do. A key challenge is
developing skilled educators across the developing world. One approach
capturing broad attention is the use of online professional development
for educators. Enthusiasts praise online methods for offering "just in
time" training, and building new content knowledge and modern teaching
skills. Skeptics question whether online training develops key skills,
e.g., the ability to manage classroom learning and nurture students'
development. Both worry about the constraints online programs face.

Yet we have limited concrete information about online professional
development activities. We know that many organizations are trying
online approaches, but we lack good information about who's doing what,
where -- and how well it's working. While a few donor-sponsored
activities are widely publicized, many innovative, creative efforts are
ignored, despite their value.

This week we would like to identify activities that are using online
approaches to support pre-service and in-service training for educators.
We seek to gain better understanding of the "critical success factors"
in designing effective online programs, the constraints and pitfalls,
and potential contributions of online training.

We encourage members to provide concrete information about specific
online programs training educators in new content areas and new teaching
methodologies.


KEY QUESTIONS:

1. What activities use online methods to provide pre-service and/or
in-service online professional development for educators?

2. What are the key design features of effective online programs? What
should practitioners consider before taking or developing online
courses?

3. What technologies are these programs using? What are the advantages
and disadvantages of the various technologies?

4. Do these approaches promote new pedagogical practices and education
reforms and better link education to society's needs? If so, how? If
not, why?

5. What are the gender issues related to online professional
development? Do online programs address special needs/concerns of women?

6. What is the "state of the art" in designing such programs? What
models can and should be scaled up?

We look forward to hearing your experience and insights about online
professional development programs for educators.





This DOT-COM Discussion is funded by the dot-ORG USAID Cooperative
Agreement, and hosted by GKD. http://www.dot-com-alliance.org provides
more information.
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[GKD] Launch of GKD-DOTCOM Discussion: Online Professional Development for Educators

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Dear GKD Members,

Welcome to the GKD-DOTCOM Discussion on "Online Professional Development
for Educators." This has been an important topic for GKD members over
the years and we look forward to discussing it in depth during the next
4 weeks. The DOT-COM Alliance will develop a White Paper on the topic,
drawing on the valuable input and recommendations of GKD members, and
the paper will be widely circulated in the development and developing
country communities. Cases described by GKD members will be cited in the
paper.

Agenda

* What activities are offering online professional development for
educators? (June 1-4)
* What resources are required to have the desired impact and
sustainability? (June 7-11)
* What methodologies are useful for evaluating online professional
development efforts? (June 14-18)
* What's on the horizon...and where should we aim to go over the next 3
years? (June 21-25)


***Background: DOT-COM/InterAction Speaker Series***

This discussion is sponsored by the USAID-funded DOT-COM Alliance and
InterAction, and hosted by GKD. It builds on a session of the
DOT-COM/InterAction ICT Speaker Series (Washington, D.C. 6 May 2004).
Session speakers included:

* Stone Wiske, Harvard University, School of Education
* Sapnesh Lalla, Vice President, NIIT Ltd.
* Kelvin Wong, Center for International Development and Conflict
Management, University of Maryland

More information on the session, and copies of the speakers'
presentations, can be found at the DOT-COM Alliance website:
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/

The DOT-COM Archives of this discussion (as of June 1) are available on:
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/archive.html and in the GKD database:
http://www.GKDknowledge.org

We look forward to an exciting and valuable exchange of experience and
lessons learned on this important topic.




This DOT-COM Discussion is funded by the dot-ORG USAID Cooperative
Agreement, and hosted by GKD. http://www.dot-com-alliance.org provides
more information.
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[GKD] ANN: Online Professional Training for Educators Discussion (June 1-25)

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Dear GKD Members,

The GKD-DOTCOM discussion on Connectivity (Oct-Nov 2003) was superb, and
we are working to complete a White Paper based on the rich and complex
interchange of experience and information. As soon as the White Paper is
completed, we will submit it for comments to GKD.

We would like to launch a second GKD-DOTCOM discussion, on a topic that
has been important to GKD members: Using ICT to provide professional
development to educators, and thereby expand and improve education in
developing countries. The specific focus of the discussion is on
practical approaches to providing effective online professional training
for educators. A White Paper citing the cases, projects, experience,
success stories, and recommendations presented by discussion members
will be widely circulated throughout the development community.

We hope that List members will share information on:

* Strategies, tools, and partnerships for providing online professional
development to educators
* Case studies, projects, achievements, challenges and lessons learned
* Success stories of efforts that have overcome challenges and
effectively expanded access in low-resource environments

The Agenda will focus on:

* Learning about activities that provide online professional development
for educators (June 1-4)
* Identifying the technologies, tools, and infrastructure required to
have the desired impact and sustainability (June 7-11)
* Examining approaches for evaluating online professional development
efforts (June 14-19)
* Exploring what's on the horizon’ and what online technologies and
techniques will be available in 3 years (June 21-25)

The discussion builds on a session of the DOT-COM/InterAction ICT
Speaker Series (May 6, 2004). More information on the session, and
presentations by the speakers, can be found at the DOT-COM Alliance
website cited below. Although the focus of the discussion during these
four weeks will be on Online Professional Development for Educators, the
Moderators will also post messages of a more general nature (i.e.
announcements, newsletters, cases) that are time-sensitive. To
distinguish the Online Professional Development for Educators messages,
their subject line will be labeled [GKD-DOTCOM], whereas the subject of
the general GKD messages will continue to be labeled [GKD], as usual.


***WORLD WIDE WEB SITES FOR THE DISCUSSION***

The DOT-COM Alliance website provides information about this discussion,
the DOT-COM/Interaction Speaker Series, and other projects using ICT to
support development:
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/speakerseries.htm

For more information about this discussion series, please visit:
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/discussiongroup.htm

The DOT-COM Archive of this discussion (as of June 1) is available on:
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/archive.html

The GKD database provides an easy way to search messages of this and
other GKD discussions:
http://www.GKDknowledge.org


**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION**

For further information about:

DOT-COM Discussions, please contact: Margie Joyce, DOT-COM,
[EMAIL PROTECTED]

GKD, please contact: Janice Brodman, dot-ORG, [EMAIL PROTECTED]





***GKD is solely supported by EDC, a Non-Profit Organization***
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[GKD] Resumption of Regular GKD List Discussion

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Dear GKD Members,

Today we resume the regular GKD discussion on various topics related to
ICT for Development. We want to take this opportunity to thank our
members for their extremely valuable comments, ideas, suggestions and
cases during the focused DOT-COM discussion on "Connectivity in
Low-Resource Environments". Although we are resuming the open-ended
discussion, we will continue to post messages related to the DOT-COM
theme as well. We eagerly look forward to sharing more of your insights.


Sincerely,

GKD Moderators




***GKD is solely supported by EDC, a Non-Profit Organization***
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[GKD-DOTCOM] The Role of the Private Sector

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Many GKD members have argued that the for-profit private sector must
play a key role in expanding access to underserved communities. The
notion is appealing. The 2003 UNCTAD E-commerce and Development Report
states that in 2002, 32% of the world's Internet users were in
developing countries, and they are likely to constitute 50% of the total
by 2007. That's a lot of demand to attract private sector investment.
GKD members also seem to agree that a crucial element in extending
access is an open, transparent policy environment that encourages
competition.

Yet relying on for-profit firms to extend access can be problematic,
even in the "right" policy environment. If donors and government want to
realize universal access, they may have to "distort" the market by
providing venture capital, loans, training, and other types of support
to encourage companies, including local entrepreneurs, to serve poor,
rural, isolated communities. Otherwise, the market may never be large
enough for companies to invest the time and money it takes to develop
services/products for underserved communities. And non-profits that do
provide solutions may be unable to generate sufficient revenues to
continue without subsidies.

KEY QUESTIONS:

1. What specific elements does a policy environment need in order to
encourage the private sector to expand access to poor, isolated,
underserved areas? Where do such policies exist?

2. What lessons have we learned about the risks and rewards of creating
public-private partnerships to expand access to the underserved? Where
have these lessons been applied, and where have they worked?

3. What are specific, unexploited opportunities for public-private
partnerships to expand access to the underserved? Please provide
examples where these opportunities can be exploited effectively.

4. What concrete lessons have we learned about stimulating/supporting
local businesses to extend access to the underserved? Please be
specific. Where have these lessons been applied effectively?

5. Within underserved communities, women often face special difficulties
becoming ICT providers (e.g., lack of capital, education, competing
demands for time). Are there particular approaches that can be used to
support women entrepreneurs who want to offer ICT access to underserved
communities, beyond the 'Grameen cell phone' model?




This DOT-COM Discussion is funded by the dot-ORG USAID Cooperative
Agreement, and hosted by GKD. http://www.dot-com-alliance.org provides
more information.
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[GKD-DOTCOM] DOTCOM Discussion to Continue

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Dear GKD Members,

In response to the dynamism and value of your contributions, DOT-COM
would like to continue the focused discussion on Access for Underserved
Areas, through this week. Our deep thanks for the consistent, extremely
high quality of your input.

Best regards,

GKD Moderators




This DOT-COM Discussion is funded by the dot-ORG USAID Cooperative
Agreement, and hosted by GKD. http://www.dot-com-alliance.org provides
more information.
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[GKD-DOTCOM] What's on the Horizon?

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Dear GKD Members,

During the past three weeks, GKD members have discussed a number of
intriguing technical solutions to bringing access to underserved
communities, several of which have demonstrated promise in the field.
Especially noteworthy are various forms of wireless connectivity, in
combination with low-cost devices, e.g., the Solo. In addition GKD
members have noted that some pilots have already proven robust --
scaling them up requires policy change, training, tailoring to local
demand, and community involvement.

This week we ask GKD members to consider the distant future in ICT terms
-- the next 3 years. "Connectivity for All." It has a nice ring, but
success thus far has been limited. Funding is a central issue. Although
there are some impressive donor programs, some high profile,
multi-lateral donor commitments have fizzled. Perhaps, going forward, we
should follow the 80-20 rule: Focus our limited resources on pursuing
the few technologies and project approaches likely to have the widest
impact. Forgo experimentation and defer efforts to meet the needs of
those who will be most difficult to serve.

KEY QUESTIONS:

1. What new "high impact" technologies are on the 3-year horizon? Who
(exactly) needs to do what (concretely) to make those technologies
widely available?

2. What's the most valuable area for technology development? Voice
recognition? Cheap broadband delivery? Cheap hand-helds (under $50)?

3. Where should we focus our efforts during the coming 3 years? On ICT
policy? Creating ICT projects with revenue-generation models that are
quickly self-supporting? Demonstrating the value of ICT to developing
country communities?

4. What levels of access should we be able to achieve by 2007 in each of
the major under-served regions? Who (exactly) must do what (concretely)
to attain them?

5. What funding models should we develop over the next 3 years? Projects
with business plans that provide self-sustainability? Support from
multilateral corporations? Venture capital funds for ICT and
development?


We look forward to your valuable input and insights!





This DOT-COM Discussion is funded by the dot-ORG USAID Cooperative
Agreement, and hosted by GKD. http://www.dot-com-alliance.org provides
more information.
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[GKD-DOTCOM] What Can and Should be Brought to Scale?

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Dear GKD Members,

During the past two weeks, GKD members have discussed impressive
activities that are managing to bring connectivity to under-served
areas, overcoming an array of obstacles and limited resources. They have
described innovative approaches to utilizing, modifying and
experimenting with technology to adapt to local conditions and needs.
They have also revealed common challenges -- government policies, cost
structures, human resource constraints, etc. -- which go beyond
technological considerations.

Members have also debated the question of bandwidth: Is some minimum
bandwidth necessary to have a real impact on development? The answer:
"Enough" depends on the objectives. Yet in a context of multiple and
diverse needs, both narrow and broadband are likely to be appropriate,
as long as the bandwidth and cost match the specific needs and
objectives. In addition, broadband connections can be more
cost-effective in various contexts.

This week we turn to the question of scalability. Some GKD members have
noted that excellent pilots often fail to be scaled up, for lack of
funding. Some have argued that no pilot project should ever be conducted
without an explicit plan -- and budget allocation -- for scaling it up
upon success. At the same time, some GKD members have noted that there
have been huge investments in pilots that cannot scale.

KEY QUESTIONS:

1.  Is scalability important -- or even valuable? Or are local
communities better served by having a wide range of diverse activities
tailored to specific contexts, shaped by local needs and priorities?

2. Are there examples of ICT projects that have successfully scaled up
significantly? Please provide concrete information about cases.

3. What specific critical factors lead to successful scalability? Are
there common factors across pilots -- e.g., commitment of local
leadership, technology that can be supported by an identified revenue
stream, supportive public policies? Is it possible to devise a common
set of "critical success factors" that can be used to assess which
pilots should be scaled up? Would such a common assessment tool be
desirable or would it stifle innovation?

4.  What pilot projects have attempted to scale up and failed? What can
we learn from their experience? What critical issues led to the failure
of scalability?

5. Are there "technology models" that seem particularly effective in
addressing the needs of under-served communities and should be scaled?
If so, what is needed to bring them to scale?

6. Should local communities be more involved in determining what pilots
go to scale? Do we need a global "help desk" that communities can query
to determine the project approaches that best fit their needs? Or
perhaps an "ICT and Development Consumer Report" that provides unbiased
assessment of ICT project approaches?

We look forward to our Members' valuable input regarding these issues.






This DOT-COM Discussion is funded by the dot-ORG USAID Cooperative
Agreement, and hosted by GKD. http://www.dot-com-alliance.org provides
more information.
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[GKD-DOTCOM] How Much Bandwidth is Necessary?

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Dear GKD Members,

Last week GKD members provided a number of cases that described how
connectivity is being established and used in countries such as Nigeria,
Ghana, Mauritania, Uganda, Senegal, Zimbabwe, Sierra Leone, Tanzania,
Kenya, Panama, Nicaragua, Afghanistan, Iraq, Philippines, Pakistan,
Ethiopia, and aboriginal communities in Canada. A wide range of
challenges have been encountered and several creative solutions have
been proposed or are being tested.

A crucial -- yet often unaddressed -- part of the access issue involves
bandwidth, namely: How much bandwidth is necessary to deliver the kinds
of information that is most needed to rural/remote areas. Some
development experts have argued that broadband is essential to have a
real impact on development, especially because we need not only delivery
of information, but the capacity for interaction. Others contend that,
although broadband is preferable, cost considerations preclude the use
of broadband in low resource environments. In an era of limited
development resources, very low-cost, slow speed, limited through-put
communications are more sustainable and provide value to underserved
communities.

This week we put the issue to GKD members. Given the costs inherent in
supplying high-bandwidth solutions to areas lacking in basic
infrastructure, what do your experience and analysis suggest regarding
the questions below?

KEY QUESTIONS:

1. Are high-bandwidth connections necessary, or even important, to
making a real impact on development? Or are the costs and problems
inherent in establishing such connectivity too high -- and unsustainable
-- for underserved areas?

2. Are there cases that demonstrate the value of low-bandwidth (e.g.,
store-and-forward email, packet radio) solutions to provide critical
information access to under-served communities? How successful have they
been?

3. Can information distribution centers (e.g., public access
telecenters) offer a viable economic solution to a community's
information needs, by, in effect, sharing a single high-bandwidth
connection among many users, and thus spreading the cost?

4. Are there new protocols that make more efficient use of the bandwidth
that is available? For example, what role can the newer wireless
technologies (e.g. Wi-Fi, MESH networks) play in bringing sufficient
connectivity to underserved communities? Are the costs and maintenance
demands of these technologies sustainable?

We look forward to hearing about some cases that have addressed these
issues, and the insights learned regarding their success/failure.





This DOT-COM Discussion is funded by the dot-ORG USAID Cooperative
Agreement, and hosted by GKD. http://www.dot-com-alliance.org provides
more information.
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[GKD-DOTCOM] Bringing Connectivity to Under-Served Communities

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Dear GKD Members,

A wide range of activities is bringing connectivity to under-served
communities that lack infrastructure, electricity, and telephony. Many
of these activities are sponsored by donor agencies. Many more are
undertaken independently by communities, civil society organizations,
and small enterprises.

Yet it is difficult to get information about who is doing what, where;
the outcomes and lessons learned. All too often, a few activities
sponsored by donors gain recognition, while the vast majority of
efforts, especially independent actions by individuals and
organizations, labor anonymously regardless of their success and the
value they can contribute to our understanding.

This week we would like to focus on identifying activities that are
bringing connectivity to under-served communities. We encourage members
to provide concrete information about specific connectivity activities.

Key questions:

1. What activities are endeavoring to bring connectivity to under-served
communities?

2. What are the goals of these efforts? To what extent are the goals
attained?

3. Who is being served by these connectivity efforts? Are the benefits
widely distributed? Do some groups "win" and some "lose" in these
connectivity efforts?

4. How do connectivity efforts seek to ensure that all groups benefit?

5. What are the costs and constraints these connectivity efforts face?




This DOT-COM Discussion is funded by the dot-ORG USAID Cooperative
Agreement, and hosted by GKD. http://www.dot-com-alliance.org provides
more information.
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[GKD-DOTCOM] Welcome to the GKD-DOTCOM Discussion: Connectivity in Low Resource Environments

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Dear GKD Members,

Welcome to the GKD-DOTCOM Discussion on "Connectivity in Low Resource
Environments."  We look forward to examining this important topic for
the next 4 weeks. The DOT-COM Alliance will develop a white paper on the
topic, drawing on the valuable input and recommendations of GKD members,
and the paper will be widely circulated in the development and
developing country communities.  Cases described by GKD members will be
cited in the paper.

Agenda
* Week 1: What activities are bringing connectivity to under-served
   communities? (10/27 - 10/31)
* Week 2: How much bandwidth is necessary to have a real  impact on
   development... and why? (11/3 - 11/7)
* Week 3: What models can and should be brought to scale? (11/10 - 11/14)
* Week 4: What's on the horizon...and where do we want to go over the
   next 3 years? (11/17 - 11/21)

***Background: DOT-COM/InterAction Speaker Series***

This discussion is sponsored by the USAID-funded DOT-COM Alliance, and
InterAction, and hosted by GKD. It builds on a session of the
DOT-COM/InterAction ICT Speaker Series (Washington, D.C. 24 September
2003). Session speakers included:

* Dr. Michael L. Best, Research Scientist, MIT Media Laboratory &
Visiting Assistant Professor, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs
and the College of Computing at Georgia Tech. Dr Best described the
three keys to connectivity: low-cost technologies (including terrestrial
wireless), micro and small enterprises, and a supportive public policy.
He outlined the current wireless technology available for local
connectivity, described his experience in India using small and medium
enterprises to deliver telephony and Internet access to local
communities, and addressed the need for supportive public policy to
allow these types of interventions to succeed.

* Dipak Basu, Executive Director, NetHope & Senior Manager, Customer
Program Management Office, Cisco Systems. Mr. Basu described NetHope,
the IT solutions consortium of international NGOs who work in the
poorest regions of the world, and its experience in finding connectivity
solutions for development professionals in such areas as Iraq and
Afghanistan.

* Robert Bortner, Project Co-ordinator, Greenstar South Africa,
Greenstar Brasil. Mr. Bortner described the Greenstar model of using
solar powered community centers in the most rural of areas to promote
cultural and economic development. Through a combination of solar
panels, VSATs, spread-spectrum digital radio, or conventional cellular
connection, these centers provide their communities with electricity,
water purification, communications, education, and support for
telemedicine and local employment.

* George Scharffenberger, Vice President, International, Voxiva. Mr.
Scharffenberger described a number of best practices in approaching
connectivity and ICT issues in developing countries. He reviewed the
integrated technology model that Voxiva uses, including a combination of
telephones and the Internet for data transmission of disease
surveillance information.

More information on the session, and copies of the speakers'
presentations, can be found at the DOT-COM Alliance website:
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/SS2_connectivity.htm

The DOT-COM Archives of this discussion (as of October 27) are available on:
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/archive.html
and in the GKD database:
http://www.GKDknowledge.org


We look forward to an exciting and valuable exchange of experience and
lessons learned on this important topic.





This DOT-COM Discussion is funded by the dot-ORG USAID Cooperative
Agreement, and hosted by GKD. http://www.dot-com-alliance.org provides
more information.
To post a message, send it to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message to:
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[GKD] ANN: Connectivity in Low-Resource Environments

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Dear GKD Members,

GKD members have often discussed the difficulty and importance of
providing connectivity to areas that have little or no power or
telecommunications infrastructure. We are therefore pleased to announce
that GKD will host a focused discussion on the theme of "Connectivity in
Low-Resource Environments," (10/27/03 - 11/21/03), sponsored by the
DOT-COM Alliance and Interaction.

The aim of the discussion is to identify practical approaches to
bringing connectivity to poor, rural and other under-served communities.
A White Paper citing the cases, projects, experience, success stories,
and recommendations presented by GKD members will be widely circulated
throughout the development community.

We hope that List members will share information on:

* Policies, strategies, tools, and partnerships to extend connectivity
to under-served communities
* Case studies, projects, achievements, challenges and lessons learned
* Success stories of efforts that have overcome challenges and
effectively expanded access in low-resource environments

The Agenda will focus on:
* Learning about activities that are bringing connectivity to
under-served communities (Oct. 27 - Oct. 31)
* Examining how much bandwidth is necessary to have an impact, and why
(Nov. 3 - Nov. 7)
* Identifying models that can and should be brought to scale 
(Nov. 10 - Nov. 14)
* Exploring what's on the horizon...and where we want to go over the
next 3 years (Nov. 17 - Nov. 21)

The discussion builds on a session of the DOT-COM/InterAction ICT
Speaker Series (September 24, 2003). More information on the session,
and presentations by the speakers, can be found at the DOT-COM Alliance
website cited below.


Although the focus of the discussion during these four weeks will be on
the Connectivity theme, the Moderators will also post messages of a more
general nature (i.e. announcements, newsletters, cases) that are
time-sensitive. To distinguish the Connectivity-theme messages, their
subject line will be labeled [GKD-DOTCOM], whereas the subject of the
general GKD messages will continue to be labeled [GKD], as usual.

***WORLD WIDE WEB SITES FOR THE DISCUSSION***

The DOT-COM Alliance website provides information about this discussion,
the DOT-COM/Interaction Speaker Series, and other projects using ICT to
support development:
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/speakerseries.htm 

For more information about this discussion series, please visit:
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/discussiongroup.htm 

The DOT-COM Archive of this discussion (as of October 27th) is available
at:
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/archive.html

More information about the InterAction ICT Initiative can be obtained
at:
http://www.interaction.org/ict 

The GKD database provides an easy way to search messages of this and
other GKD discussions:
http://www.GKDknowledge.org


For further information about the discussion, please contact:

Margie Joyce
[EMAIL PROTECTED]

Julie Fossler
[EMAIL PROTECTED] 

Janice Brodman
[EMAIL PROTECTED]





***GKD is solely supported by EDC, a Non-Profit Organization***
To post a message, send it to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
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Archives of previous GKD messages can be found at:

[GKD] Launch of GKD Database

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Dear GKD Members,

Welcome back, as GKD launches our 7th year!

We are very excited about the new, easily searchable GKD Database. This
is a great resource, with invaluable ideas, cases, opinions, strategies
and experiences that are difficult/impossible to obtain elsewhere -- and
all from you, the GKD members! Get info on ICT and gender. ICT and
health. ICT and business. And much, much more!

TAKE A LOOK! Go to:
http://www.GKDknowledge.org

This is a unique resource for everyone interested in ICT for
development. After using the database, please complete the survey that's
on the website.

You can search for messages in specific categories, geographic areas,
and along other criteria. You can also search for messages containing
specific words.

You will find below a press release announcing this new information
resource.

We hope to see *your* survey of:
www.GKDknowledge.org

Thanks!

Warm regards,

GKD Moderators



Online Global Community Offers Insights for Developing Countries

NEWTON, MA:  The wisdom of thousands of people around the world and
their efforts to use information technologies (IT) in developing
countries is now available and accessible on the Web. For the past six
years, people have turned to an online forum, Global Knowledge for
Development (GKD), created by Education Development Center, Inc., as a
free, trusted, and moderated email discussion to learn from others'
experience on how best to use IT to improve education, health and
economic development. Now, these valuable discussions, including
thousands of messages, are readily available and easy to find at
www.GKDknowledge.org

"It's hard to find out what people are doing with IT in developing
countries," says Janice Brodman of EDC. "Many organizations spend
enormous amounts of money trying to get that kind of information. On
GKD, thousands of people from over 120 countries have been sharing
information for free, for years. Everyone knows how valuable the
information is, and with the new database, these messages are
accessible."

With support from infoDev, a program managed by the World Bank to help
developing countries overcome obstacles to effective use of IT, EDC
developed software that made it easy to code the GKD messages. "It's
often a lot more valuable for someone in Uganda, say, to get information
from someone in the Philippines on what they're doing with computers,
than from someone in New York or Paris," says Stuart Klein, one of the
GKD moderators. "Now that kind of experience and knowledge is
permanently available to everyone."

Here are some examples of the kind of help available from the new GKD
resource:

* Villages without electricity or phones learn how to get connected to
the Internet. Fantsuam Foundation of Nigeria explains how they use
mobile community telecentres to bring IT to poor, rural communities in
Nigeria that lack electricity and telephones.
* Entrepreurs can learn how to benefit from E-commerce and online
training: A Peruvian company E-Connexions describes how it helps
Peruvian businesses use e-commerce and get online training.
* Schools in developing countries can access good computer hardware:
World Computer Exchange (WCE), a US-based nonprofit organization, has
had over 40 responses to one GKD message where they presented their used
computers collected from US companies, outfitted with modern software,
and shipped to schools in developing countries.
* Volunteer Opportunities: GKD posts messages from the United Nations
Volunteers organization, guiding interested volunteers towards
opportunities in poor countries.
* Learn about people's struggles with governments and international
organizations: In the GKD "controversies" section, participants from
China talk of their experience with government censorship. People from
Mexico to Malaysia promote "intellectual property rights" that serve the
poor.

Many in developing countries turn to GKD as a primary tool to connect
with the rest of the world. Email is their most economical source of
information and they know they can trust the information on GKD. "GKD
has helped us network," says Dorothy Okello, President of The Women of
Uganda Network (WOUGNET), who post their newsletter monthly on GKD.
"Through GKD we've been able to collaborate with other women's networks
around the world, from Senegal to Romania."

EDC hopes to continue building the GKD resource well into the future.
"We know from the thanks we receive how important this resource is to
those in developing countries," says Brodman. GKD is testimony that if
two heads are better than one, thousands of heads offer an unparalleled
source of knowledge.

***

Global Knowledge for Development (GKD) is an online forum where
thousands of people around the world share knowledge and experience
about the role of information technology in sustainable development. The
GKD database provides a user-friendly resource of cases, 

[GKD] Special Announcement: Launch of GKD Database

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Dear GKD Members,

Although GKD is still on vacation (until Sept. 15), we felt that List
Members would want to know that the GKD Database has just been launched.
This database is a compendium of all messages posted to the List since
its beginning, in March 1997. It is a unique resource of all the
invaluable ideas, cases, opinions, strategies and experiences that you,
our List members, have contributed to date. All messages are now
searchable by author, date, subject and/or category. Multiple search
criteria are supported. In addition, the entire database is now
full-text indexed, so that any particular phrase or word can be searched
on. We hope that members will help spread the word about this new
'knowledge base' for development. Please visit the site
 and let us know what you think by taking
the brief survey; this will help us continue to improve the database in
the future.

You will find below a press release announcing this new information
resource.

Sincerely,

the GKD Moderators



Online Global Community Offers Insights for Developing Countries

NEWTON, MA:  The wisdom of thousands of people around the world and
their efforts to use information technologies (IT) in developing
countries is now available and accessible on the Web. For the past six
years, people have turned to an online forum, Global Knowledge for
Development (GKD), created by Education Development Center, Inc., as a
free, trusted, and moderated email discussion to learn from others'
experience on how best to use IT to improve education, health and
economic development. Now, these valuable discussions, including
thousands of messages, are readily available and easy to find at
www.GKDknowledge.org

"It's hard to find out what people are doing with IT in developing
countries," says Janice Brodman of EDC. "Many organizations spend
enormous amounts of money trying to get that kind of information. On
GKD, thousands of people from over 120 countries have been sharing
information for free, for years. Everyone knows how valuable the
information is, and with the new database, these messages are
accessible."

With support from infoDev, a program managed by the World Bank to help
developing countries overcome obstacles to effective use of IT, EDC
developed software that made it easy to code the GKD messages. "It's
often a lot more valuable for someone in Uganda, say, to get information
from someone in the Philippines on what they're doing with computers,
than from someone in New York or Paris," says Stuart Klein, one of the
GKD moderators. "Now that kind of experience and knowledge is
permanently available to everyone."

Here are some examples of the kind of help available from the new GKD
resource:

* Villages without electricity or phones learn how to get connected to
the Internet. Fantsuam Foundation of Nigeria explains how they use
mobile community telecentres to bring IT to poor, rural communities in
Nigeria that lack electricity and telephones.
* Entrepreurs can learn how to benefit from E-commerce and online
training: A Peruvian company E-Connexions describes how it helps
Peruvian businesses use e-commerce and get online training.
* Schools in developing countries can access good computer hardware:
World Computer Exchange (WCE), a US-based nonprofit organization, has
had over 40 responses to one GKD message where they presented their used
computers collected from US companies, outfitted with modern software,
and shipped to schools in developing countries.
* Volunteer Opportunities: GKD posts messages from the United Nations
Volunteers organization, guiding interested volunteers towards
opportunities in poor countries.
* Learn about people's struggles with governments and international
organizations: In the GKD "controversies" section, participants from
China talk of their experience with government censorship. People from
Mexico to Malaysia promote "intellectual property rights" that serve the
poor.

Many in developing countries turn to GKD as a primary tool to connect
with the rest of the world. Email is their most economical source of
information and they know they can trust the information on GKD. "GKD
has helped us network," says Dorothy Okello, President of The Women of
Uganda Network (WOUGNET), who post their newsletter monthly on GKD.
"Through GKD we've been able to collaborate with other women's networks
around the world, from Senegal to Romania."

EDC hopes to continue building the GKD resource well into the future.
"We know from the thanks we receive how important this resource is to
those in developing countries," says Brodman. GKD is testimony that if
two heads are better than one, thousands of heads offer an unparalleled
source of knowledge.

***

Global Knowledge for Development (GKD) is an online forum where
thousands of people around the world share knowledge and experience
about the role of informati

[GKD] GKD List on Vacation

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Dear GKD Members,

The GKD List will be going on vacation as of August 4. GKD will take a
short hiatus, during which the Moderators will be on vacation and no
messages will be posted to the List.

The last day of posting will be August 1. GKD will resume in September.
We welcome Members to submit postings during this break; however, any
messages received will be posted after GKD resumes in September.

We wish all the Members for whom this is a holiday period, an enjoyable
vacation, and for the rest, a productive month. We eagerly look forward
to resuming our discussions in September.


Sincerely,
The GKD Moderators




***GKD is solely supported by EDC, a Non-Profit Organization***
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[GKD] GKD List Resumes

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Dear GKD Members,

Welcome back to the GKD List Discussion! We hope that everyone had an
enjoyable "vacation" (and for those List members who were working, that
they had a productive couple of months).

During the List hiatus, we received many submissions by our members.
These will take some time to sort through, so please be patient. Your
message will be posted during the next several days, assuming it is
still timely.

We look forward to continuing the lively debate and valuable exchange of
experience and knowledge, which have characterized the List over the
last several years. Thank you all for your active participation.


Sincerely,
GKD Moderators




***GKD is solely supported by EDC, a Non-Profit Organization***
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[GKD] Reminder: GKD List on Break

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Dear GKD Members,

This is a reminder that today will be the last day of posting before the
GKD List takes a short break. The List will resume in mid-September.
Members are welcome to submit messages during the break, but any
messages received will be posted after GKD returns.

We wish all our Members an enjoyable/productive month, and look forward
to resuming the discussion in September.


Sincerely,
the GKD Moderators





***GKD is solely supported by EDC, an NGO that is a GKP member***
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Archives of previous GKD messages can be found at:

[GKD] GKD List on Vacation

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Dear GKD Friends and Colleagues,

>From August 19 to September 16, GKD will take a short hiatus, during
which the Moderators will be on vacation and no messages will be posted
to the List. We welcome Members to submit postings during this break;
however, any messages received will be posted after GKD resumes in
September. The last day of posting before the break will be Friday,
August 16.

We wish all the Members for whom this is a holiday period, an enjoyable
vacation, and for the rest, a productive month. We eagerly look forward
to resuming our discussions in September.


Best Regards,
the GKD Moderators




***GKD is solely supported by EDC, an NGO that is a GKP member***
To post a message, send it to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
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[GKD] GKD List Archive Website

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Dear GKD Members,

Many GKD members have asked us for the location of the GKD List Archive.
Please note that the GKD archive can be found at:
http://www.edc.org/GLG/gkd/

Messages can be sorted by Date, Author or Subject, within each month,
and are threaded. If you encounter any problems using the Archive please
email the Moderators at: [EMAIL PROTECTED]

Best regards,

GKD List Moderators




***GKD is solely supported by EDC, an NGO that is a GKP member***
To post a message, send it to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
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[GKD] Request Input Regarding GKD Message Database

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Dear GKD Members,

We are creating a database and coding the GKD messages so they are
easier to search and the archive is a more useful resource. We would
like your input regarding the categories we plan to use. Please note
that our experience shows that it is best to use only a few categories.
The ones we have identified are:

* Country/region (countries within each region will be subcategories)
  - Africa 
  - Asia
  - Europe
  - Middle East
  - North America
  - Oceania
  - South America/Caribbean

* Cases/stories 
  - education
  - economics
  - governance
  - agriculture
  - environment
  - indigenous knowledge
  - other

* Policy-related information

* Technical information 
  - software
  - radio
  - satellite
  - hardware
  - other

Kindly send your feedback to the GKD Moderators' account
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. We would like to begin shortly, so will
appreciate receiving your input by October 4.

Many thanks,

GKD Moderators




***GKD is an initiative of the Global Knowledge Partnership***
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[GKD] GKD Will Not Be Moderated Today

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Dear GKD Members,

Our heartfelt prayers go out to all those who died or were injured in
the terrorist attacks that occurred in the US today, and to their
families, loved ones and fellow citizens. GKD will not be moderated
today, but will resume tomorrow.

Sincerely,

The GKD Moderators




***GKD is an initiative of the Global Knowledge Partnership***
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[GKD] Welcome Back to the GKD Discussion!

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Dear GKD Members,

Welcome back to the GKD List! We hope you all had an enjoyable summer.
We look forward to resuming our vibrant GKD discussion, and hearing from
you regarding your experiences using ICTs for Sustainable Development.
GKD membership continues to grow (currently 2500+ members in over 100
countries). We welcome suggestions for particular themes for discussion
as well as your ideas for making GKD an increasingly valuable resource.

We will soon begin establishing a database of the GKD archives. We will
send you proposed categories for the database, which will facilitate
searching the archives, and will welcome your input.

Many thanks for your valuable contributions to GKD.

Warm regards,

The GKD Moderators




***GKD is an initiative of the Global Knowledge Partnership***
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[GKD] GKD on vacation in August

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Dear GKD Members,

We would like to extend our very deep thanks to the members who sent us
messages describing the value GKD provides in their efforts to use ICT for
sustainable development.  Your words have been both extremely heartening
and helpful. We also greatly appreciate the kind words members have
offered to the GKD moderators.

GKD represents that very best of high quality online collaboration,
substantive knowledge exchange, and valuable policy and program
discussions. The success and value of GKD ultimately depends on the
contributions of the GKD members, who bring a sophisticated, thoughtful,
and experienced perspective to each topic under discussion. The fact that
GKD has emerged as *the* source of knowledge on the use of ICT for
development is recognition of every GKD member who has made a contribution
to the four-and-a-half year discussion.

We also want to emphasise the essential role that members of the GKP --
UNDP, the World Bank and UNESCO -- have played in supporting GKD. Without
the commitment of individuals within these organisations, GKD could not
have survived for these many years. They have provided not only financial
support, but also dedication to GKD's open and free exchange, and the high
quality of substantive discussion. We are extremely grateful for their
support and their efforts, which have helped to make GKD a trusted source
of information and open dialogue.

Tomorrow GKD goes on vacation for the month of August. We are hopeful that
during this period we will identify support for GKD's continuation into
the future. Again, we wish to express our profound thanks to the GKD
members. To those who are going on holiday, we wish you a wonderful,
relaxing month. To those who are not, we hope you have a productive month.

Members are welcome to send message during August that they wish to be
posted as of 7 September, when GKD resumes.

With warmest regards and thanks,

GKD Moderators





***GKD is an initiative of the Global Knowledge Partnership***
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[GKD] GKD seeks your input

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Dear GKD Members,

Due to the volume of messages we have received during the past week, the
GKD Moderators will extend GKD through Tuesday, July 31. Thus, GKD will be
"on vacation" from 1 August - 7 September 2001.

During August, we will be seeking sources of support to continue GKD. As we
do so, it is important to understand whether and how GKD has contributed to
your efforts to use ICT for development. We will be very grateful if you
would kindly send a brief message responding to the question:

*   Has GKD provided useful information in your efforts to use ICT for
development? Please explain.

Please send your message to the Moderators <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> or to
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>.

Again, our deep thanks to all GKD members for your generous and valuable
contributions in building this virtual community. We hope to hear from you!

With warm regards,

GKD Moderators





***GKD is an initiative of the Global Knowledge Partnership***
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Archives of previous GKD messages can be found at:

[GKD] GKD on vacation in August

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Dear GKD Colleagues,

First, we wish to thank all GKD members for the unique and valuable
resource you have created in GKD. Your insightful, informed messages
continue to make GKD one of the most superb sources of knowledge and
experience about "ICT for development" that exists. Together, you have
created that oft-cited, but rarely observed phenomenon: a true virtual
community, with about 2,500 members from 100+ countries. We are deeply
grateful for your generous contributions to making GKD a vigorous, high
quality, and inspiring exchange. GKD members worldwide often write us to
describe the contribution GKD has made to their lives and work.

 From 30 July to 7 September, GKD will take a short hiatus, during which
the Moderators will be on vacation and no messages will be posted to the
List. We welcome Members to submit postings during this break; however,
any messages received will be posted after GKD resumes in September.

We would also like to bring you up-to-date regarding GKD's financial
situation. We have had no financial support for GKD since end April. From
that time, the costs of GKD have been borne by EDC, a nonprofit with few
untied resources, and volunteer time of GKD moderators. During the
vacation period, we will be exploring options for GKD's future support.

As you know, the World Bank, UNDP and EDC have generously supported
GKD for more than 4 years, as part of the Global Knowledge Partnership. The
Global Knowledge Partnership Secretariat has shifted to the National
Information Technology Council (NITC), Malaysia and the Chair is now the
Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). They are seeking ways 
to support GKD within the context of a broader online presence of the
Partnership. We are hopeful we will identify the funding necessary to
continue this important resource.

We wish all the members for whom this is a holiday period, an enjoyable
vacation, and for the rest, a productive month. We eagerly look forward to
resuming our discussions in September.

With deep thanks and warm regards,

EDC Moderators




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[GKD] Request input on DOT Force Report, draft 2

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Dear GKD members,

The second draft of the DOT Force report is now available on the Markle
Foundation site:

http://www.markle.org/dotforce.html

Click "Online Resources," "Dot Force sites and Documents," "Second Draft
Report of the DOT Force."

There is a very tight timeline on providing input to this second draft of
the Report. We must submit comments to the Secretariat by April 15.
Therefore, we must receive your comments by this Friday morning, April 13.

Although the Report recommendations are quite broad, you will see many of
your suggestions reflected in the report.

We would very much appreciate receiving your comments/recommendations
regarding the Report. Some things to note:

* You may find part 4 (recommendations for action) of particular interest.
According to the Secretariat, this section has become "the main component
of the report, and includes strategic and operational recommendations for
specific actions under five headings stemming from the Okinawa Charter."
* The report suggests a two-tier approach, combining sectoral initiatives
within the context of an overall national ICT strategy.
* The role of the commercial sector is highlighted.
* The report calls for "local, regional and international initiatives to
foster a development-supportive process of globalization."

KEY QUESTIONS:

1. Are there any absolutely critical issues or recommendations missing
from the Report?
2. Is there sufficient emphasis on the role of the nonprofit sector? If
not, what changes/additions would you recommend for the report?
3. Are there any recommendations you would want to sharpen, or make more
specific? If so, how would you change them?
4. Do you think that the recommendations regarding the development of
national ICT strategies are well taken? Would you suggest any changes?
5. Are there any other changes you believe should be made in the Report?

As ever, we value your input tremendously, and look forward to your
comments.

With thanks and warm regards,

GKD Moderators






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Re: [GKD] Markle/HP Recommendation to the DOT Force

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Gary Garriot wrote:

  >>...the recent posting of GKD recommendations that was distributed at the
GKP annual meeting... is basically a list (in four areas) that goes on for
four long pages. Someone once told me that a list is a proxy statement for
"we don't know what we're doing" and to toss it out the window. Maybe it's
time to forget lists and concentrate on a few, maybe one, 'critical needs' in
every place to get things moving. If we can't come up with one, then
move on till you find one.<<

Just by way of clarification, the list of recommendations was drawn from 3
YEARS of GKD discussions, and the intent was to do exactly what Gary is
suggesting. Our hope is that GKD members will identify the few (preferably
one, and no more than three) TOP PRIORITY recommendations that the GKD
community would like to put before the DOT Force. Our belief is that we
don't need yet more, new recommendations -- the GKD discussion has already
offered this very rich list of thoughtful, serious recommendations to
address needs that span a wide range of issues. From among them, which
one(s) do GKD members consider to be the top priorities (i.e., 1-3
absolutely critical actions).

Thanks and regards,

Janice Brodman
GKD Moderator




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[GKD] Markle/HP Recommendation to the DOT Force

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Dear GKD Members,

As you may know, the US nongovernmental members of the DOT Force are
Markle Foundation and Hewlett/Packard (nonprofit and for-profit members,
respectively). Markle has been holding an online consultation (Digopp)
for US NGOs to feed into the DOT Force report. Drawing from that and
other consultation channels, Markle and H/P have developed a
recommendation for the DOT Force report, for which they are seeking
input. Given GKD members' extensive experience with ICTs and
development, it would be very valuable for them to get your feedback on
the recommendation.

The recommendation responds to the interest shown by DOT Force members
in facilitating collaboration among countries on national policies and
other local strategies that could accelerate the use of ICT for
development.

The idea is that the G8 would establish an "exchange" where developing
countries could broadcast their requests to a wide selection of
organizations capable of providing e-readiness assessments, strategic
advice, and ongoing support. Advice might range from helping formulate
overall national ICT strategies to more focused, tactical steps aimed at
breaking bottlenecks to progress. Mechanisms could vary from
on-the-ground assessments to "virtual policy centers", that could
provide e-mentoring, case studies, discussion groups, virtual help desks
and on-line  workshops.

KEY QUESTIONS

1. Would the approach described above be a viable, productive way for
the G8 and other donors to help developing countries conduct assessments
of their ICT policy environments, and implement programs to foster
effective use of ICTs for sustainable development?

2. What would be needed to encourage local buy-in, and development of
local capacity, necessary for formulating and implementing national
integrated strategies or other results from that type of assistance?

3. Are there certain principles that such an "exchange" could provide to
guide the formation of appropriate policy environments? If so, what are
the most important principles?

4. Based on your experience, does it appear viable and useful for such
an "exchange" to attempt to identify "key success factors" that should
be incorporated into a national ICT strategy?

We are very eager to hear your views, drawn from your experience in the
field.

Many thanks and warm regards,

GKD Moderators




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[GKD] GKP annual meeting & GKD recommendations

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Dear GKD members,

Last week, the GKP members held their annual meeting and discussed both GKP
activities and potential recommendations to the DOT Force. The outcomes of
the GKP meeting will soon be summarised and posted to GKD by the GKP
Secretariat, for your comment.  For more information on the GKP, see:

http://www.globalknowledge.org

In advance of the GKP meeting, we summarised the recommendations made by
GKD members during the past 3.5 years (see below) and circulated the
document at the GKP meeting. Our apologies for not sending this to you in
advance. The pressures of time and some unexpected demands made that
impossible. Kindly note that the GKD discussion on "digital divide" issues
has been extraordinarily rich and valuable, and summarising it into a few
key recommendations was quite challenging. We may have missed some
important recommendations; if so, please let us know and we will send them
to the GKP members.

Many thanks and warm regards,

GKD Moderators

*

GKD members have made a number of recommendations regarding the steps that
governments and international agencies can take to help expand access to
ICTs and promote their effective use in support of sustainable development.
We have synthesised the recommendations under four major topics of concern
for the DOT Force report:

I. Policies and regulatory steps
II. Infrastructure and access
III. Building human capacity
IV. Content, locally relevant applications, wealth creation


I. Policies and Regulatory Steps

1. *Promote more effective decision-making.* GKD members have long urged
development of more participatory decision-making processes related to ICTs
adoption and use. Key recommendations:

* Ensure that all key stakeholders participate in decision-making processes
related to ICT (with special attention to those typically bypassed, e.g.,
women, the poor, indigenous populations)
* Establish evaluation processes that solicit and integrate feedback from
those affected by ICT programmes, are transparent, and make the results
publicly available
* Help the poor get information that will enable them to address inequities
in the underlying structure of power, negotiate with other stakeholders,
and demand the information resources they need.
* Use ICT to establish two-way channels between local communities and
policy-makers
* Support e-governance applications that promote transparency, reduce
corruption, disseminate information on government programs, foster
participation

2. *Use international policy.* GKD members have noted that international
policies can be powerful levers in promoting an enabling environment for
effective ICT adoption and use. Key recommendations:

* Use inducements, e.g., debt relief, to encourage countries to develop and
implement National ICT Strategies that provide equal access to ICTs, e.g.,
by reducing ICT-related import duties, breaking up of monopolies, ensuring
universal service
* Ensure that issues of intellectual property ownership balance the rights
of individuals who need to access information with the rights of
individuals who produce knowledge
* Improve coordination of donors' ICT-related development efforts, as well
as their work with existing and potential development partners
* Build international systems that facilitate use of ICT for development,
e.g., financial systems to support e-commerce in the South; healthcare
information and materials resources to support e-health; communities of
practice among educators to support e-learning

3. *Link knowledge with concrete change.* GKD members have noted that real
development progress requires more than knowledge. It demands concrete
organisational change, e.g., in governmental processes, to enable
implementation of new knowledge. Key recommendations:

* Encourage and support concrete, specific governmental regulatory and
policy changes that will make it possible implement knowledge gained from
the Internet.
* Develop understanding among policy-makers regarding the potential
benefits of ICTs and the concrete requirements for obtaining those
benefits, e.g., skills among government staff in effective regulatory
decision-making and implementation; knowledge among educators, etc.
* Support networking (F2F and electronic) among decision-makers at all
levels of government in North and South, dealing with ICT issues

II. Infrastructure and Access

1. *Make access widely affordable.*  GKD members suggested that donor
governments and multilateral organisations should get directly involved in
ensuring widespread access. Key recommendations:

* Promote innovative approaches to providing easier, cheaper access to the
Internet, especially for the poor, women and other under-served groups,
e.g., via public "information access points," innovative revenue generation
models.
* Help Southern nations merge resources to strengthen their ability to
negotiate with all types of ICT-related vendors
* Promote pilot projects to foster economically feasible access models,
e.g.

[GKD] Final version report on Development Gateway

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Dear GKD members,

We would like to express our deep thanks to the many members who sent
comments on the GDG report. We are very grateful for the numerous messages
that found the report excellent. We integrated virtually all of the
suggestions that were made.  You can find the Final Report in HTML and PDF
on the EDC website:

http://www.edc.org/GLG/GDGreport

If you cannot reach the Web and would like the Word version, kindly send a
message to the GKD Moderators <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> and type in the
subject: Send GDG report

It is difficult to convey how much we value your participation in GKD.
Together, you have created a unique, powerful, and important virtual
community to support effective use of ICTs for sustainable development. We
have heard from many of you regarding the value GKD provides, and hope it
serves all members. We welcome your suggestions for making GKD a
continuing, value-added resource.

Again, our thanks and warm regards,

GKD Moderators




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[GKD] Launching DOT Force consultation

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Dear GKD Colleagues,

As you know, the Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP) would like to involve
GKD members to participate in an important discussion that will affect the
future of ICTs in developing countries. Last summer, the G8 recognized the
importance of ICTs by creating the DOT force to provide guidance on this
issue. The DOT force must report to the G8 in June with a plan for
mobilising and effectively utilising significant resources from the
industrialised world in order to expand the South's access to and benefits
from ICT. For more information on the DOT force see www.dotforce.org.

This initiative holds the promise of providing significant new resources
from the developed world, of realigned priorities from donors, and of
higher visibility for ICT applications throughout the world. However, all
this is only a promise, and depends crucially on the ability of the DOT
force efforts to mobilize this support.

The DOT force has set up a detailed series of consultations to produce this
plan, and has invited the Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP) to
participate.  Given the valuable role GKD plays as a global forum on ICTs
for development, the GKP would like to involve GKD members in providing
input into the DOT Force report. In addition, the GKP is hopeful that GKD
members will reach out to their own communities, especially those in the
South, to bring their voices into this discussion.

A list of the issues the DOT force is to address is included at the end of
this email. None of these issues will be new to the members of this List.
The general prescription of getting policy right, creating physical and
human capacity, and letting the private sector flourish is now commonly
accepted. What the DOT force needs, however, is practical information on
how to achieve these goals, and that is where GKD members can be invaluable.

We propose, therefore, to gather information from GKD members on their
activities and experiences in the DOT force areas of interest.  Given the
nature of this discussion, we are looking for experiences that are
applicable on a broad scale in developing countries.  Accordingly, we look
forward to hearing from you on the following points:

* Activities you are conducting, which address the DOT Force issues
* Lessons learned from these activities, both successes and failures
* Critical factors, both internal and external to your organization, that
contributed to these outcomes.
* Issues involved in developing large scale and/or sustainable application
of these activities
* Actions/resources required for broad application of successful results

Of course, many GKD members have generously shared information about their
activities in the past. We hope that you will kindly provide an update
about your activities, as well as the specific lessons they have for
expanding effective use of ICTs in the South.

The input from this discussion will feed into the GKP submission to the DOT
force. We are currently working on a set of web pages for
 to hold these submissions and background
documentation. We all recognize that these issues are complex and
interrelated. To present the material to the DOT force, we have decided to
abandon the usual linear report format for a more appropriate web format.
The DOT force will use a browser rather than a word processor to access the
material.

Time is short, as we must provide our input to the DOT force by April
2001.  We will greatly appreciate receiving your input as soon as possible.

I would also like to introduce myself to the list, although many of you
already know me. I have a PhD in economics from MIT, and have worked in
development 15 years. Until December, 1999, I was Work Program
Administrator of the infoDev Program at the World Bank. I left the Bank to
found an Internet based company which has currently ceased operations. The
GKP has hired me to coordinate these consultations, and I will be
co-facilitating this part of the GKD discussion, as well as providing
summaries of the dialogue.

Many thanks in advance.


Larry Forgy, GKP
[EMAIL PROTECTED]



*

The following is an excerpt from the Okinawa Charter, which created the DOT
force and charged it to examine the following issues:

Fostering policy, regulatory and network readiness:

* supporting policy advice and local capacity building, to promote a
pro-competitive, flexible and socially inclusive policy and regulatory
environment;
* facilitating the sharing of experience between developing countries and
other partners;
* encouraging more effective and greater utilization of IT in development
efforts encompassing such broad areas as poverty reduction, education,
public health, and culture;
* promoting good governance, including exploration of new methods of
inclusive policy development;
* supporting efforts of multilateral development banks (MDBs) and other
international organizations to pool intellectual and financial resources in
the context of co-ope

[GKD] The GKD Forum resumes!

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Dear GKD members,

First, deep thanks for the many warm, supportive messages we received
regarding the importance of resuming GKD, and the role GKD plays in your
work to use information and communications technologies (ICTs) for
sustainable development. Our own efforts to help make GKD a paramount
source of information in these areas have been motivated and rewarded by
knowing that it provides value to the members.

We are very pleased to announce that the GKP has generously offered to
sponsor the GKD Forum as of Monday, February 12, 2001, for the coming three
months. During that time, we will be working hard to arrange for GKD's
ongoing sustainability.

For the coming months, we would like to propose two major objectives for
GKD. The first continues GKD's established role in sharing information and
experience among those working to use ICTs for sustainable development.

The second major objective is to provide input into the DOT Force
consultations. As you may know, the Group of Eight created the Digital
Opportunity Task Force (DOT Force) to expand access to opportunities
offered by ICTs, and to mobilize resources and coordinate efforts to
address the global digital divide. With members from governments,
businesses, and nonprofit organizations, the DOT Force will report findings
and recommendations to the G8 in July 2001.

The GKP has been asked to conduct consultations with organisations
worldwide that will provide input into the DOT Force deliberations. As a
key forum for examination of these issues, GKD is an important source of
such input. GKP will greatly appreciate GKD members' contributions to the
DOT Force thread of discussion, including:

-Case descriptions of activities in the South aiming to close the
"digital divide"
-Lessons learned from such experiences
-Policies that support or obstruct activities that help close the
digital divide
-Research that would inform the DOT Force
-Recommendations for the DOT Force

Your input will feed directly into the GKP's report to the DOT Force. Of
course, many of you have described activities to "close the digital divide"
in your past messages. However, if members who have posted such
descriptions could kindly provide any update on their activities, it would
be extremely helpful.

On Monday we will post further details regarding the DOT Force thread of
the discussion, and a proposed agenda. We will also post a summary of the
major recommendations and "lessons learned" that have emerged from the GKD
discussion heretofore. These can provide a starting point for the DOT Force
thread of the discussion.

Again, many thanks to all GKD members for the important, valuable knowledge
and experience you share with this forum.

Warmest regards,

The Moderators





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[GKD] Digital Divide - US Non-Profit Working Group Consultation

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Dear GKD Members,

Later today we will be posting an update regarding the resumption of the
GKD discussion.

Meanwhile, I would like to inform you about a related, important discussion
of the DOT Force, which the G8 (the group of the world's eighth wealthiest
nations) established to help close the digital divide. Each member of the
DOT Force was asked to consult with other organisations in their country
and sector. The Markle Foundation, the U.S. non-profit member of the
DOT Force, is sponsoring an online Working Group, DIGOPP, to provide
a forum for U.S. nonprofit organisations to provide input into the DOT
Force deliberations. This is a valuable opportunity for US NGOs and
universities working to close the digital divide internationally and/or
domestically, to share experience and contribute to decisions of the
DOT Force. Please see the invitation, below.

Warm regards,

Janice

**

JOIN THE U.S. NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS'
WORKING GROUP FOR THE G-8's DOT FORCE!

At the Group of Eight Summit last summer, the Digital Opportunity Task
Force (DOT Force) was created to enhance global understanding of the
challenges and opportunities posed by information and communication
technologies, and to mobilize resources and coordinate efforts to
address the global digital divide. With members from governments, from
both developed and developing countries, businesses, and nonprofit
organizations, the DOT Force will report findings and recommendations
to the G8 in July 2001.

The Markle Foundation is pleased to serve on the DOT Force as the U.S.
non-profit member. As part of the consultation process for U.S.-based
non-profit organizations, the Markle Foundation is sponsoring the
DIGOPP Online Working Group (February 12 - April 20, 2001), which will
examine the relationship between digital divide issues and development
policies, poverty reduction and reduction of inequalities at the
global level.

The DIGOPP Working Group aims to move beyond a discussion of
"either/or" in the "technology for development" debate (e.g., "either"
technology "or" healthcare), understanding that ICT can be mutually
reinforcing to development goals.  It will:

* assess the current situation, addressing indicators and existing
gaps;
* discuss priority targets for concerted action by the G-8,
particularly in the areas of policy, regulatory and network readiness,
connectivity and access, human capital development, and content and
wealth creation;
* identify scope, successes and failures of existing efforts to bridge
the digital divide, including best practices and lessons learned

This effort is not meant to duplicate or replace the many important
and effective discussions currently in place on this issue.  Rather,
the DIGOPP Working Group provides a targeted opportunity for the
non-profit community to participate in shaping the work of the DOT
Force as it develops findings and recommendations to report back to
the G-8 this summer.  We hope you will join in this key effort.


*** HOW TO JOIN THE DIGOPP WORKING GROUP ***

Please send an email to:

[EMAIL PROTECTED]

Do *not* enter a subject. In the first line of the message, type:

subscribe digopp

Do not put anything after "digopp". You will receive a Welcome Letter
to the Working Group.


*** HOW TO GET THE DIGOPP WORKING GROUP DIGEST ***

You can get a digest of the Working Group messages rather than
individual messages. The digest includes all messages up to a maximum
digest of 50K; thus you will get 1-5 digests per week.

If you would like to get the digest, send an email to:

[EMAIL PROTECTED]

Do not enter a subject. In the body of the message, type:

subscribe digopp-digest

Do not put anything after "digopp-digest". You will receive a Welcome
Letter to the digest.


*** WORKING GROUP MODERATOR ***

This Working Group is moderated and facilitated by Education
Development Center, a non-profit organization.


*** FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ***

For further information about DIGOPP, please contact:

Janice Brodman
EDC
[EMAIL PROTECTED]







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[GKD] Report on the Global Development Gateway discussion

[Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator]

Dear GKD colleagues,

As you know, GKD has been on hiatus since December 20, 2000. However, as
promised, we would like to follow up regarding the Report on the GDG
discussion. The draft Report has been completed, and is available in both
PDF and HTML format at:

http://www.edc.org/GLG/GDGreport/

Note that this is a draft version of the Report, and we welcome your
comments, suggestions, and corrections during the coming two weeks
(through Wednesday, February 21, 2001). We will integrate your input and
prepare a final draft to be submitted to the GDG team and again
disseminated to GKD members.

Please send your comments to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (do not just hit reply,
which will send your message to the GKD List. Please note that comments
will not be posted to the List).

If you do not have access to the Web, please send a request for the Report
to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the subject line, type: Request GDG report

Finally, kindly note that the Report states that it is also available on
the Global Knowledge Partnership website, the GDG website, and the
Development Forum website. However, the Report was only just sent to those
organisations, and it will take some time for it to be uploaded to those
sites.

We would also like to let members know that we have been in discussions
with the GKP regarding resumption of the List discussion. We will send a
message soon with more details.

As ever, our deep thanks to all GKD members for your valuable
contributions, which have made GKD a paramount source of information about
the use of information and communications technologies for sustainable
development.

Warm regards,

GKD Moderators





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