Exploring the perception of users of community ICT centers on the effectiveness of ICT on poverty in Ethiopia: A qualitative study

The potential and deployment of information and communication technologies (ICTs) as a development tool have raised divergent views on the relation between ICT and poverty. The purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to explore the role ICT plays in addressing poverty in the context of the impact of community ICT centers on the user community. Serving as the theoretical framework for the study were the input-process-output contingency model of R. Benbunan-Fich, S. R. Hiltz, and L. Harasim (2005); the innovation diffusion theory of E. M. Rogers (1983); the integral and systematic view of ICT developed by R. Heeks (2002); and ICT and development of M. Torero and J. von Braun (2006). In addition, the maximum variation strategy was used to select five community ICT centers. Qualitative data were collected from focus group discussions, interviews, observations, and documents to answer three research questions related to the perception of users on the community ICT centers. Constant comparative analysis was used to analyze individual cases, and cross case analysis was conducted. The findings suggest that each community ICT center has demonstrated the benefits of using the center and these benefits have an influence on the daily life of the users. However, the benefits for individual centers were influenced by factors that were unique to each of the centers. Insights from the study have important implications on effective utilization of community ICT centers in addressing poverty. It is imperative to link community ICT centers with the development program of the community to effectively use ICT to alleviate poverty.