Abstract
Information systems projects in developing countries continue to fail. Our research aims to understand some of the major issues that negatively impact the success of public sector information systems projects in developing countries. For this, we conducted a qualitative study of a state agricultural marketing board in India. The board initiated an information systems project in 2003. The objective of the project was to connect the various agricultural markets spread across the state by deploying hi-tech information and communication technologies. Unfortunately, the project was abandoned because of the growing conflicts between the government and private vendors implementing the project. The major stakeholders in the project included the government, private vendors, farmers and traders. The data for this critical case study were collected over a period of eight months from 2009 to 2012 using semi structured interviews, field visits and observations. The findings suggest that the lack of trust and resignation (to certain unfair practices being virtually impossible to change) arethe core issues that impede success of information systems implementation in developing countries.
Chapter PDF
References
Abbott, J.C.: Agricultural Marketing Boards in the Developing Countries. Journal of Farm Economics 49(3), 705 (1967)
Aker, J.C.: Dial “A” for agriculture: a review of information and communication technologies for agricultural extension in developing countries. Agricultural Economics 42(6), 631–647 (2011)
Almond, F., Hainsworth, S.: Beyond Agriculture–Making Markets Work for the Poor. In: Proceedings of an International Seminar, Westminister, London, UK. Crop Post–Harvest Programme (CPHP). Natural Resources International Limited, Aylesford, Kent and Practical Action, Bourton on Dunsmore, Warwickshire, UK, Febrauary 28 -March 1, p. 176 (2005)
Anupindi, R., Sivakumar, S.: Supply Chain Reengineering in Agri-Business. In: Lee, H.L., Lee, C.-Y. (eds.) Building Supply Chain Excellence in Emerging Economies, vol. 98, pp. 265–307. Springer US (2007)
Baba, M.L.: Dangerous liaisons: Trust, distrust, and information technology in American work organizations. Human Organization 58(3), 331–346 (1999)
Ballantyne, P.: Accessing, Sharing and Communicating Agricultural Information for Development: emerging trends and issues. Information Development 25(4), 260–271 (2009)
Banerji, A., Meenakshi, J.V.: Millers, Commission Agents and Collusion in Grain Auction Markets: Evidence From Basmati Auctions in North India. Centre for Development Economics, Delhi School of Economics Working Paper Series 129 (2004)
Banker, R., Mitra, S., Sambamurthy, V.: The effects of digital trading platforms on commodity prices in agricultural supply chains. MIS Quarterly 35(3), 599-A593 (2011)
Batt, P.J.: Building Trust in the Filipino Seed Potato Industry. Journal of International Food and Agribusiness Marketing 13(4), 23–41 (2001a)
Batt, P.J.: Factors Influencing a Potato Farmer’s Choice of Seed Supplier: Empirical Evidence from the Philippines. Journal of International Food and Agribusiness Marketing 12(2), 71–91 (2001b)
Batt, P.J.: Building trust between growers and market agents. Supply Chain Management 8(1), 65–78 (2003)
Batt, P.J.: Incorporating measures of satisfaction, trust and power-dependence into an analysis of agribusiness supply chains. In: Johnson, G.I., Hofman, P.J. (eds.) Agriproduct Supply Chain Management in Developing Countries. Proceedings of a Workshop Held in Bali, Indonesia, August 19-22, vol. 119, p. 194. ACIAR (Australian Council for International Agricultural Research) (2003)
Batt, P.J., Rexha, N.: Building Trust in Agribusiness Supply Chains: A Conceptual Model of Buyer-Seller Relationships in the Seed Potato Industry in Asia. Journal of International Food and Agribusiness Marketing 11(1), 1–17 (1999)
Best, R., Ferris, S., Schiavone, A.: Building linkages and enhancing trust between small-scale rural producers, buyers in growing markets and suppliers of critical inputs. Paper Presented at the CPHP Workshop on Beyond Agriculture: Making Markets Work for the Poor, London (2005), http://www.cphp.uk.com/uploads/documents/CPHPTheme%20papers.pdf
Blattman, C., Jensen, R., Roman, R.: Assessing the Need and Potential of Community Networking for Development in Rural India. The Information Society 19(5), 349–364 (2003)
Boeije, H.: A Purposeful Approach to the Constant Comparative Method in the Analysis of Qualitative Interviews. Quality & Quantity 36(4), 391–409 (2002)
Braun, V., Clarke, V.: Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology 3(2), 77–101 (2006)
Chengappa, P.G.: Institutional Aspects of Agricultural Marketing in India. In: Pal, S., Mruthyunjaya, Joshi, P.K., Saxena, R. (eds.) Institutional Change in Indian Agriculture, National Centre For Agricultural Economics And Policy Research, New Delhi (2003)
Christiaensen, L., Demery, L., Kuhl, J.: The (Evolving) Role of Agriculture in Poverty Reduction. UNU-WIDER Working Paper, 36, 1–37 (2010)
DIT. Draft Report on Impact Assessment of e-Governance Projects. New Delhi: Department of Information Technology, Government of India (2008)
Drafor, I., Atta-Agyepong, K.: Local information systems for community development in Ghana, vol. 9. Rome: Agricultural Support Systems Division, FAO (2005)
FAO. Market information services. Theory and practice, Rome: FAO (1997)
Ghadiyali, T., Lad, K., Patel, B.: Agriculture Intelligence: An Emerging Technology for Farmer Community. Paper Presented at the Second International Conference on Emerging Applications of Information Technology (EAIT), Februaury 19-20 (2011)
Giovannucci, D., Scherr, S., Nierenberg, D., Hebebrand, C., Shapiro, J., Milder, J., Wheeler, K.: Food and Agriculture: the future of sustainability. A strategic input to the Sustainable Development in the 21st Century (SD21) project. New York United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Division for Sustainable Development (2012)
Goyal, A.: Information, Direct Access to Farmers, and Rural Market Performance in Central India. American Economic Journal: Applied Economics 2(3), 22–45 (2010)
Heeks, R.: Information System in Developing Countries: Failure, Success, and Local Improvisations. The Information Society 18, 101–112 (2002)
Islam, M.S., Grönlund, Å.: Agriculture Market Information Services (AMIS) in the Least Developed Countries (LDCs): Nature, Scopes, and Challenges. In: Wimmer, M.A., Chappelet, J.-L., Janssen, M., Scholl, H.J. (eds.) EGOV 2010. LNCS, vol. 6228, pp. 109–120. Springer, Heidelberg (2010)
Jensen, R.T.: Information, efficiency, and welfare in agricultural markets. Agricultural Economics 41, 203–216 (2010)
Kamala, G.: ICT use by businesses in rural India: The case of EID Parry’s Indiagriline. International Journal of Information Management 28(4), 336–341 (2008)
Krishna, S., Walsham, G.: Implementing public information systems in developing countries: Learning from a success story. Information Technology for Development 11(2), 123–140 (2010)
Kydd, J., Dorward, A.: Implications of market and coordination failures for rural development in least developed countries. Journal of International Development 16(7), 951–970 (2004)
Lokanathan, S., De Silva, H.: Leveraging Mobile 2.0 in India for Agricultural Market Access. SSRN eLibrary (2010)
MAPIT. E-Agricultural Marketing in Madhya Pradesh (2006), http://www.iimahd.ernet.in/egov/ifip/dec2006/article1.htm (retrieved)
Meenakshi, J.V., Banerji, A.: The unsupportable support price: an analysis of collusion and government intervention in paddy auction markets in North India. Journal of Development Economics 76(2), 377–403 (2005)
Mittal, S., Gandhi, S., Tripathi, G.: Socio-Economic Impact of Mobile Phones on Indian Agriculture. Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations, Working Paper No. 246 (2010)
Molony, T.: Running out of credit: the limitations of mobile telephony in a Tanzanian agricultural marketing system. The Journal of Modern African Studies 46(04), 637–658 (2008)
Muto, M., Yamano, T.: The Impact of Mobile Phone Coverage Expansion on Market Participation: Panel Data Evidence from Uganda. World Development 37(12), 1887–1896 (2009)
Myers, M.D.: Qualitative Research in Business & Management. Sage Publications, London (2009)
Myers, M.D., Klein, H.K.: A set of principles for conducting critical research in information systems. MIS Q 35(1), 17–36 (2011)
Parikh, T., Patel, N., Schwartzman, Y.: A survey of information systems reaching small producers in global agricultural value chains. Paper Presented at the International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies and Development (2007)
Park, S.: Market information and price reporting systems in food and agricultural sector. Journal of Rural Development 12(1), 19–47 (1989)
Pokhrel, D.M., Thapa, G.B.: Are marketing intermediaries exploiting mountain farmers in Nepal? A study based on market price, marketing margin and income distribution analyses. Agricultural Systems 94(2), 151–164 (2007)
Rao, N.H.: A framework for implementing information and communication technologies in agricultural development in India. Technological Forecasting and Social Change 74(4), 491–518 (2007)
Shepherd, A.S.: Market Information Services: Theory and Practice. FAO, Rome (1997)
Shepherd, A.W., Schalke, A.J.F.: The Indonesian horticultural market information service. FAO, Rome (1995)
Tollens, E.F.: Market Information Systems in sub-Sahara Africa Challenges and Opportunities. Paper Presented at the International Association of Agricultural Economists Conference, Gold Coast, Australia (2006)
Vaidya, R.: Computerization of Agricultural Marketing Board: Lessons from Madhya Pradesh, India. Information Technology in Developing countries 19(1), 8–12 (2009)
Vaidya, R., Myers, M.D., Gardner, L.: The Design - Reality Gap: The Impact of Stakeholder Strategies on IS Implementation in Developing Countries. In: Nüttgens, M., Blinn, N. (eds.) Governance and Sustainability in IS. IFIP AICT, vol. 366, pp. 119–134. Springer, Heidelberg (2011)
Van Crowder, L.: Marketing Information Systems for Small-Scale Farmers. Information Development 13(4), 179–183 (1997)
Walsham, G.: ICTS for the broader development of India: An analysis of the literature. EJISDC 41(4), 1–20 (2010)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2013 IFIP International Federation for Information Processing
About this paper
Cite this paper
Vaidya, R., Myers, M.D., Gardner, L. (2013). Major Issues in the Successful Implementation of Information Systems in Developing Countries. In: Dwivedi, Y.K., Henriksen, H.Z., Wastell, D., De’, R. (eds) Grand Successes and Failures in IT. Public and Private Sectors. TDIT 2013. IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology, vol 402. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-38862-0_10
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-38862-0_10
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-38861-3
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-38862-0
eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)