Analyzing conflict and its management within ICT4D partnerships: an institutional logics perspective
Promotion and presence of partnerships have been growing within information and communication technology for development (ICT4D). Yet – despite limited analytical literature on this topic – it is clear that the reality of ICT4D partnerships often undershoots the potential, with frequent reports of f...
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| Format: | Article |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2018
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| _version_ | 1825805503104548864 |
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| author | Ismail, Shahifol Arbi Heeks, Richard Nicholson, Brian Aman, Aini |
| author_facet | Ismail, Shahifol Arbi Heeks, Richard Nicholson, Brian Aman, Aini |
| author_sort | Ismail, Shahifol Arbi |
| collection | UUM |
| description | Promotion and presence of partnerships have been growing within information and communication technology for development (ICT4D). Yet – despite limited analytical literature on this topic – it is clear that the reality of ICT4D partnerships often undershoots the potential, with frequent reports of failure, particularly arising from conflict between partners. This paper addresses calls for more and better-conceptualized research into ICT4D partnerships, with a specific focus on understanding the roots and management of conflict in such partnerships. We use qualitative field data from a Malaysian IT “impact sourcing” public–private partnership case study, viewed through the lens of institutional logics and conflict management strategies. Analysis of three vignettes from the negotiation of the initiative shows one partner always used a competitive approach to conflict management. This led issues to remain unresolved and led the partnership arrangement to steadily loosen. The outcome was always domination of private logic over public logic. As a result, and lacking an overt advocate, welfare goals of the partnership were somewhat sidelined. Our paper contributes by showing (a) how institutional logics helps explain the outcome of ICT4D partnerships, and (b) how the conflict management strategies framework helps explain the practice of conflicting institutional logics in such partnerships. |
| first_indexed | 2024-07-04T06:33:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | uum-26606 |
| institution | Universiti Utara Malaysia |
| last_indexed | 2024-07-04T06:33:24Z |
| publishDate | 2018 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | eprints |
| spelling | uum-266062019-11-20T02:27:57Z https://repo.uum.edu.my/id/eprint/26606/ Analyzing conflict and its management within ICT4D partnerships: an institutional logics perspective Ismail, Shahifol Arbi Heeks, Richard Nicholson, Brian Aman, Aini QA75 Electronic computers. Computer science Promotion and presence of partnerships have been growing within information and communication technology for development (ICT4D). Yet – despite limited analytical literature on this topic – it is clear that the reality of ICT4D partnerships often undershoots the potential, with frequent reports of failure, particularly arising from conflict between partners. This paper addresses calls for more and better-conceptualized research into ICT4D partnerships, with a specific focus on understanding the roots and management of conflict in such partnerships. We use qualitative field data from a Malaysian IT “impact sourcing” public–private partnership case study, viewed through the lens of institutional logics and conflict management strategies. Analysis of three vignettes from the negotiation of the initiative shows one partner always used a competitive approach to conflict management. This led issues to remain unresolved and led the partnership arrangement to steadily loosen. The outcome was always domination of private logic over public logic. As a result, and lacking an overt advocate, welfare goals of the partnership were somewhat sidelined. Our paper contributes by showing (a) how institutional logics helps explain the outcome of ICT4D partnerships, and (b) how the conflict management strategies framework helps explain the practice of conflicting institutional logics in such partnerships. Taylor & Francis Group 2018 Article PeerReviewed Ismail, Shahifol Arbi and Heeks, Richard and Nicholson, Brian and Aman, Aini (2018) Analyzing conflict and its management within ICT4D partnerships: an institutional logics perspective. Information Technology for Development, 24 (1). pp. 165-187. ISSN 0268-1102 http://doi.org/10.1080/02681102.2017.1320962 doi:10.1080/02681102.2017.1320962 doi:10.1080/02681102.2017.1320962 |
| spellingShingle | QA75 Electronic computers. Computer science Ismail, Shahifol Arbi Heeks, Richard Nicholson, Brian Aman, Aini Analyzing conflict and its management within ICT4D partnerships: an institutional logics perspective |
| title | Analyzing conflict and its management within ICT4D partnerships: an institutional logics perspective |
| title_full | Analyzing conflict and its management within ICT4D partnerships: an institutional logics perspective |
| title_fullStr | Analyzing conflict and its management within ICT4D partnerships: an institutional logics perspective |
| title_full_unstemmed | Analyzing conflict and its management within ICT4D partnerships: an institutional logics perspective |
| title_short | Analyzing conflict and its management within ICT4D partnerships: an institutional logics perspective |
| title_sort | analyzing conflict and its management within ict4d partnerships an institutional logics perspective |
| topic | QA75 Electronic computers. Computer science |
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