Karlstad University and Ericsson in new global collaborationFebruary 28, 2003At the same time as the Third World is expected to be the next huge market for western IT giants, it is also becoming more and more evident that information technology can help ameliorate the situation for the poorest of the poor. If it is adapted to their needs. Efficient communication has long been seen as a fundamental source of change and development. Many researchers now believe that sustainable development in the world's poorest regions can only be achieved with the aid of efficient systems of communication. In this connection, information technology is an invaluable tool. But success requires a new way of thinking about and using new technology. Together with Ericsson Forsight and the Ericsson program "Communication for All," the Center for HumanIT at Karlstad University in Sweden has initiated a research project "Bridging the Digital Divide." The project was launched on January 1 this year. The aim is to study how IT can contribute to sustainable development and reduce poverty in the world's poorest countries. The focus is on rural areas that lag the farthest behind when it comes to communication channels and access to information. "The utilitarian effects we can achieve with the help of IT are numerous, from educational opportunities and interactive health care to supporting local producers in their attempts to reach new customers. The most important thing is that we let the users determine the needs. Technology must adapt to their situation, living conditions, and i," says Susanne Sundén, coordinator of the project at the Center for HumanIT. Together with Karlstad doctoral student Gudrun Wicander she has visited Zambia a couple of times to study the IT situation and the existing communication patterns in rural areas. More trips are in the pipeline within the framework of the new project. "The aim is to gather facts in order to give the population in the Third World what they need. In this way we can create sustainable IT solutions that can help alleviate the problems of the poorest of the poor. What's more, efficient use of modern IT can enable developing countries to leapfrog certain stages in their endeavor to modernize their societies." The Center for Human Values of Information Technology at Karlstad University is a research platform focusing on the interplay between human beings and information technology. Ericsson Forsight is a group at Ericsson that researches future markets and needs for information technology. Ericsson's "Communication for All" program specially targets countries in the Third World with the purpose of creating new communication opportunities in the poorest regions of the world. VetenskapsrÃ¥det (The Swedish Research Council) |
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