New Data, Initial Findings and Opportunities for Analysis

International organizations and multilaterals have played an important role in fostering recent interest in the potential to use information and communication technologies (ICTs) to promote development (ICT4D). In addition to investment in specific projects, a substantial portion of this activity has involved research, analysis, and the production of public reports on ICTs for development. In this paper I present new data gathered from an analysis of 39 reports produced in the period 1994-2005 by ten different organizations. I highlight key trends in norms about the uses of technology and the goals of ICT for development initiatives, in addition to perspectives on potential barriers to success and strategies for overcoming these barriers. I then test the relevance of these international norms in the cases of India and South Africa. Through this discussion I show that while there has been significant interest in ICTs for development, there is only moderate level of consensus across these organizations on ICT4D norms. In addition, while there is some evidence of activities consistent with these norms and perspectives at the domestic level, there are clear economic and political barriers to the adoption of new ICT for development strategies without explicit sanctions or incentives