Ethnographic Approach to User-Centred Evaluation of Telecentres

2. Relevant Literature

There is considerable doubt about the success of top down approach to implementing ICT enabled projects in developing counties (Kirlidog & Aydemir, 2005; Leaning, 2005; Nikam, Ganesh, & Tamizhchelevan, 2004). Local contexts need to be taken into consideration while developing contents and applications. In order to conduct meaningful assessments, it is necessary to know whether or not ICT interventions address the local needs. To show the necessity for this approach and to provide the required background and context, this section provides a brief overview of the agricultural structure in rural Bangladesh and outlines the potential contribution of improved knowledge and information to its development. The contribution of ICTs including telecentres to resolving information problems as outlined in the existing research is then examined. The final part of the section provides a critical examination of the main theoretical models used for the analysis of technology acceptance in the information systems literature. While recognizing the conceptual strengths of these models, it argues for their supplementation by models taken from the social science literature in order to capture fully the dynamic interactions between society and technology.