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Top1. Introduction
Information and communications technologies (ICT) policy implementation is carrying out policy activities through processes, programs and politics to achieve policy goals (Eckardt, 2021; Fowler, 2019; Makoza, 2019). ICT policy processes, programs and activities are carried out to address issues of ICT access, affordability, supporting delivery of public services, redress marginalisation of communities, support regulation and application of ICTs, and attracting foreign direct investments. Some of the ICT policies goals are supporting economies to become knowledge-based economies, participate in global trade and improve the well-being of citizens (Gomez-Barroso & Hanafizadeh & Bohlin, 2020; Niebel, 2018). In Africa, execution of ICT policies has been problematic despite governments having written down policy documents and integrating ICT policies in the development strategies (Jorgenson & Vu, 2016; Ordonez, 2015). Some of the challenges are inadequate financial resources, lack of leadership to champion the ICT policies, lack of political will, inadequate human capacity, unrealistic policy declarations and conflict of interests among the stakeholders (Aziz, 2020; Makoza, 2019b; Makoza, & Chigona, 2016). These challenges contribute towards the delays in ICT policy execution, implementation failure and non-delivery of expected policy outcomes (Kamba, 2013; Makoza, 2019b).
This paper argues that public-private partnership (PPP) can expedite ICT policy implementation activities e.g. policy programs, processes and politics. In this context, Public private partnerships are “forms of cooperation between public authorities and the world of business which aim to ensure the funding, construction, renovation, management or maintenance of an infrastructure or provision of a service” (Cormona, 2010:111). From the definition, public private partnership is collaboration between public and private organisations with the aim of working together in ICT infrastructure investments, legal instruments development and human capital development. The organisations combine resources, expertise and political power of government (Broggard & Petersen, 2018; Cepparulo, Eusepi & Giuriato, 2019). Public private partnership also supports better investment choices, procurement processes, contract management, risk management; and high performance and outcomes of investment projects (Almarri & Abuhijleh, 2016; Gomez-Barroso & Feijoo, 2010; Mouraviev & Kakabase, 2012; Willams & Falch, 2012; Willems & Van Dooren, 2014). Against this backdrop, public private partnership approaches can be appropriate in carrying out ICT policy in synergies of programs, processes and politics to achieve policy goals (Chen, Ke, Yang & Wang, 2019; Mouraviev & Kakabase, 2012).
While there are studies of public private partnership in ICT sectors (e.g. Fulch & Henten, 2010; Kuriyan & Ray, 2010; Tolstolesova, Glukhikh, Yumanova & Arzikulov, 2021), studies on the role of public private partnership in supporting ICT policy implementation are missing in literature (Caperchione, Demirag & Grossi, 2017). This study focused on understanding the role of public private partnerships in carrying out ICT policy activities in the context of developing countries where is an urgent need of ICT infrastructure and services (Makoza, 2019b; Njoh, 2018).