ICTs and monitoring of MDGs: a case study of Kenya HIV/AIDS monitoring and evaluation in a donor multi-agency context

Bernardi, Roberta; Chiara, Francesca De

doi:10.1080/02681102.2010.511699

Cited by 11 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…Therefore, if researchers or practitioners wish to promote more democratic forms of impact evaluation, rather than autocratic or bureaucratic ones (MacDonald, ; Norris, ), researchers cannot ignore power in data/knowledge work, managerial controls (eg, Bernardi & De Chiara, : 37–38), or local knowledge generation (Walsham & Sahay, : 11; Thompson, ). Evaluation may be “captured” by vested interests, bureaucratic, or neoliberal market forces (Picciotto, : 152), especially where mundane power dynamics operate expertly and silently.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An activity theory study of data, knowledge, and power in the design of an international development NGO impact evaluation

Kelly

2018

Information Systems Journal

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International development is now a data-, information-, and knowledge-intensive industry, which some have characterised as "development 2.0." Power relations are rarely foregrounded in this landscape, even though they shape what data and knowledge is constructed or discarded. Impact evaluation is one example of this intensive work, yet evaluation models seldom make power relations explicit or actionable. Furthermore, implicit models of data and knowledge on which impact evaluation processes rely also neglect power and social practice.The resulting problem is that power remains silent in development impact evaluation practice. In response, this article articulates an alternative, using Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) to analyse impact evaluation activities conducted by a UK-based philanthropic donor and their grantee in India, a small non-government organisation (NGO) doing rural development work. The analysis uses CHAT to illustrate how impact data, knowledge, and power are simultaneously generated during professional evaluation activities. The study broadens our view of impact and offers two contributions. Firstly, for researchers in information and communications technology for development (ICT4D) and knowledge management for development (KM4D), it contributes the application of a perspective on social practice, CHAT, to development evaluation. A novel extension to CHAT, the concept of "temporal activity chains," is put forward to complement the established activity system frame. Secondly, the article demonstrates a practice-based view of development impact evaluation for researchers and practitioners who wish to acknowledge and respond to the generation of unequal power dynamics during evaluation processes. KEYWORDScultural historical activity theory (CHAT), data, knowledge, power, international development, impact evaluationThis is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An activity theory study of data, knowledge, and power in the design of an international development NGO impact evaluation

Kelly

2018

Information Systems Journal

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“…Institutional theory is rich with numerous concepts, but this paper particularly uses the concept of institutional logics, which represents a core notion in sociology and organizational studies . Multiple institutional logics have been studied in a broad range of domains, including the health domain (Bernardi and De Chiara, 2011;Currie and Guah, 2007;Gutierrez and Friedman, 2005;Koç and Vurgun, 2012;Yeow and Faraj, 2011) and the information-systems domain (Currie and Guah, 2007;Sahay et al, 2010).…”

Section: Conceptual Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is mHealth Disrupting the Status Quo? Evidence from Implementations Highlighting Network vs. Hierarchical Institutional Logics

Asangansi¹

2016

E J Info Sys Dev Countries

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Health Management Information Systems (HMIS) in developing countries have yet to live up to expectations because of the significant proportion of implementation failures. Mobile health (mHealth) technologies are being adopted increasingly in Ministries of Health (MoHs) to address aspects of HMIS implementation failure, such as the timeliness and ease of data collection from the lowest levels of healthcare. However, networked technologies such as mobile technologies used in mHealth data collection can introduce a network logic into the organization. This network logic, which often favors open, non‐hierarchical modes of communication, must work with the traditional hierarchical bureaucratic logic of the HMIS and the MoH in which they become embedded. This paper conceptualizes the interaction between these two logics. It draws on succinct, empirical vignettes from two action‐research projects involving the use of mHealth technology to improve data collection for the HMIS in Nigeria. Based on these findings and an institutional logics lens, this paper argues that the interaction between these logics potentially leads to a conflict where the logic embedded in networked technologies (such as mHealth) disrupts and challenges the existing hierarchical logic in the bureaucracy (such as in the MoH). It threatens not only to unsettle existing practices and norms in the organization, but also to restructure (flatten) the organization, due to resistance, loss, or changes in some pre‐existing roles. Practitioners and implementation researchers need to be sensitive to potential hierarchical and network‐centric forces that are involved in implementing mHealth in traditional hierarchical settings, particularly with regards to the unintended side effects that may arise in the process.

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“…The aim of the MDGs was to invent ways of boosting human development in developing countries. The world leaders gave themselves a time frame of 15 years to achieve the goals (Bernardi & Chiara, 2011). One of the eight MDGs deals with control of HIV/AIDS.…”

Section: Statement Of the Problemmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The resulting commitments came to be known as MDGs (Dodd & Cassels, 2006). MDGs were developed by the UN member states to address development issues in underdeveloped countries (Bernardi & Chiara, 2011). Health, in general, is at the center of the MDGs and is identified as a significant factor in poverty reduction and a measure of general human wellbeing (Dodd & Cassels, 2006;Moradi et al, 2011).…”

Section: Millennium Development Goalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The MDGs offer a benchmark for development and have received acceptance from both the developed and developing countries. MDGs are also important strategic tools for promoting human development and political commitment by leaders at the global level(Moradi et al, 2011).In 2001, during the 26 th special session of the General Assembly of United Nations, member states adopted a declaration of commitment on HIV/AIDS to address the growing threat posed by the pandemic, which at the time had infected 36.1 million people across the globe, with 75% of the victims residing in Sub-Saharan Africa(Bernardi & Chiara, 2011) Bernardi and Chiara (2011). noted that the declaration led to setting up of millions of dollars in grants such as the Global Fund and the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) to assist developing countries address health challenges posed by malaria, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Beyond The Millennium Development Goals: An Evaluation Of The War On Hiv/aids In Kenya

Nyaga¹

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ICTs and monitoring of MDGs: a case study of Kenya HIV/AIDS monitoring and evaluation in a donor multi-agency context

Cited by 11 publications

References 23 publications

An activity theory study of data, knowledge, and power in the design of an international development NGO impact evaluation

An activity theory study of data, knowledge, and power in the design of an international development NGO impact evaluation

Is mHealth Disrupting the Status Quo? Evidence from Implementations Highlighting Network vs. Hierarchical Institutional Logics

Beyond The Millennium Development Goals: An Evaluation Of The War On Hiv/aids In Kenya

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