A technology strategy analysis for the deployment of broadband connectivity for economic development in emerging economies : studying the case of Kenya using the CLIOS process

The role of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in economic development is increasingly moving to the core of national competitiveness strategies around the world thanks to its revolutionary power as a critical enabler of growth, development and modernization. As a result, many nations in emerging economies have initiated projects with the aim of increasing universal access to communications such as the deployment of broadband internet; one such nation is Kenya. Kenya recently drafted a national ICT policy (2006) and with the advent of broadband internet through the completion of several submarine (optic fiber) cable projects, the country now faces the challenge of converting this newly deployed infrastructure into a catalyst for sustainable economic growth. Each nation invariably presents a set of unique challenges, characteristics and circumstances that can only be overcome through a comprehensive and integrated technology strategy that appreciates the complexities and dependencies of the sector space and the myriad of interests influencing the policy sphere. This thesis presents a technology strategy formulation approach that can be effectively used to model and analyze this technology policy problem called the Complex Large Interconnected Open Socio-technical (CLIOS) Process and applies it to the Kenya ICT sector with reference to the deployment of broadband with a goal of achieving sustainable economic growth.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Engineering Systems Division.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2009

Author dc:creator

• Omwenga, Brian Gichana

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Joseph Sussman.

• Engineering Systems Division.
• Technology and Policy Program.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/57523

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/57523