Document(s) 6 of 19

Connectivity in Africa

CABECA

Under the CABECA project, countries are provided the required equipment for a Fido node, training of the systems operators and the users, and back stopping. In some instances, electronic mail (e-mail) is the only facility available, whereas in others BBS have also been set up.

Impact Study on Electronic Communication in Africa

Objectives and Geographic Coverage

The study could not cover all countries where e-mail access has been provided for some time. Those to be selected were ideally to cover the variety of background conditions, experiences, and geographical areas found on the continent. Material constraints did not allow for including more than four countries. Selected for study were:

Horn of Africa — Ethiopia

Eastern Africa — Uganda

Southern Africa — Zambia

Western Africa — Senegal

A local investigator, or team of investigators, will conduct the study in each country. It was felt that the electronic communication system operators in the countries under study might not have the required research background and skills and would be too busy to conduct the studies themselves. They should, however, be closely associated with the studies. In each of the four selected countries, a local investigator was identified.

The desired characteristics for the investigators were that they be residents of the country identified for study and available to conduct the surveys and prepare reports, be fairly familiar with the information and communication cycle and possibly with electronic networks, and be experienced in user and social surveys in general. To pass the methodology of impact studies and assist in achieving consistency among the national studies, a consultant was to serve as a moderator for the entire study.

An additional desirable element was to associate the graduate students of the IDRC-supported information science programs in the Consortium of African Schools of Information Science (CASIS). Fortuitously, three of the national case investigators chosen are either current or former graduates of one of the members of the consortium, the School of Information Science in Africa (SISA), at Addis Ababa University, with the two former graduates now themselves information science instructors in their own countries. Their participation, it was felt, would be a factor in keeping impact studies in the forefront of the concerns of information scientists in Africa.

Workplan

1. Design of the study and detailed workplan

2. Identification of the investigators

3. Start-up workshop

4. Sampling

5. Development of the survey instruments

6. Test and revision of the survey instruments

7. Initial surveys

8. Ongoing monitoring of impact factors

9. Ongoing backstopping of investigators through e-mail

10. Mid-way workshop of the investigators

11. Final surveys

12. Comparison of the results of the initial and final surveys

13. Interpretation

14. Production of interim national reports

15. Compilation of the national reports into an interim overall report

16. Final workshop of the investigators

17. Revision of the interim reports

18. Production of the final report

19. Editing of the results for presentation to the target audiences (at institutional, national, and regional levels)

20. Analysis of feedback and presentation of results to the target audiences.

• Data about the initial situation at the national level and the expected impact of electronic communication.

• Identification by the users of the individual and institutional benefits gained in the various possible categories (e.g., political, economic, social, cultural, technological).

Status of the Project

The workshop program included a review of the impact program in general, basic concepts of and framework for impact assessment, purpose and scope of the electronic connectivity impact assessment; analysis of data on user communities in the four countries; elaboration of survey questionnaires, sampling strategies, and interview schedules. A good deal of time during the workshop was devoted to the analysis of data on the user communities in the four countries and discussion of alternative survey and sampling strategies. (The questionnaire as well as notes on sampling appear in the Appendix to this chapter).

Following the workshop national investigators were to contact the moderator with their comments on the questionnaire, and contact the systems operators of all the networks operating in their countries to find out what kind of data were available on systems users. The next step was establishing lists of entry points by frequency of use. The first report by the investigators was to indicate the number of national entry points per frequency of use; suggested thresholds of low, medium, and high use; average number of users per entry point; percentage of end users that matched the requirement to be national organizations or permanent residents; lists of main categories describing the institutional or sectoral groups to which the entry points belonged and number of entry points outside the capital city area.

Survey and Instruments

On the basis of structured samples, the national investigators should further conduct personal interviews with a number of end users. A minimum target of 50 interviews in each country has been tentatively set up.

Draft survey instruments were prepared by the moderator on the basis of the results of the workshop. The national investigators were to make small-scale tests of the instruments and report their observations to the moderator. Once the questionnaires were finalized, they were to be sent by e-mail to all entry points and an analysis made of the first returns.

Follow-ups were to be made to secure the necessary number of respondents to provide baseline survey data. Following reports of the baseline survey, investigators were to proceed to user interviews that, along with the baseline data, were to be the basis for the first report. The interviews are to be done according to either an analytic or an historic option, depending on which the investigator will find most appropriate for the person being interviewed. Suggested questions and interview schedules are also given in the Appendix.

Once all these reports are produced and shared within the team, the project will hold a mid-project workshop to review the reports and finalize the methodology for the final half of the project. The second half will consist of a second series of interviews that will secure a longitudinal basis for the study. After the circulation of country final reports among the team, a consolidated report will be produced and a final workshop will be held — foreseen for the end of December 1996 — to review the findings of the project.

Status of the Case Study

All of the researchers have now collected their initial data on users and arranged it by frequency of use; a common yardstick was adopted for the low-, medium-, and high-use categories. That electronic communication is taking on a substantial dimension in the countries under study can be seen from the figures of average calls per month at the start of the study. For Ethiopia, it was 4,561; for Uganda, 2,929; and for Zambia, 6,831. (The data for Senegal came in later.) Categories of institutions for the stratification of the sample were also established. Currently, investigators are working on the proposed sample structure for each country and preparing for the first series of interviews.

The project also took advantage of the presence in Addis Ababa, of some 300 electronic communication users some 5 weeks after the initial project workshop, the bulk of them from Africa. At the Regional Symposium on Telematics for Development in Africa, which took place from 3 to 7 April 1995, they distributed a supplemental questionnaire to collect further data of the impact of electronic communication in Africa. Some 20 questionnaires were filled out and returned (the low rate of return is probably because the participants were bombarded with documents and activities and might not have had much time to fill out the questionnaires) and are now being analyzed. A copy of the questionnaire distributed at the symposium also appears in the Appendix.

Appendix: Draft Questionnaire

A. USER IDENTIFICATION

1. Full name

2. Organization

3. Billing address

4. Personal mail address (if different from 3)

5. Street address(NB needed for visits)

6. Personal phone number; fax number

7. E-mail address (NB useful for traffic analysis, otherwise not)

8. Are you the sole user of this E-mail address? YES / NO

9. If not, are you the system administrator? YES / NO

10. How many other users have access to this E-mail address?

1. Gender: Male / Female

2. Age

3. Nationality

4. If expatriate, are you a permanent resident? YES / NO
   or a temporary resident (< 5 years)? YES / NO

5. Highest educational qualification or degree

6. Place and year of qualification/degree

7. In which foreign languages do you consider yourself to be fluent?

8. Would you rate your computer skills as (tick appropriate box)
   [_] Experienced [_] Intermediate [_] Beginner

9. List the professional societies you belong to

1. What is your professional specialization?

2. What is your current title/position?

3. What are currently your principal professional activities?
   direct supervision?

4. To whom do you report? (indicate title/position)

1. What is the mission of your organization?

2. What are the principal activities of your organization?

3. What is the size of your organization's staff?

4. For the conduct of your organization's business, is communicating outside the country (tick appropriate box)
   [_] Essential? [_] Sometimes important? [_] Seldom required?

1. What are the major communication facilities (e.g., telephone, telex, fax, radio, etc.) available in your organization?

2. What are the computer facilities available in your organization? Indicate number and types of computers, operating systems, networks, etc.

3. Which electronic communication networks does your organization currently use?

4. Are information facilities (e.g., library, records unit, documentation centre) at your organization (tick appropriate box)
   [_] Adequate? [_] Inadequate? [_] Not available?

1. Do you send/receive electronic messages? (tick appropriate box)
   At the office from

   your own computer — [_] Regularly [_] Occasionally [_] Never

   a computer on your desk — [_] Regularly [_] Occasionally [_] Never

   someone else's computer — [_] Regularly [_] Occasionally [_] Never

   a computer dedicated to E-mail — [_] Regularly [_] Occasionally [_] Never

   At home from

   your own computer — [_] Regularly [_] Occasionally [_] Never

2. If you use your own computer, please indicate the brand, type, operating system, communication software and modem speed

3. Do you usually send electronic messages by (tick one)

   [_] logging in and typing yourself?

   [_] bringing a diskette with your messages to another operator?

   [_] bringing hard-copy of your messages for entry by another operator?

   [_] dictating or describing your messages for entry by another operator?

   [_] other? (specify):

4. How long have you been using this electronic communication network?

5. Did you use electronic communication before? YES / NO If yes, how long

6. Do you currently use another electronic communication network? YES / NO
   If yes, which one:

7. Is the cost of your electronic communications supported by (tick one)

   [_] yourself?

   [_] your department (or any other part of your organization)?

   [_] your organization?

   [_] a project in your organization?

   [_] other? (specify):

1. How often, on the average, do you send electronic messages? (tick one)

   [_] less than once per month

   [_] 1 to 4 times per month

   [_] 1 to 5 times per week

   [_] once or more per day

2. How often, on the average, do you receive personal messages (other than multiple recipients' ones, e.g., bbs or conference postings)?

   [_] less than once per month

   [_] 1 to 4 times per month

   [_] I to 5 times per week

   [_] once or more per day

3. How often, on the average, do you yourself log on to check for incoming messages?

   [_] rarely or never

   [_] 1 to 4 times per month

   [_] 1 to 5 times per week

   [_] once or more per day

4. Tick the appropriate box to indicate the frequency of each type of use (either sending or receiving)

   	Never	<1/m	1-4/m	1-5/w	>1/d
   personal messages	[_]	[_]	[_]	[_]	[_]
   arranging meetings	[_]	[_]	[_]	[_]	[_]
   implementing regular business	[_]	[_]	[_]	[_]	[_]
   managing projects	[_]	[_]	[_]	[_]	[_]
   exchanging research ideas	[_]	[_]	[_]	[_]	[_]
   receiving technical advice	[_]	[_]	[_]	[_]	[_]
   providing technical advice	[_]	[_]	[_]	[_]	[_]
   literature searches	[_]	[_]	[_]	[_]	[_]
   exchange of documents	[_]	[_]	[_]	[_]	[_]
   computer conferences	[_]	[_]	[_]	[_]	[_]

5. Approximately what percentage of the electronic messages you send are destined

   ____% outside Africa

   ____% within Africa but outside the country

   ____% within the country

   ______

   100%

6. Indicate the frequency with which you send messages or pass information using each of the following channels

   	Never	<1/m	1-4/m	1-5/w	>1/d
   surface mail	[_]	[_]	[_]	[_]	[_]
   air mail	[_]	[_]	[_]	[_]	[_]
   telephone	[_]	[_]	[_]	[_]	[_]
   telex	[_]	[_]	[_]	[_]	[_]
   facsimile (fax)	[_]	[_]	[_]	[_]	[_]
   travel for documents	[_]	[_]	[_]	[_]	[_]
   delivery	[_]	[_]	[_]	[_]	[_]
   travel for meetings	[_]	[_]	[_]	[_]	[_]

7. Cite, in order of importance, at least 3 major improvements brought to your work by the use of electronic communications (feel free to explain)

8. Cite, in order of importance, at least 3 major difficulties brought to your work by the use of electronic communications (feel free to explain)

9. Cite, in order of importance, at least 3 major constraints for making a more effective use of electronic communications (feel free to explain)

1. Which of your professional activities do you consider is critical for your organization to achieve its goals? In implementing this activity, what is the major difficulty/problem?

   [problem does not seem to be dependent on/related to communication] In implementing this activity, do you face any difficulty related to communications?

   [problem is related to communication] What are the communication difficulties associated with this difficulty? Then, for each of the communication difficulties mentioned

2. Before you had access to electronic communication

   What was the nature of the difficulty, what happened?

   What was the cause of the difficulty?

   What were the effects of the difficulty?

   What were the possible solutions to the difficulty?

   How could have they been implemented?

   What would have these solutions changed?

3. Now that you have access to electronic communications

   What is the nature of the difficulty, what happen?

   What is the cause of the difficulty?

   What are the effects of the difficulty?

   What are the possible solutions to the difficulty?

   How could they be implemented?

   What would these solutions change?

4. Comparing the situation before you had access to electronic communication and the current one

   What has improved?

   What has deteriorated?

   What is unchanged?

   What new problems/difficulties arose?

   Why?

   What are their consequences?

   What are their possible solutions?

   In which way is the organization performing better?

   In which way are you yourself performing better?

   Is the overall change positive?

   What is required for the change to be continued/expanded?

   Is the overall change negative?

   What is required to turn it positive?

1. Same as in analytical option

2. Before you had access to electronic communications, can you remember a particular instance/case where you most effectively handled this difficulty turning the activity into an exceptional success?

3. Before you had access to electronic communications, do you remember a particular instance/case where the particularly ineffective handling of this difficulty resulted in a major failure in the activity?

4. Since you have access to electronic communications do you recall a particular instance/case where you most effectively handled this difficulty turning the activity into an exceptional success?

5. Since you have access to electronic communications, do you recall a particular instance/case where the particularly ineffective handling of this difficulty resulted in a major failure in the activity?

6. Comparing the success and failure stories before and after you had access to electronic communications, what are the respective advantages and drawbacks of both situations?

Notes on Sampling (prepared by Michel Menou)

1. The focus of the study being the potential contribution of electronic communications to development in Africa, it seems appropriate to restrict the population of actual users to be interviewed to:

   (a) individual users with permanent resident status in the concerned country;

   (b) users in national organizations, irrespective of their personal status.

   The sample of people to be interviewed would thus exclude foreign and international organizations, who are, however, covered in the baseline survey. If only native individuals are taken into account it seems that the total population may be reduced by up to 50% thus making the size of the group interviewed far more representative.

2. Frequency of use (low, medium, high) will be considered as the prime attribute of the users. Thus, the hypothesis to be verified is that the electronic communication user is delivering better and achieving more for him/herself and for his/her organization. The other variables become thus dependent variables.

3. As far as possible, the total sample, for the 4 countries, should be as representative as possible of the native users in the 3 frequency subsets, considering first their number then their distribution among the main categories of organizations. Achieving national representativeness of the sample, though highly desirable, can only be a secondary target.

Questionnaire on Potential Benefit of Electronic Networking

PADIS/UNECA, which is hosting this meeting, is undertaking a 2-year project funded by the International Development Research Centre to evaluate the impact of electronic networking on development in Africa. We would greatly appreciate it if you would take a few minutes of your time to answer the following questions, which will enrich the data from which the evaluation is being done.

Name:
Organization (full name):
Country:
Your title/position:
Gender:
Age (optional):

What is your main professional responsibility?

Do you yourself use electronic communications? (tick appropriate box):
[_] Daily [_] Regularly [_] Occasionally [_] Rarely or never

How long have you used electronic communication? (indicate first year of use):

What do you consider the most positive aspects of the current communications scene in Africa? Why and what are their consequences?

What do you consider the most serious limitations in the current communications scene in Africa?

What are their causes?

What are their consequences?

What are some possible solutions and what changes would they bring?

In your view how could electronic communications could alleviate these limitations?

Do you see any ways in which electronic communications could have a negative impact on communication in Africa?

What aspects of communications in Africa are likely to be unaffected by electronic communications?

What do you see as the major obstacles to the effective use of electronic communications in Africa?

What particular aspects of communication or information functions would be enhanced through the use of electronic communications in Africa?

What are the major assets Africa has to embark on the use of electronic communications?

What is required to make electronic communication in Africa a sustainable activity?

Document(s) 6 of 19