Overview of Information Technology

Information and Communications Technology (ICT) refer to technologies that provide access to information through telecommunications. This includes the internet, wireless networks, cell phones, and other communication mediums. In the past few decades, information and communication technologies have provided society with a vast array of new communication capabilities. In that sense, the modern information and communication technologies have created a “global village” in which people can communicate with others across the world as if they were living next door. For this reason, ICT is often studied in the context of how modern communication technologies affect society (techterms, 2010).

ICT may or may not be owned privately. For developing nations, the population in large may not own ICT’s thereby making access to such tools limited by means such as telecentres, public phone booths, and community owned ICT. The embedding of ICT transforms the traditional mechanism of information exchange within a society. First, it accelerates the flow of information and cuts down the time lag, while the same information may flow through several communication channels – reducing the probability of information loss and/or distortion. Second, it increases the domain of recipients and providers, leading to greater diffusion of information, and also increase the amount of information begin diffused. Third, they create information exchange interfaces which never existed before. These interface cuts across the traditional and organizational barriers to information flow such as hierarchy and bureaucracy. This is possible due to the non-exclusionary design of ICT that does not prevent anyone from sharing information. Thus, the changes occurring in the co...

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Public Administration Review, 62(4), 424–433.

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Digital Governance Models: moving towards good governance in developing countries

Opesade, A. O. (2011)

Strategic, value-based ICT investment as a key factor bridging the digital divide

Information Development 27(2) 100–108

Sage publications

Renu, B. and Sameer, S. (2002)

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The World Bank Group (2000)

THE NETWORKING REVOLUTION Opportunities and Challenges for Developing Countries

Global Information and Communication Technologies Department

Tinio, V.L. (2003)

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Online references

Techterms, 2010

ICT, retrieved on 18th of April, 2014 from;

http://www.techterms.com/definition/ict