[AISWorld] CFP: AMCIS mini-track: Role and Significance of ICT in Micro-Enterprises

Shana Ponelis ponelis at uwm.edu
Wed Nov 20 15:31:18 EST 2013


CALL FOR PAPERS 
AMCIS 2014, Savannah, GA, August 7-10, 2014 


ROLE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF ICT IN MICRO-ENTERPRISES 
ICTs in Global Development (SIG GlobDev) track 

Micro-enterprises are the dominant form of business in developing countries and in many underserved regions in developed countries. Micro-enterprises, employing between 1 and 5 people range from informal traders on sidewalks and markets to registered businesses but all play an important role in broad-based economic development by generating jobs and income for basic household economic survival, developing skills, and providing necessary goods and services to a community. There are, however, opposing views regarding the role and significance of ICT in micro-enterprises. Some argue that the developmental potential of many micro-enterprises are hindered from growing and functioning efficiently by the inability to use ICT effectively (footnote 1) whereas others contend that ICTs are not as important to micro-enterprises’ success as access to financing, essential business skills, and adequate demand for products and services (footnote 2). Compared to large firms and even small and medium enterprises few studies have focused specifically on the role and significance of ICTs in micro-enterprises. This mini-track is therefore highly relevant and important not only to practitioners and researchers engaged in ICT for development but also to providers of ICTs to micro-enterprises and to the micro-enterprises themselves. 

This mini-track invites researchers and practitioners to share their research results and professional insights with regard to all aspects of ICTs in micro-enterprises. Both completed research and research-in-progress contributions within positivist, interpretive or critical research paradigms will be considered. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to: 

• Drivers and barriers for ICT adoption in micro-enterprises 
• Potential, role and impact of mobile applications in micro-enterprises 
• Acceptance and use of cloud computing in micro-enterprises 
• Impact of ICT on productivity, growth and competitiveness of micro-enterprises 
• Strategies for addressing the competitive digital divide in the micro-enterprise sector 
• Role of advisors and intermediaries (community multimedia centres, internet cafes, etc.) in providing access to and supporting adoption of ICT in micro-enterprises 
• Information and computer literacy in micro-enterprises 
• Information needs in micro-enterprises in developing and/or in underserved developed countries 
• Indigenous knowledge systems and ICT in micro-enterprises 
• ICT infrastructure in micro-enterprises 
• Government policy and ICT in micro-enterprises 
• Case studies on the adoption and use of ICT in micro-enterprises 
• Research frameworks to study ICT in micro-enterprises 

Instructions for authors and submission: 
Manuscript submissions for AMCIS 2014 will open in early January 2014. Exact dates and instructions to authors to follow as soon as these are made available. 

Mini-track chair: 
Shana Ponelis, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, USA 
ponelis at uwm.edu 


(footnote 1) See for example: Schreiner, M., and Woller, G. (2003). Microenterprise Development Programs in the United States and in the Developing World. World Development, 31(9): 1567–1580. 
(footnote 2) Heeks, R. (1999). Information and Communication Technologies, Poverty and Development, Working Paper Series, Paper No. 5. Institute for Development Policy and Management, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK. Available: http://www.man.ac.uk/idpm/idpm_dp.htm#devinf_wp. 


_______ 
Dr Shana Ponelis, Assistant Professor 
School of Information Studies, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee 
Northwest Quadrant Building B, Room 3420, Milwaukee, WI 53211 
ponelis at uwm.edu || 414-229-2514 || www4.uwm.edu/sois/people/profiles/ponelis.cfm 

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