Social Inclusion And Usability Of ICT-Enabled Services

those who are interested in this topic with a deeper understanding of the issues.Using ICT to improve the welfare of disadvantaged people, to improve healthand government services, and, more generally, to make the world a betterplace is something that we should all be working toward. I trust that this bookwill contribute in a both intellectual and practical way to the achievement ofthese goals.Michael D. MyersProfessor of Information SystemsUniversity of AucklandNew Zealand9 of 393

AcknowledgmentsI would like to thank my wonderful peers in the form of my co-editors, Sherahand Panayiota who worked tirelessly with me and the authors who contributedtoward the completion of this project. I would also like to thank JerryForrester, and Keith Randle who supported and encouraged me whensubmitting the proposal, my head of department, Associate Dean of Researchand Enterprise and Dean of Hertfordshire Business School for affording methe time to work on this manuscript. My best friend, Razwana, and dearestneighbor, Barbara, who would from time to time ask about the book’s progressand encourage me when I was worried. Above all, I dedicate this manuscriptto my parents and Brother Bobby who stand by me no matter what and worktirelessly with me when I need to meet deadlines, or face off any challenges.Without all of you, this manuscript would not be complete. Thank you.Jyoti ChoudrieThe vision of this book would not have been achieved without the valuablecontributions from all the authors and the support from the School ofComputing and Information Systems at the University Melbourne. Mostimportantly, this book project would not have been completed withoutexcellent work and collaboration from Jyoti and Panayiota. I dedicate thisbook to my parents who believe in me and give me freedom to pursue mydreams, to my brothers and sister who always care for and protect me, to myhusband who always gives me strengths and encouragements when facingchallenges, and to my wonderful children, Shelin and Sheldon, for making melive my life to the fullest.Sherah KurniaI would like to thank the authors for their great contributions. Above all,though, I would like to thank my daughter, Marie-Christine, who gives me allsorts of reasons to work hard as a parent, person, and researcher. I dedicatethis book to her with love and gratitude.Panayiota Tsatsou10 of 393

IntroductionPanayiota Tsatsou, Sherah Kurnia, and Jyoti ChoudrieThe history of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) is full ofdevelopments, surprises, debates, and as many certainties as manyuncertainties. Landmarks in the history of ICTs that stand out, including thefirst packet-switching network, the Transmission Control Protocol and theInternet Protocol (IP) in the late 1960s, the development of hypertext languagein 1989, the release of the World Wide Web by CERN for general use in 1993,and the spectacular developments around broadband, Web 2.0 and Web 3.0from the mid-2000s onward, cannot portray sufficiently the scale, magnitude,and wealth of breakthroughs in the domain of ICTs and ICT-enabled services.At the same time, ICTs and their histories have been marked bydichotomies, dualisms, and binary tensions, the most important of which isthat concerning the role of ICTs in the society. On the one hand,acknowledging the significance of rapidly developing technologies such asInternet-based technologies resulted in strongly argumentative, normative andeven emotional approaches that either glorified or cursed the Internet fordriving a fast changing and increasingly challenging and globalizing mode ofliving. On the other hand, claims about the “Internet revolution” have beentreated with particular caution, resulting in the downplaying of the Internet astechnology, the advocacy of the importance of social contexts within whichtechnology is designed, and approaches in support of the social shaping oftechnology (Tsatsou 2014)At the core of such dualisms and associated debates is the question of therole of ICTs in social inclusion. Social inclusion is of immense interest totechnology experts, activists, and policy makers due to the way informationand communication technological innovations such as those based on theInternet have been rapidly and largely unexpectedly emerged, affectingpeople’s positioning in the society. Questions regarding the role thattechnology might play in people’s positioning in the society began to beexamined by researchers and scholars mostly from the turn of the 21st century(e.g., Warschauer 2003), with the emphasis ranging from the study of the roleof media technologies and ICTs in enhancing people’s citizenship (e.g.,Coleman and Blumler, 2009; Mossberger, Tolbert, and McNeal 2008) to thestudy of the barriers to equal opportunities for everyone to access and use suchtechnologies (e.g., Ferro et al., 2009; Norris 2001; Tsatsou 2011, van Dijk2005). However, existing research hardly offers a wide-ranging and inclusiveaccount on the role of innovative ICT-enabled services in social inclusion.Instead, it either focuses on single techno-centric issues, such as that of11 of 393

technology diffusion and adoption (e.g., Rogers 1995), or it approachesquestions concerning social inclusion in a rather vague and fragmented way.Even research that focuses on human interaction via technology does not seemto delve sufficiently into issues relating to technology’s management, thediversity of society’s responses to technological development and the policystrategies that mediate the intercourse between society and technology.There is a continuing need to make sense of complex socio-technicalsystems that are associated with the adoption, management, and policy of newtechnological services in order to unpack the intercourse of social inclusionand usability of ICT-enabled services. It is our hope and belief that this bookcan make some contribution toward fulfilling this need.The vision of this book is to bring together latest thinking andgroundbreaking research in the area of innovative ICT-enabled services andsocial inclusion, in order to dig deeper into the socio-technical, management,and policy dimensions related to our increased reliance upon ICT-enabledservices for reinforcement and enhancement of social inclusion. Specifically,the book focuses on aspects and benefits of social inclusion that are highlydriven by the usability and employment of ICT-enabled services, rather thanon the features of the technology itself or just the sociological aspects of theissue. The case studies in this book delve into, explore further, and criticallyassess whether ICT-enabled services reinforce social inclusion and how theyimpact the delivery of public or community related services to individuals andwhole populations who previously did not take advantage of such services dueto demographic, personal, or broadly social conditions. Also, the case studiesin this book shed light on whether ICT-enabled services and products can leadto enhanced social capital and whether individuals or groups become moreaware of macro-space, non-personal issues due to more engagement withtechnologically distributed information and the provision of newtechnological means for exchange, sharing, and collective action. The bookoffers analysis and evidence that inform the reader on the potential ofimproved teleworking capacity and how ICTs can lead to a new world ofentertainment, occupation, social networking, political communication, and egovernance possibilities. The contents of this volume also touch upon diversegroups of the society, such as young people, older adults, farmers,professionals, and students.In the midst of ICT-enabled innovations that are being introduced andspread rapidly and in all different contexts, this book provides valuableinsights on critical aspects of social inclusion that arise or could emerge asinnovative ICT-enabled products and services proliferate. The book offersoriginal insights into emerging issues and agendas concerning the role ofusability of ICT-enabled services in social inclusion and maps out theimplications for the emergence of new forms and attributes of social inclusion.It contains 15 original and timely contributions to the critical thinking andknowledge enhancement about social inclusion and usability of ICT-enabled12 of 393

services, which run at both the theoretical and empirical case study levels,involve the study of various population groups, and draw concepts andinsights from different disciplines. It is a cutting-edge research book writtennot only for researchers, students, and academics but also for stakeholders andpolicy makers. The contributing authors are scholars and researchers withexpertise in IS, management, ICT, new/digital media, and communicationspolicy, offering a collection of chapters that provides original and powerfulinsight into the value of ICT-enabled services for the various facets andevolving features of social inclusion.Hence, the contribution of this book can be summarized as mostly lying inthe following areas:1. Shedding light on long-standing and ongoing debates and themes relatedto the theme of social inclusion and usability of ICT-enabled services.2. Examining a range of countries and contexts (e.g., Australia, India, UnitedKingdom, USA), while also shedding light on a range of sectors (e.g., ehealth, telework, e-government, e-entertainment, farming) where thepresence and influence of ICT-enabled services are broadly perceived ascrucial.3. Adopting an interdisciplinary and reflective approach to developing newknowledge on phenomena, topics, and issues that are pertinent to thetheme of social inclusion and usability of ICT-enabled services.This book is structured into three parts. Part 1 focuses on theoreticalconcepts related to social inclusion. Part 2 captures a number of cutting-edgeICT-enabled services used within organizations and society, while Part 3assess the adoption, use, and management of ICT-enabled services to achievesocial inclusion. Details of each chapter are outlined next.Part 1: Examining the Theoretical Foundations of Social Inclusionand UsabilityThe chapter by Efpraxia D. Zamani, titled “Social Inclusion and ICTs: ALiterature Review Through the Lens of the Capability Approach,” argues thatin the context of today’s hyper-connected society, adopting ICTs, which areconsidered to be a way toward achieving social inclusion is no longer adequateto ensure participation of all. ICTs need to specifically address the needs ofdisadvantaged individuals to empower them and support them in improvingtheir welfare and meeting their goals. Drawing upon the Capability Approach,this chapter looks into the abilities, needs, and personal wants ofdisadvantaged individuals in relation to ICTs.Christoph F. Breidbach contributes a chapter titled “Connectivity: A Sociotechnical Construct to Examine ICT-Enabled Service” that explains vividlyhow advances in ICT transformed interactions between service providers and13 of 393

their customers. It shows that ICT-enabled customer-firm interfaces areincreasingly the norm in service contexts such as health care or consulting. Itargues that academic research has not fully caught-up with this new reality.The chapter introduces the “connectivity” construct as a socio-technical lensto advance the current understanding of ICT-enabled service.The chapter by H. Patricia McKenna titled “Re-conceptualizing SocialInclusion in the Context of 21st-Century Smart Cities” explores and developsthe social inclusion concept in the context of smart cities with the aim of reconceptualizing inclusion for 21st-century urban environments. Aspects andbenefits of innovative ICT-enabled services and social inclusion are examinedin contemporary urban spaces, along with emerging forms, and attributes. Thischapter introduces and theorizes ambient inclusion, and operationalizes anambient inclusion framework for the exploration of innovative ICT-enabledspaces, services, and designs in smart cities.Finally, the chapter by Arthur Glenn Maail, Sherah Kurnia, and ShantonChang titled “Enhancing Social Inclusion Through Optimal CommunityParticipation Levels in ICT4D Projects” acknowledges that user participationin Information and Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D)projects is critical to promote social inclusion for the local community. Theauthors develop a conceptual framework that identifies the optimal level ofuser participation based on the approach deployed and the relevant conditionalfactors affecting user participation for each approach. The study enhances thecurrent understanding in managing user participation in the development ofICT4D projects.Part 2: ICT-Enabled Services of Value to Society and OrganizationsThe chapter by David J. Yates, Girish J. “Jeff” Gulati, and Christine B.Williams titled “Understanding the Impact of Politication Structure,Governance, and Public Policy on E-Government” examines two distinct butrelated measures of e-government effectiveness—namely, the online serviceindex and the e-participation index reported in the 2014 e-government surveyconducted by the United Nations. The study analyses the impact of politicalstructure, public sector performance, and policy initiatives on both indices in175 countries. The study suggests that the path to e-government leveragesdifferent strategies depending on a nation’s political structure and processes,and that authoritarian countries may be utilizing e-government to maintain thestatus quo.Avijit Sarkar, James Pick, and Jessica Rosales contribute a chapter titled“ICT-Enabled E-Entertainment Services in U.S. Counties: Socio-economicDeterminants and Geographic Patterns” that examines spatial patterns anddeterminants of the use of the Internet for entertainment purposes in thecounties of the United States. Spatial patterns of e-entertainment diffusion inU.S. counties indicate an urban-rural divide. High use of e-entertainment14 of 393

amidst low e-entertainment clusters is often found in counties that are hometo large public universities, military reservations, or government labs. Thischapter fills an important void in the digital-divide literature as research andrelated discourse shifts from measuring and examining differences in accessof ICTs to differences in actual use of the Internet.The chapter titled “E-Health as an Enabler of Social Inclusion” by KenClarke, Adam Lodders, Robyn Garnett, Anne Holland, Rodrigo Mariño, andZaher Joukhadar shows how e-health can improve the access and reach ofhealth services to include those sections of the community who can beotherwise excluded due to factors such as advanced age, having English as asecond language, or remote location. The practical examples in this chapterdemonstrate how well designed e-health initiatives that have simple userinterfaces and “ambient” sensing technologies can drive and obtain both betterhealth outcomes and improved levels of social engagement. Society can alsobenefit from efficiency gains that allow health-care professionals to addressthe needs of more people, particularly in rural and remote areas with clinicalskill shortages.The chapter by Victoria Carty titled “Challenging the Cost of HigherEducation With the Assistance of Digital Tools: Case Studies of ProtestActivity in Canada and the United States” presents two case studies involvingCanada and the United States that focus on how activists use digital tools tochallenge the cost of higher cost of education using digital tools. It shows thatnew communication technologies allow social movement actors to operate ina new political terrain that enhances not only virtual but also face-to faceforms of interaction, debate, and critical thinking. Social movement theoriesare applied to show the relevance of peer-to-peer networks that allow activistto circumvent state- and corporate-controlled and owned media, allowingthem to take ownership of the narrative of their protest activity.Rachelle Bosua, Sherah Kurnia, Marianne Gloet, and Antonette Mendoza’schapter is titled “Telework Impact on Productivity and Well-Being: AnAustralian Study.” They argue that forms and locations of work have changeddramatically over the last few decades. Facilitated by ICTs, it is expected thatmobility in work (telework) will increase. Using Australia as the studycontext, this chapter shows that telework improves team productivity andindividual well-being and highlights key elements that contribute to effectivetelework: appropriate IT support, trust, management support, a supportivetelework culture, and access to hybrid telework arrangements. A focus on oneor more of these elements would improve social inclusion of workers from aproductivity and individual well-being perspective.The chapter by Sherah Kurnia, Md Mahbubur Rahim, Serenity Hill, KirstenLarsen, Patrice Braun, Danny Samson, and Prakash Singh titled “SupportingRegional Food Supply Chains With an E-Commerce Application” evaluatesthe effectiveness of the Open Food Network (OFN) in connecting andsupporting regional food supply chain communities in Australia. In this15 of 393

chapter, the authors show how an innovative e-commerce applicationimproves farmer’s access to local markets and consumers’ access to fresh localproduce, as well as optimizes the regional food distribution and improves thelocal community welfare. Thus, they demonstrate the potential of ICT-enabledinnovations to include disadvantaged local food players in order to establish amore socially sustainable and fair trading environment.Part 3: Adoption, Usage, and Management Aspects SurroundingSocial Inclusion and Usability of ICT-Enabled ServicesThe chapter by Bianca C. Reisdorf and Darja Groselj titled “Digital Divides,Usability, and Social Inclusion: Evidence From the Field of E-Services in theUnited Kingdom” examines how digital divides and usability affectengagement with e-services. Using the context of British Internet users andnon-users, the chapter investigates whether Internet users are more likely touse any government services as compared to non-users and what factors shapeuse of e-government services. The study shows how that apart from sociodemographic factors, digital skills, and high quality, ubiquitous Internet accessare crucial for use of e-government services. This has implications for thenecessity for high levels of usability in the design of e-services and theacknowledgment that

Social Inclusion and Usability of ICT-Enabled Services . Edited by Jyoti Choudrie, Panayiota Tsatsou and Sherah Kurnia . Social Inclusion and Usabili