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Capabilities and Affordances in the ICT4D Context

Similarities, Differences, and Complementarities

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Information and Communication Technologies for Development. Strengthening Southern-Driven Cooperation as a Catalyst for ICT4D (ICT4D 2019)

Part of the book series: IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology ((IFIPAICT,volume 552))

Abstract

The paper examines two concepts that have been frequently used in Information and Communications Technologies for Development (ICT4D) research, capabilities and affordance. We seek to delineate their similarities, their differences, and their accurate application in ICT4D. Both concepts connote a space of opportunities, both are relational between artefact and human agency when applied in ICT4D, and both entail potential rather than actualisation of possibilities. By comparing the two at some length, we hope to generate a more refined understanding of both capabilities and affordance, as well as how they could be more accurately applied in ICT4D.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Information Systems, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway

    Devinder Thapa

  2. School of Management Royal Holloway, University of London, Surrey, UK

    Yingqin Zheng

Authors
  1. Devinder Thapa
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  2. Yingqin Zheng
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Correspondence to Devinder Thapa .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

    Petter Nielsen

  2. University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

    Honest Christopher Kimaro

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Thapa, D., Zheng, Y. (2019). Capabilities and Affordances in the ICT4D Context. In: Nielsen, P., Kimaro, H. (eds) Information and Communication Technologies for Development. Strengthening Southern-Driven Cooperation as a Catalyst for ICT4D. ICT4D 2019. IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology, vol 552. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-19115-3_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-19115-3_5

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-19114-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-19115-3

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

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