In this book, the author demonstrates how Design Science Research (DSR) approach can be used to design a tailor-made technology adoption assessment framework to gauge small-scale farmers found in developing nations' marginalised rural communities' adoption of ICT. The book presents a practical approach to illustrate the implementation process by using small-scale farmers found in the deeply isolated rural areas of Amathole District Municipality (ADM) of South Africa as a case study.
The electronic environment (e-environment) created by the digital age continues to see the adoption of various technologies like Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) by individuals, nations, and organisations to facilitate development, effectiveness, efficiency, enhance productivity and business opportunities. Technology adoption assessment emerged alongside the rapid adoption of technology in the digital age as a tool to evaluate the factors or determinants that influence and contribute to technology adoption. In the case of developing nations rural societies, because of the socio-economic dynamics of the marginalised rural communities, the design of the assessment tools to gauge technology adoption should capture factors such as suitability, relevance of the technology as well as local context and capacity, social implications, and availability of resources to address the unique challenges faced by the region. This makes the design of technology adoption assessment tools to gauge adoption of technology among marginalised communities in developing countries to follow a tailor-made approach.
Table of Contents
Preface
Scope of the book
The use of the book
Chapter one: The concept of Design Science
1.1 Introduction
1.2 The concept of Design Science Research (DSR)
1.3 The Chapter conclusion
Chapter two: Awareness.
2.1 Introduction and background
2.2 Why ICT application is vital to small-scale farming.
2.3 ICT Adoption Impacting Small-Scale Farming Practices
2.4 ICT available to small-scale farmers.
2.4.1 Mobile Technology
2.4.2 Mobile Applications
2.4.3 Online Portals and Websites
2.4.4 Agricultural Extension Services
2.4.5 Geographic Information System (GIS)
2.4.6 Weather Forecasting Services
2.4.7 Market Information Systems
2.4.8 E-Learning Platforms
2.4.9 Social Media
2.4.10 Radio and Podcasts
2.4.11 ICT-enabled Farm Equipment
2.4.12 Government Initiatives
2.5 Challenges faced by small-scale farmers in ADM
2.6 Conclusion
Chapter three: Suggestions
3.1 Background
3.2 Context of small-scale farming in South Africa
3.3 Criteria for Suitability of Existing Methods, Frameworks and Models
3.4 Overview of Existing Methods, Frameworks and Models
3.4.1 Diffusion of Innovation Theory (DIT)
3.4.2 Technology Acceptance Model (TAM)
3.4.3 Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT)
3.4.4 Capability Maturity Model (CMM)
3.4.5 Farm Information System Evaluation (FISE) Framework
3.4.6 Communicative Ecology Framework (CE)
3.4.7 Social Network Theory (SNT)
3.5 Critique of existing Frameworks
3.6 Case Studies and Success Stories
3.7 The study conceptual framework
3.7.1 Unit of Analysis based on the initial conceptual framework
3.8 Conclusion
Chapter four: Development
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Research methodology
4.2.1 Research Paradigm
4.2.2 Approach to Theory Development
4.2.3 Research Methodological Choice
4.2.4 Research Strategy
4.2.5 Sampling technique
4.2.6 Data Analysis
4.2.7 Descriptive Statistics
4.3 Presentations of the findings
4.3.1 Pilot with ADM rural small-scale farmers
4.3.2 Research questions and data collection instruments
4.3.3 Empirical data collection approach
4.3.4 Findings and discussions
Chapter five: final development of the study framework, evaluation, and conclusion
5.1 Literature-based conceptual frameworks
5.2 The study empirical data findings summary
5.3 The use of DSR approaches to evaluate the proposed framework
5.4 Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This book aims to provide a practical guidance framework for assessing the adoption of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) among marginalized small-scale farmers in developing nations. By utilizing the Design Science Research (DSR) approach, the work establishes a tailor-made model that evaluates specific farmers' information needs, their access to ICT tools, and the barriers hindering effective adoption in rural areas, particularly through a case study in South Africa's Amathole District Municipality.
- Application of Design Science Research (DSR) in framework development.
- Characterization of ICT adoption patterns among rural, small-scale farmers.
- Identification of barriers to technology adoption (e.g., digital literacy, infrastructure).
- Integration of information needs analysis with technology accessibility.
- Development of a sustainable implementation roadmap for ICT in agricultural extension.
Excerpt from the Book
1.1 Introduction
The digital age dictates individuals and organisations integration and use of ICT technologies to be effective and efficient. This created a phenomena of ICT adoption assessment where scholars began to develop various models such as Diffusion of Innovation (Rogers 2003), Technology Acceptance Model (Davis 1998) and others to investigate and understand various factorsthat hinders or contributes to ICT adoption by individuals, society, and organisations. The aim of this book therefore is to take the reader on a journey on how DSR can be used to design ICT adoption assessments framework to assess marginalised communities in developing countries ICT adoption. ICT in this book refers to a range of technologies that potentially can be used to support and enhance small-scale farmers daily farming activities.
The aim of this book is to give guidance on framework development to assess ICT adoption among developing nations marginalised communities. It is vital that in this section to first briefly elaborate and outline the definition of framework, theory, theoretical framework, and conceptual framework which guides the development of a framework before the concept of DSR. Grant and Osanloo (2014) defined a framework as the basis from which all knowledge is set up for research and thus framework gives the structure and serve as a support for the research study rationale, the research problem statement, the research questions, the purpose, and the significance of the study. Collins and Stockton (2018) explained theory as the main or great idea that organises other many ideas with a high degree of explanation power. According to Collins and Stockton (2018) the application of a theory or theories in research that reveals the innermost values and clearly communicates guideline for each stage on how the research will process new knowledge is referred to as a theoretical framework. Collins and Stockton (2018) further explained conceptual frameworks as a diagram that indicates how all the literature in a given field of subject interacts with one another. Adom et al., (2018) highlighted that the purpose of theoretical and conceptual frameworks is to make findings out of research more meaningful, acceptable and ensure generalisation. Thus, according to Kivunja (2018) the use of theory or theories in research as well as in framework development is to understand the driving forces behind behaviours, testing strategies for change and effectively disseminate interventions.
Summary of Chapters
Chapter one: The concept of Design Science: Introduces Design Science Research (DSR) as a methodological technique for creating innovative artefacts and outlines the five-phase process used to design the assessment framework.
Chapter two: Awareness.: Provides a literature review on the necessity of ICT in small-scale farming and identifies the unique socio-economic challenges faced by marginalized farmers in the Amathole District Municipality.
Chapter three: Suggestions: Evaluates existing technology adoption models and theories, critiquing their applicability, and presents the initial conceptual framework for the study based on identified criteria.
Chapter four: Development: Details the research methodology, including the inductive theory development approach, mixed methods, and thematic analysis used to collect empirical data from rural farmers.
Chapter five: final development of the study framework, evaluation, and conclusion: Synthesizes the empirical findings with the conceptual framework to finalize the proposed model and evaluates the implementation roadmap for agricultural ICT adoption.
Keywords
Design Science Research, ICT adoption, small-scale farmers, rural development, Amathole District Municipality, agricultural extension, information needs, technological barriers, framework development, digital divide, information-seeking behavior, sustainable agriculture, mixed methods research, qualitative analysis, empirical study.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary goal of this research?
The primary goal is to provide a practical, tailor-made assessment framework using the Design Science Research (DSR) approach to evaluate how small-scale farmers in marginalized rural communities adopt and integrate ICT into their farming activities.
What are the key themes addressed in the book?
Key themes include the necessity of digital literacy, the barriers to ICT infrastructure access, strategies for overcoming information isolation, and the role of stakeholders in designing agricultural support frameworks.
Which scientific methodology is primarily employed?
The study utilizes the Design Science Research (DSR) approach, which involves a five-phase process: Awareness, Suggestion, Development, Evaluation, and Conclusion. It also applies mixed-method research, combining qualitative thematic analysis and descriptive statistics.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The main body systematically progresses from the conceptualization of DSR, a review of existing adoption models, a detailed research methodology, empirical data collection from farmers in the Amathole District Municipality, to the final development and evaluation of a new ICT assessment framework.
How is the term ICT defined in the context of this book?
ICT refers to a range of modern technological tools—such as mobile phones, internet platforms, radio, and sensors—that can potentially support and improve the daily agricultural activities of small-scale farmers.
Which keywords characterize this publication?
The work is characterized by terms such as Design Science Research, small-scale farming, ICT adoption, rural-marginalized communities, agricultural extension, and digital divide.
How does the author specifically address the context of the Amathole District Municipality (ADM)?
The book treats ADM as a primary case study, analyzing the specific landscape of its six local municipalities, the resource constraints of its farmers, and their reliance on interpersonal information sources rather than digital tools.
What role do "demographic characteristics" play in the findings?
Demographic data such as age, formal education levels, and technical usage skills were analyzed to determine the likelihood of farmers successfully adopting new ICT applications, revealing that a large portion of the target group has no formal education and possesses low technological skill.
What is the significance of the "inductivity approach" discussed in the book?
The inductive approach allowed the researcher to derive meanings directly from observed patterns in the empirical data gathered from farmers, which was necessary due to the limited existing literature tailored to the specific context of ADM's rural farmers.
What does the author conclude regarding awareness in the final chapter?
The author concludes that majority of the participants are unaware of the existing ICT tools available to improve their productivity, implying that current information dissemination strategies are failing to reach the farmers effectively.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Agyei Fosu (Autor:in), 2024, Designing Technology Adoption Frameworks for Marginalized Rural Communities. A Case Study of Small-Scale Farmers in South Africa Using Design Science Research, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1466264
