Development institutions and technological change – an institutional entrepreneurship perspective through a case study of public health information systems in developing countries

Abstract

This paper draws upon an institutional entrepreneurship perspective to analyse the relationship between development and technological change, specifically within the context of public health information systems in developing countries. Firstly the development context is analysed in terms of the changing landscape and also institutions reflecting both change and continuity. Drawing upon three empirical cases from the Health Information Systems Program initiative, the analysis seeks to understand who are the institutional entrepreneurs, what intervention strategies they use, what are the enabling and constraining institutions of development they are engaged in, and what are some of the outcomes achieved. The paper makes three key contributions, 1) the role of free and open source technology as a key strategy for change, 2) networking including networks of networks, both around technologies and also people behind them, helps create new organizational fields, and with it new discourses that challenges existing institutions. 3) Regional partnerships such as of the West African Health Organization, provide an interesting model to structure technical support as contrasted with the earlier top-down development models driven by institutions like the World Bank.<br><br> WG 9.4: Social Implications of Computers in Developing Countries 12th International Conference on Social Implications of Computers in Developing Countries, IFIP WG 9.4: Social Implications of Computers in Developing, Ochos Rios, 2013-05-19 - 2013-05-22.