Strategic Restructuring Framework

Comparative Case Study

Strategic Restructuring Model Dependent variable: technology

diffusion (TD) Independent variables:

Structures (social, political, economic) Institutions (orgs & persistent patterns of

roles and incentives) Politics (esp. elite individuals’ strategic

behaviors) Govt. Policies (a mix of 4 policy balances:

priv-pub initiative, competition-monopoly, foreign-domestic, centralized-decentralized)

Key tenets of SRS The info revolution is more institutional &

political than technical Economic structures explain about 2/3 of

TD Institutional differences affect incentives

for TD & political discourse around TD Strategic decisions/actions by elite

individuals & groups are driven by mixed motives and shape TD

Govt policy balances are intervening variables in TD, between structure & institutions and TD as enacted by ICT users

Characteristics of Institutions in LDCs

Top-heavy in power

Patrimonial: patron-client ties are key

Over-staffed with underskilled, underexperienced people

Interinstitutional features in LDCs

Limited contact/relations with customers/clients

Risk-averse behavior

Susceptibility to external pressures for employment & contracts

Interinstitutional Dynamics

& TD Interactive effects among clusters of

institutions are determinative in TD Institutional responses to TD reflect

earlier decisions, but are not entirely predictable or inevitable

An unpredictable threshold effect seems to occur as institutions mature & interact, e.g. at WSIS

Elite Individuals’ Motives (p.

81-82)

Meet their orgs’ goals & responsibilities Promote & advance the use of ICTs Preserve & extend their current authority &

positions Protect the interests & authority of the current

regime in power Protect the nation from foreign threats

Delay or block TD that threatens to empower their political opposition

Advance interests of country through TD Advance own interest by positioning themselves to

influence future TD Battle state control to achieve wider TD Refrain from overly antagonizing the current

regime

Comparative Case Analysis

Few cases/Many facets: Indepth study

Captures complex, often contradictory dynamics

Costly & time-consuming Allows framework to be

generalized, but not necessarily findings

Group discussion

Observations from each country Structures Institutions Politics Govt. Policy Balances

Comparisons across the 3 countries