Back from nine years ago now—how technology cannot be the successful key to development because it is a force multiplier for both honesty and dishonesty, both fair-dealing and corruption, for competence and incompetence. And the problems of economic development have always been primarily problems of corruption, dishonesty, and incompetence: Kentaro Toyama: Technology Is Not the Answer: "Information technology amplified the intent and capacity of human and institutional stakeholders, but it didn't substitute for their deficiencies. If we collaborated with a self-confident community or a competent non-profit, things went well. But, if we worked with a corrupt organization or an indifferent group, no amount of well-designed technology was helpful.... We also expect too much from other technologies, institutions, policies and systems.... Something other than TIPS still demands attention—something I've so far called good 'intent and capacity', and what in future posts I'll call virtue...
#noted #2019-08-29
