Approaches to the assesment of the ICTS influence on social and economic development

Abstract

The importance of understanding by citizens, government and business social and economic effects of the ICTs with purpose obtaining the maximum benefit from its use is proved. The purpose of research is a synthesis of international experience of the ICTs for development initiatives realization, the rationale for objective reasons the need to assessment of the ICTs influence on social and economic development and identification of existing approaches in the real world. The role of ICTs in today’s international development initiatives, in particular the Millennium Development Goals achievement to accelerate elimination gap in social and economic development between the developed countries, countries in transition and developing countries is discussed. Objective reasons of the need to study the impact of ICTs on social and economic development and changes in the procedure to analysis of ICTs for development are identified. The place and role of ICT initiatives for development of the bilateral and multilateral international organizations and development agencies are determined. It has been considered the concept of the ICT for development of value chain, proposed by Professor of Development Informatics in the Institute for Development Policy and Management, Director of the Centre for Development Informatics of the University of Manchester, that consists of four main elements: readiness, availability, uptake and impact, and the changing focus of IC for development priorities over time. The evolution of studies of the relationship between ICN and socio-economic development is presented, in particular the stages of such studies, their core areas and characteristics are determined. The first stage of study has focused on the ability to carry out modernization through technology transfer. In the second stage the role of information systems in the design of socio-economic development is examined. In the third stage objects of studies are the access to ICTs and their capabilities. The fourth stage has focused on the design of decisions and the impact of ICT on socio-economic development. The importance and the need to develop new approaches to assessing the impact of ICT on development due the objective reasons and taking into account the national peculiarities are proved.