Consultants and ICT4D consultants as intermediaries and mediators in the construction of information and communication technologies for development

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Hayes, N ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8718-4671 and Westrup, C, 2014. Consultants and ICT4D consultants as intermediaries and mediators in the construction of information and communication technologies for development. Information Technologies and International Development, 10 (2), pp. 19-32. ISSN 1544-7529

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Abstract

This article considers the role of one actor that is in the ascendancy in the development sector, namely the multinational management consulting organization. Drawing on science and technology studies concepts, we argue that such consultants are increasing and important, yet relatively invisible intermediaries and mediators in the development sphere that justify critical examination. Empirically, we draw on secondary data relating to the shape and nature of consulting in the development sector and focus speciªcally on a report by a multinational consulting organization to illustrate our argument. Our discussion argues that consultants can be treated both as intermediaries, relays in a network of development provision, and as highly political mediators that seek to expand and stabilize their position in the development network and, in so doing, actively shape what we take development to be. Overall, we suggest that understanding the ways in which such actors engage in the development sphere are important to current and future discussions and developments in information and communication technologies for development (ICT4D).

Item Type:	Journal article
Publication Title:	Information Technologies and International Development
Creators:	Hayes, N. and Westrup, C.
Publisher:	University of Southern California, Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism
Date:	1 July 2014
Volume:	10
Number:	2
ISSN:	1544-7529
Identifiers:	Number Type 1604695 Other
Rights:	© 2014 USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism. Published under Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. All rights not granted thereunder to the public are reserved to the publisher and may not be exercised without its express written permission.
Divisions:	Professional Services > The Directorate
Record created by:	Laura Ward
Date Added:	03 Oct 2022 09:10
Last Modified:	03 Oct 2022 09:10
Related URLs:	Publisher
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/47170