Technology Choice in Aid-Assisted Parliamentary Strengthening Projects in Developing Countries: A Capability Approach

Abstract

Information capabilities refer to the freedoms of realizing functionings of (1) acquiring, (2) using and (3) disseminating information. Information and communication technology initiatives can be undertaken for designing an environment of information capabilities expansion in developing countries. I discuss that implementing parties of aid assisted parliamentary strengthening projects should keep in mind different conversion factors while taking ICT initiatives. Sometimes the implementing parties have to choose one technological initiative over another. In this chapter, the trade-offs between the parliamentary telecasting systems and Internet-based systems are analyzed by using the capability approach. It is demonstrated that taking this view might result in an alternate choice as benefits and limitations of initiatives are revealed. In certain scenarios, parliamentary telecasting systems can be preferred to the Internet related systems. In the second part of the chapter, I discuss that sometimes arguments are made, based on the economic development or utility maximization standpoint, for not investing in parliamentary telecasting systems in developing countries. I discuss that the arguments seem to lose force if observed under the Capability approach lens.