A Methodology for Identifying Sources of Disparities in the Socio-Economic Impacts of ICT Capabilities in Sub-Saharan Economies

There is general agreement that Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) may deliver transformative socio-economic impacts. However, there is no general agreement on the mechanisms by which the impacts are delivered, for purely efficiency-driven assessment of the impacts leaves many important factors out. To further inquire into the issue of the impact of ICT capabilities, as well as into the factors that may play a role in delivering the impact of such capabilities, we develop and test a methodology for obtaining insights into the context-specific mechanisms by which ICT capabilities are translated into socio-economic outcomes. The methodology is tested in the context of 24 economies of Sub-Saharan Africa.