Application of Sustainable Livelihood Approach in assessing the impact of ICT use in microenterprises in developing countries

This paper discusses the application of Sustainable Livelihood Approach in assessing the impact of using Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in microenterprises in developing countries. Microenterprises contribute mainly towards socio-economic development by acting as a source of income and employment. The effectiveness of microenterprises is often curtailed by a range of challenges arising from lack of resources. ICT has the potential to mitigate some of the challenges facing the micro organisations. However, beyond the general belief in the role of ICT in microbusinesses, there is less empirical evidence on the actual impact of these. This paper proposes that such as assessment can be done using the Sustainable Livelihood Approach as theoretical lens. The discussion concludes that the Sustainable Livelihood Approach can be used to assess impact, with a broader view beyond technological and financial benefits, to include social dimensions.