The Emergence of ICTs for Developing Countries: Using Dramatistic Analysis to Identify the Heroes and Villains

We analyze discourse on Information Communications Technology (ICT) forums on the Web to extract relevant messages on the issues and challenges raised, the experiences shared, and the policies framed for developing countries. Using dramatistic analysis, we explore specific language of the discourse from actual discussion texts and examine how these discussions reveal a shared drama that helps shape ICT policy, justification, diffusion, use, and implementation. We identify the hero, villain, main plot and subplot of the ICT policy drama that took place from 1997-2000 in an Internet discussion forum. The conclusions derived from these discourses should be useful both for researchers and policy makers who may use it as a basis for creating a comprehensive set of sustainable information technology strategies and policies that can be appropriately implemented.