The impact of ICT in the transformation and production of knowledge in Sudan

Samia Mohamed Nour

No 2010-063, MERIT Working Papers from United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT)

Abstract: This paper focuses on the impact of ICT in the transformation and production of knowledge, notably in Sudan, and discusses the importance of the use of ICT in Khartoum University. It considers how the use of ICT, in particular the Internet, facilitates connections, networks and communication within knowledge institutions in Sudan and regional and international institutions and enhances collaboration between Sudanese universities and others, and its integration in the system of global knowledge production. Research results reinforce the idea that using ICT enhances access, production and dissemination of knowledge in Khartoum University. Finally, our findings support the hypothesis that the use of ICT introduces positive and negative effects by providing opportunities for the transformation and production of knowledge but simultaneously also creates hazards in this transformation and knowledge production: positive transformations include building connections and organizational changes; while the negative transformation is the building disconnections for those who do not know how to use ICT. We find that the most important advantage related to the use of the Internet for facilitating connections and transformations involve increasing digital knowledge for academic researchers by finding information that was not earlier accessible and the rapid quantitative and qualitative increases in transferring available information. In addition to the development of new models for disseminating and distributing electronic information, there is an increase in the creation and transfer of knowledge and an increase in free access to electronic publications for academic purposes. The most serious problem related to the use of the Internet is the lack of regular or inadequate budgets for university libraries to pay for access to scientific and technical information and obtain licences or subscriptions to relevant material.

Keywords: : ICT use; ICT impact; knowledge production; transformation; Sudan (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O10 O12 O30 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2010
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:unm:unumer:2010063

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