Intersections Between Systems Thinking and Market Shaping for Assistive Technology: The SMART (Systems-Market for Assistive and Related Technologies) Thinking Matrix

Malcolm MacLachlan, Joanne McVeigh, Michael Cooke, Delia Ferri, Catherine Holloway, Victoria Austin and Dena Javadi
Additional contact information
Malcolm MacLachlan: Department of Psychology, John Hume Building, North Campus, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland
Joanne McVeigh: Department of Psychology, John Hume Building, North Campus, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland
Michael Cooke: Department of Psychology, John Hume Building, North Campus, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland
Delia Ferri: Assisting Living & Learning (ALL) Institute, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland
Catherine Holloway: UCL Interaction Centre (UCLIC), University College London, 66-72 Gower Street, London WC1E 6EA, UK
Victoria Austin: Global Disability Innovation Hub, UCL at Here East, 8-9 East Bay Lane, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London E15 2GW, UK
Dena Javadi: The Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research, World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 12, 1-15

Abstract: The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aspire to “leave no-one behind”. Universal access to assistive products is a critical link between the realization of the SDGs and those most likely to be left behind. However, assistive technology provision in many countries, particularly low- and middle-income countries, has traditionally been conducted through small-scale local providers, manufacturing products of varying degrees of quality at a limited price range. An effective way to scale these production and provision enterprises to the required level is needed to close the gap between available and required assistive technology. We argue that better access to assistive technology will only be realized through the adoption of a far stronger systems thinking and market shaping approach. We undertook a rapid literature review to explore the relationship between market shaping and assistive technology. Based on our review, we present an emergent framework for conceptualizing intersections between systems thinking and market shaping for assistive technology—the SMART (Systems-Market for Assistive and Related Technologies) Thinking Matrix.

Keywords: systems thinking; market shaping; assistive technology; assistive products; resource poor settings; low- and middle-income countries (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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