Abstract
Historically, capitalism has been characterised by socio-spatial unevenness, and information capitalism is no exception. To that extent, it is relevant to ask who is served by ‘development’ projects in the information age? In the context of information and communication technology (ICT) deployments in development projects in particular, it is critical to ask: ICTs for whom? This article argues that the development of standards is an important factor in influencing who benefits from ICTs. While standards can deliver long-run aggregate benefits, the extent of benefits will depend on the trade-offs that standardisation entails. Since standards draw boundaries between those who conform and those who do not, there is a trade-off between aggregate benefits and the creation of individual winners and losers. There is another trade-off, between a narrow focus required for rationalising processes, and the need to retain wider context and diversity. In other words, the outcomes of the deployment of ICTs for development are shaped by these trade-offs and reflect the social contestation over the choice of standards.
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