ABSTRACT While previous studies have highlighted how digital labor platforms (DLPs) create employment opportunities, the experiences of persons with physical disabilities (PWDs) remain underexplored in the literature, despite evidence that some individuals within this group rely on DLPs for their livelihoods. This revelatory case study explores the experiences of two physically disabled individuals in Ghana who work on location‐based gig platforms, examining their perceptions of the livelihood opportunities these platforms provide. Data was collected through semi‐structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings suggest that participants perceived the physical gig economy, characterized by relatively low entry barriers and an inclusive working environment, as providing opportunities to secure employment and earn a livelihood. Participants also reported that their experiences of using DLPs offered job‐related feedback, motivation through additional income, and opportunities for social interaction. Although participants described these platforms as helping them navigate certain vulnerabilities associated with disability and unemployment, they also acknowledged the emergence of new vulnerabilities within platform‐based work. Furthermore, participants associated their involvement in DLPs and their ability to earn an income with improved self‐image and a greater sense of independence, particularly in reducing their reliance on begging as a means of livelihood. Participants also reported a reduced inclination towards self‐harm in connection with improved access to livelihood opportunities through DLPs. These accounts highlight participants' perceptions of the role of digital labor platforms in supporting their economic participation, social engagement, and personal fulfillment. However, the study is limited by its small, context‐specific sample of persons with physical disabilities working in Ghana's gig economy. Future research should include larger and more diverse samples across different geographical regions and disability categories to explore the transferability of these findings and provide a broader understanding of the experiences of PWDs engaged in platform‐based work.
ABSTRACT Digital platforms act as value distributors that enable and facilitate the delivery of value to potentially large numbers of users, also in the more resource‐stricken areas in the Global South. However, the key requirement for distributing any kind of value is that users can access the platforms, which is far from given due to factors such as the digital divide. Different measures can be taken to lower platform access requirements, yet how these measures impact platforms' ability to distribute their intended value propositions remains unclear. We offer a theorization on how value distribution functions on digital platforms and investigate how it is impacted by access requirements. We draw from two empirical case studies, one from Namibia and another from Uganda, and identify measures that have been taken to lower user requirements for platforms' access and analyze the implications that follow from this. The data collected from these two use cases was analyzed for this research and the results were built on earlier findings by using qualitative meta‐analysis, contributing to the development of a framework regarding distribution of value propositions by digital platforms. The results show how lowering access requirements leads to emphasizing value propositions' primary components at the expense of the secondary components that platforms may also offer. We refer to this phenomenon as the access‐value paradox and demonstrate how it has importance for platform design, implementation, and adaptations to new contexts, and for the developmental role that platforms may have.
Education Management Information Systems (EMIS) provide systematic and quality data for policy formulation, planning and monitoring of educational outcomes, especially in contexts of resource scarcity. While the relevance of EMIS to the pursuit of educational outcomes has been largely recognized, limited research exists on efforts to improve the effectiveness of EMIS in resource-constrained contexts, such as decentralization. Against this backdrop, this paper traces the evolution of the decentralization of the EMIS in Uganda, where education data had for a long time been managed centrally at the ministry headquarters. Through qualitative data collected through an action research project at national and district levels, the study uses an institutional logics perspective to understand how the interplay of logics centered on development project impact, political influence, and professionalism shaped outcomes of EMIS decentralization. By doing so, the paper contributes to the emerging literature on strengthening EMIS in resource-constrained settings, presenting ways in which data-supported decentralization can support the pursuit of education-related development goals.
This study investigates the role of Pix-an innovative mobile instant payment system developed by the Central Bank of Brazil-in promoting financial inclusion in the country, using the Delphi methodology. This research also highlights the importance of mandatory bank participation, regulation and implementation of a centralized governance model led by the Central Bank of Brazil, the flexible structure of the system, the inclusion of small financial institutions, and the implementation of robust data security and privacy measures. These findings provide valuable insights into the key elements that have contributed to Pix's success in Brazil as an innovative financial inclusion tool, paving the way for future research and public policy development on this subject. Finally, by identifying those critical factors, the study highlights Pix's potential for long-term financial inclusion and socioeconomic development in Brazil, especially among the most disadvantaged segments of the population.
