The current farmer protests in India involve different power groups. Commission agents are essential stakeholder groups in these protests. The critical research approach is suited to situations characterised by power differences. This research studies the implementation of the Indian government's agricultural marketing information systems project. It uses two methods to analyse the interview data. The interview data were collected from four stakeholder groups: farmers, traders, government officers, and private vendors implementing the information systems project. First, I analyse the data using thematic analysis, followed by an n-gram word cloud analysis. While the thematic analysis does not identify commissioning as a core theme, the n-gram analysis identifies the commission agent as a dominant word in the data corpus. The findings suggest that using two different text analytical methods on the same data corpus enhances knowledge and reveals otherwise hidden aspects.

Purpose This paper aims to highlight the importance of the study of emotions in the successful implementation of information systems projects in developing countries. This paper studies one emotion, namely, anger, and discusses its detrimental impact on information system interventions. This paper suggests that controls are necessary for the management of anger emotion. Design/methodology/approach This research study explores the case of an Indian agricultural marketing board that implemented an information systems project on the integration of agricultural markets. The data was collected through semistructured interviews from four stakeholder groups. This paper uses a qualitative approach and analyzes the data using thematic analysis. Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of practice is used to study emotions in the case. Findings This paper finds that anger is the prominent emotion displayed at public sector organizations in India. This paper permeates all aspects of public organizations and has a detrimental impact on successfully implementing the information systems projects. Successful implementation of the information systems (IS) projects in India will need to have a framework for managing the anger emotion. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first paper within the information systems discipline that focuses on anger and its detrimental impact on successful IS interventions. A unique contribution of this paper is a framework for the study of emotions. This paper also introduces the idea of controls for emotional management.

Information and communications technology can be used to improve the social and economic situation in developing countries. However, a broad range of challenges has been identified, and one of these relates to the power asymmetries in developing countries. These power asymmetries are often deeply entrenched. We conducted an in-depth critical case study of an information and communication technology for development project in India. We looked at the historical and cultural context, the roles of the actors, and the use of symbolic practices. Using Bourdieu’s theory of practice and, in particular, his concept of habitus, our findings reveal how symbolic practices can work against ICT projects in developing countries. These symbolic practices, rooted in a particular culture, are tied to and constitutive of power asymmetries. We offer a framework for studying habitus in information systems research on information and communication technology for development that may be useful for others who wish to explore similar questions in their case study research.

Empirical studies suggest that re-corruption is a common occurrence in developing countries, and we know little about what transpires between corruption and re-corruption. The objective of this empirical study is to discuss the practices of government officers in between phase of corruption and re-corruption. It does so by considering the case of a government officer working in an agricultural marketing yard of India. The findings from the case suggest that officers choose to mimic honest dispositions after their transfers to new postings as it gives them more choices in the practice of corruption. The hibernation model of re-corruption is used to explain this behavior of the officers. The study is critical and inspired by Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of practice. The findings from it will directly contribute to the design of anti-corruption policies.

One of the central arguments of Pierre Bourdieu is that social science researchers should reflect not only on the research object but also on the subject. How to achieve this? This question also relates to the calls for the operationalisation of reflexivity. This study addresses this research question. The aim of this study is to present a method for operationalising reflexivity. The study is an empirical study of an agricultural marketing board in India. The board controls over two hundred market yards of the state. These yards are specialized wholesale commodity markets where the agricultural commodities are traded. The major stakeholders in the trade are farmers, government officers, traders, and private vendors. The board implemented an agricultural marketing information system project that intended to interconnect the yards by modern day information technology. The data for the study are collected in form of semi-structured interviews with these stakeholder groups. The study uses a qualitative methodology based on the constant comparison method. Using this method a set of constructs is identified. These constructs are scrutinised through the lenses of reflexivity. Finally, a framework is presented that can guide the operationalisation of reflexivity. The five step framework compares the empirical data from the field with the data about the researcher. The framework helps in establishing the validity of research results as the same research methods are applied to both the research phenomenon as well as the researcher. The paper contributes to the discussion on the operationalisation of reflexivity.

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to understand the trust formation expectations of stakeholders in the implementation of information and communications technology for development (ICT4D) projects. Design/methodology/approach - This paper uses a qualitative methodology inspired by a critical approach. It uses a thematic analysis approach, and draws the results using a constant comparison method. It is guided by the Pierre Bourdieu's theory of practices. This is an empirical study that uses semi-structured interviews for the data collection. Findings - Lack of an integrated view of emancipatory expectations has a negative impact on the trust levels of stakeholders. An integrated view of emancipation has physical, moral and social dimensions. Originality/value - The study brings forth the concept of entry point activities (EPAs). To the author's knowledge, this is the first application of this concept in ICT4D research. EPAs can be used to develop trust relationships between the stakeholders of ICT4D projects.

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to understand the trust formation expectations of stakeholders in the implementation of information and communications technology for development (ICT4D) projects.Design/methodology/approachThis paper uses a qualitative methodology inspired by a critical approach. It uses a thematic analysis approach, and draws the results using a constant comparison method. It is guided by the Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of practices. This is an empirical study that uses semi-structured interviews for the data collection.FindingsLack of an integrated view of emancipatory expectations has a negative impact on the trust levels of stakeholders. An integrated view of emancipation has physical, moral and social dimensions.Originality/valueThe study brings forth the concept of entry point activities (EPAs). To the author’s knowledge, this is the first application of this concept in ICT4D research. EPAs can be used to develop trust relationships between the stakeholders of ICT4D projects.

Information systems projects in developing countries continue to fail. Our research aims to understand some of the major issues that negatively impact the success of public sector information systems projects in developing countries. For this, we conducted a qualitative study of a state agricultural marketing board in India. The board initiated an information systems project in 2003. The objective of the project was to connect the various agricultural markets spread across the state by deploying hi-tech information and communication technologies. Unfortunately, the project was abandoned because of the growing conflicts between the government and private vendors implementing the project. The major stakeholders in the project included the government, private vendors, farmers and traders. The data for this critical case study were collected over a period of eight months from 2009 to 2012 using semi structured interviews, field visits and observations. The findings suggest that the lack of trust and resignation (to certain unfair practices being virtually impossible to change) arethe core issues that impede success of information systems implementation in developing countries.

A deep understanding of stakeholder strategies can be a powerful tool in helping IS researchers understand the realities of IS design and implementation in developing countries. We discuss the strategies used by stakeholders during the implementation of the first state government owned agricultural marketing information system project in India. Our main findings are that, while some stakeholder strategies were consistent with the implementation of the new system, most stakeholder strategies were not. Our findings may have important implications for the design and implementation of information systems in other developing countries.