Abstract

The globalization of the Digital Divide discourse has been partially accredited to The Maitland Report: The Missing Link (1985) as a grand narrative, prescribing a disparity in the diffusion of modern network technologies in Developing countries as a source of their underdevelopment. The report was premised on assumptions that if communication technologies generally and telecommunications infrastructures specifically, were adopted, this would create various kinds of socio-economic opportunities and growth. However, the diffusion of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in developing regions have had mixed results in terms of enhancing opportunity within a ‘human development’ context. In addressing these ends, this paper takes a three-pronged approach. Firstly, using critical reflections of the origins of ICT and Development notions attempts will be made to understand the economic and political influences in inducing adoption of modern communication networks. Secondly, to address the misleading assumption in the relationship between improved modern communication networks and human development. Finally, to discuss the fundamental absence in ICT and Development discourse in assessing the ‘Value’ of Information by target/end users in resource poor regions of Asia-Pacific and its implications on practice and policy. Case studies and observations from Lao PDR, Myanmar and Tonga will be used to contextualize this.