Abstract
Title: An ICT-application study in Dominican Republic
Author: Marcus Lewold
Tutor: Ola Alexanderson, Department of Industrial Management & Logistics, Faculty of Engineering, Lund University.
Background: Welfare projects using applications of Information and
Communications Technology (ICT) have proven to deliver significant results in a cost efficient way. Despite this a strong majority of project still fail to sustain once the initial welfare resources are depleted.
Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to identify applications of ICT that can be valuable for society and at the same time present
interesting business opportunities for a telecom operator.
Method: The study was divided into three different parts. Part 1; A broad selection of potential applications of ICT was matched with needs discovered during interviews with a broad range of local stakeholders (including stakeholders from; healthcare, education, agriculture, etc....). Part 2; each application were analyzed according to benefits and ease of implementation with the purpose to identify the 2 most attractive applications. Part 3; A more comprehensive analysis were conducted on each of the two applications identified in the previous phase – stakeholder
analysis and value analysis – with the purpose to present a
suitable business model.
Conclusions: Two applications of ICT are identified and a suitable business
model applicable on the Dominican market is suggested for each application.
Keywords: Sustainability, ICT, Evaluation of applications, Pilot project, Aid, Welfare
Acknowledgment
First of all, I would like to thank my tutors at Ericsson, Johan Haeger and Erika Ernfors for giving me the chance to pursue my interest in ICT-strategies in developing countries, and for their comforting support throughout the process. I would also like to thank Mr. Edwin San Roman at Indotel for his tireless support; clearly this project would not have been possible without valuable contacts that I was given through Mr. San Roman. Finally, at The Faculty of Engineering at Lund University, I would like to thank my academic tutor Ola Alexanderson, for his valuable insights and advices during the work process.
I knew that my master thesis would be an inspiring and challenging project, but in retrospect I find that this project have been far more challenging and
developing than I would ever imagine. Working in the Dominican Republic and conducting interviews on a language, that not so long ago was completely unknown for me, have probably been one of the most developing periods of my life. The people that I have met during my interviews have been incredible enthusiastic; I would therefore like to thank them all with great sincerity.
Finally I would like to take the opportunity to thank my family and friends for all the support that I have been given throughout my education.
Stockholm, January 2010
Table of Contents
ABSTRACT 1
ACKNOWLEDGMENT 2
TABLE OF CONTENTS 3
LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES 7
1. BACKGROUND 8
1.1 ICT CREATINGVALUEINANALLCOMMUNICATINGWORLD 8 1.2 SPECIFICEXAMPLESOF ICT PROJECTSFROMAROUNDTHEWORLD 9 1.3 APPLICATIONS, WHATISANAPPLICATION? 10 1.3.1 The scale factor 11 1.3.2 Cost is driven by complexity 12 2. INTRODUCTION 13 2.1 PROBLEM DISCUSSION 13 2.2 PURPOSE 14 Short version 14 Long version 14 2.3 DISPOSITION 14 2.4 GLOSSARY 16 3. METHODOLOGY 18 3.1 DEFINITIONOFPROBLEM 18
3.2 WORKINGPROCESSANDTIMELINE 18
3.3 GENERAL STUDYOF TECHNOLOGYAND MARKET 19
3.4 APPLICATION RESEARCH STUDY 21
3.4.2 Part 2, Evaluate applications 23
3.4.3 Part 3, Suggest suitable business practices 25
3.5 STRENGTHSANDWEAKNESSESOFTHEMETHODOLOGY 27
4. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK 28
4.1 THEBASISOFSCIENTIFICINNOVATION 28
4.1.1 Value creating culture 28
4.1.2 The innovative process 29
4.2 HOWTOPREDICTTHESUCCESSOFANINNOVATIVEAPPLICATION 30
4.2.1 The aspect of behavioral change 31
4.2.2 The Network effect 33
4.3 STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS 34
5. PHASE 1 – IDENTIFY APPLICATIONS 38
5.1 DISTRIBUTE INFORMATION 38
5.1.1 Broadcasting of SMS 39
5.1.2 Information Portal 41
5.1.3 Mobile Market Portal – level 1 42
5.2 COLLECT DATA 44
5.2.1 Mobile Survey Tool 44
5.2.2 Remote Monitoring - Piix 46
5.3 COORDINATE RESOURCES 47
5.3.1 Electronic Medical Record Systems, OpenMRS 47
5.3.2 Mobile Market Portal (level 2) 49
6. PHASE 2 – EVALUATE APPLICATIONS 51
6.0 SHORTEXPLANATIONOFQUANTIFICATION 51
6.0.1 How to quantify addressable Value 51
6.0.1 How to quantify ease of implementation 51
6.1 INFORMATION PORTAL 52
6.1.1 Addressable Value 52
6.1.2 Ease of implementation 54
6.2 BROADCASTING SMS 55
6.2.2 Ease of implementation 57
6.3 REMOTE MONITORINGOF HEART-RATE – CORVENTIS DEVICE 57
6.3.1 Addressable Value 57
6.3.2 Ease of implementation 59
6.4 ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORD SYSTEM - OPENMRS 61
6.4.1 Addressable Value 61
6.4.2 Ease of implementation 63
6.5 MOBILE SURVEY TOOL 64
6.5.1 Addressable Value 64
6.5.2 Ease of implementation 65
6.6 MOBILE TRADE PORTAL – LEVEL 1 66
6.6.1 Addressable Value 66
6.6.2 Ease of implementation 67
6.7 RESULTS 68
7. PHASE 3 – SUGGEST BUSINESS PRACTICE 70
7.1 MOBILE SURVEY TOOL 70
7.1.1 The need – Access to healthcare data 70
7.1.2 The product – The ability to use mobile phone as a device for collecting data 72 7.1.3 Understanding the value; how, where and for whom? 73
7.1.4 Stakeholders analysis 74
Business practice 78
7.2 MOBILE TRADE PORTAL 80
7.2.1 The need – access to information 80
7.2.2 The product – market information in your mobile 80
7.2.3 Stakeholders analysis 82 7.2.4 Business Practice 84 Summary 86 8. CONCLUSIONS 88 8.1 WHICH SERVICES 88 8.2 A DYNAMICPERSPECTIVE 89 9. REFERENCES 90
9.1 ORALSOURCES 90 9.1.1 General Study 90 9.1.2 Application Study 90 9.2 PUBLISHED MATERIAL 91 9.2.1 General Study 91 Books 91
Articles & Reports 92
10. APPENDIX 94 10.1 Appendix 1, Mobile Trade Portal, Competitive landscape 94
List of figures and tables
Illustrations
ILLUSTRATION 1: BASIC ANALYSIS OF HOW COMPLEXITY AFFECTS SCALE AND COSTS...12
ILLUSTRATION 2: THE OVERALL WORKING PROGRESS...19
ILLUSTRATION 3: THE WORKING PROGRESS OF THE APPLICATION STUDY...21
ILLUSTRATION 4: ILLUSTRATION OF THE FIRST PHASE OF THE APPLICATION STUDY, THE IDENTIFICATION PHASE...22
ILLUSTRATION 5: ILLUSTRATION OF ADDRESSABLE VALUE...23
ILLUSTRATION 6: THE SECOND PHASE OF THE APPLICATION STUDY; EVALUATION OF APPLICATIONS...24
ILLUSTRATION 7: THE THIRD PHASE OF THE APPLICATION STUDY; STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS AND VALUE ANALYSIS...26
ILLUSTRATION 8: BREAKDOWN OF FACTORS INFLUENCING THE EASE OF IMPLEMENTATION...31
ILLUSTRATION 9: THE 9X EFFECTS...32
ILLUSTRATION 10: THREE DIFFERENT PATTERNS OF NEEDS...38
ILLUSTRATION 11: RESULTS FROM THE EVALUATION OF APPLICATIONS...69
ILLUSTRATION 12: ORGANIZATIONAL CHART OF HEALTHCARE SYSTEM AND MAP ILLUSTRATING THE LOCATIONS OF RURAL CLINICS...71
ILLUSTRATION 13: HOW THE PROCESS WORKS TODAY...72
ILLUSTRATION 14: HOW THE PROCESS COULD WORK WITH THE ERICSSON MOBILE SURVEY TOOL...73
ILLUSTRATION 15: BREAKDOWN OF SOURCES TO VALUE...73
ILLUSTRATION 16: STAKEHOLDER MAPPING FOR MST...78
Illustration 17: Schematic illustration of the service...81
Pictures PICTURE 1, A DOMINICAN WOMAN SENDING A SMS FROM HER MOBILE PHONE...40
PICTURE 2, LOCAL FARMER SENDING SMS FROM HIS MOBILE PHONE...43
PICTURE 3: A DOCTOR USING HER PHONE...45
PICTURE 4: A TYPICAL VIEW IN RURAL HEALTHCARE CLINICS...48
PICTURE 5: A YOUNG DOMINICAN BOY...88
1. BACKGROUND
This chapter gives the reader a basic introduction to how ICT can create value for society; in a general social welfare perspective and in specific examples from healthcare, education and agriculture. Furthermore, the problem of sustainability is introduced and discussed. The chapter ends with a short presentation of what defines an application.
1.1 ICT creating value in an all communicating world
There is a general consensus among stakeholders in the telecom industry that increased connectivity through the use of ICT, commonly known as
Information and Communication technology, benefits society – a consensus
backed up by studies conducted by both leading academics, such as Leonard Waverman at the London Business School, and leading consultancies such as McKinsey & Co (Broadband for the masses, McKinsey, Feb 2009). In short: the re-occurring argument is that there are a significant correlation between ICT penetration and growth of GDP.
Investments in telecoms generates a growth dividend because the spread of telecommunications reduces costs of interaction between stakeholders, expands market boundaries and enormously expands information flow.
The impact of Telecoms on Economic Growth in Developing Countries, Waverman et al 2004 Waverman’s argument is intuitive and it is easy to imagine how much harder our every-day life would be without the ability to communicate in a timely and reliable manner; so many processes, both on a personal as well as professional level are dependent on this ability.
But, what does penetration of ICT really mean? Surely level of penetration is a convenient indicator that can be used for research - research that can provide valuable guidance for policydecisions regarding infrastructural investments -but Waverman does not investigate the operational level. The purpose of this
study is to do just that; to investigate specific value creating applications of
ICT. The Dominican Republic was chosen to be the
1.2 Specific examples of ICT projects from around the world
But, before we dive in to the specific example of the Dominican republic, it could be a good idea to start of with a short overview of projects that have been conducted around the world during the last 5 years. The first example, the
Gandhigram project, is a powerful example demonstrating how ICT can
facilitate healthcare in developing environments. The Gandhigram project is a healthcare project in the southern India, founded by the private healthcare company Apollo with the purpose to investigate how smart use of telecommunication can leverage scarce resources, such as doctors and other medical experts, and provide specialized healthcare to citizens in remote and rural areas – citizens normally out of reach of any advanced form of healthcare. The cost of transport - in both time and money - is simply too high and no business model (the Indian healthcare is mostly private) can cover the cost of neither specialized doctor nor advanced equipment, in this region. But, doctors and other crucial experts (such as x-ray technicians) can be centralized and mobile health centers, in the form of busses equipped with medical equipment can operate around the countryside with the support of centralized experts. Through the use of telecommunication each doctor can serve multiple health centers and his or her expertise is thereby leveraged – this leads to a more cost efficient usage of scarce resources.
Another specific example of how ICT can be used to create value for society is the well known project Text2Teach. Sponsored by Nokia, the project uses mobile phones and satellite links to provide teachers in rural areas in the Philippines with modern educational content in the form of video and audio clips. The teacher can use her mobile phone to browse a digital library with educational content and pick whatever suits her specific needs. Her choices will be downloaded over a satellite-link and made available for class the next day - a drastic improvement from 10-20 year old incomplete set of school books. The project is expensive, mainly because of hardware cost (mobile phone and
satellite receiver) and high license fees for the satellite link. When 3G coverage reaches the region and prices on handsets goes down this method could actually be very cost efficient. The distribution costs associated with traditional literature is almost eliminated and alignment between curriculum and educational content is simplified.
A basic but equally powerful example is the African project with the similar name; text2change. The purpose of the project was to raise the awareness towards Aids and HIV as much as possible. Each week, thousands of SMS were sent out to mobile phones in Uganda with information regarding HIV/Aids. The information was structured as a short multiple-choice-quiz and free airtime – which’s a viable currency in Uganda – was awarded whoever responded to the questions. After three completed quizzes each participant was awarded not only free airtime but also an encouragement to visit a healthcare clinic and take a free healthcare examination along with an HIV test. But, apart from spreading information and encouraging people to take an HIV test, the application also collected information about the level of knowledge regarding Aids/HIV. The test results from the SMS-quiz could be broken down and analyzed on different socio economic levels, valuable data that was passed on to UNICEF.
These three applications are all good examples of how ICT can be used to create value for society. But, despite the fact that these projects all creates significant value for multiple stakeholders (institutions, individuals, society, etc) they are all configured to be 100% charity funded and in no case have the operator taken a business position. If the operator is involved – which is far from always - it is always with the incentive to create good PR and the project is seen as an alternative to traditional marketing activities and never as an business opportunity in it self.
1.3 Applications, what is an application?
The common denominator for the applications - the three specific examples just mentioned as well as the six applications that will be analyzed in the Dominican context - is their use of ICT; other than that, they differ hugely. From the
mature technology of Broadcasting SMS, to Information Portals accessible through the mobile browser and ultimately the “state of the art” technology of
Heart Rate Monitoring Devices. This broad scale makes it important to
understand how the level of complexity impacts the scale and cost of the application – and ultimately the profitability for the operator.
1.3.1 The scale factor
Scale is driven by multiple factors, such as hardware demand, how easy the application is to install and how easy it is to use for the end-user. Mature
technology such as SMS does not suffer from hardware demands (100% of the Dominican mobile phones can send and receive SMS) and there are no technical barriers for a 100% penetration rate. In contrast to more advanced and un-mature technologies, such as mobile internet browsing (20% of Dominican mobile phones have the ability to access internet), is much less likely to reach high penetration rates because hardware barriers - Important insights that can be used as an indication of the potential scale of a launched application.
More than the hardware demands, scale is also driven by the ease of use of the application. Complex and hard to use applications will put higher demands on the users and hence their diffusion could be hindered. The aspect of usability is specifically critical in countries with high levels of illiteracy. Applications that are designed to be used in these countries should be configured in a way so that the user can interact with the application through voice control.
How easy the application is to install is another important factor influencing the rate of penetration. A good example is the (partly failed) introduction of MMS. When the service of MMS was first introduced in late 2001 users had to undergo a cumbersome installation process before they could send a MMS. And even after this process, they could not know for sure that the message would be delivered. The message would fail to arrive if the recipient had not installed the MMS through the same complicated installation process and it was not until this process was standardized and automated that the usage really took of.
Illustration 1: Basic analysis of how complexity affects scale and costs 1.3.2 Cost is driven by complexity
Cost on the other hand is driven by the level of complexity of the application: a
complex application will generally have higher demands on both hardware and software. For instance; advanced applications such as mobile TV (e.g. SVT Play) or streaming music (e.g. Spotify) puts high demands on both the terminal (the mobile phone in the hands of the user) and the performance of the network (owned by the operator). These applications are also expensive to develop and they must be filled with relevant content on a regular basis. The technology of
SMS is in the other part of the complexity spectrum; SMS is very affordable;
the underlying technology is highly standardized and it is very easy for an operator to create different applications based on a standardized core and neither the user nor the operator must do any investments in hardware.
2. INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this section is to give a brief introduction to the thesis - explain the purpose, problem discussion and give a short overview of the disposition – to help the reader put the work in to context.
2.1 Problem Discussion
It is not hard to find examples of how applications of ICT, commonly known as
Information and Communication Technology, can be used to create tremendous
value for society. Through the help of NGO’s, projects have been initiated in different parts of the world; healthcare workers in the rural parts of Uganda accessing remote consultation from specialists, Indian fishermen accessing market prices before deciding where to sell their catch, children in rural parts of the Philippines using internet as a source of education. Simple, yet powerful examples of how ICT can create value for society, demonstrated by pilot projects.
But, even though many of these projects are delivering results in a cost efficient way they are still associated with a cost – a cost that must be covered. Since these projects are configured as welfare projects, there is normally some sort of initial funding allocated to cover the costs. The funding could come from a Non Governmental Organization (NGO) such as the Red Cross or Doctors without
borders, or it could come from a company such as Ericsson or Nokia; looking
for a way to demonstrate the value of their technology. The problem is that when the initial funding is depleted the cost will be left uncovered - leading to a terminated project. In order to successfully achieve a lasting positive change the project needs to be sustainable and continue over time.
Research has shown (Gunnstam & Nordquist, 2008) that the sustainability of this type of ICT-projects is influenced by multiple factors and financial sustainability arguably being one of the most important. Since these projects many times are creating substantial value – both cost savings and quality improvements – one solution could be to configure the application and business
model in such a way that some of the value created by the project is allocated to cover the cost and, hopefully, creating a surplus of value that can be awarded whoever is willing to take the risk and manage the project.
The telecom operator is in a particular good position to administrate such a project. The operator have already made significant capital investments in the infrastructure of the telecommunication network and maybe these applications -such as tele-medicine or rural education - could be an attractive opportunity to further capitalize on these investments.
2.2 Purpose
Short version
To investigate how telecom operators can capitalize on existing ICT infrastructure by providing service to society?
Long version
This report presents the result from a six week study made in the Dominican Republic during August and September 2009. The purpose of the study was to investigate how applications of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) can be beneficiary to society and at the same time present new and interesting business opportunities for the operator. A broad range of applications have been identified and analyzed based on their benefits to society and potential to be economically sustainable. The analysis and results are linked to the Dominican market but are applicable on comparable markets around the world.
2.3 Disposition
Chapter 1 – Background
The second chapter presents the reader with a few basic, yet valuable, facts regarding ICT-projects in developing environments. The chapter also contains a short discussion
regarding applications of ICT – specifically how the level of complexity influences the cost and potential scale.
Chapter 2 - Introduction
The introduction presents the reader with the a description of; Purpose, Problem Discussion and Disposition
Chapter 3 - Methodology
The third chapter presents the reader with the project’s methodology. The workflow of the project is presented in chronological order and each phase is explained and motivated.
Chapter 4 – Theoretical framework
The forth chapter picks up were the previous chapter ends and presents the reader with the theoretical framework used during the study. General theoretical reasoning is combined with more hands-on models and a common framework for evaluating applications is created.
Chapter 5 – Phase 1 – Identify applications
The fifth chapter presents the result from the first phase of the study; the identification phase. The six applications of ICT that were identified are briefly presented.
Chapter 6 – Phase 2 - Evaluate applications
The sixth chapter presents the analysis and results from the second phase of the study; the evaluation phase. A summary of all relevant aspects that were raised during the discussion is presented. The chapter ends with a table and a diagram summarizing the quantified results.
This chapter presents a more in-depth analysis of the two applications that were chosen during the previous phase. Each application is analyzed according to the framework presented in chapter three and four (Methodology & Theoretical Framework).
Chapter 7 - Conclusions
This chapter presents the general conclusion that can be made from the study together with the author’s reflections.
References
A presentation of all references; oral, electronic and printed sources; that have been used in during the study.
2.4 Glossary
3G Third generation GSM technology
Broadband High Speed Internet Access
EDGE Enhanced Data rates for Global Evolution
GSM Global System for Mobile Communication
ICT Information Communication Technology
INDOTEL Instituto Dominicano de las Telecomunicaciones: The
telecom regulator of the Dominican Republic
JAD Junta Agro Empresarial Dominicana:
Cluster-Organization consisting of 180 000 Dominican agricultural producers with the purpose to provide support to its members in the form of agricultural
education, technical support and to represent its members interests
UNAP Unidades de Atención Primaria en Salud: The primary
level of care in the Dominican Republic healthcare system
Millennium Villages Project to reduce poverty in Africa by developing a number of villages, led by Columbia University in cooperation with the UN
Mobile Broadband High Speed Internet Access accessible through a portable USB-modem, telephone or other device.
SMS Short Message Service
Telecom Operator Service provider of telecommunications such as telephony and data communications
Telecom Regulator Governmental institution with the purpose to regulate the telecom market
3. METHODOLOGY
This chapter explains in a chronological order how the research study was conducted. Each phase of the study is reviewed and the chosen methodologies are explained and motivated. The chapter ends with a short discussion regarding the strengths and weaknesses of the chosen methods.
3.1 Definition of problem
Since the study was initiated by Ericsson (and initially meant to be an internship) the definition of problem was created with a strong focus on business benefits. In order to conduct the study as a master thesis this definition had to be generalized in a way so that it could also be of academic value. This was done in cooperation with the academic tutor from LTH. The solution was a 2 part delivery where Ericsson would receive a short (about 15 pages) report with only a brief description of the methodology and theory; instead there would be a strong focus on the results. This report was made available for governments and operators in the Ericsson Market Unit Central America and
the Caribbean during late November 2009.
The second delivery is directed towards the academic institution and consists of a more comprehensive report; including detailed description of methodology, theory and analysis. However different formats, both the reports originate from the same data and analysis.
3.2 Working process and timeline
The project was divided into two separate studies, an initial general market &
technology study accompanied with an application study. The purpose with the
general study was to create an understanding for the technology (ICT) and the market characteristics of both the global ICT market as well as the local market of the Dominican Republic. The purpose of the application study – the main part of the project - was to identify applications that could be implemented in the Dominican market.
Illustration 2: The overall working progress
The project spanned from July 2009 to December 2009, excluding vacation this made up a total of 20 weeks. The first part, the General Study, was conducted in Stockholm Sweden during July and August. The second part was conducted in both Sweden and the Dominican Republic with a total of 6 week of field studies on location in the Dominican Republic. Meetings and presentations with the marketing team from Ericsson were held in Costa Rica (at the regional headquarter) both before and after the 6 weeks in the Dominican Republic.
3.3 General Study of Technology and Market
In order to fully understand the behavior of the telecom-market it is imperative to understand the underlying aspects of the technology that are being marketed. Hence the general study was further divided into two parts, one with an technology perspective and one with a market perspective. During a 5 week period (July and early August 2009) the two studies where conducted in parallel and information was gathered from both primary and secondary sources.
Secondary sources consisted of academic studies, annual reports from regional
operators, internal reports available from Ericsson as well as external reports from different consultancies. A complete list of sources can be found in the reference part of this report. The reports were summarized and an overall image of the situation was created.
Primary sources consisted of interviews with experts; market and technology
typically led by the interviewees and took the form of a 1 on 1 lecture. The interviews were recorded to enable a greater focus on the question at hands.
Apart from providing a good foundation of knowledge, the general study did also provide the application study with a tangible starting point. This starting point included two important findings:
1. A list of around 40 potential applications
2. A list of hypotheses of what challenges the different institutions are facing
The list of applications was a summary of applications identified from both primary and secondary sources. These applications could be real cases, mainly from Africa or Asia, or merely ideas deriving from an open discussion with experts of new and innovative ways to use available technology.
Furthermore, a list of hypotheses of what challenges the different institutions are facing was created. As an example; according to the World Health Organization the Dominican Republic healthcare system suffers from many typical “third-world” diseases such as dengue fever and tuberculosis, at the same time the rate of welfare-diseases such as heart rate failure and obesity is becoming more and more common. Maybe it is possible to use ICT to help fight this development? If so, maybe there is a position for the operator? This hypothesis was used, together with many others, to prepare the interviews that were held with stakeholders from the ministry of health. In the same way hypothesis within many different areas were created.
All in all, the basic understanding for both technology and market together with the lists of applications and the list of hypothesis provided a good starting point for the application study.
3.4 Application Research Study
The major part (15 out of a total of 20 weeks) of the project consisted of the application study. This study was divided in to three phases; (1) Identification, (2) Evaluation of applications and (3) Evaluation of business models, and each phase held a specific purpose and method as illustrated in figure 3.2.
Illustration 3: The working progress of the application study 3.4.1 Phase 1, Identify applications
The purpose of the first phase was to identify a selection of applications that could be analyzed in the Dominican context. This was done through a matching process between the 40 potential applications identified during the general study and the needs identified from the interviews with stakeholders.
Among these stakeholders were representatives from; government (ministry of health, ministry of education, etc.) institutions (trade organizations, universities and hospitals) and telecom operators. A total of 30 qualitative interviews were conducted during the 6 week period in the Dominican Republic. A complete list of the interviewees can be found in the reference chapter.
Before each interview a manuscript was created in order to make the interview as efficient as possible and prevent any important aspects to go un-noticed. Each manuscript was built on a common framework (appendix 1) but depending on the hypotheses from the general study an adapted manuscript was created before every interview. The purpose of the interviews was to gain an understanding of the challenges facing the stakeholders and, based on this knowledge, create an understanding of how ICT and ultimately the operator could help stakeholders overcome these challenges.
Illustration 4: Illustration of the first phase of the application study, the identification phase. Even though the stakeholders represented a broad range of different backgrounds they all shared some basic needs – creating three patterns of needs (these patterns are explained in chapter 5). This is important insight for the operator – if the same need is shared between different stakeholders it is easier for the application to reach a profitable scale. The result from the matching
process was 6 applications that were to be analyzed in further detail in the Dominican context.
3.4.2 Part 2, Evaluate applications
The purpose of phase 2 was to analyze these applications with regards to
addressable value and ease of implementation.
Addressable value is estimated in two steps. Step one is to identify the value
that the application can create for the different stakeholders; society (different ministries, NGO’s, etc.) and end-users (patients, doctors, farmers, etc.). This value is an aggregation of multiple value drivers such as; efficiency improvements, safety improvements and cost reductions; each benefit is quantified and summarized. This was done in a workshop with employees from the Ericsson R&D department called Ericsson Research. The workshop was organized as a structured discussion where the author held the agenda and worked through the different applications and other participants held the role as experts within different areas. The purpose was to make a rough estimation of the potential value that each application could create in order to create a relative ranking between the different applications, not to calculate the exact value of each individual application.
The second step is to identify how much of this original value can be extracted by the operator. This analysis is slightly more complicated since it depends of what position the operator can take (indirectly as a provider of connectivity or directly as a service provider) and the level of competition – two highly dynamic factors. Hence, the dynamic behavior of these factors must also be analyzed – how likely is these factors to change over time and how does this influence the operator’s long term ability to extract value? As an example; new technology such as mobile broadband accessible from the phone can be an effective substitute for old technology such as premium SMS for distributing information – re-positioning the operator from service provider to supplier of connectivity and impacting the business model and ultimately the operator’s ability to extract value.
Illustration 6: The second phase of the application study; Evaluation of applications
Ease of implementation on the other hand is an aggregation of technical and behavior aspect that influences the implementation. The technical aspects are
analyzed in a very straightforward manner; does the operator have the necessary technical competence and equipment to administrate the application or must they acquire this from the outside? Is the application compatible with the operators own systems? Broadcasting of SMS is a good example of an application with very low technical barriers; almost all modern telecom-system have the ability to broadcast SMS and it does not require any additional technical modifications.
The behavioral aspects are a bit more complicated to analyze and they require a more theoretical approach, an approach that will be explained in detail in chapter 4;The Theoretical Framework. In brief, the behavioral aspects are divided into two different aspects; behavioral change and network effects. The first aspect to be estimated is the behavioral change that the costumer must undergo in order to adapt and use the new application; consumers are reluctant to behavioral change and this hinders the adoption of radical innovations. The other aspect, the Network Effect, takes into account the bi-lateral dependences between suppliers, costumers as well as competitors. The more developed a network is, the more inert it will be towards innovation – it is hard for one player to change if the others don’t follow.
One important aspect to point out is the precision of the estimated parameters;
addressable value and ease of implementation. Since the goal is to identify the
two most suitable applications the emphasis is not to find absolute values but rather establish the relative positions between the different applications; hence the precision of the estimates is sufficient when these positions are static.
3.4.3 Part 3, Suggest suitable business practices
The purpose of the third phase is to suggest the most suitable business practice for each of the two applications identified during the second part of the application study. This involves understanding what role the operator should take - active as a service provider or passive as a supplier of connectivity – and also for whom and how the application should be marketed. This was done by complementing the previous results with more in-depth analysis. The base
consists of a stakeholder analysis combined with a analysis of value-perception for each stakeholder, as can be seen in illustration 3.6.
Illustration 7: The third phase of the application study; stakeholder analysis and value analysis The stakeholder analysis seeks to explain which stakeholders are necessary to involve and what incentives drives them? The analysis of incentives is closely correlated with each stakeholder’s perception of value. A more detail explanation of the theoretical aspects will be presented in the following chapter,
Theoretical Framework.
The stakeholder analysis was based on data collected from follow-up interviews with stakeholders and further field studies. The field studies focused on two specific areas, rural farmers and rural healthcare clinics.
The study of the rural clinics aimed at creating an understanding of how the process of data collection worked today and specifically how this process could be improved with the use of ICT. These interviews were different from the
interviews held during phase 2 - they were much more focused in order to map the specific process. In parallel with the study of the healthcare system a study of the agricultural market was also conducted. This included follow-up interviews with stakeholders from the ministry of agriculture, a local farmer-organization and individual farmers. The purpose was to understand how the flow of information affects the market; specifically how information regarding supply/demand is valuable for both the local farmer and society as a whole.
3.5 Strengths and weaknesses of the methodology
The first and most important weakness of the methodology is the scope of the project – it is very broad for being a one-man project. Fortunately, the support from both Ericsson and the local telecom regulator INDOTEL enabled me to make the most out of the six weeks that I had available in the Dominican Republic. As an example, most of the interviews could be booked in advance through the help of INDOTEL and since the project was sanctioned by the regulator it was fairly easy to gain access to senior management within the government.
But, even considering the help given from both Ericsson and Indotel, the ambitious scope of the project still limited the precision of the analysis. As an example; the analysis of the six applications during the second phase had to be finished very early since the third and following phase demanded that two applications was identified already halfway through the six weeks of field studies in the Dominican Republic - therefore the analysis had to be conducted in parallel with the data collection. Maybe it would have been better to split up the period of data collection in two parts; one for phase 2 (data is collected for all six applications) and one for phase 3 (focus on only the two applications that have been chosen) and conduct the analysis in between and separately. However, this was not an option due to constraints in time and resources.
4. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
This chapter introduces the reader to the theoretical frameworks that were used to support the conclusions. Each framework is explained and put in to context.
4.1 The basis of scientific innovation
4.1.1 Value creating culture
David Matheson and his father Jim Matheson, both researchers and consultants within strategic innovation, describes in the book The Smart Organization (Harvard Business School Press, 1998) how companies should organize in order to maximize their return on investments in R&D and innovations. Matheson & Matheson argues that – after a comprehensive study of several best in class innovative companies - there are a few common denominators shared between organizations that are prominent innovators; they call these factors the
nine principles of smart organizations. The first, and arguably most important,
principle has been used as a guideline and inspiration for this study – the principle of value creating culture.
The purpose of the organization is seen by everyone as maximizing the value created for costumers and captured by the organization
Matheson & Matheson, The Smart Organization, Harvard Business School Press, 1998 The primary objective of the organization and its members should, according to Matheson & Matheson, not only be to create maximum value, but also about understanding how the organization best can capture this value. It might sound obvious, but an extensive track record of promising ICT projects that have failed to sustain, in spite of the fact that they create substantial value for society, proves the opposite; hence the principle of the value creating culture is a guideline for this project.
4.1.2 The innovative process
The process of innovation is dynamic and can take on many different forms; from the linear models of Science-Push, in which emerging technologies are pushed out into business; Demand-Pull, in which the business pulls in technology as a response to needs and opportunities; to more complex network models with built in feedback loops between innovator and user - combining the benefits of both push and pull. Mark Dodgson, professor in management at the Australian national University, provides in the book The Management of
Technological Innovation (Oxford, 2008) a comprehensive overview of the
historic development of the process of innovation – a useful theoretical baseline for a study centered on innovation.
Science Push, the first generation of innovative process (Dodgson, 2008), was
the dominating approach during the 1950’s and 1960’s. Innovation was a linear process and a majority of products came to be as the result of basic research and the business aspects were subordinated the scientific aspects.
The Demand Pull approach on the other hand is driven by the needs of the consumers and the R&D department has as a sole purpose to meet these demands – business aspects stands above the scientific aspects. Companies in the consumer goods industry, like Procter and Gamble, did early embrace the process of Demand-Pull. Consumer surveys conducted on a regular basis created a direction for the innovative process. Dodgson calls this the second generation of innovation process.
The third generation of innovative process is a combination of pull and push.
The periods are organized in a sequential pattern – subsequent but separate from each other.
The fourth generation of innovative process is a development of the third, but
rather than sequential, the processes are conducted in parallel which leads to shorter lead times and a more efficient use of resources.
The fifth generation is according to Dodgson similar to the fourth. But, more
than just a parallel process of push and pull, this process also involves key-costumers (e.g. Ministry of Health), key-suppliers (e.g. Ericsson technical experts) and strategic partners (e.g. telecom operators) in the process. Relationships are organized in networks of stakeholders and there is a trend towards long-term strategic relationships. Hence, there is a strong focus on costumer-value already during the early design process. This study aims to emulate an innovation process similar to what Dodgson calls the fifth
generation innovation process; meaning that the design of the applications were
a direct result of a close collaboration with stakeholders (e.g. ministries, doctors, operators) and technical experts at Ericsson in a continual process with no sharp boundaries between pull and push.
4.2 How to predict the success of an innovative application
Introducing new applications can be a gamble for a telecom operator; the process is costly and far from every application will get the chance to generate enough revenues to pay back the investment costs. In order to improve the odds it is important to understand what factors determine whether an innovation is a success – received and praised by both buyers and users – or a failure – banished into oblivion leaving the development costs un-covered?
The consensus among marketers have long been that the answer can be found in the value proposition; if the new service/product offers the user increased benefits to the same or lower cost compared to the current option - the new service will be awarded by the market and take the position as the new incumbent. However, this approach is one-dimensional and it fails to fully explain the complexity of the modern market. A more complex model must be developed in order to handle different characteristics such as behavioral
Illustration 8: Breakdown of factors influencing the ease of implementation
Hence, the concept of value proposition was complemented by two factors/effects that cannot be overseen and together they formed the basis for assessing the ease of implementation of the applications:
1. The double edged bias effect
There is a double edged bias which leads to a constant
discrepancy between how sellers and buyers value innovations
(Gourville, 2006)
2. The network effect
The market is organized in a network of stakeholders and these networks influence how new innovations are received. (Chakravorti, 2004)
4.2.1 The aspect of behavioral change
First, the double-edged bias between buyers and sellers is a universal phenomenon that can be found in many different situations where innovations are introduced. These biases are the result of a difference between the buyer and the seller’s perception of value – a difference that arguably is specifically significant when it comes to new innovations.
"Many products fail because of a universal, but largely ignored, psychological bias: People irrationally overvalue benefits they currently possess relative to those they don’t. The bias leads consumers to value the advantages of products they own more than the benefits of new ones. It also leads executives to value the benefits of innovations they’ve developed over the advantages of incumbent products."
Eager sellers & stony buyers, John T Gourville, Harvard Business Review June 2006 Briefly, the theory suggests that buyers constantly under-estimate the value of new innovations with a factor 3, while the seller constantly overvalue innovations with a factor 3. Combined, these biases represent a discrepancy of a factor 9 – Gourville calls this the 9x effect. The immediate consequence of the 9x effect is that innovation must be truly superior (about 9 times better than the current alternative) if they shall stand a chance to be accepted by the buyers.
Illustration 9: The 9x effects
Innovations outperforming previous alternatives with a factor 9 are not very common and the 9x effect can at first sight feel like an impenetrable barrier. But, there are shades of grey and by studying the sources to these biases it is possible to develop marketing strategies that minimizes their effect. Gourville argues that the key reason why buyers are resistant and constantly – seemingly irrationally - under value innovations can be derived to the buyer’s unwillingness to behavioral changes; to counter this, managers should seek to develop innovations that require minimal behavioral change.
Gourvil call’s this making “behaviorally compatible products” and he exemplifies with the Toyota Prius. Different types of environmental cars – propelled by bio-gas and electricity – have been around for a long while without gaining any considerable market share; they can simply not compete with the convenience of the traditional gasoline car and the user is forced to a behavior change which is seen as a significant loss. With the Prius, Toyota managed to create an environmental friendly car that the user could use in the exact same way as a traditional car – innovations were mainly kept under the hood and did not require any change of behavior from the users side.
As a conclusion, marketing managers should seek to develop products that require minimal behavioral change on the user’s behalf. This is important insights and it will constitute the first part of the behavioral analysis; each
application will be evaluated on the basis on the behavioral change that consumer need to undergo in order to use the service.
4.2.2 The Network effect
The second factor, the network effect, is the consequence of a development towards increasingly complex market structures – where stakeholders (eg. suppliers, buyers and competitors) are interrelated to each other through intricate networks built on mutual dependence.
When a new product’s adoption by one player depends on its adoption by other participants, there has to be a systemwide switching of behaviors before change can take place.
New Rules for bringing Innovations to market, Bhaskar Chavroti, Harvard Business Review March 2004
These relationships prevent stakeholders to “go at it alone” and introduce new products without the “consent” of the market. Instead there must be an alignment between the stakeholders, thus creating inertia in the market towards new innovations.
However, the network effect is not entirely a bad thing. Chavroti argues that there is a tipping point and once an innovation has been accepted by the market the network effect will reinforce the diffusion and the innovation will eventually take the role as incumbent.
“Once enough players in the market decide to switch to a new product, other player’s motivation to do so becomes stronger, beyond that threshold, the network becomes the innovations ally rather than it’s foe.”
New Rules for bringing Innovations to market, Bhaskar Chavroti, Harvard Business Review March 2004
Another interesting theory that can be useful when dealing with the introduction of innovations in networked markets – specifically in communication-networks - is the theory of network externalities. Robert Metcalfe – inventor of Ethernet and one of the founders of the innovative company 3Com - suggest that the value of an (communication) network grows exponentially with numbers of members - this is many times referred to as the Metcalfe’s law.
The network effect will constitute the second part of the behavioral analysis;
each application will be analyzed on the network properties of the market. 4.3 Stakeholder Analysis
Stakeholder analysis is a rather broad concept and it includes many different models and methods. However different, these models all share a common purpose; to analyze and illustrate how stakeholders are affected by a process, and through the analysis rank and sort stakeholders according to certain criterion – giving executives support in their interaction with stakeholders.
The criterion being used as a basis for selection differs between different methods. One of the most popular methods aims to rank stakeholders according to their influence vs interest of the project outcome (Mitchell, Agle et al. 1997) and the results are commonly plotted on a 2 dimensional chart called
stakeholder mapping. This information helps project management to identify
information since resources that can be used to manage stakeholders are scarce. This method is through its simplicity a powerful tool, especially for internal organization issues. But it has one major flaw; it fails to capture the stakeholder’s different perception of value - important information when dealing with stakeholders from different backgrounds such as corporations,
ministries and non governmental organizations; all guided by different value
functions.
The stakeholder circle on the other hand, developed by Dr. Lynda Bourne, goes a long way when it comes to defining stakeholder’s perception of value. Bourne even identifies the perception of value as the most important factor when managing different stakeholders and she argues that a profound understanding for value is the very foundation for a successful project.
The key to forming successful project relationships is understanding that different stakeholders have different expectations of the project and different definitions of project success.
Dr. Lynda Bourne, Project Relationships and the stakeholder circle, 2006
The drawback of Bournes stakeholder circle is its complexity. The underlying analysis is extensive and the graphical presentation lacks the intuitiveness of the two dimensional chart - stakeholders are not represented by a dot on a scale but as a sector of a circle. The width of the sector represents the stakeholders influence on the project at each given time, the distance from origo represents the stakeholders ability to kill the project. Even the pattern of the sector bears information regarding the internal organization of the stakeholder (homogenous or heterogeneous). All in all, the stakeholder circle provides a powerful tool but it is far to complex for this study.
Thus, instead of using a pre-developed framework a new model was developed with the basis from both these methods; trying to combine the simplicity of the
stakeholder mapping with the value centric perspective of the stakeholder circle.
This was done in a few steps:
Step 1 – Identify and define Stakeholders
The purpose is to identify all stakeholders that in some way influence the execution of the project. Each Stakeholder is analyzed according to;
What is their role (e.g. partner, competitor or catalyst) What resources are they expected to contribute to the
project (e.g. knowledge, financial support, connections, etc.).
Step 2 – Understand Stakeholders incentives (analysis of value perception)
What are each stakeholders incentives? What is their definition of success
(monetary goals, societal benefits, elimination of risk, etc.)? This question is
closely correlated with the perception of value. As an example, the Ministry of Agriculture has resources – both financial and manpower – to use in order to educate local farmers in the latest agricultural techniques. Thus, a successful project is a project that raises the level of knowledge of as many farmers as possible, as high as possible. A telecom operator would have a very different perception of value such as; direct revenues from direct sales of the service or increased subscriber loyalty that leads to lower churn rates. Hence, a project that is considered a success by one stakeholder is not by default a success for the other stakeholders. The purpose of step 2 is to understand what incentives drives each stakeholder and what they expect as an outcome from the project.
Step 3 – Plot relations between stakeholders
Identify and illustrate relationships between stakeholders. Who interact with whom and what is the nature of the interaction (e.g. revenue sharing, knowledge support, etc.)?
Complement the analysis with a classic stakeholder mapping – interest vs
influence – to identify which stakeholder should receive the most attention.
Together these 4 steps constitute a comprehensive analysis of stakeholders, their perception of value and their mutual relationships – important insights that will enhance the possibilities for a successful project.
5. PHASE 1 – IDENTIFY APPLICATIONS
This chapter presents the results from the first phase of the application study – the identification phase. A short description of the identified needs is followed by a brief presentation of each one of the six applications.
Early during the matching process – the process of matching applications with stakeholders needs - three patterns of needs were identified; the need to
distribute information, the need to collect data and the need to coordinate resources. These needs were universal and found to be shared between all
participating institutions; healthcare, education, agriculture, etc. – important insights for the continuation of the matching process.
Illustration 10: Three different patterns of needs
5.1 Distribute Information
Even though the need to distribute information is universal, the scale and the nature of the information still differs between institutions and different situations; the National Civil Defense department wants the ability to effectively send out emergency warnings on an national scale – simple messages that should be broadcasted as widely as possible - while the department of education wants to make educational content available for rural teachers – a more complex message but directed towards a smaller and more well defined target group; aspects impacting how the application should be configured.
Even though almost all participants from this study had an intuitive understanding that ICT could be a cost efficient alternative to traditional information channels it was very few institutions that really had taken advantage of this knowledge and created a strategy for how to best use ICT to distribute information. This delay of be an opportunity for the operator to shape the demand.
When taking into account local conditions and demands, three applications were chosen that could correspond to the need of distributing information; Broadcasting of SMS,
Information Portal and Mobile Market Portal.
5.1.1 Broadcasting of SMS
Broadcasting of SMS is a cost efficient way to distribute information directly to the recipient’s mobile phone
The Dominican Republic lies in the ”Hurricane Belt” and it is not uncommon that tropical storms and hurricanes hit the island during the stormy season (August - October). As an example, during the season of 2008 the Dominican Republic was hit by a total of 5 tropical cyclones and over 800 people were reported dead or missing. To minimize the damages from these storms it is important for the government to have the ability to timely and efficiently warn the population. This is currently done through radio, daily newspapers and TV. These traditional channels are effective, but broadcasting of SMS could prove
The Dominican Republic
Population: 9,650 000 (July 2009)
Economy: GDP
$78.89 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 76 $79.12 billion (2008 est.)
$75.14 billion (2007 est.)
note: data are in 2009 US dollars
GDP per Capita
$8,200 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 118 $8,300 (2008 est.)
$8,000 (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
42.2% (2004)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.5%
highest 10%: 38.7% (2005) Source: CIA World Factbook
to be a complementary channel that could deliver the message to users currently not in the range of a TV or radio.
This is particularly true for the part of the population that are the most exposed towards these emergencies - farmers and fishermen in rural areas – since they are most likely not in the range of either a TV or radio when they need the message. But, they are likely to own a mobile phone since 92% of the population has a mobile phone at their disposal (Ericsson Consumer Lab Study 2009) and 100% of these phones have the capability to send and receive SMS.
Picture 1, A Dominican woman sending a SMS from her mobile phone
But, SMS can be used as more than just as a channel for emergency information. It can also be used for educational purposes on a national scale. During the pandemic of H1N1 in the Costa Rica, the local operator ICE used SMS to educate the public in important aspects regarding the pandemic. Each subscriber received three messages. The first telling them how to avoid getting infected – how to most effectively wash your hands - the second telling them how to know if they were already infected – describing common symptoms to be aware of - and the last telling them what to do if they were infected – where to go to find healthcare.
For the operator this could prove to be an attractive opportunity to capitalize on existing equipment since the networks are already built and therefore the capital costs are covered. Furthermore, SMS is normally configured so that it uses excess capacity in the network which keeps down the marginal cost; hence the operating costs are very low.
Since the need is well defined and the technology is mature and widely available, how come the Dominican institutions do not use broadcasting of SMS today? The answer is a combination of barriers but the most frequent answer during the interviews is that the lack of knowledge of how and for whom to buy the service. The SMS service is traditionally marketed as a one to one communication tool and not as a way to communicate to a broad group of people.
5.1.2 Information Portal
An Information Portal is a framework for distribution of information in a way that enables users without extensive knowledge of computers to easily access relevant information.
There are medical-clinics in the rural parts of Dominican Republic that through an experiment, supported by INDOTEL (the local telecom regulator), have gained access to Internet even though it normally would be too expensive and complicated. In a healthcare institutions access to the wealth of information that Internet can provide can be extremely valuable. Unfamiliar symptoms can be looked up in online encyclopedias and recent news regarding drugs and treatments can be immediately accessed. However, in the Dominican clinics that have been part of this study the personnel do not have the competence to use a modern computer and the access is mainly used for simple e-mail purposes and basic chores. As a consequence the majority of the potential value that this access could create goes unnoticed. The complexity of the Internet is simply too overwhelming.
It is clear that only access to Internet is not enough - a user needs a certain level of knowledge and skill before he or she can fully take advantage of the
possibilities. There is typically two ways to approach this problem, raise the level of knowledge or lower the bar needed to access the information. The purpose of the information portal addresses the latter by streamlining the interface and making the content available in its easiest form.
There is a good local example of an information portal, developed and used be the Ministry of Education in the Dominican Republic, called ”PIM Aprende” (www.pimaprende.net). The purpose is to provide the same educational content to all schools in the public system; no matter if they are in a rich urban neighborhood or in a poor and remote rural area, and by doing this the ministry has a mean to coordinate the education and provide the students with up to date educational content. The portal is still under development but already today it contains around 3000 videos, 5000 audio files and thousands of e-books. The content is aligned with the curriculum and every video is accompanied with a note telling the teacher what to do before, during and after the video is used. The portal is designed with the user in mind – a user that do not have prior experience with computers nor internet - and the user-interface is very intuitive.
The problem however is connectivity – only 600 out of 10 000 schools have access to internet – a fact that severely limits the initial goal of aligning the rural schools with the urban since it’s mostly rural schools that lacks connectivity.
Since the cost of this service is mainly driven by content creation, a factor that is not affected by the number of users, there should be a strong focus from the ministry of education to connect the remaining schools and further leveraging the investments made in the portal.
5.1.3 Mobile Market Portal – level 1
A Mobile Market Portal enables mobile users to access information regarding supply and demand through their mobile phone
In all markets access to the right information equals power – in particular information regarding supply & demand. An asymmetric distribution of information opens up for arbitrage opportunities that lead to a lower market efficiency. It is typically the smallest players that take the biggest blow since they are less likely to have access to the right channels of information - this influences their power during negotiation. Research has showed that improved flow of market information can significantly improve market efficiency and ultimately benefit society.
One typical market that benefits from an enhanced flow of information is the market of agriculture. Agriculture has been the backbone of the Dominican economy for centuries. Even though it declined in importance as the tourism sector grew to be the largest sector, agriculture still employs around 16% of the total labor force and there is approximately 250 000 individual producer of agricultural goods active in the country and the production is still contributing to 12% of the GDP according to the World Bank.
Picture 2, Local farmer sending SMS from his mobile phone
There are several documented cases where access to market information has played an important role in negotiations between local producers and their buyers. A fact that has attracted the interest from the local agricultural association Junta Agro Empresarial Dominicana (JAD), who every week
collects information regarding local market prices and posts them on their webpage as a service to its members. But, because of relative high costs associated with computers and traditional internet, only a fraction of JAD’s members have currently access to the information when they need it the most; during negotiation. Taking the role as a distributor of market-information to the members of JAD could be an attractive business opportunity for the operator.
5.2 Collect Data
Another universal need that is shared between institutions is the need to collect data – many times in remote and demanding conditions. In these conditions the use of ICT can prove to be not only cost efficient, but also provide superior performance over the traditional alternatives. When data is digital from the point of collection it is not only less likely to get corrupt – resulting in a more complete coverage of data - but more important is the fact that the lead-time between the time of collection and the time of availability is almost eliminated – an important aspect that opens up to many new uses of the available data.
The scale of these different uses is significant; it could be automated surveys conducted on a national level through the use of multiple choice questions
through SMS, or it could be more specific applications that demands special
sensors and continuously monitoring by personnel.
Two applications were identified to be specifically interesting in the Dominican Context; Mobile Survey Tool and the Remote Monitoring of Cardiovascular
data.
5.2.1 Mobile Survey Tool
The mobile survey tool is an application that transforms the mobile phone into an advanced device for remote and mobile collection of data.
