Volume 59, Issue 331, July 2023

Africa informal technology sector borrowing principles, concepts, theories, techniques and methods from other sectors

Wangai Mambo

Computing Department of United States International University, Nairobi, Kenya

ABSTRACT

Informal sector artisans require actionable guidance that is provided by theories and techniques whose strengths and weakness are known, yet the informal sector faces resource scarcity which makes it nearly impossible to develop its theories and techniques. Theories and methods are based on concepts and principles. The African informal sector compared with other informal sectors in the world has fewer explicit theories and methods for building its knowledge and methods bases. A low-cost way for informal sector to have theories and methods is to borrow them and their components from similar domains. African informal technology developing sector is one of grassroots innovation movements around the globe. The study used a design science and literature review, analysis and synthesis and extension research method and codified process for borrowing theories from other fields through this study.

Keywords: Grassroots innovation movement, informal sector, innovation, maker movement, technology catch-up, grassroots movement

Discovery, 2023, 59, e90d1285

PDF

Published: July 2023