4.5. Snapshots of Case Studies

The case studies presented in this chapter illustrate a range of organizational models. Figure 4 gives a graphical representation of the “conceptual space” created by the combination of the dimensions of the “Social ßà Enterprise” continuum with the general types of participating organizations. The real-life cases are located somewhere in the overlap between the types of organizations that are involved and the kinds of objectives that those organizations seek to fulfill. The cases themselves do not represent “pure” types; they have multiple features, some of which conflict with the others. For example, a public-private sector partnership can reflect, in different parts of the organizations’ collaboration, elements of social responsibility, of profit seeking in nontraditional markets, and of government-paid service delivery. Such a project would not appear as a single point in the conceptual map of Figure 4, but as an amorphous blot, with tentacles that reach out in different directions. The concepts are useful for describing a particular intersection, but not necessarily for locating a complex, real-world activity.

Rather than comparing the models and attempting to identify the most successful approach, we present them as alternative, complementary models that have evolved in response to different local and national realities. Our intent is to provide a broad base of real models from different circumstances, so that you have access to the rich experience of this professional community in designing a local implementation. The examples in this chapter have been chosen to represent different organizational models in action.

The typical NGO or community-sponsored organization (CSO)-led telecenter has been established with either donor funding or a funding from a universal access program. One of its main challenges is the eventual need to secure financial sustainability for its services. In the case of the Committee for the Democratization of Information (CDI) in Brazil, sustainability has been achieved through extensive international and national fund raising. Other case studies presented in this chapter include the IT clubs of Egypt, which are government-initiated and -sponsored by various external donors as well. The Chancay-Huaral project in Peru provides an example of a community-based model, and Gyandoot, in India, illustrates a government-led, multilayered model involving local governments and local entrepreneurs.

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