Longitudinal study of rural internet kiosks An overview

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Social Entrepreneurship as Critical Agency A
study of Rural Internet kiosks
Nimmi Rangaswamy Technology for Emerging
Markets Microsoft Research India
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Kiosk not simply as an information booth but
rather as diversified entrepreneurial space to
tap several commercial possibilities.
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Longitudinal Study of Rural Kiosks

• Goals
• Understand how the following evolve over time
• Operation of rural kiosks
• Relevance of technology in rural context
• Role of the kiosk operator

• Methodology
• 12 kiosks in Maharashtra
• 13 months in the field
• Bi-monthly interviews with Kiosk owners
• Open interviews with regular users and non-users
  of the kiosk
• Village profiles from panchayat offices and
  formal agencies

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Kiosk Entrepreneurs

• Who are they?
• Why do they do it?
• What do they do?

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Kiosk Entrepreneurs

• Who are they?
• Why do they do it?
• What do they do?

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Who are they?
Kiosk Entrepreneurs

• Urban connection
• Higher education
• Post-graduates Masters (3/12)
• Graduates Bachelors (7/12)
• IT diploma (2/12)
• Once had job in city (6/12)
• Weekly trips to town/city (12/12)
• Social networks in city (10/12)
• College friends
• Colleagues from previous job

Kiosk operators are rare in their villages in
that they are educated outside the village, and
remain in tune with the modern, urban environment.
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Who are they?
Kiosk Entrepreneurs

• Rural ties
• Are from the village (12/12)
• Went to local primary schools (12/12)
• Born to locally prominent families (8/12)
• Own land (12/12)
• Run other businesses (9/12)

I am happy to leave the city and live in a
region that has all the facilities of a city and
yet is rural in consciousness Shikrapur
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Kiosk Entrepreneurs

• Who are they?
• Why do they do it?
• What do they do?

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Why do they do it?
Kiosk Entrepreneurs

• Strong desire to be modern and urban
• Dress is urban (12/12)
• Comfortable with English words (11/12)
• Two working as local reporters for
  national/regional newspapers

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Why do they do it?
Kiosk Entrepreneurs

• Technology lovers
• Kiosk entrepreneurs are always looking for new
  technology.
• They are aware and want latest technology

I like sleek looking technology, that is
all-in-onelike lap tops Kendur
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Why do they do it?
Kiosk Entrepreneurs

• They want to pull technology into villages
• Digital technology brings with it speed and
  adaptability. Thats what people want. Kendur
• Even a pan-wallah should have use for a
  computer. Kanerser

Kiosk entrepreneurs are part serial entrepreneur,
part technology evangelist.
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Kiosk Entrepreneurs

• Who are they?
• Why do they do it?
• What do they do?

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What do they do?
Kiosk Entrepreneurs

• Good operators take common urban services and
  translate them to rural village.
• E.g., photography services

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What do they do?
Kiosk Entrepreneurs

• Modify pictures in photo shop to suit the
  tastes of customer
• Now want Pinnacle software to edit video
• Usually learn these applications

If I sit with it for two days I will get a hang
of it Kendur
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Conclusions

• Existence of potential technology evangelists in
  rural villages.
• There is great belief in technology beyond its
  immediate functional/financial value
• Even without delivering on its promise,
  technology maintains its glamour.
• Good kiosk entrepreneurs use their bi-cultural
  experience to translate urban services for their
  villages.

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Conclusions

• Existence of potential technology evangelists in
  rural villages.
• There is great belief in technology beyond its
  immediate functional/financial value
• Even without delivering on its promise,
  technology maintains its glamour.
• Good kiosk entrepreneurs use their bi-cultural
  experience to translate urban services for their
  villages.