An explorative study of the use and implementation of new digital technologies in the management of Norwegian development cooperation projects

Abstract

This thesis merges the aspects of results-based management systems and new digital technologies together and explores what characterizes the use and implementation of new digital technologies in the management of Norwegian development cooperation projects. Through three research questions the research explores how Norwegian non-government organizations (NGOs) involved in development cooperation projects: (1) Collect, aggregate, present, and use data in decision making and reporting in existing management systems. (2) View the main barriers and opportunities of new technologies and innovations in improving current management systems and tools. (3) Perceives how new digital technologies can help facilitate learning and use of results data in the organization. The analysis of this thesis is based upon fifteen in-depth semi structured interviews across ten Norwegian NGOs involved in development cooperation projects. The interviews revealed several issues in the use and implementation of new digital technologies in Norwegian development cooperation projects that would need further research and investigation. (1) There were large variations in both the kinds of digital technologies the NGOs used in current management, and large variations in the aptness of these tools to solve the management issues at hand in the organization. (2) The small and large organizations had differentiated perceived needs and discussions in their responses to barriers and opportunities of new technologies, and that the response mostly encompassed technology as a barrier or opportunity in improving reporting rather than providing data suitable for management. (3) The research suggests that one of the constraints on learning in the NGOs might be that the organization primarily gathers results data on behalf of others rather than enabling their own management needs. Based on these findings further research is suggested in several areas, such as exploring suitable new digital technologies in the management of the NGOs involved in Norwegian development cooperation projects and unveiling possibilities of using new digital technologies to learn from the results data.