Kenya’s Mobile Revolution
The use of mobile phones is revolutionizing many aspects of Kenyan life. Aside from facilitating multiple levels of communication, the spread of mobile phones has contributed to the increase in jobs for mobile-related services, and enabled the delivery of financial, agricultural, health, and educational services through the development of new mobile based applications or programs. Access to mobile phones continues to rise and spread throughout Kenya, even in the most rural communities. The mobile revolution is one of the leading factors for economic development in Kenya. In order to explore the impact of mobile technology in Kenya I read, “Mobile Phones and Economic Development in Africa” by Jenny C. Aker and Isaac …show more content…
Evidence for improvements to the markets and coordination among firms needs to be more substantial. The author present cases where mobile phones would be useful to businesses-such as farmers- but, they do admit that not enough empirical research has been done to confirm these benefits as absolute. The article also does not provide enough information about reducing risk. The idea of releasing important information to large networks of people has potential but we need to see more substantial data that proves its benefits. The article does provide evidence for employment growth as a result of mobile service. For example, formal sector employment in the private transport and communications sector in Kenya rose by 130 percent between 2003 and 2007 (CCK, 2008), suggesting that mobile phones have contributed to job creation. Another area where the article is able to provide necessary information is through the use of development technology that goes beyond communication. They explore current initiatives such as pay bills and transferring money through services applications downloaded to mobile phones. The largest organization making an impact in this field is the Kenyan mobile money service M-Pesa. Since its inception, the cumulative value of the money transferred via M-Pesa was over US$3.7 billion, almost 10 percent of Kenya 's annual GDP (Safaricom, 2009). The impact of M-Pesa in Kenya is the most useful information from the Aker and Mbiti article. M-Pesa is currently the fastest and most inexpensive way to transfer money in Kenya. Even though the highest populations of users are the wealthier and more educated citizens, usage in rural areas
The use of mobile phones is revolutionizing many aspects of Kenyan life. Aside from facilitating multiple levels of communication, the spread of mobile phones has contributed to the increase in jobs for mobile-related services, and enabled the delivery of financial, agricultural, health, and educational services through the development of new mobile based applications or programs. Access to mobile phones continues to rise and spread throughout Kenya, even in the most rural communities. The mobile revolution is one of the leading factors for economic development in Kenya. In order to explore the impact of mobile technology in Kenya I read, “Mobile Phones and Economic Development in Africa” by Jenny C. Aker and Isaac …show more content…
Evidence for improvements to the markets and coordination among firms needs to be more substantial. The author present cases where mobile phones would be useful to businesses-such as farmers- but, they do admit that not enough empirical research has been done to confirm these benefits as absolute. The article also does not provide enough information about reducing risk. The idea of releasing important information to large networks of people has potential but we need to see more substantial data that proves its benefits. The article does provide evidence for employment growth as a result of mobile service. For example, formal sector employment in the private transport and communications sector in Kenya rose by 130 percent between 2003 and 2007 (CCK, 2008), suggesting that mobile phones have contributed to job creation. Another area where the article is able to provide necessary information is through the use of development technology that goes beyond communication. They explore current initiatives such as pay bills and transferring money through services applications downloaded to mobile phones. The largest organization making an impact in this field is the Kenyan mobile money service M-Pesa. Since its inception, the cumulative value of the money transferred via M-Pesa was over US$3.7 billion, almost 10 percent of Kenya 's annual GDP (Safaricom, 2009). The impact of M-Pesa in Kenya is the most useful information from the Aker and Mbiti article. M-Pesa is currently the fastest and most inexpensive way to transfer money in Kenya. Even though the highest populations of users are the wealthier and more educated citizens, usage in rural areas