Information Technology for Development 10 (2003) 201–219 201 IOS Press Field experiences with collaboration technology: A comparative study in Tanzania and South Africa Gert-Jan de Vreede a,c , Rabson J.S. Mgaya b and Sajda Qureshi a a Department of Information Systems & Quantitative Analysis, College of Information Science & Technology, University of Nebraska at Omaha, 6001 Dodge Street, Omaha, NE 68182-0116, USA E-mail: gdevreede@mail.unomaha.edu, squreshi@ist.unomaha.edu b Computer Science Department, University of Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania E-mail: rmgaya@cs.udsm.ac.tz c Delft University of Technology, the Netherlands Abstract. In the field of development, Information & Communication Technology (ICT) is often hailed and cursed at the same time. ICT offers great promise to enhance development activities’ efficiency and effectiveness yet the literature is littered with examples of failure. A particular challenge concerns the application of ICT to support collaboration in development contexts. In this paper, we report on field experiences with one particular type of collaboration technology, Group Support Systems (GSS), and its role in supporting groups engaged in development activities. Being an North-American invention, research into GSS is predominantly focused on Western Euro-American settings. GSS field studies in other cultural environments are scarce. The objective of our study is to explore and compare the applicability of GSS in two particular environments: Tanzania and South Africa. Our data suggest that the use of GSS is evaluated positively in both countries, although Tanzanian groups perceived more benefits. In South Africa, top management displayed very open and non-conservative behavior towards the technology, while in Tanzania hesitance from top management can be expected to be the greatest hindrance for GSS acceptance and application. The data further indicate that GSS do not replace existing meeting customs, but rather introduce new ones that co-exist next to the traditional ones. A key difference between application of GSS in western and African environments is a stronger focus on the electronic part of discussions in Africa. Anonymity is perceived as the key feature. Keywords: Collaborative development, group support systems, collaboration technology, groupware, tanzania, south Africa, field research 1. Introduction Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Africa has been seen as a worthy challenge not for the faint hearted. Odedra [37] suggest that despite efforts towards computerization, this “lost continent” is plagued by extensive underutilization of equipment and by the failure of major computer- based projects. The shortage of computer skills, combined with rampant political corruption and economic mismanagement are the reasons often given for these failures [37,42]. In more recent years, this perception of Africa and the potential for IT in developing this continent is changing. The results of an IDRC funded project providing Africa with internet connectivity has meant that new opportunities for development are opening up [1,25]. Africa now has 5 million internet subscribers [43]. In particular the reform of public administrations and traditional institutions are made possible through the ICT. 0268-1102/03/$8.00  2003 – IOS Press. All rights reserved