Information technology in developing countries: A need for theory building∗

Abstract The use of information technology (IT) in developing countries has attracted a considerable amount of attention in recent years. However, the research in this area is largely fragmented, and there is a need to consolidate efforts in order to make research more effective. Theory can provide a basis for this consolidation process by allowing communication between different researchers and also between researchers and practitioners. The primary objective of this paper is to describe aspects of the state of existing theory in the field of IT in developing countries, and discuss possible research directions for the future. A total of 199 articles were analyzed to describe existing research themes, and future directions are discussed in terms of level of analysis, research methods, and research reports.