participation of women at management levels: lessons learned from the thailand canada telecentre...

Participation of Women atManagement Levels:

Lessons Learned from theThailand Canada Telecentre Project

Empowering the Poor throughRural Information Centers:

What Works and What is Sustainable?The World Bank, Washington DC

2 December 2002

Warren Wong

Hickling-Loxley-TDG 2

Overview of the Thailand Telecentre ProjectPlanning and establishing telecentresExternal factors: regulatoryInternal factors: including women mgrsProfile of types of telecentresWhy are some telecentres doing better?

Agenda


To demonstrate that valuable Information and Communication Technology (ICT) services can be delivered to people in rural and remote, as well as unserved and underserved (poor urban), areas in a financially sustainable manner

Overview: Primary Objective


That the utilization of ICT services: Can create jobs in rural and remote areas that are

status free and not marked by gender cues, particularly for the individuals operating the telecentres

Allows end-users to make informed choices, reduces their transaction costs

Is an effective way to enhance rural development efforts

Helps promote the adoption of a supportive policy and regulatory environment

Overview: Secondary Objectives


Overview: Basic FactsProject Period: April 2001 to June 2003 Review & Set-Up 6 T-centres: April 01-March 02 Operate & Monitor: January 02-March 03 Evaluate: April 03-June 03

$300,000 contribution from CIDA-INCIn-kind contribution from some communities and the implementing firmsImplementation by: Hickling (int’l development consulting: ICT) Loxley (communications & information technology) TDG (people side of ICT)


TCTP covers capital (one-time) costs E.g., phone services installation, computers,

printer, modem, fax machine

Telecentre covers operating (recurring) costs E.g., salary, electricity Except – monthly ISP charge covered by TCTP

Telecentre covers all operating costs, including monthly ISP charge, after one-year

Overview: General Approach


Increasedusage

Update &Refresher Training

CommunityAction Plan

TelecentreBusiness Plan

Training& Equip

TelecentreTrains Community

Communityworkshops

ShareExperience

PromoteUsage

Planning: Summary of Activities

TelecentreTelecentre

MarketSurveys

Short list ofPotential communities

Availability ofTelephone Lines

Long list ofPotential communities


Planning: Community WorkshopsEight communities

20 People: Community Leaders, Potential Telecentre Managers/Champions, Gender, Age, Cross-Section

Day 1: information needs assessment, past, present, future; role of telecentre and community development; financial and other support from project

Day 2: Community decision; ownership; manager; review of MOU between community and the project; planning for market surveys, business plan, initial training


Planning: Market SurveysTelecentres in 6 communities

200 respondents/community out of population of 2000 in cachment area

80% within 3 km of proposed telecentre site; 20% from 3-10 km

All organizations/businesses (40); balance individuals (160)

Results of market surveys used by the telecentre manager to develop her/his business plan

Initial training: all telecentre managers and operators @ Chiang Mai University IT: internet, word, excel Small business: financial Telecentre management, reporting


External Factors

Initially poor, but improving performance 3 telecentres making an operating profit 3 telecentres – loss, lowering average

Failed to get revenue sharing agreement, particularly important for inward calls Inward calling 3-4 times outward Approx. 25-40% young people (<25) living and

working outside the village

Revenue share simulation: 20% commission on outward 10% commission on inward


External Factors

Revenue share simulation adds approx. THB 40,000 ($1K) to the telecentresAnd approx. THB 120,000 ($3K) in new revenue to Thai telephone companiesCellular cheaper than fixed line, but can’t use it if there is a fixed line Can’t use cellular and fixed line in the same

establishment/telecentre Price of cellular is less than the cost of fixed line

charged by TOT, can’t match price

Result: phone usage @ telecentres low


Collective Performance

-100,000.00

-90,000.00

-80,000.00

-70,000.00

-60,000.00

-50,000.00

-40,000.00

-30,000.00

-20,000.00

-10,000.00

0.00

Dec.'01 Jan.'02 Feb.'02 Mar.'02 Apr.'02 May'02 Jun.'02 Jul.'02 Aug.'02 Sep'02 Total

Bah

t

P&L P&L with RevShare, no copier

-$0.5K

-$1K

-$1.5K

-$2K

-$2.5K


Women tend to be better telecentre managers and operators: Better retailers Better at financial management, reporting More sensitive to privacy concerns of women customers More women will use a telecentre if its run by women

Community selected their managersFour of the six managers are womenTwo-thirds of the operators are women

Internal Factors


Female vs. Male Managers

-35000

-30000

-25000

-20000

-15000

-10000

-5000

0

5000

10000

Dec.'01 Jan.'02 Feb.'02 Mar.'02 Apr.'02 May'02 Jun.'02 Jul.'02 Aug.'02 Sep'02 TotalBah

t

Female Managers Male Managers

$250

-$250

-$500

-$750


Best Performers (profit): Non Formal Education Centres/Community Libraries (female managers)Next Best (profit & almost break even): Coops/Firms (female managers)Third (loss): Local Government/Tambon (both), however, no more govt.Worst (loss): NGOs (both)

Internal Factors


Performance by Type of Ownership

-80000

-70000

-60000

-50000

-40000

-30000

-20000

-10000

0

10000

20000

Dec.'01 Jan.'02 Feb.'02 Mar.'02 Apr.'02 May'02 Jun.'02 Jul.'02 Aug.'02 Sep'02 Total

Bah

t

Library/NFE Firm/Coop Govt NGO

-$1K

-$1.5K

-$2K

$500

-$500


Participatory community ICT needs workshops

Pong T-Centre Signage Community donated 5 PCs

Pong T-centreStaff (most dedicated):2 managers: both F2 operators: 1 F, 1 M2 trainers: 1F, 1MCommunity (strongest):5 PCs, 2 printers1 scanner, air-conConstructed t-centre1 phone lineProject:2 PCs, printer, 4 TOT+2 PCs after 3 monthsFinancials:Cum Profit: 5,000 ($125)Computer training

Mae Hong Sorn (was govt):Cum Profit: 7,400 ($185)

Best prospects.

Non Formal Education Centre/Library


Participatory community ICT needs workshops

Community Construction Community donated 3 PCs

Ban Mae T-centre Coop/Firm: Women’s Woodcarvers Assoc

Staff (entrepreneurial):5 managers: 3 F, 2 M2 operators: 2 F2 trainers: 1F, 1MCommunity:3 PCsConstructed t-centreProject:2 PCs, printer, 3 TT&T+2 PCs, 2 linesFinancials:Cum Loss: -10K (-$250)Rev share: break evenPhone regulations / prices,trainers PT @ schoolkey factor for losses

Huathanon (firm): 2 mos.Cum Profit: 1,200 ($30)


Mini-payphone regular phone

Jakraj T-centre NGO: Population & Community Development Assoc

Staff (community):1 manager: 1 M1 operator: 1 F1 trainer: 1FCommunity (strongest):1 PC, 1 digital camera1 scanner,Refurbished t-centrePDA:6 PCs, 2 trainersProject:4 PCs, printer, 3 TOT+2 PCs if --Financials:Cum Loss: -22K (-$550)T-centre not integratedwith PDA activities

Hang Hung:Cum Loss: -50K (-$1,250)


General inclination by communities was to have their telecentres owned/run by govt.Two communities ended up choosing the Tambon Administrative Organization (TAO).Both TAOs later realized that they were not the best organization to operate a telecentre After 4 months: Mae Ram TAO

Mae Hong Son NFE (3 months operating) After 4 months Huatanon TAO

Huatanon firm (2 months operating)

Internal Factors


Transfer of Government T-centres

-6000

-5000

-4000

-3000

-2000

-1000

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

Dec.'01 Jan.'02 Feb.'02 Mar.'02 Apr.'02 May'02 Jun.'02 Jul.'02 Aug.'02 Sep'02

Bah

t

Mae Ram (govt) Mae Hong Son (nfe) Hua Thanon (govt) Hua Thanon (firm)

-$1K

-$1.5K

$500

-$500

$1K


Sources of Revenue

Games24%

Computer35%

Typing5%

Training15%

Phone/Fax8%

Copying13%

Boys <12

Youth <25

Legal DocumentsSchool; Business

Youth <25; School;Some business

Legal DocumentsBusiness

Business; School


Costs

Salaries43%

ISP5%

Electricity11%

Supplies/Other12%

Phone15%

Copier14%


Strong Community SupportActive support from village chief and other

community leadersCommunity donated computers, printers,

scanners, etc. and constructed/refurbished the building to house their telecentre

“Donated” a line and/or lobbied TOT

Why are some doing better?Pong, Mae Hong Sorn, Ban Mae



Stronger champions / managers tended to be women Involved in community workshop, market

survey, business plan, initial trainingTended to be the most ICT literate in the

communityCommitted to the community


Non Formal Education Centres / Community Libraries / PrivateTeachers / better IT trainersSatisfy major demand for IT training Introduction of educational software to

gently push children, mainly boys, away from games

Researchers, so better able to respond to demand for information



Thank you

TCTP web: www.t-centre.com

Warren Wong, Partner, & David Barr, P.Eng., Senior Associate, Hickling Corporation150 Isabella Street, Penthouse Floor, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1S 1V7

Tel: 1-613-237-2220. Fax: 1-613-237-7347. Email: [email protected]; [email protected]

Dr. Jingjai Hanchanlash, Executive Vice President, & Vasoontara Chatikabvanij, Director,

Technical & Economic Cooperation, Loxley Public Company Ltd.102 Na Ranong Road, Klong Toey, Bangkok 10110, Thailand


Dr. Don Richardson, Director, & Galin Kora, Sr. Consultant, TeleCommons Development Group361 Southgate Drive, Guelph, Ontario, Canada, N1G 3M5
