The role of open government data and information and communication technology in meeting the employment-related information needs of unemployed South African youth

Abstract

Open government data (OGD) and information and communication technologies (ICT) are potential enablers in meeting information needs related to finding employment opportunities, but there is little evidence-based theorization to guide this enablement and avoid the barriers that hinder its use. The potential economic contribution of OGD has been researched in depth, but the potential of OGD for human development, specifically in developing countries, has not been theorized substantially. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate “how the role of ICT and OGD in meeting the employment-related information needs of unemployed South African youth can be understood better by the application of the Choice Framework”. The Choice Framework is Kleine's analytical tool for investigating ICTs for development toward a contextualized understanding of the relationships among the framework's elements, namely structure, agency, the dimension of choice and development outcomes. The research design was a single, exploratory case study; the data was collected in Alexandra Township of the Gauteng Province in South Africa using semi-structured interviews. Data was collected from 34 participants (between the ages of 18 and 35) who were looking for employment. The data was analyzed thematically and then unpacked in terms of the constructors of the Choice Framework. The findings show that most participants had access to ICT but limited awareness of OGD, and several challenges in using OGD for finding employment-related information were identified. The findings provide a theory-based contextual understanding of the research space, including the challenges and recommendations for overcoming said challenges of finding information on employment opportunities.