Services & Practices > Digital Innovation
Kalba International provides a wide range of expertise with respect to digital innovation, including assessments of new technologies and applications, of barriers to innovation adoption barriers, and of policy and legal implications as well as strategies and organizational approaches to fostering innovation at the national and regional levels. Some individual cases follow.
Mobile Money Adoption-Usage Gap
The aim of this project was to determine why so many individuals registered for mobile money services in Sub Saharan Africa countries and then rarely used then (the contrasting example of m-pesa in Kenya notwithstanding). Working with two multi-country operators and using survey research, data analytics, Mystery Shopping and focus groups, we were able to pinpoint the structural (income availability and cycles), access, fee-level, agent-centered and other impediments involved.
The eight focus groups we carried out with the help of a local research entity helped us examine the value of alternative product and marketing changes aimed at fostering more regular mobile money use.
Strategy for a Digital Economy
Working for the World Bank and a national ministry, we formulated a strategy for transitioning the country to a digital economy. In the process we took into account existing digital economic activity (primarily focused in a single company) and the different levels of e-readiness across private and public sectors as well as consultations with stakeholders. This resulted a multi-phase strategy and action plan, which is being implemented.
Technology-University Clusters
We offer diverse experience with respect to technology incubators, distance learning at the higher education level, and university-technology clustering. These have involved National Educational Research Networks (Comoros, Mauritius), technology parks (Morocco, Thailand), distance learning projects (Burkina Faso, USA), mobile apps incubators (Armenia, Senegal), software development projects (Cambodia, India), telemedicine links (Senegal, Tanzania), and R&D labs (Ukraine, USA).