Diffusion of telecenter innovation in East Java and its impact : a case study of Telecenter Sakti in Gubugklakah village

Abstract

In an effort to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the Government of Indonesia established telecenters across several provinces in 2005 with a mission to empower rural community with access to ICT for poverty alleviation. After two years the telecenters fail to sustain except in East Java; and by 2015, 52 telecenters were established in 29 regencies and 9 cities in the province, indicating diffusion had occurred. This study uses qualitative and quantitative methods to analyze: (1) ICT development in Indonesia and East Java in the period of 2005-2015 in which telecenter diffusion occurred using the ICT Development Index, (2) telecenter innovation diffusion in East Java, and (3) Telecenter Sakti innovation-decision process in Gubugklakah Village by applying the Diffusion of Innovation theory, and (4) the impact of Telecenter Sakti towards the village community using the public ICT impact concept. This study found that access to ICT have generally increased in both rural and urban. In rural, household cellular telephone and computer ownership have raised significantly. In East Java, more rural household members own cellular telephone, and their internet access has significantly increased. Gaps remained with urban, emphasizing the importance of the availability of telecenter in villages. Telecenter innovation diffusion occurred in East Java as a result of authority innovation-decision by The East Java Communication and Informatics Agency (Diskominfo Jatim) through five stages. The knowledge, persuasion, and decision stages were inseparable from the role of Asianti Oetojo as the innovation “champion” who convinced key government officials at the regency/city level and members of the Regional House of Representatives to establish telecenter. The communication stage occurred with the agreement between the province, regency/city, and village government institutions on their specific roles in supporting the telecenter. The action stage began when the telecenter was established in the village, the management team was recruited from the local community, and an infomobilizer was deployed to help initiate adoption. Success stories of the telecenter were then communicated to other regencies and cities, which in turn facilitate diffusion of telecenter in East Java. Based on innovativeness, telecenters categorized as innovators and early adopters are mostly located in less developed regions, in contrast with late adopters and laggards. The rate of adoption was relatively fast as in just a decade’s time telecenter has been established in all regencies and cities across East Java. Based on the analysis of the optional innovation-decision process of Telecenter Sakti in Gubugklakah Village this study found previous PC and internet use, occupation, social participation, household farm size and monthly expenditure influenced the degree of knowledge. The degree of persuasion is influenced by relative advantage and complexity. The degrees of decision, implementation, and confirmation are influenced by the previous stages. The relationship between the dependent variables is found to be significant and therefore support the theory. Telecenter Sakti and the availability of operator aid have facilitated users’ access to ICT, information, and improved their skills in using computer and internet applications. At the community level, the local tourism awareness group (Ladesta) make use of the telecenter to develop and market agrotourism and ecotourism in the village and transformed Gubugklakah from an unknown village on the foothills of Mount Bromo to a national award-winning tourism village. Their efforts have stimulated many village economic activities such as homestays, tourist guides, transportation services, and partnership with travel agents and tourism sites, which have improved the well-being of the village households; and therefore, fulfilled the telecenter objectives of Diskominfo Jatim. Based on this evidence, the Government of Indonesia should consider telecenter as a part of the major project in the 2020-2024 Mid-term National Development Plan on digital transformation to improve village economy and prosperity.