Prioritising sustainability factors for public-private partnership (PPP)-based mature telecentres using the ‘Akshaya’ project as a case

Abstract

Telecentres are considered an essential information and communication technology (ICT) platform to deliver e-government services and play a vital role in reducing the digital divide, thereby enhancing access to e-government services. This study aimed to identify the factors that financially sustain a PPP-based mature telecentre and explore the hierarchy among these factors. An in-depth review of existing literature was conducted to identify sustainability factors. These factors were subjected to further validation through a qualitative field study. Then, interpretive structural modelling (ISM) was used to understand the interrelationships and identify the hierarchy between the identified factors. Finally, the decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) was used to validate the developed hierarchical model. The results indicated that in order of their hierarchy, ‘centre resources’, ‘affordability’, ‘quality of services’, ‘quality of operators’, and ‘convenience’ were the influential factors that sustained a mature telecentre. The critical role of village-level entrepreneurs and the importance of integration between public and private entities at each stage of the hierarchy were emphasised. This paper presents theoretical and practical implications for stakeholders to adopt appropriate measures to sustain telecentres.