D emo c r a c y a n d t h e r u l e o f l aw Mobile phones and governance While these numbers are too small to allow for statistical testing, they represent a large proportion of the 54 clerks around PNG who deal with village court matters. Therefore, it can be reasonably concluded that SMS is the preferred option for people working in remote locations, particularly those without access to a networked database. However, it seems that where a networked computer connection is available the preferred method is to enter workrelated data onto a computer screen rather than through a mobile phone handset. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with selected clerks from around the country through phone calls made during the final few weeks of the data collection period. During the nine interviews conducted, several clerks said that the SMS system is quick to use and others described it as easy to use. However, concerns emerged relating to regular disruptions to mobile network signals. Discussion The findings indicate that questioning through mobile phone text messaging can be a useful way of collecting data from contacts spread throughout PNG. Data received is timely when compared with a commonly used system of asking remotely based workers to post paper forms to a central office. A previous data collection effort was undertaken using a paper form, copies of which were returned from just one district court. The current project rendered useful data from 35 district courts across PNG. This is a substantial body of data, compared to the results from the previous exercise and shows that this process is more efficient and more effective than travelling to district courts or asking district courts to post in paper forms. Furthermore, although the project looks specifically at village courts, the data collection methodology may be applied to all sectors. Overall the project suggests that the use of mobile phone text messaging could prove very useful and cost effective in research requiring complex data collection, good sample size(s) and valid information. This approach could also be complemented by qualitative research methodologies. Such a method could be replicated easily by various institutions across the country, including government agencies, non-government organisations and academic institutions. There is also strong potential for this methodology to reach remote and previously excluded participants, and the SMS data collection method could also be useful in carrying out research in other developing nations with widespread mobile network coverage particularly where use of basic mobile phone handsets is common. Endnotes 1 For more information of the project see Watson, A. H. A. and Morgan, E., 201a. ‘Can mobile phones really be used for data collection? Results from a trial in Papua New Guinea’. Contemporary PNG Studies: DWU Research Journal, 21, pp. 127–138. References Awan, O., 2013. ‘Bringing citizens closer to government: Is there a role for m-governance in Pakistan?’. In: A. Robertson and R. Jones-Parry, eds. 2013. Commonwealth Governance Handbook 2013/14. Cambridge: Nexus Strategic Partnerships, pp. 87–90. Blum, J., Manning, N. and Srivastava.V., 2014. ‘Public sector management reform: Towards a problem-solving approach’. In: A. Robertson and R. Jones-Parry, eds. 2014. Governance for Development 2014–15: Towards excellence in global public service. Cambridge: Nexus Strategic Partnerships, pp. 26–31. ITU (International Telecommunication Union), 2014. Statistics webpage ITU. Available at: www.itu.int/en/ITUD/ Statistics/Pages/stat/default.aspx Accessed 20 November 2014. Kim, P. S., 2014. ‘Governance for development: “good” versus “good enough”’. In: A. Robertson and R. Jones-Parry, eds. 2014. Governance for Development 2014–15: Towards excellence in global public service. Cambridge: Nexus Strategic Partnerships, pp. 32–34. Logan, S. 2012. Rausim! Digital politics in Papua New Guinea pdf Australian National University. Available at: http://ips.cap.anu.edu.au/sites/default/files/2012_9.pdf Accessed 20 November 2014. Rosewell, A. et al., 2013. ‘Mobile phone-based syndromic surveillance system, Papua New Guinea’. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 19 (11), pp. 1811–1818. Temple, O., 2011. ‘Tok Ples in texting and social networking: PNG 2010’. Language and Linguistics in Melanesia: Journal of the Linguistic Society of Papua New Guinea, 29, pp. 54–64. Watson, A. H. A., 2012. ‘Could mobile telephony be harnessed for development in Papua New Guinea?’. Contemporary PNG Studies: DWU Research Journal, 17, pp. 46–52. Watson, A. H. A., 2013. ‘Mobile phones and media use in Madang Province of Papua New Guinea’. Pacific Journalism Review, 19, pp. 156–175. Commonwealth Governance Handbook 2014/15 36 DR AMANDA H. A. WATSON (www.ahawatson.com) is a mobile communication research consultant with the PNG Economic and Public Sector Program, and a visiting fellow at the Australian National University within the School of International, Political and Strategic Studies. ELIZABETH MORGAN was, at the time of the project, an adviser with the Papua New Guinea Australia Law and Justice Partnership, based in the Village Courts and Land Mediation Secretariat, Department of Justice and Attorney General, Government of Papua New Guinea. Mobile governance, or m-governance, ‘concerns strategy and processes for delivering public services through wireless and mobile technologies’ (Awan, 2013: p. 87). Writing on Pakistan, Awan argues that ‘policies need to be designed and implemented in a way that fully exploits and utilises the potential of mobile technology’ (p. 89). In the PNG context, it has been similarly argued that mobile phones could play a role in ‘both poverty reduction and governance programs’ (Logan, 2012: p. 8). While collection of data does not guarantee strengthened governance, systematic engagement with relevant data can help in governance processes, and in the management of service delivery and determination of priority actions (Kim, 2014: p. 32).
CEP template 2012
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