Implementing Effective Information Control Systems for Primary Education Support in Developing Countries: An Investigative Field Study of a Voluntary Non-Profit Organisation in Tunisia

• Published in: IFAC-PapersOnLine Vol. 51; no. 30; pp. 171 - 176
• Main Authors: Jemaa, Wassim, Carew, Peter J., Stapleton, Larry
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 2018
• Subjects: Education; field study; information systems; international stability; non-profit organisations; field study; information systems; non-profit organisations; Education; international stability
• ISSN: 2405-8963; 2405-8963
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ifacol.2018.11.281

In developing countries, voluntary non-profit organisations work closely with local communities, and especially with primary-level educational institutions, in order to assist local development and stability. Strong coordination and cooperation between educational institutions and non-profit organisations is crucial to enable this symbiotic relationship to best serve the pupils and communities involved. The complexity of the relationship between the two types of institutions would greatly benefit from an integrated information control system, as seen in other application areas where coordination and communication is central. The objective of this research was to explore how information control systems can be implemented to effectively support and control the coordination between voluntary non-profit organisations and primary level schools in developing countries. A single case study of a Tunisian voluntary non-profit organisation was conducted using an ethnographic field study approach. Data collection used on-site surveys and interviews of teachers and members of the non-profit organisation, as well as other ad hoc observations during the field visits. The general findings suggested that an agile methodology was more appropriate than the classical waterfall-style approach for developing information control systems for supporting primary level education in nonprofit organisations. In addition, the findings suggested that having an effective information control system for supporting primary level education in non-profit organisations offered many benefits, such as improved financial reporting, feedback, and assessment results.