A Systemic Multimethodology Framework for Planning and Design of Rural Telecommunications Infrastructure

摘要

The planning and design of telecommunications, in general, is regarded as a predominantly engineering activity. The traditional methodologies, methods, and techniques that are used fall within the functionalist paradigm, with strategic attention and major emphasis being placed on the technological issues. This is no different in the case of planning and design of rural telecommunications infrastructure, at least in South Africa. The contention of this paper is that rural telecommunications infrastructure is meant to play a wider significant part in rural development, amongst other things. Therefore working within a pure functionalist paradigm is insufficient for a holistic approach to rural telecommunications, if more than the technological issues are going to be addressed. The authors propose a multimethodology 'systems thinking' framework, which cuts across various paradigms, as a holistic approach to the planning and design of rural telecommunications infrastructure. The challenging issues encountered in a multiparadigm approach are considered and the salient principles of such a framework are articulated. A systemic multimethodological planning framework for rural telecommunications is then offered.