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Scholars have provided diverse reasons for the failure of information and communication technology for development (ICT4D) research to achieve positive results. Like the information systems (IS) field (Hong, Chan, Thong, Chasalow, & Dhillon, 2014), we contend that context-specific theorizing may hold a promise for researchers to make both theoretical and practical contribution to ICT4D research especially for empirical studies that use positivist epistemology. This theorization process requires the researcher to seek genuine context and theory that combine to address a specific context-based research problem.

The interpretive paradigm is the predominant epistemology for ICT4D studies (Lin, Kuo, & Myers, 2015). With the interpretive paradigm, the context of the research emerges as a researcher indulges herself or himself in the research setting. The context and theory combine to provide explanation for the …