Jan Chipchase's work was covered in depth about a week ago by the New York Times. Employed by Nokia as a field anthropologist, he studies how people use their mobile devices in daily life. The NYT notes that "by the end of 2006, 68 percent of the world’s mobile subscriptions were in developing countries", requiring frequent travel to keep Nokia abreast of new opportunities and fresh behavioral insights. His talk given at TED back in October highlights his work in a briefer format, and in his own words.
I love the idea that technology can be used to 'delegate' useful and significant tasks, like moving money and making purchases. It reminds me of work Microsoft is doing to enable farmers in India to get sugarcane prices at multiple local markets via their mobile phones. A single device can directly impact their profit margin, enabling them to anticipate where they can command the highest price. His teams have revealed the same financial upside to affordable mobile access worldwide. As the article notes: "his research team has spoken to rickshaw drivers, prostitutes, shopkeepers, day laborers and farmers, and all of them say more or less the same thing: their income gets a big boost when they have access to a cellphone."
A cynic might say that Jan's research is self-serving as it helps Nokia unearth new sales opportunities. (Or the momentarily cynical NYT reporter might question whether technology proliferation is perhaps negatively impacting the fabric and traditions of cultures.) But, if it helps the brand design a more intuitive, empathetic product that brings populations closer to new sources of revenue, information, family and friends, then I'm all for it.
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If you bring in the now cliched, over-covered micro-loan banks in Bangladesh and India where the most common loans go to buying cell phones, this is just another reason to show that communication and connection can change the world (and make a profit for the little guy). Does it change culture? Absolutely - but maybe for the better. Nostalgia can keep us all standing still - in Bangladesh and India, the micro-loan culture that has arisen has taught people to be responsible for a group, to learn how to use capital markets to improve their lives. A good subject for this blog might be the micro-loan corporations - are they truly doing well by doing good? Or are they just another facade for enslaving the masses with debt?
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