Two stages are considered:

a) Broad inventory and characterization of 2nd generation MIS

The main activities will be:

• building a framework to characterise 2nd generation MIS;
• making an as exhaustive as possible inventory of MIS covering all developing countries, using  bibliography, internet sites, and existing networks of MIS practitioners (CTA network, Inter-réseaux…);
• characterizing the MIS identified through this framework;
• developing a data base showing how these MIS are organized, the operational context and how they perform;
• making comparative analyses of these MIS.

b) In-depth analysis of some cases

A sub-sample will be selected for field study and analysed in greater depth.  These studies will illustrate the various types identified during the first phase and look more closely at their effectiveness and impact.