Technology for Societal Transformation: Exploring the Intersection of Information Technology and Societal Development

This book extensively investigates the dynamic relationship between information technology and societal transformation. The book explores a range of applied IT uses, ranging from educational technology to the complex applications of cybersecurity, the promise of blockchain technologies, e-commerce and rural development, and social media and its applications in political activism.

Investigating key topics in social development and the role information technology plays in elevating our lives, the book navigates this ever-changing landscape of technological innovation to determine how it can be a source for good and improve our lives by driving positive social change.

While focusing on the practical application of technology to real-world situations, examples, and cases, the book primarily focuses on educational development, entrepreneurship, sociopolitical transformation, and the security and defence of society. Collectively, these explorations serve to better highlight how technology can be harnessed in the creation of a more inclusive and equitable society. Hence, the book will be a useful read for students, academics, policymakers, business and social investors.

Lawal O. Yesufu is a seasoned consultant and Professor of Business Analytics at Hult International Business School. He has a diverse background spanning academia and industry. He holds a BA (Hons) in Business Management from the University of Wolverhampton, UK, an MSc in Computing and IT Management from the University of Gloucestershire, and a Doctor of Business Administration from the University of Bath, UK. Dr. Yesufu's consultancy experience includes founding a successful firm and leading projects in Business Intelligence and process reengineering across the UK and Canada. He has held key roles with industry leaders like IBM Canada and HP Enterprise. In academia, Dr. Lawal has served as an associate dean, program director, academic program chair, and curriculum chair, contributing significantly to higher education. His professional qualifications include Senior Fellow Higher Education Academy (SFHEA), Academic FCIPD and MBCS. His research interests include the psychological contract, business analytics, social innovation, sustainable development, and societal transformation. Dr. Yesufu has published extensively, including peer-reviewed articles and book chapters.

Puteri Nor Ellyza binti Nohuddin obtained her BSc in Computer Science from the University of Missouri-Columbia, USA, and her MSc in IT from Universiti Teknologi MARA. In 2012, she was awarded her Ph.D. in Computer Science (Data Mining) from the University of Liverpool, UK. Currently, Puteri is a Research Fellow at the Institute of Visual Informatics (IVI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. Prior to joining IVI, she was a lecturer at Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur. Before her academic career, she worked with several conglomerates such as ExxonMobil, Sime Darby, Shell IT, and Malaysian Resources Corporation Berhad as a System Analyst. Puteri's teaching interests include Business Analytics applications, Database Systems, Data Mining, and Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Her primary research interests lie in the field of Data Analytics, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Data Mining, Text Mining, Social Network Mining, Knowledge and Requirement Engineering, and Design Thinking Process. Specifically, she is interested in Time Series Clustering and Rules Mining, Trend Mining, Tacit Knowledge Management, and Social Network Mining. During her tenure, she has had the privilege of supervising a number of dedicated Ph.D. students, with an impressive three of them successfully graduating on time (GOT). Additionally, she mentored and supported the graduation of three accomplished master's students, fostering the growth of a new generation of talent in these cutting-edge fields.