Factors affecting the sustainability of telecentres in developing countries

Due to rapid technological changes, governments in developing countries have paid special attention to sustainability. However, understanding insights into the sustainability of telecentres remains an open question. This paper aims to fill this gap. We conducted a case study in Vietnam by using both qualitative and quantitative data. We used the Kumar and Best's (2006) model as our theoretical lens to analyse the sustainability of telecentres in Vietnam. The paper finds that telecentres have shifted their concept to provide a wide range of services, both online and offline. The paper indicates that technological, political, and social sustainability are important for the sustainability of telecentres. The paper recommends that we should take the role of state-owned enterprises and the digital transformation into consideration to sustain telecentres. Furthermore, the paper indicates the mutual relation between political and technical sustainability with social sustainability that has not been yet unveiled in the prior literature. •Technological, political, and social sustainability are crucial for telecentres in Vietnam.•State-owned enterprises play an important role in sustaining telecentres.•To meet users' needs and the change of technology operators should trigger the digital transformation process at telecentres.•Social sustainability is the outcome of political, technical sustainability and operators' capacity.