INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

A Newsletter of IFIP Working Group 9.4
and
Commonwealth Network for Information Technology

Volume 8, No3, January 1998
Editor: Subhash Bhatnagar

January 1998

Editorial

I have often lamented that the potential of IT is not been harnessed fully by organizations in Developing Countries. What is more worrisome is that many organizations have not cared to assess the benefits that have been derived from IT applications. I believe that many changes that are taking place in the economic environment in countries like India, would help focus attention on the role of IT in development and better management of the IT function within an organisation.

For example, in India many different political parties have accepted the need for economic reforms and competition in the market place in a short space of seven years. This augurs well for the IT industry as competition and reforms in governance are pre-conditions to innovative use of IT. One also notices a refreshingly new approach in formulating policies for the Telecom sector. The recently setup Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has adopted a very open and consultative process. TRAI developed an approach paper covering key issues and invited comments from various stake holders. These comments are being discussed in open public meetings in several cities. The paper will be revised and discussed once more. This would mean a more transparent regime of policy formulation and implementation which is likely to encourage private investments

This means better telecom infrastructure, more internet users, greater spending on IT for building competitiveness. Consequently skills in implementing large IT projects will be in great demand. Perhaps professionals like us can play a significant role. Although my comments are based on India but in many ways India is representative of most DCs. In February, WG9.4 will be meeting in Bangkok and I hope we will be able to define for ourselves a meaningful action agenda for the exciting times that lie ahead.

EDITORIAL COMMITTEE

S.C.Bhatnagar (WG9.4)
Roger Okot Uma (COMSEC)
Henry Almango (COMNET_IT)
Mikko Korpela (WG9.4)

CORRESPONDENTS

Stewart Bishop
Richard Heeks
Rekha Jain
Shirin Madon
Gerry Grant
Victor Prochnik

EDITORIAL OFFICE

Trupti Parekh/E.V. Narayanan
Wing 4, IIM Ahmedabad 380015 India
Email:subhash@iimahd.ernet.in
Fax :91-79-6427896