A discussion on the whether the steps recently articulated by Caribbean leaders to create new opportunities through ICT are truly enough.
At the opening ceremony of the 48th Special Meeting of the Council on Trade and Economic Integration (COTED) on Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in Grenada on Friday, 17 January, host, Prime Minister, Dr. Keith Mitchell, was of the view that the fusing ICT and human resource development
…could be the catalyst to enhancing prospects for sustainable growth and development for CARICOM…
…if managed, exploited and maximised, ICT and Human Resource Management could bring the CARICOM Region to a place that affords opportunities to develop new services, industries and markets that create jobs, return profits and drive growth…
…The platform that we need to embrace is that of Information and communications technology. And the time to do so is now…
(Source: CARICOM)
Those sentiments, although welcomed and a recognition of the importance of technology and human skill in today’s world, are also somewhat worrying. For a number of years now, Caribbean countries have long held the vision of becoming Information Societies and knowledge-based economies, but it would appear that we had not fully appreciated the broad range of factors that would have to be realigned to achieve those goals. Further, those views suggest that we, in the region, might not be as attuned to global developments and trends as we should be, in order to truly assess our efforts and path in the appropriate context.
“Every person is an IT company” – Gartner
Thanks to the Internet, and the innovation that has followed, the average individual has become integral to the Information Society. However, this importance is not limited to just merely being a consumer or a user of resources. As noted by Gartner at its Symposium/ITxpo event in October 2013, where this trend was highlighted, every person can be a creator of value, which in turn competes directly with traditional businesses.
For example, currently, the content creation space is not limited exclusively to well-heeled firms. Personal blogs, YouTube channels and self-publishing options, can be quite lucrative, and are undermining the exclusivity and power that established publishing houses, advertising and media firms once had in those mediums. Additionally, a platform such as Airbnb allows the traditional hotel customer to compete directly with hotels by offering their homes, or even a room, for rent to others on a short-term basis. Interestingly, and at the time of publishing, property (rooms, apartments, houses) in virtually all CARICOM countries was listed for rent on Airbnb.
“Every company is an IT company” – Gartner
The continued push by businesses towards improved productivity, efficiency and cost savings, is driving them to rely increasingly on IT, ICT, and other technologies, to achieve those goals. Consequently, organisational decisions, be they strategy or implementation related, are being influenced considerably by IT and ICT.
Further, global trends point to even greater use, importance and integration of technology – all things digital – across all aspects of business. Companies will not be able to get away from technology, especially to realise their core business objectives. Hence there is a growing appreciation that business models, perceptions and practices will need to be adjusted accordingly.
Are Caribbean policymakers leading or being dragged?
Without a doubt, the two trends outlined above will continue into the future and will become even more evident. However, how well has the Caribbean, its citizens and organisations in particular, been positioned to operate in those emerging paradigms? If policymakers are just beginning to advocate for a fusing of ICT and human resource development and management in the region, it does suggest that we have seen some of the potential but are still trying to position ourselves to capitalise on some of those opportunities. However, we might not have realised that the world has already gone far beyond what we have envisaged for ourselves.
On the other hand, is it a case that our policymakers are trying to catch up with the progressive critical masses in the region? Those who have focuses on global trends and practices, and to varying degrees, have adopted and implemented them in their personal lives and businesses? Essentially, are our leaders just followers? A cogent case can be made for the affirmative.
An example of an area in which ‘the masses’, specifically businesses across the Caribbean, have been asking for change is in making e-commerce and mobile payments more mainstream. A few countries are now beginning to test and implement systems that over time may lower the barriers to entry; make e-commerce and mobile payment facilities more accessible to micro, small and medium enterprises that predominate in the region; and truly begin to make Caribbean goods and services more accessible to and competitive in international markets. However, for the countries that have just begun to introduce the needed systems, those longer-term outcomes might still be years away. For those who have not yet begun, they may find it difficult to cover the ground (and opportunities) that has been lost.
In closing, it might be important for us to ask of ourselves and our leaders, whether we, in the Caribbean, have a good idea of where we are going, how we might get there, and what the end result might look like, when we finally do. For example, we have stated that we want to be Information Societies and knowledge-based economies, but how exactly have we defined this? How might that compare with where the rest of the world is going? As countries of limited resources, we do need to be selective with where and how we apply our efforts, but at the same time, we hope that our leaders truly understand the bigger picture and what might be at stake.
Image credit: Stuart Miles (FreeDigitalPhotos.net)
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I think that we need to stop focussing on whether gov’t, policies etc are in line with what is needed, and focus on the more positive movements being made in the private and entrepreneurial sectors.
The more we focus there, the more positive we will feel about the future. Once the tipping point is made in those sectors, the Gov’ts will follow. The challenge at the level of governments, policies, public statements etc. is that they do not, and maybe cannot, understand how current their definition of the ‘future’ is. While they are talking about business process automation, digitizing, and databases, the rest of the world is talking about 3d printing (custom manufacturing), autonomous flight (drone/communication technology), big data mining, quantum computing and digital currencies.
There is a dearth of young, risk-embracing, inquisitive and creative minds driving said policies and statements, and therefore by definition, those policies and statements will always be reactive vs proactive.
I look forward to the day when at events like COTED, BitBarbados, etc.. we are given ‘speeches’ by persons who are daily, practically advancing the future of the Caribbean, painting that vision of what we want our future to look like, and doing things to make it happen.
Anton,
You are speaking to the converted!
However, the sad and sobering thing is that although the private and entrepreneurial sectors should and hopefully will continue to do what they are doing to push the envelope within the construct within which we operate in the region, it also means that inevitably, we (as countries) will continue to be steps (generations!) behind the rest of the world. It also means we are unlikely to ever achieve the critical mass needed to really move our countries forward, at least from ICT/tech perspective and in comparison with the rest of the world.
To varying degrees, I do not think policymakers need to fully understand the intricacies of a particular type of technology or industry. It is more about creating the enabling environment to allow the private and entrepreneurial sectors to make things happen and explore the possibilities. This is where we seem to be falling short…
Can’t agree any less.
The private sector and the entrepreneurs are and have been the drivers of ICT. Thus, the more they can receive the focus and ( hopefully the ) direction, the better.
Kamutula,
Why should govts try to (unduly) focus or direct the efforts of the private sector and entrepreneurs? Although there might be certain areas that govts might wish the private sector to invest in, they must be viable and provide a decent return on investment, and still an enabling environment must be created.
Further, such a posture could also be seen as counterintuitive, along with fettering entrepreneurship and capitalism, especially if the private sector has been “chomping on the bit” for more progressive environment.
In my opinion, it really boils down to govts being clear about the results they want (e.g. CapEx and jobs). Wouldn’t it not be better to foster enthusiam and investment generally, esepcially when private sectors tend to be risk averse, as opposed to trying to “force” business in areas where the long term benefits and consequences are unknown?