IT for Decision Makers A Strategic Approach to Developing a National IT Policy By Taholo Kami for UNESCO Disclaimer: These materials have been produced.
Download
Report
Transcript IT for Decision Makers A Strategic Approach to Developing a National IT Policy By Taholo Kami for UNESCO Disclaimer: These materials have been produced.
IT for Decision Makers
A Strategic Approach to
Developing a National IT Policy
By Taholo Kami for UNESCO
Disclaimer: These materials have been produced with support from UNESCO.
The author is responsible for the choice and presentation of the facts in
the materials and for the opinions expressed therein, which are not
necessarily those of UNESCO and do not commit the Organization
Strategic Approach to IT
Planning
How Important are ICTs?:
Is access to Information a RIGHT for ALL?
Does access to information enable a Government to better
fulfill its role to its people? Can a community afford to be left
out of the information economy?
Global Participation – The Internet makes local issues
instantly available to a global audience. Is this
desirable? Do we have a choice? What are the
opportunities?
How does IT extend our traditional boundaries?What
is the role of the Overseas island community?
Scarcity
Can an IT strategy improve our traditional
means of making economic decisions?
How can IT enable the 4 “e”s (efficiency,
effectiveness, empowerment, enterprise?
Implementation
Governments role versus Private sector,
civil society or other established
institutions:
Who will do it BEST?
How should Government be involved?
Strategy
What are our Strengths as a nation?
Human Resources (education / culture / Attitudes)
Natural Resources
Private Sector
What are the Obstacles?
Where do we want to be in future?
Threats and Opportunities are in a global context
Can we optimize our “smallness” ?
Where do we focus our resources to achieve
objectives?
Developing a Platform for a
Knowledge Society...
Leadership
Good Governance
Supportive Regulatory Environment
Infrastructure
Access (affordable, universal)
Human Capacity
Relevant Applications (health,
education, ecommerce)
Enabling ICTs
eCommerce
eGovernance
Telehealth
Education
Community Networks
Global Participation
ECONOMIC
GROWTH
Leadership, Good Governance, Regulatory Environment,
Infrastructure, Access, Human Capacity,
Relevant Applications
The Policy Platform
Leadership
Vision - know what you want to achieve
with your information strategy
Political Will
Identify your Champions
Commit Resources
Examples - Costa Rica / Estonia / Singapore /
Malaysia have recognized ICTs as critical to fulfill
their national development strategies ….
Governance: Transparency
Regulatory and legislative process should be
transparent and open.
Citizens should have access to all laws, decrees,
regulations and judicial rulings including draft
laws and regulations in print and through the
Internet.
No one should be subject to any rule that is not
published.
Governance:
Public Access / Participation
Phased approach to public access
Public access booths / learning /
communications centers
Content development / info and culture
Scheme to encourage computer purchases
School Curriculum develops IT skills and
awareness
Government incentives for upskilling
Regulatory / Legal Issues
Intellectual property
Taxation - Internet tax policy should neither penalize
e-commerce nor inhibit the offering of electronic
services.
Digital contracts - Laws recognizing credit cards,
cybercash and digital signatures
Consumer protection
Competition and Licensing in
Telecommunications and media
Privacy protection
Computer crime - Effective measures to deal with
online fraud, hacking while preserving anonymity and
limiting government monitoring
Telecom Participation
Critical
Liberalization of the industry has driven
increased access in key countries
Small Islands - Cooperation and
Coordination may be the solution to
domination of major telecommunications
multi nationals
Setting benchmark targets in terms of
Access to basic services
Cost of basic services
Establishment of new services
Infrastructure
The MOST information needed for
decision making is from a local /
national source.
We need to improve national / local
information infrastructure
National Telecommunications Backbone
Government Intranets
Rural Access
Is your national Telecom committed to
national development? Should it be?
Human Capacity
Develop your human resources according to mid
/ long term national priorities
Set clear objectives and actions to achieve
human capacity targets
Incentives for IT training schemes
Short / Long term goals for improving capacity
Basic IT Usage skills. E.g. Every Government Employee at
certain level will have an ICT Passport.
Programs and courses for IT expertise with institutions or
private organizations.
ICT integrated into High School Syllabus with every form 4
graduate having …?.. IT skills by 200?!
Human Capital
Identify gaps in terms of IT Skills and
action plan to fill gaps
Raise overall awareness of population of
IT opportunities
Strategy for ensuring Basic User skills at
all levels of community and Public service
Encourage a culture of initiative and
innovation.
Affordable Access
Even if Internet access was FREE, how
many people can access it?
Invest in rural infrastructure
Financing initiatives for computers.
Incentives for investors
Incentives for developers
eCommerce
Commitment from financial institutions to
enable Automated Online Financial
Transactions
Tax incentives for setting up companies or
foreign Investment in ecommerce
ICT applications that enable participation in
ecommerce - beyond just web pages.
Incentives that FOCUS development of
eBusiness applications into priority areas rural development, Agriculture, Tourism,
Niche Industries.
eCommerce
Investigate opportunities for leadership through IT
capacity in specific industries where competence exists or
can be developed through Business to Business or Business
to Consumer applications
Rotating Private enterprise policy discussion panels - get
the beneficiaries involved!
Streamlining private sector interaction on regulatory /
policy issues with integrated response mechanisms from all
departments.
One Stop portal for businesses to interact with
Government. (tax, customs, business registrations,
quarantine, immigration, etc)
Privacy / Security concerns
Support Entrepreneurship
Supporting regulation and Access to financing
for startups
Reduce risk of Government Intervention - build
Investor confidence and trust
Regulatory bodies independent e.g.
Communications companies / regulators
Local Barriers to Internet development
New Opportunities for reform...
Policy Principles
Information is Global and Borderless: Impossible
for one government to control
Open standards, access for all
Decentralized: no gatekeepers
Abundant: low barriers to entry, no scarce
spectrum
Inexpensive: everyone a publisher
User-controlled: e.g., encryption, filtering
Interactive
Conclusion
An effective ICT/Internet strategy
begins with a clear national vision and objectives
Identifies Local barriers to Internet development and
Opportunities for reform
Develops platform for implementation with cornerstones
of; affordable access, human capacity development,
investment in infrastructure, good governance
Start with National Development Priorities - build ICT
capacity around national priorities.
Conclusion
Leadership is Critical:
“Removing the obstacles ….letting people fly”
Leadership is... making believers - Kami 2001
empower your people!