Entering the information age: implications for developing countries

The author moves from a relatively restricted view of established telecommunications services and institutions to a wider conception of information technology and considers implications for developing countries. He notes that a particularly intractable set of policy issues arises in this field. The introduction of computers and information services and their convergence with telecommunications, broadcasting, publishing, and other traditionally separate activities offer important potential gains even to very underdeveloped economies. Achieving these gains, however, requires an approach that cuts across traditional sectors and institutions and may require government guidance and initiative. Formulating and implementing such policy is much more difficult than in the traditional telecommunications sector, because informatics does not conform to established divisions of responsibility and is a relatively new field in which experience is limited. The author outlines and discusses key policy issues and offers suggestions on how they can initially be addressed.<>