I have found this dialog regarding E-Readiness and E-Strategies most enriching and illustrative of the value of the Internet in its power to facilitate exchange of ideas, thoughts, etc.
Whereas my earlier comments were founded on Adam Lishan's contributions, this time around I would like to provide some comments relating to Daniel Taghioff's recent contributions on this topic. These are not meant to counter his observations, as they each have value, but perhaps augment them, and collectively perhaps help shape a more refined position for all of us. 1. I certainly agree with Daniel's notation that this area needs a healthy amount of scepticism. I'd only add, this is not just needed for this topic of relying on consultants, but many others as well. I find few colleagues engaged in this arena that consider themselves, "experts." And fewer that aren't still exploring better ways and approaches for gaining target results we are all after. 2. I don't see this issue of relying on international consultants or local skills/knowledge base as either mutually exclusive nor and either-or situation. It is not. And with all the focus in recent months on partnerships, I would like to think we're past this mental mind-set. Each of us brings something to the table, something unique and valuable to the solution set. And our approach should seek this broad-based contribution of others. 3. I also don't see the conflict of interest as a key issue with respect to the desire to consultant's desire to add to his/her knowledge base. This may be a result of becoming in engaged in various locations over a period of time, but I've never seen it as primary or even a significant factor. Rather, my experience has been such that the engagement of the consultant is much more focused on contributing a value-added element to the local situation, much more than extracting something from being engaged. If this value-added component can be provided by local expertise, then this is wonderful. 4. I also believe it is important to take into account what has the highest value, specifically of short term value. On the one hand it is critical to build local capacity--it has been a failure of the international development arena for decades, and certainly not limited to the ICT arena. On the other hand there is the need for rapid action if we are to be effective in closing the "digital divide." Speed is important and in my view it is here that outside expertise can have a beneficial impact in two key areas: a) they do typically bring more expertise to the table quicker and can capture this in a way that speaks to those that are positioned to help or be part of the solution, and b) in that they are typically linked with development organizations that represent funding sources, frequently the consultant is the entry point to these agencies for securing followup funding to actually get some traction in "doing" something. Again, it's not an either-or, but an important consideration. 5. I have been engaged in a situation where an ICT Assessment was carried out by outside international consultants (myself and others) with one of the key findings being the need to build local human capacity in IT (it shows up virtually everywhere). And based on this assessment, actions were undertaken by a supporting donor agency to add PCs, networks, and software into key university-level institutions for the express purpose of upgrading IT curriculum to meet local business needs. Other synergistic activities were also impacted by this assessment whereby now other donors are engaged in this sector--each adding something of value. In this case local high tech jobs were going unfilled because those graduating with IT degrees didn't have the needed knowledge/skills. They are gaining them today Again, this is no either-or, but an example of where one added to the other in a very short turnaround (months/not years). 6. Another factor in trying to achieve this balance is the challenge of determining what has priority; a) getting people on the Information Super Highway as fast as possible so they can gain the advantage of its richness, or b) building the local capacity required to build an on-ramp onto the Information Super Highway. Both are valuable, both are needed, and neither is exclusive of the other. However I would caution that if the latter approach is taken in lieu of the former, there's a danger that the gap to be closed will be wider by the time the local capacity is up to speed--developing human resources simply takes time--valuable that we cannot waste. 7. While I appreciate the need for a reasoned approach as prescribed by Daniel, I do not think time is on the side of those that are already side-lined and not participating in this global ICT dynamic. Sometimes I think there's too much intellectual discourse in the development arena, and too little action. Not that we should act in haste, or do stupid things. Quite the opposite. But I don't think this lack of full understanding is the critical missing ingredient. Rather I think we all too often know what's needed but lack are not successful in mobilizing the appropriate resources to do it and do it well. Even the DOT Force and UN ICT Task Force, after all their positioning and getting ready to act are now confronted with lack of resources to do what is needed. Again, I certainly don't have the answers, and simply place my comments along side Daniels in an effort toward finding a better way of getting developing countries moving faster such that they are not so disadvantaged and instead can be major benefactors in this emerging globalize ICT-enabled environment. Darrell Owen ================================== Darrell E. Owen [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Mobile: (703)980-4053 Phone/Fax: (703) 413-5436 ------------ ***GKD is an initiative of the Global Knowledge Partnership*** To post a message, send it to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. In the 1st line of the message type: subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd Archives of previous GKD messages can be found at: <http://www.globalknowledge.org>
