Comprendiendo Nuestras Politicas: The Need for an Effective C&IT Policy for a Nation’s Development, The Venezuelan Case

Abstract

Background This research explores the argument that Venezuela's communications and information technology (C&IT) policy is not effective enough for a less developed country (DC) wishing to achieve socio-economic growth. Venezuela is presented here as a case where the basic requirement of policy formulation has not been forthcoming, in particular the traditional policy-making design has resulted in a less than optimal development of electronic communication and information systems (Coronil, 1997). This is partly because their policy formulation processes appear to be from a prescriptive position rather than a participatory one. The evidence to support this comes from an analysis of the country's current legislation, strategies and multinational C&IT companies that have raised concerns in investing under this environment. Madon (1997) argues that Information Technology is at the core of the current process of economic globalisation. Countries are being encouraged to attract economic growth by entering the information age and being able to supply or compete at the multinational level. National C&IT policies play an important role in enabling this to occur. It is therefore important for developing countries (DC) to focus on strategies that enable them to take advantage of the new technologies and so build essential communications and information systems (C&IT) in order to partake in the global economy. Unfortunately in most developing countries (DC) there exists a gap in these C&IT systems. This gap is even more severe in rural areas, because traditional sources of information and communication cannot be accessed properly. For example, in Venezuela, remote hospitals cannot access information that could answer medical questions in crucial situations, most university libraries are poorly stocked, and distance learning is a distant dream. To a significant extent, nongovernment organisations also experience information and communication problems. National C&IT companies are unable to access their own country's supply chain. To fill in these gaps it may be important for DC to give more priority to the enactment of effective C&IT policies as a main strategy for the diffusion and adoption of new technologies. Furthermore, Sachs (2000) reflects the importance of this issue by highlighting that countries lacking these strategies often collapse and are unable to achieve socio-economic growth. Lal (2001) as well as others observes this and in addition argues that the lack of existing information infrastructure in remote communities is considered to be one of the major impediments in the diffusion of C&IT. Information infrastructure includes the development of technological capabilities for use and production of C&IT. These capabilities can be divided into three categories: global information, national information infrastructure and local information infrastructure. Governments can play an important role in building a proper information structure if effective strategies and policies are in place and if stakeholders fully participate in policymaking processes. Effective policies are of increasing importance if countries want to benefit from the global stock of knowledge. The State of C&IT in Socio-Economic Development Adapting from Todaro's (1994) definition, the objective of development in this research implies the acceleration of socio-economic growth, the suppression of poverty and the reduction of inequality. A number of significant successes in transforming of rural communities are linked to C&IT (Castells, 1996). DCs when building up their strategies should consider which of the benefits found in these successes are feasible for their own environment. Some of the benefits, as highlighted in the C&IT literature for developing countries are summarised as poverty alleviation, education, health, and economic productivity (see, for example, the proceedings of the IFIP WG 9. …