Overcoming the Digital Divide in Zaire: A Business and Public Sector - Term Paper Example

Overcoming the Digital Divide in Zaire: A Business and Public Sector Case Study Introduction The digital divide is a term used to describe the difference in the availability of telecommunications and internet technologies between developed countries and those nations that seek to diversify their economies. The lack of advanced telecommunications technology and access to the internet are particularly acute in many African countries. In an era where knowledge-based societies operate in a global economy, many African countries are at a severe competitive disadvantage (Ani, Uchendu & Atseye, 2007). Some African countries, however, have experienced significant economic growth through the development of natural resources such as oil and gas, gold and diamonds. Zaire is one such country. Through the creation of private-public partnerships and with some creative long-term strategic planning, Zaire has the potential and the opportunity to bridge the digital divide. This will enable Zaire to diversify its economy and to open new international markets to products manufactured locally. This study attempts to determine the level of interest among private sector firms and government agencies in Zaire in acquiring advanced telecommunications and internet capabilities. It also assesses what technology capabilities are most needed and what the impact of introducing these new technologies might have on the social, cultural and business practices of Zairians. Purpose Statement The purpose of this study is to determine the degree to which public and private agencies in Zaire value the importance of having access to emerging telecommunications and internet technologies. If these technologies are made available, what affect do the agencies perceive these technologies to have on the manner in which they conduct their business activities? Problem Statement The lack of access to state-of-the-art telecommunications and internet technologies has represented a major constraint in Zaire’s efforts to diversity its economy. The country must show consistent economic growth in order to generate the revenues that it needs to develop new programs and businesses. In particular, Zaire must increase the volume of foreign direct investment in its economy in order to create the skilled jobs that Zairians require. Conceptual Framework There is a strong theoretical foundation in both economics and public policy that indicates a direct correlation between economic diversity and economic prosperity. Economic prosperity, in turn, provides countries with the resources that they need to develop strong social institutions (World Economic Forum, 2009). One of the distinguishing characteristics between countries that are making the transition from developing to developed economies and those who are not, is the level of infrastructure investment, particularly in the area of emerging technologies (OECD, 2007; Baumuler, 2009). Many researchers have concluded that the digital divide is a major variable in explaining the growing gap between rich and poor nations (Kaberuka, 2010;World Bank, 2010). Survey research is one empirically valid and reliable method to determine the technology needs of public sector agencies and business firms. The literature is clear in defining the digital divide as one of the major constraints to economic development and social prosperity in developing countries. If this study can gather data directly from government agencies and businesses, analyze the data, present results that define their technology needs and link those needs to economic outcomes, policy makers and business leaders in Zaire will have a framework to support major new investments in technology infrastructure. Research Questions This research addresses four major questions: Do businesses and government agencies in Zaire require more advanced technologies to achieve their objectives? Are these businesses and government agencies willing to bear the cost to install the new technology infrastructure? What benefits do businesses and government agencies anticipate as a result of investing in new technology? What is the perceived impact on Zaire’s social, cultural and business practices if new telecommunications and internet technologies are widely available? The Case of Zaire Zaire, a country located in central Africa, is blessed with a solid agricultural base and an abundance of natural resources including oil and gas, gold, diamonds and a variety of metals used for industrial purposes. Since overcoming civil unrest in 2002, Zaire has enjoyed a steady growth in GDP. In 2007 and 2008, Zaire’s economy grew by almost 7% each year, placing it in the top sixty-four countries in the world. However, its per capita GDP is only $300, making Zaire one of the least favorable in the world rankings, placing it 227th (UN data). One of the major challenges that the country faces as it tries to grow its economy and distribute the results of that growth more equitably among the general population, is that the majority of its foreign sources of revenue come from exports of natural resources. In order to achieve its policy goals, Zaire must diversify its economy, develop secondary industries within Zaire and attract foreign direct investment. One major constraint to achieving these goals is a lack of infrastructure in general and telecommunications and internet technologies in particular. Without this infrastructure, foreign investment will continue to move into countries such as Brazil, Singapore and India where the technology infrastructure is highly advanced. Research Design and Methodology The design for this study is survey research utilizing a researcher-developed survey instrument administered to a random sample of businesses and government agencies in Zaire, Africa. A) The Survey Instrument An eight question survey instrument will be developed and administered to a random sample of businesses and government agencies in Zaire. The instrument will be pre-tested on a sample of 10 businesses and 5 government agencies, N = 15, to determine its validity and reliability. Any deficiencies in the instrument will be rectified prior to conducting the actual survey. The questionnaire will be mailed to the sample respondents along with a letter from the researcher explaining the purpose of the study. A stamped, self-addressed envelope will be included. B) Sample Size A random sample of two hundred (N = 200) business and government agencies will be drawn from the population of business and public agencies in Zaire. Business and government directories will be utilized to draw the sample. A random digit system will be used. One hundred respondents will be selected from each sector. A minimum of one hundred and twenty-five (N = 125) responses is required for a sixty-two percent response rate. If 125 responses are not received after the first mail out, follow-up letters will be sent and phone calls will be made by the researcher to remind respondents to complete the questionnaire. C) Data Collection and Coding The data gathered from the survey instruments will be coded to differentiate business respondents from public sector respondents. A further level of differentiation will indicate level of government agency; national or local, for example. Businesses will be coded to allow grouping by size of the enterprise in terms of total annual revenues. Four ordinal level categories will be used; small, medium, large and very large. D) Data Management The data from the coded survey instruments will be converted into electronic format. SPSS will be used to run statistical analysis. Basic descriptive statistics such as frequency, mean, median and standard deviation will be calculated. The researcher will also construct a series of cross tabulations and compute a significance test such as chi-square. E) Data Analysis The four research questions will be converted into the following null hypotheses: Ho1: Business and government agencies do not require advanced technologies to achieve their objectives. Ho2: Business and government agencies are not willing to pay the cost of technology infrastructure. Ho3: Business and government agencies anticipate no benefits from an investment in advanced technologies. Ho4: Business and government agencies perceive no affect on Zaire’s social, cultural and business practices if new technologies become widely available. The goal of the research is to utilize the statistical analysis to reject all four null hypotheses. Validity and Reliability There are three issues related to reliability and validity that must be addressed in this study; the self-administered questionnaire, the sample size and the generalizability of the results. Researchers attempt to address the reliability and validity of the survey instrument by pre-testing. As indicated above, a pre-test will be conducted on a random sample of fifteen agencies. These agencies will not be included in the final tally of respondents. In terms of the sample size, two hundred was selected to provide an actual response of one hundred and twenty-five. One hundred and twenty-five respondents is the number calculated from the total population of business and government entities in Zaire that will allow a valid generalization to the general population based on the sample results. The researcher understands that the results of this study cannot be generalized to countries beyond Zaire. Assumptions and Limitations One major assumption is that the survey instruments will be completed by individuals within the company or public agency that have both an understanding of telecommunications and internet technologies and the questions posed in the questionnaire. A second assumption is that these respondents are qualified to assess the impact of advanced technologies on the social, cultural and business practices of Zairians. The study is limited, as all case studies are, to a single country, Zaire. A further limitation is that the researcher only plans to survey a random sample of businesses and public agencies. There are other organizations whose input might also be valuable; religious and church groups, educational institutions and not-for-profit organizations are examples. Generalizability The study results from the one hundred and twenty-five sample respondents are generalizable to the population of businesses and public agencies located in Zaire, Africa. One hundred and twenty-five responses will allow for testing of the null hypotheses at p < .05 level of statistical significance. The results are not generalizable to business and government agencies outside of Zaire. Significance and Contributions Zaire needs to develop a modern technology infrastructure if the country is to achieve economic prosperity and social development. Economic growth will be realized only through the economic diversity that a significant increase in foreign direct investment will bring to Zaire. Until Zaire has an infrastructure that supports investment and growth, the country will remain at a competitive disadvantage. This study can make a major contribution if it can identify a specific technology need, if it can demonstrate a willingness on the part of business and government to fund the infrastructure costs and if a clear connection can be made between investing in an advanced technology infrastructure and the future economic prosperity and social development of Zaire. Ethical Considerations Human subjects are not involved in this research and so a formal Institutional Review Board process is not required here. What is required, however, is that the participants in this study are assured that their responses will remain confidential and that no connection will be made in the study or disclosed in any public fashion that can be linked to their organization. When the study is completed, the survey instruments will be destroyed. Conclusion Investment in advanced telecommunications and internet technologies must be established as a top priority for business and government in Zaire. The ability to develop an advanced technology infrastructure is a primary ingredient in economic success. The people of Zaire need the jobs that foreign direct investment can bring if they are to break the cycle of poverty that has plagued the nation. It is hoped that this study will help Zairians down a path toward realizing that goal. Works Cited Ani, Okun Edet, Uchendu, Chika & Atseye, Emmanuel, U. (2007). Bridging the Digital Divide: A Study of Internet Usage in Nigeria. Library Management. 28 (6/7), 355-365. Baumuler, Heike. Sustainable Development Impacts of Investment Incentives in Southeast Asia, International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2009. Doing Business 2010, World Bank, 2010. The Global Competitiveness Report 2009-2010, The World Economic Forum, 2009. Kaberuka, Donald. Bridging the Digital Divide Will Help Shield Continent from External Shocks. Feb. 3, 2010. http://www.allafrica.com. OECD Principles for Private Sector Participation in Infrastructure, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2009. Appendix A Draft Survey Instrument 1. If a new technology network was made available would your agency subscribe? _____Yes _____No _____D/K 2. If you decide to subscribe, what features would you find most useful? _____Voice _____Data _____Both _____None 3. Describe the anticipated usage in your business or agency. _____Frequent use _____Use sometimes _____Not often 4. Describe areas within your organization where new technologies would be most utilized. 5. Describe your business or agency’s willingness to help pay for a new technology infrastructure. _____Very willing _____Somewhat willing _____Not willing 6. If Zaire invests in new telecommunications and internet technologies, do you believe that this will have an impact on the average Zairian? _____Yes _____No _____D/K 7. If your response was “yes” to question 6, do you think that technology will have an impact on: a. The social development of Zaire _____Yes _____No _____D/K b. The cultural development of Zaire _____Yes _____No _____D/K c. The business development of Zaire _____Yes _____No _____D/K 8. Please describe your company by annual sales volume. _____less than $50,000 _____between $50,000 and $250,000 _____between $250,000 and $1million _____more than $1 million Read More