Andhra Pradesh: Lessons for Global Software Development

T he information economy is formed not of nations but of regions or cities that are networked through people, investment, and telecommunications to further some aspect of global technology development. Shanghai are key hubs in this global economy, where entrepre-neurial plans, government policy, and technology innovation combine to create new businesses, markets, and economic realities. The strong connection between these often quite distinct regions is the intricate architecture that supports global technology development, which means that local issues are never just local. Business strategy, policy decisions , education investments, and social well-being in one location do affect other regions. National statistics often hide such relationships, which are critical for the global IT industry. The specific realities and interconnections of such regions determine how the global industry evolves and thus how IT can drive development in very different environments. Andhra Pradesh (AP), India, is one region that deserves attention. Its place within the global software industry over the past decade makes it an interesting subject for understanding the regional connections and developments of information industries like software. In part, AP is important because the flow of people, ideas, and investment is already quite strong, particularly with other regions like Silicon Valley. Equally important, AP exemplifies how a software industry can emerge from the ground up, with firms managing global software development and local politicians pressing for IT-based growth while trying to win elections in a predominantly rural, decidedly undigital society. The details of AP's growth provide useful lessons for both established and emerging regions. A closer examination of AP's IT evolution reveals important insights into how regional connections function, how they reflect global software industry patterns, and how software itself can promote economic and social development. Although relatively unknown, the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh is a key facet of the global IT industry, both as a source of skilled software professionals and as one of the most innovative sites applying IT for social development.