Building a Framework for Successful Information Technology Transfer to Developing Countries: Requirements and Effective Integration to a Viable IT Transfer

Introduction The establishment of a reliable framework for IT utilisation and development in developing countries, follows in two major stages. The first stage is to understand the fundamental elements and characteristics of information technology alongwith local related constraints. In the second stage, the fundamental bases on which a given country can constitute its own policy making and planning system of national IT transfer and development should be addressed. Despite the first stage, the second stage has not been given adequate attention in the literature. Therefore, in this paper an attempt is made to improve and implement the second stage. The assessment of the first stage is vastly considered in Kahen & Sayers (1995c) and Kahen (1995a, 1995b). On the bases of the theoretical debates and conceptual mechanisms addressed in the above works, this paper is organised to deliver the structured components are required to establish a strategic framework for successful IT transfer. To Build such a viable framework requires the integration of five fundamental components: effective strategy and institutionalising IT transfer, integrating national development goals with IT development, appropriate choice, IT supportability and adjustment, IT diffusion, assimilation, and development. As Figure 1 shows, while the first three of these components are seen as the foundations to build up a solid framework, ‘supportability’ and ‘adjustment’ are as the protecting elements to the system. The rest of components, create interrelating operation that play a crucial role in sustainability of the system. They provide appropriate environment that enables the system to maintain and progress. They also circulate a flow of up-to-date knowledge and experienced information within the system. Based on this flow, system development can take place (see Figure 1).