Africa / Computer Software

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IT'S ESTIMATED THAT THIS YEAR, DEVELOPING COUNTRIES WILL 
EXPORT THREE-BILLION DOLLARS IN COMPUTER SOFTWARE TO WESTERN 
MARKETS.  SOFTWARE ALLOWS COMPUTERS TO DO A WIDE RANGE OF 
FUNCTIONS, FROM BUSINESS TRANSACTIONS TO SCIENCE TO GAMES.  BUT A
BRITISH RESEARCHER SAYS DESPITE THE LEVEL OF EXPORTS, DEVELOPING 
NATIONS MAY  NOT  RECEIVE THE FULL BENEFITS OF THE INFORMATION 
AGE.  

AFRICA SHOULD BE DOING A LOT MORE TO ENSURE ITS PLACE IN 
THE INFORMATION AGE, ACCORDING TO RICHARD HEEKS OF THE UNIVERSITY
OF MANCHESTER IN BRITAIN.  HE SAYS WHILE AFRICAN NATIONS ARE 
EXPORTING SOFTWARE, THEIR GOVERNMENTS ARE  NOT  PLACING ENOUGH 
EMPHASIS ON DEVELOPING COMPUTER PROGRAMS FOR DOMESTIC USE.  AS A 
RESULT, ENTREPRENEURS ARE TRYING TO FILL THAT NEED WITH LIMITED 
RESOURCES.

         TO TAKE AN EXAMPLE, SAY IN NIGERIA YOU'LL HAVE 
         PARTICULAR FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING PRACTICES AND 
         REGULATIONS AND SO ON.  AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT 
         PACKAGES (SOFTWARE) FROM THE UNITED STATES JUST WILL  
         NOT  DO.  YOU NEED SOMETHING SPECIFICALLY MATCHED TO 
         NIGERIA'S SITUATION.  AND SO WHAT'S HAPPENING IS LOCAL 
         ENTREPRENEURS ARE PRODUCING THAT SOFTWARE FOR NIGERIAN 
         FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING PRACTICES.

MR. HEEKS SAYS AFRICAN DEVELOPERS HAVE ALSO PRODUCED SOFTWARE 
SYSTEMS FOR HOSPITAL INFORMATION, HOTEL RESERVATIONS AND PUBLIC 
ADMINISTRATION.

WHILE THAT NEWS SOUNDS ENCOURAGING, HE SAYS AFRICA IS BY  NO  
MEANS TAKING FULL ADVANTAGE OF THE INFORMATION AGE.  HE SAYS MUCH
MORE COMPUTER SOFTWARE COULD BE PRODUCED FOR DOMESTIC USE.  THE 
UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER RESEARCHER GIVES ONE REASON WHY IT'S  
NOT  BEING DONE.

         I THINK ONE (REASON) IS SIMPLY A PROBLEM OF ATTITUDE, A 
         PROBLEM OF AWARENESS.  PEOPLE JUST DO  NOT  THINK, EVEN 
         WITHIN THEIR OWN COUNTRIES, THEY DO  NOT  THINK SOFTWARE
         IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO.  THEY'RE KIND OF STUCK WITH 
         TRADITIONAL STEREOTYPES OF WHAT'S DONE IN AFRICA.

MR. HEEKS SAYS CURRENTLY MUCH OF AFRICA'S DEMAND FOR COMPUTER 
SOFTWARE IS BEING MET EITHER THROUGH PIRACY OR PRODUCTS FROM THE 
UNITED STATES.

         THE PROBLEM WITH THOSE PACKAGES (U-S SOFTWARE) -- AND 
         EQUALLY THE ONES THAT ARE PIRATED AS WELL IS -- THEY'RE 
         REALLY KIND OF SQUARE PEGS BEING KNOCKED INTO ROUND 
         HOLES.  THEY DO  NOT  REALLY MEET THE LOCAL 
         REQUIREMENTS.

HE SAYS EACH AFRICAN NATION NEEDS A NATIONAL STRATEGY TO DEVELOP 
ITS COMPUTER INDUSTRY -- INCLUDING FINANCING, MARKETING, BETTER 
TRAINING AND DEREGULATION OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS.

HE SAYS THE WEST DOES  NOT  YET RECOGNIZE AFRICA'S POTENTIAL -- 
AND IN SOME CASES PROBABLY HAS A VESTED INTEREST  NOT  TO DO SO. 
HE SAYS VERY OFTEN WHAT WESTERN BUSINESS WOULD LIKE TO DO IS 
MERELY SELL ITS PRODUCTS TO AFRICAN MARKETS.

         I'M SURE THESE ATTITUDES WILL CHANGE OVER TIME AS IT 
         GRADUALLY BECOMES RECOGNIZED THAT AFRICA IS  NOT  MERELY
         A CONTINENT OF PEASANT FARMERS, BUT IS ALSO A PLACE 
         WHERE COMPUTERS AND SOFTWARE AND THE INTERNET AND THINGS
         LIKE THAT ARE ALL ACTUALLY WORKING RIGHT NOW.

MR. HEEKS SAYS IF AFRICA DOES REALIZE ITS POTENTIAL, IN THE NEXT 
TWO TO THREE DECADES UP TO FIVE-PERCENT OF THE CONTINENT'S 
EMPLOYMENT COULD BE BASED IN THE COMPUTER INDUSTRY. 

15-Apr-98
Source: Voice of America

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