Message-ID: <199604010404.XAA07974@julian.uwo.ca> Date: Sun, 31 Mar 1996 23:04:46 -0500 From: Carlos Leite <mailto:cleite@JULIAN.UWO.CA> Subject: Traditional I.T. Before the Internet ?! To: Multiple recipients of list DEVEL-L <mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU>
I certainly agree with the "import the latest technology and kick butt" strategy. The advantages of enhanced information flow are evident everywhere including enhanced competitiveness and responsiveness of firms and the ability of consumers to "police" firms - note the rush by tobacco companies to diversify (largely, I would argue, in order to minimize the effect of consumer boycotts) in the last 10 years; they likely foresaw not only the onrush of consumer action but also the (increasingly) fast propagation of such information and related legislation.Perhaps more importantly, cheap, effective and accessible mass communication is absolutely crucial so that the group culture (group decision making without the presence of an overbearing or omnipotent leader) predominant in many parts of Africa can leapfrog the apparently necessary (judging from history) step of a ruthless dictator imposing development from above. The presence of mass communication should nurture the development of democracy and help create a balance between individual freedoms and the necessary minimization of overhead costs arising from decision making. This should then allow the application of maximum surplus to the development process. In this very real sense, communication=development, so that the latest technology must be imported no matter the cost (although this is clearly becoming less of an issue with each passing day). The real obstacle to the expansion of mass communication are likely to be the sycophants currently in power in much of Africa.
Carlos ==================================================== Carlos A. Leite, PhD mailto:cleite@julian.uwo.ca Dep't of Economics Voice: (519) 433-3491 ext. 339 King's College (UWO) Fax: (519) 433-0521 London, Ontario, CANADA N6A 2M3 ====================================================