Growing ICT Sector Employment

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Growing ICT Sector Employment Dr. Tony
Murphy Vice President Gartner Information And
Communications Technology for Sustainable
Development Dec. 12/13 2004, Abu Dhabi
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Irelands Achievements
40 billion ICT exports 2003
Worlds second largest software exporter
World ranking 3 per capita GDP
Worlds most globalised country last 3
years Foreign Policy Journal
Worlds most desirable place to live and
work Economist Journal
Population 3.5 million
Worlds 1foreign affiliates conducting
RD National Science Foundation Washington
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World-Class ICT Achievement
High Value RDC
International gaps widening
World-class
Competitive Differentiators
Cultural Compatibility
FDI and/or VC Funding
Managerial Skills
Comprehensive Co-ordination
Basic Requirements
Legislative Support
Comms Infrastructure
Cost Effectiveness
Basic Skills
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Developing Indigenous Software Enterprises
Time
VC Stock Listing
Value

• International Sales
• Products

Local Sales Services Low Margins
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Offshore/FDI Accelerators and Inhibitors
Inhibitors
Geopolitical risk
Accelerators
Xenophobia
Unknown countries
Cheaper labor
Success stories
Lack of infrastructure

Need for speed
Losecontrol
3-shift work day follow the sun
Process quality
Spread risk across geographies
Skills shortage
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Specific Challenges for the Arab Region
Impact
Symptom
Mr. 10 syndrome
Undermines risk-taking and innovation
Slow and bureaucratic approval processes
Undermines competitiveness, deters external
investors
Weak teamwork ethic
Team synergies not realised
Bad policies and decisions implemented by default
Authority figures unquestioned
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Specific Opportunities for the Arab Region
Drivers
Opportunity
Arab IT activities have a national rather than
regional focus
Economies of scale and feasibility of new forms
of ICT initiatives
Contact and support centres for Arab customers
located externally
Local/regional centres which can support other
ICT opportunities
Arabisation of software packages undertaken
largely in Europe
Establish localisation skills and reputation
Special requirements for Islamic banking
inadequately addressed
Move to modular and services- oriented
international packages
Development/conversion of Arabic/Islamic content
Tiny proportion of Web content is Arabic/Islamic
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Closing Thoughts

• The ICT sector remains among the faster growing
  sectors globally
• Bust a gut to get a flagship project (major
  MNC)
• A policy of low wages and high financial
  inducements will not succeed long-term
• Success calls for planning, co-ordination between
  many stakeholders, and a target of continually
  rising up the value chain
• Other countries have shown what can be achieved
  in a short time - be positive and proactive