Developing and Harnessing Software Technology in the South: The Roles of China, India, Brazil, and South Africa

Software technology is gaining prominence in national information technology (IT) strategies due to its huge potential for socioeconomic development, particularly through the support it provides in the productive sectors of the economy, delivery of public services and engagement of citizens. In growing numbers of developing countries, software technology is also being leveraged for income generation from digital services and products. For instance, in recent years, India, Chile, the Philippines, Brazil, China, and Indonesia have emerged as important global players in the offshore software services industry, with India and China standing out as leaders. Cooperation between developing countries (south-south) in the area of software technology has also been growing; particularly in the application of software technology to agriculture, public administration and governance (e-governance), transportation and the society (knowledge society). The paper presents the current state of software technology in the south and specifically, the maturity of the software industries in China, India, Brazil, and South Africa (CIBS). It establishes profiles of different regions based on the level of education, quality of research and availability of e-infrastructure and e-applications for determining the potential of these regions in terms of growth and competitiveness in the global software industry. Further complementary analysis of country profiles produced country clusters, helping to identify potential collaboration scenarios for advancing software capacity in the south. Finally, the paper discusses how CIBS can pivot regional or inter-regional cooperation in software technology in the south.software technology, software industry, south-south cooperation, China, Brazil, India, South Africa

The Development and Usage of the Greenstone Digital Library Software

The Greenstone software has helped spread the practical impact of digital library technology throughout the world-particularly in developing countries. This article reviews the project’s origins, usage, and the development of support mechanisms for Greenstone users. We begin with a brief summary of salient aspects of this open source software package and its user population. Next we describe how its international, humanitarian focus arose. We then review the special requirements imposed by the conditions that prevail in developing courtiers. Finally we discuss efforts to establish regional support organizations for Greenstone in India and Africa

Critical Review of East Asia – South America Trade

There is a general consensus that trade between East Asia and South America is becoming increasingly important. However, we know little about the actual dynamic development of this inter-regional trade. This paper examines whether the trend of East Asia–South America trade is a general phenomena or a country- and commodity-specific issue, and whether the increase in trade values has a solid basis in terms of commodity diversification and/or price and quantity effects. While South America has an overall trade surplus with East Asia, detailed country and commodity analysis of inter-regional trade reveal several potential weaknesses in South America’s trade with East Asia. Our research finds that (i) the increase in trade between the two regions can be explained mainly by the increase in the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) trade with South America, (ii) the increase in the PRC’s imports from South America is limited to a few commodities, (iii) the increase in East Asia’s imports from South America is due partly to commodity price increases, and (iv) the PRC has started to export various types of electronics and machinery products to South America. Overall, East Asia’s exports to South America seem to show more promising signs of growth than South America’s exports to East Asia

Connecting the dots: information visualization and text analysis of the Searchlight Project newsletters

This report is the product of the Pardee Center’s work on the Searchlight:Visualization and Analysis of Trend Data project sponsored by the Rockefeller Foundation. Part of a larger effort to analyze and disseminate on-the-ground information about important societal trends as reported in a large number of regional newsletters developed in Asia, Africa and the Americas specifically for the Foundation, the Pardee Center developed sophisticated methods to systematically review, categorize, analyze, visualize, and draw conclusions from the information in the newsletters.The Rockefeller Foundatio

Falling behind or catching up? Developing countries in the era of globalization

Globalization improves the prospects for developing countries (DCs) to catch up economically with industrialized countries. But not all DCs will automatically benefit from globalization. Some DCs even face the risk of being delinked from the international division of labor. Differences in DC economic policies ultimately determine whether there will be a deepening divide between rich and poor countries in the world economy. Many observers draw an overly pessimistic picture of the perspectives of DCs in the era of globalization because of missing institutionalized links to regional integration schemes in Europe and North America, a low level of interfirm technology cooperation between industrialized countries and DCs, and a high concentration of foreign direct investment (FDD flows on only a few DC hosts. However, such concerns are largely unfounded: Asian DCs are most successful in globalization although they have remained outside institutionalized integration schemes, while ACP countries have not made much progress despite their preferential access to EU markets. Technology transfers between industrialized countries and DCs mainly occur through FDI and trade in capital goods, rather than through interfirm technology cooperation. Recent trends in FDI and international trade strongly support the proposition that DCs have become closely integrated into globalization strategies. A high concentration of FDI flows on a few DC hosts does not imply that new attractive locations cannot compete for international capital. Admittedly, it is true that between two thirds and three quarters of total FDI flows to DCs have persistently been absorbed by ten host economies. But the country composition of this group has changed over time. Globalization implies an increase in international investment cooperation. Case studies for selected DC industries show that FDI prevails in industries applying sophisticated technologies, whereas licensing and subcontracting are favored when production processes are standardized. Policy interventions may limit the choices open to investing foreign firms and, thereby, cause substitution effects between different forms of globalization or hinder globalization at all. The quality of DC economic policies determines whether these countries will succeed in joining the globalization club. The experience of the frontrunners among DCs suggests some basic policy conclusions: Openness towards world markets is a precondition for becoming involved in globalization strategies of transnational corporations. Liberalizing all forms of international investment cooperation and removing barriers to international trade should rank high on the policy agenda of DCs. Under conditions of globalized production, DC governments are increasingly constrained in pursuing policies of their own liking. Those DCs characterized by pronounced macroeconomic instability are relatively unattractive locations for international investors. Investment in physical and human capital plays a crucial role in enabling DCs to participate in globalization. Economic policies that discourage domestic saving and investment must be avoided. Financial market reforms are needed in DCs characterized by financial repression and inefficient intermediation between savers and investors. A better education of the workforce is required for a successful application of new technologies that become available through globalization. --

Responding to Cross Border Child Trafficking in South Asia: An Analysis of the Feasibility of a Technologically Enabled Missing Child Alert System

This report examines the feasibility of a technologically enabled system to help respond to the phenomenon of cross-border child trafficking in South Asia, and makes recommendations on how to proceed with a pilot project in the selected areas of Bangladesh, Nepal and India. The study was commissioned by the Missing Child Alert (MCA) programme which is an initiative led by Plan. MCA is an initiative to address cross-border child trafficking in South Asia, led by Plan. The aim of the programme is to link existing institutions, mechanisms and resources in order to tackle the phenomenon from a regional perspective. To achieve this, Plan propose to implement a technologically equipped, institutionalised system of alert that can assist in the rescue, rehabilitation, repatriation and reintegration of children who are at risk of, or are victims of, cross-border trafficking

Study Tour Africa-Brazil on Social - Promotion and Protection

Study Tour, Africa-Brazil, Social, Promotion and Protection

An International Prospectus for Library & Information Professionals: Development, Leadership and Resources for Evolving Patron Needs

The roles of library and information professionals must change and evolve to: 1. accommodate needs of tech-savvy patrons; 2. thrive in the Commons & Library 2.0; 3. provide integrated, just-in-time services; 4. constantly update and enhance technology; 5. design appropriate library spaces for research and productivity; 6.adapt to new models of scholarly communication and publication, especially: the Open Archives Initiative and digital repositories; 7. remain abreast of national and interanational academic and legislative initiatives affecting the provision of information services and resources. Professionals will need to collaborate in: 1. Formal & informal networks – regional, national, and international; and; 2. Library staff development initiatives – regional, national, international Professionals will need to use libraries as laboratories for ongoing, lifelong training and education of patrons and of all library staff ( internal patrons ): the library is the framework in which Information Research Literacy is the curriculum . Professionals will need to remain aware of trends and challenges in their regions, the EU, the US and North America, of models which might provide inspiration and support: 1. Top Technology Trends; 2. New paradigms of professionalism; 3. Knowledge-creation and knowledge consumption; 4. The shifting balance of the physical library with the virtual-digital librar