Information technology is the driving force in all sectors the world over. Basically it involves the use of equipment and techniques to handle and process information. The term is more specifically used to refer to electronic communications and the use of computing, this allows easy disbursement of information. Today you can have your e-mail follow you while you ride a Matatu to Kyalo (village in Lugasoga) or through Jam on your way to work , you simply pop your mail from your exchange server where ever you may be. With recent innovations like blackberry services and other types of PDA, you move around with your office, of course this could be a disadvantage since not many people want to have work mail following them wherever they go or your PDA is stolen, you may morn little about the price of the device but more on the possibility of sensitive information landing into the hands of evil doers. But again you do not have to go to an internet café, wait till your office is open or get back from a extended distance work trip in order to know what is happening in your business realm.
Yes you would expect that this type of technology would be available to only those in the Europe, USA and Asia. Africans are found of having the best of the best when it comes to technology now days. They want the latest Laptops, the lates Nokias and many more even if they can’t fully use it or understand its functions.
This craze of wishing for newer toys on the market by businesses, government institutions and individuals have led IT investments in Africa to simply be looked at as Cost centers yet on the contrary IT should be a business Enabler.
Many of the countries or continents today are being successful because they invest in IT not just the equipment but also in the people that seat in front of the tube. We all know the old paradigm GIGO, if IT in Africa is to make business sense then their should be reasonable investment in Human ware. Many organizations that I know have computers but most of these computers seat there to gather dust, the user knows very little about the machine, in many cases after acquiring the computers many will still use manual processes. At most one may use a word processor on his machine and of course solitaire.
The infrastructure is not yet conducive, a majority of the citizens do not even know what a computer is, have never seen it, can’t afford it and electricity is only seen when they go to visit a relative in Kibuga (town) this makes it even impossible for one to use a computer. This should suggest the cost Africa has to pay to fully benefit from the benefits of Technology like the rest of the world.
Yes you would expect that this type of technology would be available to only those in the Europe, USA and Asia. Africans are found of having the best of the best when it comes to technology now days. They want the latest Laptops, the lates Nokias and many more even if they can’t fully use it or understand its functions.
This craze of wishing for newer toys on the market by businesses, government institutions and individuals have led IT investments in Africa to simply be looked at as Cost centers yet on the contrary IT should be a business Enabler.
Many of the countries or continents today are being successful because they invest in IT not just the equipment but also in the people that seat in front of the tube. We all know the old paradigm GIGO, if IT in Africa is to make business sense then their should be reasonable investment in Human ware. Many organizations that I know have computers but most of these computers seat there to gather dust, the user knows very little about the machine, in many cases after acquiring the computers many will still use manual processes. At most one may use a word processor on his machine and of course solitaire.
The infrastructure is not yet conducive, a majority of the citizens do not even know what a computer is, have never seen it, can’t afford it and electricity is only seen when they go to visit a relative in Kibuga (town) this makes it even impossible for one to use a computer. This should suggest the cost Africa has to pay to fully benefit from the benefits of Technology like the rest of the world.
South Africa is far better and is at the pinacle of representing the rest of Africa, most of our techologies especiall central, East and South Africa
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