Term Paper
ICTS AS ENABLERS OF DEVELOPMENT:
A MICROSOFT WHITE PAPER
December 2004
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Information and communications technologies (ICTs) are transforming societies and fueling the growth of the global economy. Yet despite the broad potential of ICTs, their benefits have not been spread evenly. Indeed, using ICTs effectively to foster social inclusion and economic growth is among the key challenges facing policymakers today.
As one of the world’s leading ICT firms, Microsoft brings a unique perspective to this issue, one informed by years of collaboration with the international development community. Microsoft firmly believes that ICTs hold tremendous promise as an enabler of social and economic development. ICTs can help underserved populations obtain, manage and disseminate knowledge and to tap into global networks of information and services. And rapid innovations in technology
– the fruits of intensive R&D efforts by Microsoft and others – are making ICTs less expensive and easier to use, bringing the power of ICTs within the reach of ever more people.
ICTs promote development across many dimensions. At their most fundamental level, ICTs enable organizations to be more productive, thereby spurring economic growth and helping firms be more competitive. ICTs can also expand the reach and effectiveness of social development projects and have already yielded important benefits in such areas as healthcare, education, and environmental preservation. Public-sector uptake of ICTs is also making governments more efficient and their decision-making more transparent. Finally, many developing countries have achieved important economic gains in nurturing the development of domestic ICT industries.
It is not enough, however, to place ICTs onto the development agenda without also addressing other critical elements of the development equation. A nation’s regulatory environment in particular can have a profound impact on ICT utilization and ICT
A MICROSOFT WHITE PAPER
December 2004
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Information and communications technologies (ICTs) are transforming societies and fueling the growth of the global economy. Yet despite the broad potential of ICTs, their benefits have not been spread evenly. Indeed, using ICTs effectively to foster social inclusion and economic growth is among the key challenges facing policymakers today.
As one of the world’s leading ICT firms, Microsoft brings a unique perspective to this issue, one informed by years of collaboration with the international development community. Microsoft firmly believes that ICTs hold tremendous promise as an enabler of social and economic development. ICTs can help underserved populations obtain, manage and disseminate knowledge and to tap into global networks of information and services. And rapid innovations in technology
– the fruits of intensive R&D efforts by Microsoft and others – are making ICTs less expensive and easier to use, bringing the power of ICTs within the reach of ever more people.
ICTs promote development across many dimensions. At their most fundamental level, ICTs enable organizations to be more productive, thereby spurring economic growth and helping firms be more competitive. ICTs can also expand the reach and effectiveness of social development projects and have already yielded important benefits in such areas as healthcare, education, and environmental preservation. Public-sector uptake of ICTs is also making governments more efficient and their decision-making more transparent. Finally, many developing countries have achieved important economic gains in nurturing the development of domestic ICT industries.
It is not enough, however, to place ICTs onto the development agenda without also addressing other critical elements of the development equation. A nation’s regulatory environment in particular can have a profound impact on ICT utilization and ICT