ECUADOR
(Source: http://www.solartours.com/Destinations/Ecuador/Ecuador_Map.htm)
Executive
Summary
In this report we examine some of the conditions influencing information technology (IT) use in Ecuador. Specifically, we examine the IT landscape in Ecuador as it impacts business, both foreign and domestic. Our task was challenging given the relatively few sources of information available. Our findings indicate that IT has enormous potential in furthering development and business activity in Ecuador and although the costs of building an effective IT infrastructure in Ecuador are high, the costs of not doing so are likely to be higher. The government and other stakeholders need to strengthen capacities for producing and using IT. Priority needs to be given to creating effective policies, regulations, and education and training programs. Ecuador needs to examine domestic IT demand and assess the country's competitiveness in the export market in order to shape national policies that make sense. It would be ill-fated for Ecuador to try to follow in the footsteps of IT export-led nations in Asia and Europe given environmental constraints. Ecuador should focus on the benefits of IT use in a domestic context.
Overall,
the national IT environment for business is marginal. However, certain advances
have been made in e-commerce, Internet diffusion, software development and
mobile communications. The
government has taken steps to create legal and regulatory environments more
conducive to IT-related business. However, Ecuador is one of the world’s
poorest countries; therefore stakeholders should focus on strategies in pursuit
of sustainable development goals. The rapidly changing landscape makes Ecuador a
dynamic case study and we invite you to learn more about the impact of
Ecuador’s IT environment on business.
The following IT environmental indicators footprint was developed in order to visualize the IT landscape in Ecuador. The US was used as a base case for comparison as many consider the US the IT sector leader. It is worthwhile to examine Ecuador’s relative strengths and weaknesses when considering the implications for development and business. The indicators on the perimeter of the circle correspond to data contained in this body of this report. Hard data from ITU and other sources has been used whenever possible and at other times information has been inferred from our research. The footprint is meant only as a guide and should not be considered technically accurate nor should the US be considered the ideal for national IT strategies.
United
States
Ecuador
This report was completed in December 2000 for the class Impacts of National Information Technology Environments on Business given by Professor Erran Carmel in the program of Management of Global Information Technology at the Kogod School of Business in Washington DC