National IT Strengths and Weaknesses
Chile is a nation that is serious about its commitment to leverage the economic and social benefits that come from the use of ICT. From early on Chile began establishing the right conditions for this to take place. It was the first country in its region to liberalize its telecommunications sector which opened the door to foreign firms that brought with them expertise and competitive pressure that spurred innovation. As the technology boom caught momentum in the rest of the world Chile has kept pace to the point that in multiple rankings of e-readiness and connectivity it is among the highest in its region. However, in comparison with other emerging economies of the world, it its apparent that there is still room for improvement.
Among its strengths is Chile 's vast infrastructure. A large portion of the population has a PC, access to the Internet and increasingly broadband is becoming available to the larger population. This has allowed the adoption of and reliance upon technology to spread.
Chile 's efforts are not shortsighted nor sporadic. The government has put forth multiple initiatives aimed at creating a population that uses IT as an integral part of their daily lives. It has integrated technology in multiple facets from education to business to government. Its policies have been targeted, aggressive and in most instances successful. Still some of Chile 's efforts are fairly nascent and their results will not be apparent for several years.
While Chile 's dedication to attaining a level of technological capacity is unquestionable, there are many hurdles which still need to be surpassed. One of the governments biggest efforts is setting Chile apart from the pack as a destination for outsourcing. Interest in Spanish speaking outsourcing centers is increasing and Chile has many favorable traits that would make it a logical choice, however it also has many competitors in this area. Argentina and Brazil in particular are on many levels at a par with Chile . Some of its competitive advantages are also offered by these two countries like a skilled workforce and low operating costs. Therefore, Chile will need to find a way to further distinguish itself in Latin America if it is to become a hub for ICT investment.