IT's Growing!!

[Don1]

IT tun up

Look to ICT for Growth says Experts

Despite noted growth in the agriculture and tourism sectors, it appears that the future of jobs in Jamaica will be in sectors closely linked to information and communications technology (ICT). Running a close second in the job-creation line-up is the business processing outsourcing (BPO) sector, experts say.

[Willi]

Keep beating the drum Don, maybe they will eventually listen.

[Don1]

Keep beating the drum Don, maybe they will eventually listen.

Yep

But more dan dat wi a try move mountains fi implement one likkle projeck fi show di way

[Stonigut]

It is the icing on top of the cake, the cream filler between the layers, the real work is on making the tangible, bottom line, fundamental real part of the economy and it's sectors more productive which we have failed miserably. Agriculture, mining, manufacturing, processing industries. iT will help us be more productive but as an end game in itself that will be some very heavy lifting.

[Islandman]

For many (most) those industries, we will never be competitive again unless the technological skills base that can support them is there. Not IT specifically although that plays a part, but STEM-based knowledge in general.

Those industries are becoming SUPER technical, including modern agriculture. If you not willing to invest in that area might as well forget it.

[Don1]

It is the icing on top of the cake, the cream filler between the layers, the real work is on making the tangible, bottom line, fundamental real part of the economy and it's sectors more productive which we have failed miserably. Agriculture, mining, manufacturing, processing industries. iT will help us be more productive but as an end game in itself that will be some very heavy lifting.

LOL! IT ah filling?????? Mi spleen!

Stoni yuh fi get real... IT's a filler if it's treated that way. One begets what one plans for

Start with examining the IT sector in India...or better yet closer to home, Costa Rica where an Intel chip factory sparked an IT revolution. Those examples should be revelatory for you... they're development game changers for those countries

If JA had a high degree of digital literacy and good penetration of IT industry certification... foreigners would be beating down our doors to invest in a friendly, nearshore location...as they did in Costa Rica to create a multi billion $$ industry

A mature IT industry could easily outstrip tourism in net retained FX earnings. The FX retention in tourism might be only ~US$700m because the import content is sky high. IT nuh suffa from dat cause yuh mostly need some computa, software an yuh wizzy

Yuh behind times Stoni... get wid IT please

[Stonigut]

Don, I know you love yuh IT, but at best IT is a connector for the real economy, a great connector but never the less a connector. You could say it could even be a good accelerator for industrial investment if real linkages are being made within the local economy, real transfer of technology and knowledge, that's not really happening in CR.

Let's look at Cr that you name as the best example.as you see below this talks about the impact of ICT on Cr and at best accounts for 10.6 percent of GDP, of course let's analyze with a closer eye, actual real Domestic created IT of this number is actually quite small, ict also includes communications technology and Also Pulls in technology production figures as well like production of intel chips and semiconductors etc which are the real economy underneath IT and here this is just a US company producing in CR so at any point they can pick up factory and move and none of that tech actually stays in CR, a literal IT phantom. Real IT developed by cr firms for cr reinvestment in their economy is almost invisible.
(in 2007, according to data provided by the Costa Rican Trade Promotion Agency PROCOMER and the local ICT Chamber CAMTIC.In 2007, they employed 2.4 percent of the Costa Rican labor force and generated US$2.806 billion in sales; their production represented 10.6 percent of Costa Rican GDP and their exports accounted for 28.8 percent of the country’s total exports.In terms of the sector’s sales, 91 percent were for exports and nine percent domestic.)

In terms of actual real impact domestically ICt employs less than 2.5 percent of the CR work force while pushing ten plus percent of GDP which is not really true as none of that Intel, HP, Amazon and the ton of us back offices operating in cr is actually going back into Cr real economy. The nine percent domestic part of It in cr is probably the real impact which is negligible at best in the view of the whole economy.

Real IT development like you are talking about is a very hard thing to do, ask Cr.

[USAF]

I guess it's "better late than never", BUT the Jamaican leadership must be PROACTIVE. The country could be so much further & a strong regional force, in the IT industry, if they had the vision & initiative invest.
- In July 1994, there was a group of IT professionals (in networking, software development, data management, education & training, etc.) that went to Jamaica with the hopes of establishing IT business & teaching facility......Let's just say it didn't work out, but about 2 months later they were invited to Latin America (working in Brazil, Chile, Mexico & Costa Rica - could be more, but those are the countries I remember).....This has help bring US companies to the area, and for a few years now they have been working with Indian IT companies, getting them to invest & set up business.

[Don1]

I guess it's "better late than never", BUT the Jamaican leadership must be PROACTIVE. The country could be so much further & a strong regional force, in the IT industry, if they had the vision & initiative invest.
- In July 1994, there was a group of IT professionals (in networking, software development, data management, education & training, etc.) that went to Jamaica with the hopes of establishing IT business & teaching facility......Let's just say it didn't work out, but about 2 months later they were invited to Latin America (working in Brazil, Chile, Mexico & Costa Rica - could be more, but those are the countries I remember).....This has help bring US companies to the area, and for a few years now they have been working with Indian IT companies, getting them to invest & set up business.

Excellent point.

We Jamaicans are backward in our thinking in many ways. Everybody loves to yap...but few are interested in actually DOING anything

It's a cultural calamity

[Don1]

Stoni yuh argument flop bigtime

]Don, I know you love yuh IT, but at best IT is a connector for the real economy, a great connector but never the less a connector. You could say it could even be a good accelerator for industrial investment if real linkages are being made within the local economy, real transfer of technology and knowledge, that's not really happening in CR.

What IT becomes depends on the resources put behind IT. If the resource base is paltry so will its impact be paltry or a mere "connector" as you put it.

A quick internet search re Costa Rican IT can provide lots of information...but not necessarily the insight required to evaluate IT correctly

Let's look at Cr that you name as the best example.as you see below this talks about the impact of ICT on Cr and at best accounts for 10.6 percent of GDP, of course let's analyze with a closer eye, actual real Domestic created IT of this number is actually quite small, ict also includes communications technology and Also Pulls in technology production figures as well like production of intel chips and semiconductors etc which are the real economy underneath IT and here this is just a US company producing in CR so at any point they can pick up factory and move and none of that tech actually stays in CR, a literal IT phantom.

So an industry accounting for 10% of GDP is "small"?? Are you daft Stoni??? Can you imagine JA with an IT industry producing 10% of GDP i.e. US$1.6 Billion??

This "point" is astonishing for a man who trumpets statistics as much as you do

BTW...one doesn't just "pick up" a US$ Billion++ chip fabrication operation and move just suh...yuh think dat ah 809 garment Free Zone bizniz??

Real IT developed by cr firms for cr reinvestment in their economy is almost invisible.

Your data has nothing to do with this attempt at a point. Kindly locate data which establishes the point you're trying to make here

(in 2007, according to data provided by the Costa Rican Trade Promotion Agency PROCOMER and the local ICT Chamber CAMTIC.In 2007, they employed 2.4 percent of the Costa Rican labor force and generated US$2.806 billion in sales; their production represented 10.6 percent of Costa Rican GDP and their exports accounted for 28.8 percent of the country’s total exports.In terms of the sector’s sales, 91 percent were for exports and nine percent domestic.)

Pity that your info is so dated...but anyway thanks for validating my point even with this stale "news". So..

* 2.4% of the labor force producing 10% of GDP only highlights the relative productivity of the IT sector... >4X more productive that the rest of the economy.

* 10% GDP output but ~30% of exports.... >3X more export efficient than the rest of the economy.

Bravo Stoni

In terms of actual real impact domestically ICt employs less than 2.5 percent of the CR work force while pushing ten plus percent of GDP which is not really true as none of that Intel, HP, Amazon and the ton of us back offices operating in cr is actually going back into Cr real economy. The nine percent domestic part of It in cr is probably the real impact which is negligible at best in the view of the whole economy.

Of course this is not sensible.... I'm actually flabbergasted by this offering Stoni

Real value is created when a good/service is produced which a 3rd party is willing to buy...even moreso when the 3rd party is at a foreign point. Costa Rica's IT industry has been creating outstanding value for many years..period. That value has been quantified in their GDP but is likely understated because the productivity efficiencies IT creates in other sectors is captured in those sectors, not in IT numbers

Real IT development like you are talking about is a very hard thing to do, ask Cr.

Stoni anything worthwhile is hard. It's even harder if the issue is enveloped by ignorance, misdirection, sloth or just a plain lack of vision by those in charge.

Stoni ....Tun IT UP!

[Stonigut]

Flop, you can't replace reality with argument.
2.4percent employment with most of it coming from Intel and other foreign companies.
9 percent domestic driven IT business.
Where is the beef?
This is just more of the same foolishness foreign investment with little local content or impact. Goes back to the basics, Real IT is a connector, the real economy is the driver, as soon as we all realize that we get away from seeing IT as the new savior, it is not.

[Don1]

Stoni with all due respect...I'm now convinced that what you originally posted was not an honest error... but was based on misunderstanding of development economics.

IT is a knowledge intensive industry where the employees must have an excellent skill level to attract and RETAIN best-in-class operators like Intel, HP etc etc. Should any of those operators choose to leave CR those enhanced technical skills & experiences will be retained by the locals...and in all probability new investors will emerge to leverage the knowledge base.

Again...this is not stitching garment piece work or selling trinkets or taxi rides to fat Americans on the roadside

The fact that the CR IT industry has flourished for 15-20 years and produces >10% of GDP completely rubbishes your point.... give IT up Stoni

[Stonigut]

Lawd have mercy Don1, I have personally been involved in a number of technology transfers across multiple countries and continents and believe me the transfer of the real knowledge is minimal if any. In this case when Intel picks up and leaves, do I expect to see a semiconductor or chipset plant suddenly emerging from the jungle, no, only chip I expect to see is a banana chip made by some local processor.

Do I expect when the back offices for hp and amazon leave to see any residual knowledge being applied and creating some local third party back office that other companies can use at their choice, no not really and if so, destined to flop very soon.


Real IT development in CR will be slow and a hard slog and best possibilities will be development on the software side to meet local need or the extreme unusual case where a brilliant local May stumble onto something good, very unlikely.

This kind of development is some serious work, but you are right the payback is massive if you get it right, but this is not a , oh let's focus on IT it is the solution to our problems. Voila!

[Stonigut]

Oh btw that 10 percent is counted as a part of GDP but nobody in cr actually gets that, I know you understand this, intel probably accounts for 50 percent of that number and of course they got a tax free deal for ten to twenty years.

[Stonigut]

Oops, so said so done already, Intel closes cr plant
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/...A371TJ20140409