I agree. I have changed my opinion about our scientific development in countries of low and middle income. Originally I do clinical research that requires high financial and human investment. But I believe we should invest heavily in research areas that require a low operating cost. I myself have used this alterative, and increasingly I have participated in projects involving information technology in health. This line of research makes products more quickly and need to be adapted to our reality and our context. Moreover we can not import this technology from other centers in an uncritical way.

Hi Lujbomir and thanks for great questions. I think it is difficult to give a simple answer of yes or no. Indeed I prefer to mention that it depends. Information technologies have similarities and differences with other types of technologies. History teaches us that no technology has been free of unwanted side effects and ICT is not an exception. Some reports indicate that there is a widening digital divide among nations. Of course this is not inherent in the technology per se but due to the differences in adoption and acceptance of technology by nations. From this point of view I consider ICT as a new threat for developing countries. As you have mentioned only few computers, a little space and a lot of brain space is needed to benefit from it. however we can not neglect the big brain drain that is in place in many developing countries. with these facts one may conclude that ICT is not necessarily a short cut to development.

On the other hand we have examples of successful ICT promotion initiatives in developing countries (e.g. India and Malaysia) which has resulted positive impacts in terms of socio-economic development. Replication of such successful experiences in other developing countries has been a policy priority but with different success degrees. Anyway based on these experiences one may conclude that ICT can be considered as a shortcut to development.

ICT has a fundamental difference with previous technologies that is its interactive nature. All the tools, machines and instruments that man has invented before are passive and this is only ICT that has an interactive nature (computers need to converse with user in order to perform the task). from this point of view one majavascript:y conclude that ICT is the most revolutionary technology of the whole history as it creates a new kind of man. I name him homo interactivus!

In conclusion my answer is that it depends. ICT may or may not be considered as a shortcut to development.

Yes, 100%, thank you for this question.

Information Technology is a wide industry (industries) that requires highly professional specialists for world IT market, but not only for developing countries. We should conclude, that with very high speed and complexity of IT development, the very good professionals worldwide are not so much (for example: http://icpc.baylor.edu/worldfinals/teams). Best IT professionals of the world IT leaders are beginning to look for future employees from first university courses. For this reason there is very much IT MOOC courses: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massive_open_online_course

NO!!! No shortcuts allowed!!!

Dear Ljubomir & correspondants!

You are right. For IT one needs only good education and well working brain with a really modest investment in the "working tools and environment". This can easily be proofed seeing how many IT or "computer freaks" come from the so called third World.

Great question. We might want to add into our discussion the one ingredient, besides knowledge advancement, that makes for human progress. It's called freedom. Now in the days where we wonder which came first, the chicken or the egg, we might surmise that when the cat's out of the bag, as it is when IT brings knoweldge to down trodden populations, freedom is just around the corner. But lest we forget the repeated history where conquering tyrants felt most threatened by their educated population, we find that knowledge without freedom really doesn't go too far, except perhaps to increase the yearning for more of it. So, as knowledge floods an otherwise benighted Earth, we hope to see a calming of the waters, a relaxation of government control, better use of the Earth and its abundance, and the rise of families and individuals to their full potential.

I particularly admire my dear colleagues who live in closed societies and yet their education, research, life's work marches on in spite of it all. Having IT is the lynchpin, if you will. From there comes enlightenment on a grand scale...and with the yearning and striving from all of that, freedom. To good people everywhere, I look forward to their advancement in knoweldge and personal empowerment no matter where they are!

Dear max!

You put freedom on the list besides knowledge. Great! May I advice that we shall not forget to put on the list also other virtues that make us humans and cost almost nothing … but are threatened to get extinct in the post-industrial world … e.g. unselfish help to the others, acknowledging needs of other people, praising art and humanities, preserving nature …

Absolutely, Boris. Service to our fellow man is probably the most important virtue of all, and should be the ultimate motivation of all worthy endeavors. You mentioned praising art and humanities, that is the foundation of humanity. Thanks for the reminder.

Yes, technology is important also for non-developed countries. In any case, it must be used in conjunction with a different politics. It is necessary to change the vision of technology from the politics point of view. It is not useful to give technology without a change of vision of investments of the government. It is not simple to summarize this idea. For instance, in Scientific American, I read an article (in Italy in the last issue, January 2014, but I guess that it is has been published two/three months ago in the USA), regarding problems of Mexico. Mexican scientists have a lot of money (recall that the richest man in the World is Mexican), and a lot of people make research with good results. But the Mexican governance is not able to guide this process. Thus, the number of patents is small and not much startups exist, since they are guided as in the old economy.

On the contrary, in Estonia, government made a lot of investments and helped startups to grow. I experienced this during my travels.

In India, some people are doing precisely that. I think, not really a lot of brain is needed to start an IT consultancy!

Dear Professor Ljubomir Jacić,

Yes it is key and shortcut to success because software developments don't require to import raw material and resources. The successes of IT parks and knowledge Oasis are successful programs in some of the underdeveloped countries.

Development of IT industries beyond a sweat shop requires changes to the education system, at the least in the IT departments at universities.

Neglect of other vital industries responsible for technological growth and health of the common people during the development of IT industries is not acceptable, especially in developing countries.

The information industry is very helpful in countries with large populations, where collecting required information about anything is a challenge due to the large number of people.

Ljubomir Jacić, your question or suggestion or endorsement of usefulness of IT sector for advancement of not so developed countries is accepted. However, what I find that initial craze of IT jobs in places like India gets faded. You have to have a proper work culture of the IT companies. They drain you too much in terms of your precious and premier time in your prime age that in the end you feel bad and cheated that you did not cultivate and glorify yourself. Infact you regret for choosing such jobs where you are unable to see what is around you.The jobs of this kind should not overburden an independent and intelligent person beyond 6 hours a day. It is unfortunate that the it is only pay package that decides which company to choose to serve. No doubt it is a good option for employment in a country where there are so many needy people. But I believe we must curtail packages by providing growth of personality. Especially for women, concept of half jobs could be introduced and double their job potential. If this is not checked, we will have so many sick people as the entry level to such jobs is rather too young- 22 years or so.

Dear Ljubomir

I personally believe that only the thoroughly thought and effectively implemented policies, be it any field (IT,Medical, Health, Public needs, etc.,) will be helpful in providing success in long run.

Absolutely yes. Usually communications and conferences also strengthens scientific knowledge in different fields

Not only non-develo[ed countries but also almost for everyone nowadays, digital, IT, telecommunications (online, videos), all these make the world one city. Therefore, this in my openion reduced the gap between scientists in the same field with regard to quality, time and interaction (all in everything),

I partially agree. IT have common advantages to all potential interested countries, so in order to 'build' your proper unique added value, you have to work harder. The problem for some countries (including Greece) is the 'public servant mentality', since for more than 3 decades the only good position was a work in public services. The same I think holds for Serbia and other ex-Eastern countries. So, dear Ljubomim, the answer is a 'yes under constraints'.

Today, it looks like information technologies are a key shortcut to success and development of non-developed countries because, in reality, a few computers, a little space and a lot of "brain" space can be a base for many small scale endeavors. In the long run, how much it is going to be useful, is another issue. Everything, finally has a shelf life.

What is meant by non-developed and developed country? There exist some definitions.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Developed_country

Countries/Regions with a good electrical infrastructure and access to the www have a big chance to get the "worlds knowledge". But at first they have to overcome analphabetism and consciousness that the world is very big and full of traps.

So, I think IT will be the best when it is used to educate the uneducated in a responsible manner in "non-developed" countries. To give the broad masses access to knowledge and overall how they can use it (i.e. in a copy-paste manner). This is the big chance of our time. But this will be only the first step. The goal should be the ability to generate own knowledge (in a evolving manner) and work as a "global player", to find their niche where they are strong/best educated/specalists (independent of a copy paste manner).

IT is for me (unitl now) a very useful and powerful tool to spread knowledge around and helps to generate new knowledge faster. I think it maybe possible to compare it with the nervous system of an organism. Every part should be connected to get an effective and well functional organism.

I think yes.

But only with technologie we lost other things.

Without the last technologies we cannot be competitive with the rest of world, but we can have a very good place to rest in holliday, or to work writing or painting...

We must know all last technologies, but I think we can make many things in a medium, to profit from any level of technology, if we had not to run so very.

Dear Dr. Jacić,

IT technologies enable non-developed countries to develop their countries in every field such as marketing, communication, ...

@Vladimir, I do not speak in terms of all the young people! Since there are many openings in IT industry, many young people could study IT instead of medicine, for example. In Serbia, next couple of years the government banned the employment of doctors due to lack of need and the large number of unemployed doctors in the labor market !!!

Countries which do not have much raw materials to become industrial, or countries that depend a lot on the service sector could benefit tremendously if they focus on the IT software development sector.

Very interesting question and variety of answers about IT.

No doubt "Information Technology" is shortcut for success and development. That does not mean we should neglect other industries. Eg. Agriculture, pivotal and crucial for all countries, with advent of technology we had seen "Green Revolution". Is there any country that exists without agriculture? As mentioned by Ganesh IT is a tool, we should use where ever it is needed. In this digital era definitely more IT professionals are needed in crucial fields, at the same time being having some basic computer knowledge we can manage certain things.

When talking about development eg. take Africa world’s second largest and second most populous continent. Though it has abundant natural resources still it is poorest and underdeveloped. Main reason illiteracy, poverty and others like lack of sanitation poor health.

While talking about non-developed countries first we should find out what is the main lacking factor. Govt. should take initiatives to develop them. First all should be educated, and then comes everything. Ultimately success comes.

Jetty brings us back to the virtual vs real world aspect, and she is correct. Knowledge is disseminated via online, the real work happening in the fields, factories, entreprenuerial endeavors (where they are allowed, hence my original treatise on freedom), and face to face education (which is terribly limited for most of the population). IT reaches through and bridges many otherwise unbridgeable gaps in humanity. It plants seeds for dreams and aspirations, and awakens and enlarges. With IT and the Internet we can reach past the contrived conditions and vastness of illiteracy and stunted development, and helps free a chained up world. But the real world still awaits our direct involvement and friendship, as well.

Dear All,

IT is only an opportunity which may help to develop and implement of other scientific and practical fields. I do not think one should mystify an instrumental way. However, use of IT may have disadvantages: bureaucracy uses it too intensively and bureaucrats are able to destroy right intensions and to make destructive ones worse.

Help may not overcome all problems. Not all societies (perceived as a community of various people) can apply and use new technologies and know-how from the first day - there may be "digital generation gap", there is need time for development. It is hard to change people's habits, moreover there may be needs more important for them. Subsequent generations within these societies should heve better achievements. Thus each case may be remarkable and need for another solutions/goals setting/pace of development. Information society needs not only devices, but also common awareness of chances and threats.

The term "shortcut" that is being used in the original question should perhaps be replaced by the term "catalyst".

First, the successful development of a country requires certain prerequisites (particularly social and political). The term "shortcut" may suggest the bypassing of these prerequisites, which seems to me quite unlikely.

Second, although information technologies could be of some help, they cannot be, in my opinion, the answer to the development of a country.

Therefore, the question that we could ask then is whether information technologies, (if used under appropriate conditions to be specified according to the particularities of the country), could play the role of a catalyst that might trigger/accelerate the fulfilling of some prerequisites in the road to a successful development.

I agree, catalyst is a better choice of terms in this case. But, I believe Bjubomir means that modern IT can allow even the lesser advantaged nations to have its advantages without having to reinvent the wheel to get there. Thus, implementation is immensely easier than creating from scratch.

Yes, I am sure Ljubomir certainly meant that.

A word of caution, however.

While it is indeed advantageous to benefit from a technology without reinventing the wheel, it is crucial not to remain permanently a simple end-user of this technology.

Dear Professor Ljubomir Jacić,

Outsourcing of IT related work from technologically advanced countries to technologically lesser advanced countries is an example of successes of those lesser advanced countries who had put IT education as one of the most important items on their national agenda. Further, some of the those nations have initiated ITRA (IT regulatory authority) which helps public in establishing IT based businesses in speedy manner.

Thank you Ljubomir, that you give me a chance to express my great admiration and my heartfelt gratitude to modern IT. Just our generation can estimate the real tremendous advance in our potentialities: youth and students today apprehend it as ever-being. IT has opened the largest free access to global information and communication. Mini-nations obtained opportunity to claim their rights. Of course, some black or shadow sites of the process are also enlarged: plagiarism in science became more probable; State powers obtained gigantic possibilities to govern a people. However, the people obtained larger possibilities to offset the illegalities. The struggle is one of the essential conditions of our existence in the world. We shall overcome, maybe.

Dear friends, I believe that ICT is neutral; it can be used to serve wonderful purposes, as some of you have described, and it can also be misused. But I also think that ICT and the Internet have shrunk our world, so that people and governments have become more transparent. All the policies that are practiced in a country cannot be hidden for long from the eyes of the world.

Furthermore with good and safe air travel that we now have, exchange of goods and services (besides just information) is facilitated. We have now become global citizens, in a way. So yes, citizens of under developed countries that have good education and ICT expertise can SERVE anywhere in our global village and profit their home country.

I agree on @Ljubomir Jerinic remark on shortcuts! However, it was explained later by @H.E. Lehtihet and @Max that the better word , instead shortcuts, would be a catalyst!

If you, my colleagues , contributors and followers of this thread, think that it would be reasonable to switch from shortcut to a catalyst, please, let me know! Thanks!

Hello to all ,

I think what makes a developed country are some features such as: broad knowledge production in the global scenario , political democracy , people with broad access to social rights such as education , health, access to local and global cultural production , a strong civil society , a transparent political and social participation .

For me , a very concise form , are the characteristics of a developed country .

Technology can help ? Can certainly . But not only that it will become a developed country in my simple design developed society .

I think we can say that a country is developed for its ability to educate its citizens , formulate appropriate social policies to people , taking care of its citizens in various dimensions such as health , for example , govern in a democratic and participatory way . The technological base is important, certainly . But not only the technological basis sets , for me , a developed country .

What are computers without a strong educational background?

See you later ,

S.

I think that IT technologies could help to bypass some anarchy into non developed countries from bureaucratic level. Still the IT education must follow IT rapid progress. IT technology without real automated information systems is non useful for development issue in these countries as IT could be used for more bureaucratization, corruption and falsification . Still connectivity to the rest of the world is not sufficiently accessible to the majority of people. IT technologies must be linked to a good educational political scheme, to democracy, and to IT management skills.

However i think that some Geo-strategies are linked to decrease IT good effects into non developed countries. Example many international IT firms were working in my country during the 80ith and the first years from 90ith of the last century (as IBM, Digital equipment, Bull, Hp, Sun systems, etc..) with heavy systems and platforms installed into all enterprises, universities and research centers. Unfortunately from the mid of 90th till now, the majority (or all) of these firms closed their representations and no further services were allowed to their clients. The majority of the platforms shutdown for lack of upgrading and maintenance and many enterprises lost their information systems built during a decade. I don't know if it was a local political decision or a sudden decision of these IT constructors to leave the market. May be local political decision was/is connected with some Geo-strategy (from my personal view point based on the experience of the IT platform and laboratory in my research center; which were removed by a local decision and approved by the ministry despite their early age '2 years old')

Many agree to the opinion that IT may play a short cut approach for national development and as well as individual performances. However, IT must be availabe in the inclusive environment of the whole country for a particular country or a group of countries, in order to have the maximum and full impact of the System. In this case, the infostructure must be strong, and the human resources must be trained to be very knowledgeable and their expert capabilities are upgraded. And always a partnership activities between all parties, especially the private-public approach be used. Thanks.

I think that the political stability is a first and main condition for that development

Yes Zeraoulia, I agree with you. Without a stable country, many info and infrastructure will be missused and sometimes easily destroyed when people are always flight with each other in the community.

Catalyst is actually better, at least it insinuates progress. Having a government with strategic outlook is a plus in directing all applications supported by technology (in all its forms). This is where the impact of "catalyst" maximizes across the country.

Most countries nowadays have initiatives to capitalize on the effective use of ICT within set strategic plans. However, we have to be careful, because of the impact of internal politics which may jeopardize such initiatives.

Nice question and discussion! From the answers above one may conclude that IT is a key, but not a shortcut, to success in low and high income countries alike. A simple explanation is the principle of diminishing returns, the idea that holding all else constant and relying only on one factor (IT) for performance would soon or later exhaust the benefit of doing so. Oversupply of IT will soon reduce its price, ask medical doctors, lawyers, and mba's, if you disagree, lol. Older technologies complemented human resources thereby raising labor productivity and worker pay rates along with it. Newer technologies raise aggregate productivity, but substitute labor whose income stagnate or declining, resulting in observed increase in income inequality. Suddenly everyone has the "conveniencies" of life, but only a few have the "necessities" of life.

Dear Hussin and Voxi your points about the catalyst and the key as played by the roles of IT or ICT are very true/correct. Mass production of ICT as a cause and effect factors of supply and demand will finally laveraging the overall cost of any ICT related projects. This senario when supported by a mass graduates with a strong IT background will help the development projects by the non-developed countries. Thanks.

Absolutely yes.

Hello ,

I would like to draw attention to a point that was rarely discussed here and which I called attention in a previous post that concerns the relationship between the use of IT and educational level of the people , especially with regard to the production of knowledge. In fact the basis of the present society is not the technology , contrary to what many think , but the production of knowledge, which in the current phase of capitalism is a commodity (perhaps always has been but today it was potentiated in an unprecedented way ) .

But it's true , I admit, that the production of current knowledge is heavily leveraged by technological base and its use .

The point I 'm getting at is that there is no development without education base. For many ( I would say some ) countries it is solved but not for developing countries . So there is a before creating a technological base and its use condition : education ( high level ) .

But I reiterate my previous post about the other features that make a country " developed " . In my view , only a strong technology base is very little to sort a developed country .

congratulations ,

S.

I agree with you Sergio and it is a fact within the implementation of long term projects in ICT. Always the initiative starts with upgrading and educating the end users to such a level they feel comfortable using the IT applications. After all, knowledge workers are those who are enabled with IT but they are able to process data for decision making.

ICT related activities may play a big role in changing the micro environment for the preparation of the human resources to be well equipped with the current or latest technological changes including for example technologies in the agricultural production systems. With the latest ICT gadget, field production problems could be resolved by the guide from the expert thouh the expert is far away from the location. Farmers can easily send the pictures of the affected field in just a matter of seconds to the expert to get opinion and solution. I think this could be termed as a short cut to development processes.

I would like to add some issues to the above discussion. In my opinion, as Sergio mentioned, the first issue which is vitally important in using the technologies is knowledge of the involved people. However, if we are willing to take full advantage of modern technologies and facilitate development of the countries, lack of knowledge should not be an obstacle in the way of embracing the new technologies. It is possible to carry out both of them simultaneously, and show practically how technologies are capable of facilitating our business processes and the procedure of development. Additionally, some of the emerging technologies such as cloud computing and mobile computing are revolutionizing the business environment today. These modern technologies are particularly suitable for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) which are dominant in the non-developing countries. The advanced technologies and services can be used everywhere and anytime through cloud computing environment just based on the pay as you go style. There is no need to invest heavily in IT infrastructure and computing facilities anymore. The competition environment has been changed totally by the availability of latest technologies and IT services for all kind of companies and enterprises in a low price.

Asrah, you have provided very good points that we all have carefully realise the situation. Particularly when making planning for the future undertakings.

We should do every effort in use and improve state-of-art modern technologies to improve development of the countries; I agree that a lack of knowledge should not be an obstacle to implement new technologies.

Young people have to understand that the use of services and devices that augment their abilities resembles the following situation: a person used to have a horse to do his work and later on he bought a car, with many horses put together, and suddenly he has all these horses in his service.

As suggested by some colleagues,in the thread title, the word shortcuts was replaced by the word catalyst!

Yes, catalyst is a GOOD word there. A catalyst speeds up a chemical or biological reaction, by lowering the activation energy, and is not consumed by the reaction. [ For biology, we call it 'enzyme'.]

Ljubomir: I guess IT can be one possible catalyst for economic growth, as well as for creation and consolidation of specific skills and capabilities, as proposed before. IT may also be proposed as one alternative to development conceived exclusively as unsustainable "orthodox" forms of economic growth, as it may use less resources than "orthodox" economies. I am not so sure IT is a KEY catalyst of development, though, if by 'key' we would imply a necessary condition (that's not what you proposed, I'm just trying to further explore the idea); I would probably subscribe more willingly to the principle that development should be undissociable from the possibilities and freedom of making choices.

In any case, catalyst really seems a very fortunate choice of a word.

Yes, information technologies a key catalyst to success and development of non-developed countries.

Because, I think my country India had grown to this extent because of the development in information technology only.

My obsrvations, as well, Ezequiel. India has done remarkably in adopting the technologies better than most rising nations and is becoming a leader in IT services worldwide because of it.

Dear Professor Ljubomir Jacić, Yes, IT sector growth is a key catalyst to success and development of non-developed countries. However, reactions speed should be carefully monitored in prospective prioritized need of the country.

I agree.

But in the long run development of manufacturing base cannot be ignored. For thi9s focus has to be on development of human and tschnological resources.

Dear Ljubomir

The computer is undoubtedly the origin of the developments at the level of information technology and is a great revolution of recent decades as it allows global communication.

The new scientific and technological discoveries (including information technology) are integrated in producing welfare, comfort and happiness, integrating the domestic world, labor, health, safety, transport, information and communication. There is no aspect of life in cities or nis field that has not been totally transformed by its impact.

Information technology has brought new challenges for today's society such as increased productivity, creation of new educational and social policies that allow access all the information and tecnologisas information.

Without any doubt it is a very useful to promote development in undeveloped countries

@Nelson, you have summed up many uses and functions of IT, and how it has impacted us all, wherever we may be on this planet. Congrats, it's a comprehensive summary. Perhaps we remember the changes it created in business and banking, education. Then we saw it's impact in transport, safety and all the areas that you have described. Thanks.

As a committed believer in the value of emergent phenomena, particularly in the arena of developing intellectual/economic/societal capital, I think this is spot on and a terrific opportunity for developing nations to "leap frog" into more modern conditions as the infrastructure requirements are more modest than retracing the steps of developed nations.

Most of the developing countries need political stability in order to boost the economy. When there is no political stability, then the pace of development is rather slow. Information Technology (IT) is an area for development no doubt. Many countries are behind in IT infrasturucture development. The success and development of developing countries depends more on the political stability, plans and programs for development, availability of resources, and focus on various sectors of the economy, such as agriculture, industry, tourism, etc. which could be country specific.

Well said Dr. Binod Atreya

Unless otherwise we become politically strong it is quite difficult to manage certain issues. Especially policies followed by certain political parties are absolutely useless except to attract uneducated masses towards vote banking (India). Fields you mentioned are pivotal for country's economy. I expect all educated people take volunteer actions to explain the reality to uneducated masses of developing countries and third world countries then we can see moderate change and gradual development in all fields. It takes time. Expecting to see that change.

As a development economist I see much simpler IT technology benefiting more to poor people of developing countries by connecting them to global markets. Consider mobile phone technology, it helps remote people getting information on appropriate technology, health, education and livelihoods opportunities, particularly migration possibilities. Mobile phones international migrants are better connected with home and making investment in remote rural areas. In one of my studies in India I found remote rural farmers are using agricultural expert advice through audio-visual mobile phone technologies. By the way, I think the term non-developed countries is sounding inappropriate.

investment in human capital and technology is to become increasingly key source of growth. No wonder Cambridge educated Dr Manmohan Singh has given a lot of importance to eduaction and health. But a lot more needs to be done. Hopefully process inttiated by Manmohan would not only continue but pick up momentum in the coming years.

Autar and Ezeqiel, yes, these should pick up momemtum and the health of the larger population improve because of it. The matter then to be concerned about that information and education is free of restraints (other than ethical) or if vested interests control it. Today, in health we are largely strapped down to conventional (read Zeigesit of our times) health policies in the advanced world that would have us believe the ills of the world are tied to deficiencies in potentially dangerous medications instead of the true underlying causes of rampant nutrient deficiencies, high caffeine and other substance intake, high HFCS consumption, heavy metals and other environmental toxicities, chronic dehydration, and food sensitivities. Until we allow a free market of ideas officially to prevail in health education, we will continue to see advanced societies holding themselves down with self-defeating over-regulation in healthcare and rising societies unable to improve their population's health with the tools individuals and families need to not fall into the same traps that advanced nations have fallen into.

Dear Ljubomir Jacic. The society is employing computer and computer network as a new revolution, maybe deeper than industrial revolution. The industrial revolution is based on steam power and heat machines, and this means high financial resources. Software development does not need such amount of investment. Therefore, high quality software, including information technologies, is a good option to have a chance of the development. Two examples are Uruguay and India, adopting software developing as a strategy to enhance the country development.

That is something, Ezequiel. I didn't now that about Brazil. I know there are a lot of good initiatives out there and hope some of them rub off on us in the US!

@Ezequiei, as @Max, I was not familiar with a facts mentioned about Brazil! Miracles are possible, right?

@Harold, You have pointed out the same as I quoted in a thread explanation. I am glad that Uruguay and India are good examples of such practice!

One more fact, India is building a large Technology park in Serbia, in city of Indjija!

@Ljubomir Jacic: Thank you for the information on Technology park in Serbia.

Information technologies are a tool. To help those people in the "developed" countries, you must first raise the general level of education and democracy. "Scientia potentia est" ("Knowledge is power") not only information.

Ljubomir! That is absolutely right. Education is the key. The State of Kerala in India boasts a literacy rate of nearly 98%. Curiously the State Government has a strong Communist Influence. Very benevolent from decades. Strong Unions, a little retarding to free enterprise. Sizable Christian & Muslim populations as well. The state of my ancestry. Beautiful peaceful land now for centuries for man & nature! More English speakers than in most other societies. A natural haven for IT. English Speaking, Educated, Diverse & Intelligent population. The local language MALAYALAM is a palindrome. I know enough to manage. Hot & Humid!https://www.google.com/search?q=kerala&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=GUXlUuYU6aexBNGLgKgE&ved=0CEQQsAQ&biw=1826&bih=841

Indeed IT boom has proved to be a great opportunity for a majority of Indians who at a very young age for the first time in the history of India started getting good pay packages matching Western standards. It is now nearly 15 years that Indians have seen its impact, its total impact is visible. In the beginning, the IT jobs were considered elite jobs which only the brightest could get. But as the realization came, the monotonous nature and ill effects on personal development came forward. Therefore without doubt IT sector is extremely good for huge population of India where educated (averagely educated with a bachelor's degree in computer engineering) mass of India has the possibility to be employed. Therefore to that extent it is fine and must be promoted. It also paved the way for mushrooming of so many Engineering Colleges providing Bachelor degree in Engineering and Technology - thus in some sense all round development took place.

But what needs to be emphasized is that a Country develops if right ethics and rules for good employer/employee work culture are in place. This needs to be done. The pay package which is so variable has to streamline. A young 22 year old engineer shuttles from one company to another based on pay package. Could we not enforce guidelines for fixing pay in a band depending on qualifications and experience? Secondly IT sector pay package should not be so inflated that the real R&D and technical jobs become secondary in choice of pay. Therefore whereas it is wonderful to have got this opportunity in India, but right ethics need to be in place and right environment needs to be created for technical jobs rather than white collar jobs alone. In this context, I also wonder how long MBA (which is management degree) keep attracting very high pay packages? Our great institutions produce engineers and technocrats and it is a shame that they turn to white collar jobs like by going through MBA channel or IT. As a nation you need to develop your industry and produce the products of good quality. You must invest in such areas and attract young minds in these. The jobs of IT with a little training can be handled by most averagely educated Indians. Why waste prime talent on these?

@V. Jindal, thanks for Your valuable and very well-explained response!

VJ! Congrats! Expertly articulated!

1. "Could we not enforce guidelines for fixing pay in a band depending on qualifications and experience?" No. In my opinion market forces should control it.

2. "Secondly IT sector pay package should not be so inflated that the real R&D and technical jobs become secondary in choice of pay". In my opinion again, this must be left to market forces as well. The market will correct itself. The public may however decide to invest its funds as it sees fit. But the involvement of Govt. at such micro level would be stifling to free enterprise. Besides, the Indians launching the most cost-effective probe to Mars should dispel any such fears of deteriorating R&D.

3. "but right ethics need to be in place and right environment needs to be created". I'm in complete congruence on this issue. This must be undertaken at an early age in schools, homes, theological & communal centers. Compromising on this issue will make the society fall apart.

4. "As a nation you need to develop your industry and produce the products of good quality. You must invest in such areas and attract young minds in these". I agree! Controlling and manipulating earning potential of these very young people will not be helpful, in my opinion. I see them as a huge contributing "tax base" that invites investment from overseas that benefits all. Right down to the "call taxi" hustling computer geeks from the Air Ports.

I guess I don't need to declare my conservative leanings. Lol!

Ravi, thanks for your compliment though I think I lack articulation but react spontaneously.

I like your point wise elaborate disagreement. You know we better thrash the issues for the benefit of all of us.

1. "Could we not enforce guidelines for fixing pay in a band depending on qualifications and experience?" No. In my opinion market forces should control it.

My reply would be let us impose some control Market is not everything, social order is also important. Look because of this MNC culture, the salaries in Government sector had to be raised tremendously to give parity and where were funds? The tax payer money had to be inefficiently spent, especially in a Country like India where work culture lacks in Government sector- no work lot of pay and overstaffing.

2. "Secondly IT sector pay package should not be so inflated that the real R&D and technical jobs become secondary in choice of pay". In my opinion again, this must be left to market forces as well. The market will correct itself. The public may however decide to invest its funds as it sees fit. But the involvement of Govt. at such micro level would be stifling to free enterprise. Besides, the Indians launching the most cost-effective probe to Mars should dispel any such fears of deteriorating R&D.

Again, let us understand and understand well that our own technology and techniques are very poor. Had we not liberalized our manufacturing sector we would have still lived with Fiats and Ambassadors, no washing machines, no color TVs and all that. We have no indigenous technology in defence of great significance, no planes, no tanks, no real robotics, no real commercial application stuff. Our engineers are looking outside. How to promote that? Yes examples like MARS mission are there where the whole effort is conecentrated to a mission, but the mission has to be at the common man level.

3. No disagreement

4. OK.

Continue please...

We have similar thought process in the US that is reducing the funding of R&D such as in NASA. Cost is a major issue. The other issue is the inefficiency & nepotism in public projects. Private entrepreneurship would be better advised in order to keep the market robust. I do not disagree with the goal of public activities in promoting morality, ethics & harmony. But the Govt.'s ability to run any program effectively is in question even in the US. Take for example the behemoth US Health Care effort that appears highly mismanaged and "over budget". I can only imagine the politicians sticking their fingers in the pie as well. Between public and private entrepreneurship, I prefer private. Tesla & Elon Musk over NASA/GM and politicians.

No need for R&D in lap tops. The Chinese have made it ubiquitous and affordable to all of us humans. There may not be potable water in parts of the sub-Sahara but no shortage of iPhones.

"the salaries in Government sector had to be raised tremendously to give parity and where were funds?" This screams of nepotism! Govt. service is not based on the value of its service, but instead on the earnings of the other citizenry? That sounds like an absurd and obscene bonus for inefficient service providers. That validates my contention regarding public efforts versus private entrepreneurship. Who better to spend the money, a citizen concerned about cost and quality or a Government (Public) with little accountability even to themselves?

"indigenous technology in defense of great significance, no planes, no tanks, no real robotics" I hear differently. Besides the investment in defense may not have any productive output for the society except for serendipitous side benefits like the commercial Indian MTR Brand MRE's (Meals Ready to Eat) developed by the Indian military. Good stuff! I like them. The US DoD has sponsored many private efforts that have yielded useful technologies including the modern computer. I'm not sure of any history of such efforts by the Indian DoD. Please enlighten us.