Botswana ICT Survey: Insights & Recommendations

1. ICT INDICATORSBotswana Case Study Joint ITU/ECA regional workshop on Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Indicators Gaborone, Botswana26-29 October 2004 Arindam Bose , Moses Moreri, Thari Pheko

2. What have we done so far? MAITLAMO PROJECT • e-readiness and ICT sector survey • Benchmarking and Best-practice Arindam Bose , Moses Moreri, Thari Pheko

3. Areas of Focus • Community Access and Development • Learning • Health • Government • Economic Development & the ICT Sector • Technical Infrastructure • Legal & Policy Arindam Bose , Moses Moreri, Thari Pheko

4. Purpose of Survey • Provide a comprehensive report on Botswana ICT Status • Provide a bird’s-eye view of the ICT sector in Botswana • Determine the ICT Industry Characteristics, Challenges and Global Positioning • Determine the Contribution ICT Sector makes to the Botswana’s GDP Arindam Bose , Moses Moreri, Thari Pheko

5. Survey Approach • Determine the industry sector ( Government and non-government) • Concentrate on the government procurement agency and determine the ICT activities. • Work in close partnership with Central Statistics Office • Identify and select the key organizations (Commercial and Semi- Government)within the industrial sector and profile them • The selection is not exclusive and organizations are free to response to questionnaires Arindam Bose , Moses Moreri, Thari Pheko

6. Ensure that each industrial sector is represented in the survey • Where possible gather as much information on the ICT sector and understand the ICT issues • Be clear on the use of ICT and what is ICT (ICT industry, telecommunication and broadcasting) Arindam Bose , Moses Moreri, Thari Pheko

7. Methodology • Have a good knowledge of the ICT industry • Prepare Survey Questionnaires • Face-to-face interview with key ICT executives in the selected organizations • Telephonic interviews • Published articles (annual reports etc) • Press Releases issued by the key leading organization in the country on ICT issues. Arindam Bose , Moses Moreri, Thari Pheko

8. Focus group discussion and underpinning ICT concerns • Sourced material must not be trimmed to meet a predetermined criterion • Company ICT executives must be the source of information Arindam Bose , Moses Moreri, Thari Pheko

9. Key issues for the discussion • What are the characteristics which defines a local ICT market – • What are the challenges facing the local ICT industry • What are the potentials of the local ICT industry in the global market Arindam Bose , Moses Moreri, Thari Pheko

10. Interview Considerations • Remember ICT is a new concept and must be made simple to the interviewee with questions which are clearly formulated • The characteristics of the interviewer may influence the success of the interview • There may be ICT issues connected to the interviewee ( Care should be taken to ensure that there is interviewer-interviewee interaction with the interview Arindam Bose , Moses Moreri, Thari Pheko

11. Interview Strategies • Make a business case with respect to ICT issues to the interviewee and ensure that the interviewee sees the benefits • Interviewer must break down “ICT conceptcomplexity” of questions, use simple, concrete questions related to reality where possible • Make sure that the interviewee participate fully into ICT issues by referring to relevant experiences and materials Arindam Bose , Moses Moreri, Thari Pheko

12. . • Make it absolutely clear that the information provided by the interviewee shall remain confidential and prove this with relevant documentation • Empower the interviewee by allowing adequate time on interview and focus on the relevant questions. • Confirm or repeat what the interviewee has told you Arindam Bose , Moses Moreri, Thari Pheko

13. Lesson Learnt from the survey • ICT companies are not as a good source of information particularly on disclosing annual turnover • Use a top down approach where the ICT decision makers in any sector can be interviewed • Some companies are not keen to disclose information on the ground that it’s a company policy Arindam Bose , Moses Moreri, Thari Pheko

14. It is difficult for some companies to complete the questionnaire for lack of time and interest, a follow up is imperative • A proper briefing on survey has to be done before an interview can be granted • There is a need for a common yard stick to measuring ICT sector Arindam Bose , Moses Moreri, Thari Pheko

15. What we can do • Botswana ICT Spending compare to other SADC countries, Rest of Africa, Europe, America, Asia, WORLD • ICT spending on Vertical Markets excluding financial services, telecom equipment • Botswana ICT spending on ICT consulting Arindam Bose , Moses Moreri, Thari Pheko

16. Systems Integration • Package Implementation and support • Outsourcing • ICT education and training • Hardware Deployment and Support Arindam Bose , Moses Moreri, Thari Pheko

17. For more information on Botswana ICT Policy benchmark reports checkwww.http://maitlamo.gov.bw THANK YOU