ABSTRACT
Information-management systems are more important than ever. "What gets measured gets done." Yet many essential systems in developing countries are too complex, too slow to produce useful results, or nonexistent. Too many computer projects promise too much too fast. For example, China imported $300 million worth of components in 1984 to assemble 120,000 computers. Yet more than a year later, at least one-half of the computers were lying idle because of a shortage of programming and maintenance skills. For microcomputers to gain credibility, local staff must take responsibility for most operations as quickly as possible. In the Kenyan Ministry of Finance and Planning, this was accomplished in less than a year. Government staff were able to handle all data entry, all report production, most training, some programming and new system development, and most hardware repairs. Private firms and consultants are the leading edge of the information revolution in developing countries as they often adopt information technologies before government organizations.
