ABSTRACT
Although firms such as Apple, Microsoft, and IBM continued to be global leaders in information technology in the twenty-first century, US and other Western enterprises were increasingly both supported and challenged by Asian firms. To reduce costs, many Western firms “offshored” their software development, particularly to India, to take advantage of cheap but skilled labor. To reduce production costs, Western firms sought to “outsource” their assembly and manufacturing operations, particularly to China, South Korea, and Taiwan. Asian countries, however, also had vibrant domestic markets hungry for information technology goods. Increasingly these needs were met by domestic firms such as Lenovo, Huawei, and Samsung. Soon these became global brands. The Global South, especially Africa, welcomed information technology and the accompanying economic, social, and educational benefits. But while these global developments created opportunities, they also had negative impacts in terms of environmental costs and exploitative labor practices.
