IT capacity building in developing countries: A model of the Maldivian tourism sector

Abstract

Lack of information technology (IT) skills and human capital remain a significant obstacle to the successful implementation of IT projects in developing countries. The model discussed in this article draws on theories of knowledge management and social and human capital, and it has been developed for research in the tourism sector in the Maldives. It is also the first model of IT capacity building, to our knowledge, to be directed at private sector organizations in a developing country. We ground the model in some preliminary findings from our study of the Maldivian tourism sector and draw some initial conclusions about the role of the national context, social capital, knowledge sharing, and geographical isolation when considering IT capacity building for that sector. The model also makes a wider contribution in focusing on an under-researched issue, IT capacity building in developing countries, and by bringing some useful theoretical perspectives to bear on the problem. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Keywords:

• training
• human capital
• social capital
• IT and capacity building