By now there can be no doubt that information and communications technology (ICT) can bring significant benefits to both individuals and businesses.
However, it can be argued that there is still room for Barbadians to be more informed about how technology can be used to increase efficiency and simplify everyday processes.
Last year the Barbados Small Business Association (SBA) launched a technology assistance project to help its members improve their businesses through the use of modern computer equipment and applications.
It included financing, hardware and software as well as opportunities for members to upgrade their information and communications technology (ICT) skills.
In the March 4 BARBADOS BUSINESS AUTHORITY, SBA chief executive officer Lynette Holder said the project would address the problem of insufficient use of ICT among micro, small and medium enterprises.
“It is a known fact that despite [the fact that] we are relatively advanced in our use of technology, the truth is we use technology more so for social networking . . . dropping an email here and there, surfing the web and so on but not enough for our business efficiency,’ she said, adding that this was borne out in a survey of SBA members.
Citing the World Economic Forum’s 2010/2011 global competitiveness report, Holder noted that Barbados was ranked 43 out of 139 countries with a “technological readiness” ranking of 22.
However, the country was placed at number 52 for innovation and 59 for business sophistication.
“When we look at these indices [it] suggests to us that there is some work we have to do as it relates to our innovation and how sophisticated we are as firms,” she said.
Digicel’s corporate sales manager Rudy Archer has said that although business people are aware of technological solutions, many seem reluctant to use them to improve their businesses.
“Persons in Barbados, I believe, get into business at a higher rate of understanding than most other business persons all over the world,”?he said.
“The difference that we have here is that we’ve had some measure of resistance to acquire the technology and them there seems to be a little bit of a phobia about embracing the technology to go out there and improve the business and your business model.”
In the April 1 BARBADOS BUSINESS AUTHORITY, Deloitte’s manager of consulting services Roger Hennis said some local businesses were still not getting the desired outcome after implementing new technologies.
“Investments in IT have not delivered what some businesses are expecting,” he said.
“With regard to where clients are with IT we are finding that a number of clients have implemented IT but they are not necessary getting the results that they have improved their business”.
One of the reasons, Hennis cited was that IT departments in some businesses would implement “a very complex system” without carefully carrying out research to find out what would work best for those who would actually use the systems.
“Oftentimes you have to start with the end in mind,” he added. “It is not necessarily about implementing a complex system, it is about understanding what the business wants to do and what you are trying to achieve, and once you figure that out then you can go and find a solution that delivers exactly what you are looking for.”
Hennis said a lot of local businesses were incorporating new technologies in their operations but “we are far behind based on the fact that some people don’t know where they should be” in terms of competing with regional and international businesses.
Using the example of some companies using the Square app on their phones to accept credit cards in the United States and banks in Jamaica using more advanced technologies, Hennis said once the technology was introduced here it could become “the norm”.
“So we need to have one or two innovative out-of-the-box thinkers saying they are going to try these technologies. One of the challenges we have in Barbados is that we are conservative and risk averse,” he said.
Hennis was quick to point out, however, that newer businesses were more willing to take a chance with newer technologies as they sought to grow their businesses.
Most recently, Minister of Industry and Commerce Donville Inniss announced that Government was introducing changes to encourage greater use of information and communication technologies (ICT) across a range of organizations.
Among the changes identified in the April 12 WEEKEND NATION were amendments to the legislation governing the Fair Trading Commission (FTC) to allow it to “effectively regulate all telecommunications entities” operating here.
“Likewise, draft amendments to the Companies Act have been undertaken, which when legislated, will result in a dramatic increase in use of online transactions with the vital Corporate Affairs and Intellectual Property Office,” he said.
Inniss added that most Government departments were at various stages of reviewing their telephony “and general ICT infrastructure” in order to obtain the most cost effective, efficient and portable systems. He said the changes should result in “huge” financial savings to the Government.
