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Journal of International Information Management

Abstract

With an increasing awareness of the role of information technology (IT) in improving internal efficiency and conducting business in the emerging global economy, organizations in the developing nations, like their counterparts in the developed countries, are taking a keen interest in IT-based solutions to their problems. Yet they face unique problems that impede their ability to adopt FT. This research identifies these problems in Zimbabwe - a developing nation in Southern Africa. The results are based on a two-stage study consisting of interviews with 12 MIS managers, and responses to a questiormaire instrument by 88 middle- and upperlevel managers in Zimbabwe. While some of the problems rnentioned are similar to those faced by the U. S. firms - lack of knowledge about the potential of IT on the part of top management and resistance to change by users - others are somewhat unique to Zimbabwe (or most developing countries). These include: the firm's inability to acquire modem IT (because of the high cost of hardware/software and/or the lack of foreign currency to import this equipment), and the lack of expertise in the areas of systems analysis, system design, information management, and computer training.

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