Software development may join cigars as Cuban export

Software development may join cigars as Cuban export
U.S. nemesis included on Gartner's list of countries with offshore IT
potential
Patrick Thibodeau

March 21, 2007 (Computerworld) -- DALLAS -- At Gartner Inc.'s
Outsourcing Summit here this week, the world looked flat. At least, that
was the sense on the trade show floor, where representatives from
countries such as China, South Africa, Brazil, the Czech Republic and --
of course -- India set up shop in booths limited to certain sizes and
styles, resulting in a homogenous and oddly democratic display.

And there are many other nations that may be represented at future
conferences, if they can successfully develop offshore outsourcing
industries.

Gartner estimates that about 60 countries are involved in some stage of
offshore IT development. The consulting firm divides them into several
categories: the market leaders, such as India, Argentina and Russia;
active participants, which include nations such as Vietnam, Egypt and
Chile; and countries that are just taking preliminary steps to develop
offshoring capabilities.

Among the new countries added to Gartner's list of potential offshore
providers this year are Algeria, Bahrain, Kenya, Madagascar, Malta,
Moldova, Saudi Arabia and Uganda. It's a fluid list -- countries removed
for a lack of progress include El Salvador, South Korea, Panama, Peru,
Taiwan and Puerto Rico.

A survivor on the list of potential participants is Cuba. Gartner
analyst Frances Karamouzis said the listed countries will likely have
only a niche role in the outsourcing market, but even that could have a
big impact on their own economies. She added that Cuba, which has a
population of about 11 million people, is "an interesting prospect"
because of its educational programs in math and computer science.

Eric Driggs, a research associate at the University of Miami's Institute
for Cuban and Cuban-American Studies, said in a telephone interview that
Cuba offers an educated population and university-level IT training. It
also has youth centers that provide training in basic computing skills.
"You are definitely seeing a buildup of human capital to make [offshore
services] possible," he said.

But Cuba's government restricts Internet access and sees IT as a threat
to its security, according to Driggs. The Castro regime isn't showing
any signs of loosening its controls on access: Ramiro Valdes, who was
appointed last year as Cuba's IT and communications minister, is a
longtime government official and former security chief. His appointment
"is probably a good indicator that they are not messing around when it
comes to the Internet," said Driggs.

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