A methodological proposal for measuring the transition to Knowledge
Society in Latin American countries.
Carlos Bianco, Gustavo Lugones y Fernando Peirano*
1. Introduction[1]
Recent evolution on information and communications
technologies (ICTs) field has triggered a process of deep political, cultural
and economical changes off. The course of this process, which leads to the so
called �Information Society� (IS) or �Knowledge Society�, has raised great
interest in politicians, journalists, businessmen and academicians. In regard
of this, it has become an imperative need to have reliable information. In
order to meet this demand, it is essential to have a system of indicators
specially focused on key aspects of this social and technological phenomenon.
The aim of such system is not only to understand and monitor the development of
the process, but also to become a useful tool for directing both public and
private actions making a good use of the opportunities and mitigating the risks
involved in such social change.
2. The requirements for a Information Society Indicators System
The construction of this IS related system of
indicators requires overcoming a series of obstacles and restrictions. One of
the first difficulties is set up by the nature of the phenomenon to be
measured. The subject matter is new and extensive, and this turns the IS into a
highly complex issue. So far, knowledge on IS is rudimentary, and knowledge on
how the IS appears in different local contexts is even poorer. Therefore, the
lack of a theoretical framework which might allow dealing more effectively with
IS matters, represents one of the prior issues to be solved.
Another difficulty lies in the
fact that we are facing a process that is, although global, not homogeneous.
Indicators to be adopted should be internationally comparable but at the same
time be able of picking up the diversity of local situations.
There are also restrictions related to data collection
methodologies. The increasing demand for statistics referring to the transition
process towards the IS has imposed new requirements to national statistics
systems. In Latin American countries this increases the existent technical and
budget restrictions on the production of reliable information, especially when
this information refers to extremely dynamic and new issues. Some consultancy
firms, academic institutions and enterprise chambers have tried to meet this
demand, not always with equal success. In most cases they have produced low
reliability information while in others all they offer is a compilation of
figures.
Therefore, in the Latin American context, the
development of an indicators system requires special attention on both
methodological matters (design of indicators, data collection guidelines,
information processing, etc.) and issues related to the coordinated
participation of the agents in charge of generating the information.
In regard to the system�s institutional architecture
it is convenient to point out that nature of the phenomenon itself implies a
great dispersion of data sources. Usually, the data and records used to feed
the IS indicators system are spread among national statistics institutes;
public institutions related to telecommunications, S&T, and education
sectors; enterprise chambers; large companies; multilateral agencies, private
academic groups and consultancy firms; etc. Considering this dispersion, it
doesn�t seem convenient to impose a single valid source of information �which
probably won�t be able to cover all the issues involved in the matter- but to
design a network strategy based on the cooperation between the different
sources. In this way, it is necessary to designate a network coordinator, who
should be in charge of assuring a harmonic participation of the different
agents, and generating the conditions for consensus on common methodological
guidelines. It is very important to agree on what should be measured and
how it should be measured, and so it is that the coordinator takes care
of the task of compiling and homogenizing the information coming from the
different agents, in order to assure its coherence and quality.
3. The Information Society Indicators Matrix
Regarding this comments and guidelines, we have
formulated a proposal that intends to become a frame of reference for the
agents involved, with the aim of channelling the efforts and achieving a real
synergy between the actions that are taking place. This proposal has been
structured in line with the so called �Information Society Indicators Matrix�
and is intended to contribute with the task of setting basis for a feasible
indicators system, pertinent for the Latin American context and capable of
describing the central aspects of the transition process towards IS.
Given the complexity and the extent of the issues that
the IS involves, we chose not to treat the object of study as a whole, but to
deal with in blocks, although without resigning the multidisciplinary
perspective, and then, at the time of the analysis, achieving an integrating
glance. Therefore, considering the restrictions and guidelines, we have built
an instrument (which is still on development) that could be described as
modular, flexible, gradual and cooperative.
The modular nature of the proposal
As it has been mentioned, this methodological proposal
is summarized and represented by a matrix scheme. We believe that
representation through this
matrix allows emphasizing, setting in a context and transmitting data
and concepts involved. On figure Nr.1 we can see that the scheme has two major
areas. First, we can mention four sectors constituting the base for a dynamic
and fully extended IS: Education, S&T, Computing and High Added Value
Services, and Telecommunications.
These four sectors or activities frame the �Use and
Diffusion of Information and Knowledge Sub-Matrix� which constitutes the second
area and so, it has been placed over the previous one in figure Nr1. This
Sub-Matrix is made out of four main thematic topics �infrastructure, abilities,
accumulative efforts, applications- intersected by four rows referred to the actors
�companies, households, government, other institutions-.
Basic
Sectors or Activities
The levels reached by a society in terms of education,
S&T, in addition to software and telecommunications industry developments,
coincide with and have a bearing, be it favourable or negative, on KS
development. It is precisely these sectors that form the framework within which
the remaining social agents and actors try, as simply as possible and to the
best of their abilities, to make use of the tools available for creating and
managing information, in addition to the growing supply of knowledge-intensive
goods and services. The inclusion of these sectors seeks to highlight the
situation and principal trends of certain activities considered necessary but
insufficient in the structure and consolidation of the KS. The underlying idea
is simple: the lower the degree of development in these sectors, the more
difficulties and obstacles for the economic and social agents in assimilating
differing practices and tools in the KS
With regards to possibilities of measuring, it is
possible to undertake a quantitative approach to these activities through a
selection of sectoral indicators currently available. However, the selection
might also be complemented by a reinterpretation of information arising from
�traditional� indicators, bearing in mind all of the processes in action.
The Use
and Diffusion of Information and Knowledge Sub-Matrix
The Sub-matrix of Analysis of the Expansion and Use of
Information and Knowledge (SAEU) is made up of four columns and four rows. The
columns show the principal theoretical variables or thematic axes to evaluate,
and the rows show the social and economic actors. The approach based on these
four actors is only one option for tackling the wide and complex set of
situations that the emergence of the KS brings with it. This method is
preferred because it is the best we have found to combine explanatory capacity
with application viability. Furthermore, this formula facilitates �dialogue�
with other methodologies given that the proposed categories (rows) can be
easily associated with the concepts of e�business, e-government, e-
entertainment, e-learning, e-health, etc.
The flexible nature of the proposal
At the start of this document we stated that this
methodology proposal has tried from the beginning to consider the difficulties
and restrictions of statistical data generation and collection systems in Latin
America. In this respect, it seems important to underline the possibility and
advisability of developing methodologies that are both �appreciative� and
�quantitative�.
Unlike with other methodologies, the modular approach
in this proposal allows us to satisfy the demand for information in a combined
manner. As our proposal is organised into modules, each aspect can be tackled
through the most suitable or applicable data collection technique. For some
modules, it is possible to offer statistical data while in others information
is available from qualified consultations and sources. In either case, it is
important to remember that the principal objective is to supply useful elements
for whoever is faced with the task of analysing the subject. On the other hand,
if an inflexible method is adopted it runs the risk of losing application
viability.
The emphasis on the possibility of combining
approaches for each aspect or module of data collection is entirely justified
given the importance of generating data that allows us to appreciate the scope
and complexity of the �digital divide�. The existing differences in this area
between countries or continents can be verified fairly easily. But perhaps
deeper and more concerning contrasts are emerging within social groups or
regions that until recently were considered homogenous in terms of skills and
development possibilities.
In this regard, it seems highly recommendable that the
proposed methodology should be applied to analyse smaller regions, rather than
entire countries. This clearly puts new demands on statistical systems, as
information is required on certain issues but data collection concerning these
issues has only recently begun and research is not carried out at regional or
local level. As a result, a module or aspect can contain indicators from
quantitative data when referring to a city, province, or important district and
information from consultation with experts for those areas where the
statistical system does not generate uneven figures.
Once again, given the growing demand for information,
importance should be placed on prioritizing the generation of solutions based
on common criteria by means of a methodology that can be applied to
geographical or thematic units that have not been the object of attention in
the past. This solution, which may prove to be partial or even superficial,
also helps to raise awareness about the need to improve and extend studies and
statistical sources.
The cooperative nature of the proposal
Instrument�s modular structure has another interesting
implication. The fact that each SAEU row-column intersection �together with the
sectors enclosing the intersection- refers to a IS phenomenon specific aspect
makes possible the fact that, once the general scheme has reached consensus and
the methodological basic criteria have been agreed, each agent can focus on the
module they feel more competent and capable. This means the network could
receive the beneficial participation of other users besides those responsible
for generating the information, for example: academic groups, highly qualified
users, etc. This diversity can be very beneficial for the information system.
The gradual nature of the proposal
As a result, it is highly probable that from each
group�s work and recommendations new sub-rows and sub-columns will emerge,
enhancing the general scheme. Likewise, each development group will work with
the expectation that their contributions are added to and combined with those
of the other teams.
In other words, thanks to networking or collaborative
work the scope of the scheme, and especially the SAEU, will become more
extensive. Each module from any cross-section of rows and columns can become a
new sub-matrix with its own actors and thematic axes. The experience
accumulated so far indicates that the approach of each module will certainly
have to resolve considerable theoretical and practical issues. The construction
of indicators is a challenge that is not restricted to data collection
techniques.
It also requires a sound theoretical framework, more
so than is usually apparent. Before beginning to propose indicators for each
module and proceeding with the estimate, it will be necessary to understand and
conceptualize the phenomenon to be quantified. Without a sound theoretical
framework, the possibility of correctly identifying key elements in the
phenomenon is at risk, and as a result measuring efforts can be distracted by
questions that ignore the processes� principal bases and dynamic. In short, it
seems reasonable to believe that each group or thematic module should include
and form a conceptual framework in line with its specific subject (which should
in turn be in line with the general scheme, if the aim is to compare results
with those obtained by other groups or teams), establish theoretical variables
and indicators that give an idea of the relevant aspects of the issue being
studied, and develop the instruments that allow the requisite statistical
information to be obtained.