National information technology policy in a globalized world: Building an IT workforce for Venezuela

In this paper we examine the effects of globalization on national level information technology (IT) policy. We compare national-level IT policies leading toward the development of a national-level information economy. We examine the IT policies from two long-established, successful, developed countries, Japan and Germany, distilling common policy elements. We then compare those elements to the newly created IT policy for the developing country of Venezuela, which is making the first, tentative steps toward developing an internal IT workforce. This new policy stresses the need for technological independence in a globalizing world and creation and maintenance of highly trained IT human resources. Due to the recent oil boom, Venezuela has claimed economic power and has the potential to provide Venezuela with opportunities that nations in similar stages of development do not have. Most importantly we stress the need for Venezuela to create national-level IT policy that fits it own needs.