The role of information in the information technology trade between the UK and Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Many developing countries see an expansion of the use of information tech nology (IT) as a key to future prosperity, and hope to establish an indigenous industry which will supply at least some of their needs. Some may even devel op into IT exporters. Since initially this will involve importing IT from developed countries a study was conducted which took the example of Saudi Arabia as a developing country and that of the UK as a developed country in order to study the type of importing and exporting information system that must operate to satisfy both sets of information needs. On the basis of an ear lier pilot study of 28 UK IT exporters, a series of null hypotheses were set up to guide the investigation, namely that there were no differences in: the uti lization of information sources between Saudi Arabian IT importers and UK IT exporters; the utilization of information sources between those UK IT exporters involved with Saudi Arabia and those who were not; the effect of size of the firm on the utilization of information sources; and the obstacles to accessing information sources facing both Saudi IT importers and UK IT exporters. Data collection was by means of questionnaire surveys sent to 220 likely UK exporters and 128 Saudi Arabian importers. It is concluded that information transfer between the Saudi and UK IT importing and exporting systems occurs on an extensive and continuing basis but its efficiency is hampered, in part, by differing attitudes to the interface, and in part by a dif fering use of information channels.