The services sector, in particular information technology (IT), is viewed at present with so much optimism as a means to provide South Asia with a unique opportunity to leapfrog whole stages of industrial development and make up for the missed opportunities in the past. This paper critically evaluates the current trends in the service sectors in South Asia including the basis of competitive advantages, and concludes that such an optimism is long way off unless remedial actions are taken to correct massive infrastructural weaknesses and establish institutional mechanisms capable of responding to rapid changes in the global market.
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