The expansion of telecommunications infrastructure can have a substantial multiplier effect for the broader economy in poor countries, and Africa in particular is taking the lead on mainstreaming mobile payments over the rest of the world.
Those are two main takeaways for development professionals in a new report released by the Paris branch of BearingPoint, a global management and technology consulting firm based in Amsterdam. Titled “The Role of Technology in International Business Development,” the report surveyed 3,000 executives from 800 leading French companies and touched on how the introduction and expansion of technology by businesses can lead to greater economic and social development gains.
Jean-Michel Huet, BearingPoint partner and author of the study, believes technology truly has the potential to bring sustainable development to poor countries.
About the author
Bill Hinchbergerhinchberger
Bill Hinchberger is a global communications professional and educator. He studied at Berkeley and has taught at the Sorbonne. Based mostly in Paris, he spends quality time in Brazil and the United States, and works extensively in Africa and Latin America. He has served as an international correspondent for The Financial Times, Business Week, ARTnews, Variety, and others. One current focus of his work is content creation for foundations, NGOs and other organizations, especially those working on issues related to international affairs, the environment and development. He also runs training programs for professional journalists, notably in Africa, and is an associate of Rain Barrel Communications, a leading consultancy for social justice projects.