Abstract Adoption of enabling technology is one beneficial and significant way countries can improve their developmental progress and achieve higher living standards. Many complex issues are involved in the consideration of information technology transfer. Some of those issues are not completely defined and studied, or cannot be precisely measured. Thus, a Delphi study was conducted in this research to investigate, identify and prioritise major issues for successful information technology transfer in developing countries from the perceptions of stakeholder groups in the Arab World. Responses were elicited from information technology academics, information technology practitioners, government officials and information technology suppliers. Valid questionnaires were returned from 73 respondents in the first round survey, providing a net response rate of 61% and yielded 410 perceived issues. Through two rounds of the Delphi survey, these issues have been synthesised and categorised into 10 major issue categories with 71 sub-issues. This study aims to assist in understanding the major issues surrounding information technology transfer success in the Arab World and to better realise the benefits of information technology transfer.

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[30] Xu B., Multinational Enterprises: Technology Diffusion and Host Country Productivity Growth, Journal of Development Economics , vol. 62, no. 2, pp. 477-493, 2000. Khalid Al-Mabrouk is a PhD student at University of Southern Queensland, Australia. He received his first degree and MSc. in Accounting from University of Gar Younis, Libya and Graduate Certificate in Management and MBA from Central Queensland University, Australia. His current research is focused on technology transfer, with particular emphasis on the issues, challenges, and benefits associated with IT adoption in developing countries. Jeffrey Soar is an associate professor in the Department of Information Systems, Faculty of Business at University of Southern Queensland, Australia. He holds a PhD degree in information management from University of Technology, Sydney, Australia, and Master in computer education from La Trobe University and B.A (Hons) from Monash University, Australia. 14 The International Arab Journal of Information Technology, Vol. 6, No. 1, January 2009 Appendix A. categorisation of a master set of major issues and sub-issues Major Issue Sub-Issue Social & Culture Encourage increased use of English language within the Arab environment to assist in adoption of new technologies Improve individual levels of education to promote general understanding and recognition of the benefits of IT adoption Encourage universities to adopt and maintain programs that will improve knowledge and adoption of contemporary technology in both current and new generations Promote team work that encourages open, intensive and effective communication to build an environment of trust that will enhance successful IT transfer among users Embrace technology transfer to improve social and individual lifestyles, without compromising local customs and traditions Identify and evaluate individual and collective attitudes towards technology among different socioeconomic groups Grant a higher degree of political freedom to recognised technical and technological professionals who can contribute to the viability of IT adoption Enhance numbers of skilled academics and educators by offering higher wages and labour incentives to compete with international markets Modify software and some of the English programmes for compatibility with Arabic language Enhance technical facilities and pedagogical approaches to boost IT transfer Create a relationship between university-organisation based on IT development and improvement Economic Promote financial growth of individuals and organisations Evaluate effectiveness and quality of candidate technology transfer Develop technical skills in individuals, the labour force and organisations to achieve high standards in quality Evaluate market needs according to available professionals who could achieve the IT transfer Provide the necessary social and financial environment to further expand and develop IT transfer Identify and evaluate individual and collective attitudes towards acceptance of technology among different socioeconomic groups Control and satisfy the needs of users or consumers and organisations Seek financial investment for new IT research and development in the Arab World Government Policies Develop a national strategic plan to monitor the direction of transferred technological change at the individual and organisation level Formulate flexible government policies, with assistance from private and public corporations, for the selection and introduction of technology Promote flexible financial and government policies that encourage individual and organisational learning and adoption of new technologies Promote government policies to enhance management leadership in technological projects Adopt and enforce government policies aligned to internationally recognised technology development Promote government policy aligned with national and international financial systems to support education and adoption of technology development Develop government policies and incentives for increased annual growth and income distribution at the local and national levels Political Stability Develop and maintain an innovative industrial and technological climate to create social and financial benefits Enforce national government policy that increases local development and provides financial benefits Maintain political freedom and stability to foster national reputation and enhance technological investment and adoption Identify individual characteristics and attitudes toward technology into different social classes Technological Capabilities Measure attitudes towards R&D learning and commercialisation capabilities Improve and share knowledge capability for sustained technology adoption Create R&D incentives to individuals and organisations to improve skill levels and productivity and financial gains in IT acquisition and development Expand innovation capability to create and carry new technologies or make radical modifications Establish environment wherein indigenous people are able to adopt technology on an individual or organisational level Measure attitudes, performance and effectiveness of R&D Enforce plans for improving technical conditions of production Promote training courses to enhance technological knowledge required for undertaking new IT projects Recognise previous experience with similar IT projects transferred and implemented Organisational Initiate and promote training and financial incentives to encourage IT learning and implementation Identify what will and will not be supported by technology suppliers in the IT transfer project Make use of the consultation services concerning IT transfer and receive support for the quick and efficient realization of practical applications for best results Identify and create a learning environment that develops the skills required to access information Promote a work environment that encourages participation and learning by staff in meeting organisational objectives Encourage, evaluate and reward initiatives of IT managers in generating innovative IT transfer policies Promote high level of effective open management style to succeed in the IT transfer process Recognise participation of the stakeholders in IT transfer and development Increase staff awareness on role and benefits of IT to the organisation Adopt and maintain an environment for improved knowledge sharing and open, effective communication between transferee and transferrer A Delphi Study on Issues for Successful Information Technology Transfer in the Arab World 15 Major Issue Sub-Issue Ensure effective control and risk management for the successful implementation of IT transfer Strategic Formulate and develop a strategic plan that focuses on the actual IT transfer process and its implementation Identify resource requirements and benefits expected from IT transfer project Identify and appoint full-time, cooperative personnel with project experience to establish and implement new technology programs Implement effective international and domestic coordination processes for monitoring and implementing technology transfer Seek top-level support from technology suppliers for strategic and operational guidance Incorporate flexible risk management strategies that enable successful implementation of IT transfer and accommodate technological change Encourage government to play both leadership and supportive roles to provide a favourable environment for growth Adequate Infrastructure Increase and accelerate the development and implementation of an appropriate framework to build responsive ICT and associated IT systems within the Arab world Develop safety and social work systems Establish research and development centres to evaluate, promote and encourage technological growth and development in the Arab world Create incentive systems for innovation activities Identify skills and availability of experienced IT staff who are capable of adopting and applying new knowledge Assess availability of suitable equipment required for IT adoption process Evaluate the availability of financial resources to enhance or build organisational IT infrastructure IT Suppliers Identify and utilize competitive and high quality suppliers. Encourage government to reward technology suppliers who engaged in favourable business practices Develop open and effective relationships for information sharing between suppliers and acquirers of technology Formally evaluate suppliers performance against organisational requirements Geographical & Location Identify the location of competitors and suppliers Consider the attitude and reaction of local community to location to the candidate technology Recognise the need to improve environment, and support that process with more technology B. Cross-tabulation of the identified master issues by each stakeholder groups. Sub-Issues Categories S- # M- # Stakeholder Groups ACA ITP GVO ITS Encourage increased use of English language within the Arab environment to assist in adoption of new technologies Improve individual levels of education to promote general understanding and recognition of the benefits of IT adoption Encourage universities to adopt and maintain programs that will improve knowledge and adoption of contemporary technology in both current and new generations Promote team work that encourages open, intensive and effective communication to build an environment of trust that will enhance successful IT transfer among users Embrace techno logy transfer to improve social and individual lifestyles, without compromising local customs and traditions Identify and evaluate individual and collective attitudes towards technology among different socioeconomic groups Grant a higher degree of political freedom to recognised technical and technological professionals who can contribute to the viability of IT adoption Enhance numbers of skilled academics and educators by offering higher wages and labour incentives to compete with international markets Modify software and some of the English programmes for compatibility with Arabic language Enhance technical facilities and pedagogical approaches to boost IT transfer Create a relationship between university-organisation based on IT development and improvement 1 1 2 1 3 1 4 1 5 1 6 1 7 1 8 1 9 1 10 1 11 1 3 2 2 1 2 4 2 2 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 2 1 2 2 2 1 1 1 2 3 1 2 1 2 1 2 2 1 1 2 2 1 1 Promote financial growth of individuals and organisations Evaluate effectiveness and quality of candidate technology transfer Develop technical skills in individuals, the labour force and organisations to achieve high standards in quality Evaluate market needs according to available professionals who could achieve the IT transfer Provide the necessary social and financial environment to further expand and develop IT transfer Identify and evaluate individual and collective attitudes towards acceptance of technology among different socioeconomic groups Control and satisfy the needs of users or consumers and organisations Seek financial investment for new IT research and development in the Arab World 12 2 13 2 14 2 15 2 16 2 17 2 18 2 19 2 2 3 1 3 1 3 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 16 The International Arab Journal of Information Technology, Vol. 6, No. 1, January 2009 Develop and maintain an innovative industrial and technological climate to create social and financial benefits Enforce national government policy that increases local development and provides financial benefits Maintain political freedom and stability to foster national reputation and enhance technological investment and adoption Identify individual characteristics and attitudes toward technology into different social classes 27 4 28 4 29 4 30 4 2 3 5 3 2 2 3 2 1 1 1 1 2 2 Measure attitudes towards R&D learning and commercialisation capabilities Improve and share knowledge capability for sustained technology adoption Create R&D incentives to individuals and organisations to improve skill levels and productivity and financial gains in IT acquisition and development Expand innovation capability to create and carry new technologies or make radical modifications Establish environment wherein indigenous people are able to adopt technology on an individual or organisational level Measure attitudes, performance and effectiveness of R&D Enforce plans for improving technical conditions of production Promote training courses to enhance technological knowledge required for undertaking new IT projects Recognise previous experience with similar IT projects transferred and implemented 31 5 32 5 33 5 34 5 35 5 36 5 37 5 38 5 39 5 3 2 3 3 2 2 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 1 1 Initiate and promote training and financial incentives to encourage IT learning and implementation Identify what will and will not be supported by technology suppliers in the IT transfer project Make use of the consultation services concerning IT transfer and receive support for the quick and efficient realization of practical applications for best results Identify and create a learning environment that develops the skills required to access information Promote a work environment that encourages participation and learning by staff in meeting organisational objectives Encourage, evaluate and reward initiatives of IT managers in generating innovative IT transfer policies Promote high level of effective open management style to succeed in the IT transfer process Recognise participation of the stakeholders in IT transfer and development Increase staff awareness on role and benefits of IT to the organisation Adopt and maintain an environment for improved knowledge sharing and open, effective communication between transferee and transferrer Ensure effective control and risk management for the successful implementation of IT transfer 40 6 41 6 42 6 43 6 44 6 45 6 46 6 47 6 48 6 49 6 50 6 2 2 3 1 2 1 3 2 1 3 1 2 1 2 1 1 2 1 2 1 3 3 2 2 1 1 1 2 1 1 3 2 1 1 Incorporate flexible risk management strategies that enable successful implementation of IT transfer and accommodate technological change Encourage government to play both leadership and supportive roles to provide a favourable environment for growth 56 7 57 7 3 3 2 1 1 Increase and accelerate the development and implementation of an appropriate framework to build responsive ICT and associated IT systems within the Arab world Develop safety and social work systems Establish research and development centres to evaluate, promote and encourage technological growth and development in the Arab world Create incentive systems for innovation activities Identify skills and availability of experienced IT staff who are capable of adopting and applying new knowledge Assess availability of suitable equipment required for IT adoption process Evaluate the availability of financial resources to enhance or build organisational IT infrastructure 58 8 59 8 60 8 61 8 62 8 63 8 64 8 2 1 3 2 1 1 1 2 2 2 1 2 1 1 2 1 2 1 Identify and utilize competitive and high quality suppliers. Encourage government to reward technology suppliers who engaged in favourable business practices Develop open and effective relationships for information sharing between suppliers and acquirers of technology Formally evaluate suppliers performance against organisational requirements 65 9 66 9 67 9 68 9 2 2 1 1 2 1 2 1 3 5 4 1 Identify the location of competitors and suppliers Consider the attitude and reaction of local community to the location of the candidate technology Recognise the need to improve environment, and support that process with more technology 69 10 70 10 71 10 2 1 2 3 1 2 Total 139 88 68 52