DIFFUSION OF GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION SYSTEM (GIS) TECHNOLOGY IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: A CASE STUDY OF BOTSWANA

摘要

Despite the dilemmas and questions about its utility and value in environmentsrnwith more urgent development priorities, computerised technology andrngeographic information systems (GIS) have been increasingly used in developingrncountries. A number of international aid organizations such as UNEP, UNESCO,rnand NORAD have been instrumental in providing financial and technical supportrnfor the transfer of GIS technology. However, the development of this technologyrnis permeated with the same issues that are associated with the transfer of highrn(computerised) technology in general. In most of the developing world a broaderrnGIS diffusion still confronts numerous difficulties and Botswana is not anrnexception. The major difficulties are related to the shortage of local trained staff,rnoutdated data, no standardised geo-coding system, and institutional constraints.rnThis paper sets off by reviewing the diffusion of GIS in developing countries.rnAgainst this backdrop Botswana is used as a case study. The paper focuses on therndiffusion of GIS technology in government agencies. It concentrates mostly onrnthe issues of macro diffusion, i.e., on learning about the extent and type of GISrnapplications in the Botswana government sector. It also attempts to determine thernfactors that affect diffusion of GIS technology and the efforts to establish arnnational GIS network.