The Feasibility of Setting Up Information Technology-enabled Services : A case of Zimbabwe

The study was aimed at assessing the feasibility of setting a ITES/BPO proving hub in Zimbabwe as the 21St Century is being driven by advancement in trade in services which is making Information Technology a crucial aspect of development. The a multiple case study involving countries that have successfully exploited the opportunities provided ITES outsourcing were used. The study revealed that Zimbabwe has a strong human resources base which is both inside and outside the country and has a competitive advantage in terms of strategic location, and compares very well with other outsourcing destinations in terms of basic elements for the ITES/BPO outsourcing industry. However the country does not have a clear, well coordinated enabling policy environment to support ICT development and diffusion. Zimbabwe has basic infrastructure which is not fully developed to maximally exploit the opportunities provided.