CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION

1.1 INTRODUCTION
The free flow of information and communication has become paramount to the progress of society. Globally, 3G technologies have over the years benefited countries by supporting the proliferation of information, enabling citizens to access vital communication services and promoting the development of technology advancements. 3G networks, devices and services in countries worldwide, especially the least and medium developed countries, has enhanced the quality of life and expanded economic opportunities, both in the public and private sectors. The expansion of economic opportunities has resulted in increased competition, and development of innovative new services for consumers. Today, a decade later after its first adoption, 3G technologies are viewed as essential elements for socio-economic development for countries worldwide. Chapter one introduces and provides background information to the study, which investigates the impact of the adoption of third generation (3G) wireless technology on the economy, growth and competitiveness of Botswana. This chapter also depicts an analysis of the problem statement and aims. It also portrays the research questions and research objectives that this study will be based on. The chapter also justifies the topic of study and provides an outline of chapters.

1.1.1 Aim and objective of the study

The aim of this research is to investigate the impact of the adoption of third generation (3G) wireless technology on the economy, growth and competitiveness of Botswana, with the view of customer perspectives to analyze the success of the technology and recommending ways it can be improved in the future.

1.1.2 Research questions

What does the World Economic Forum use to rank countries IT competitiveness in the global economy? How does extending the information & communication services of Botswana help enhance the economy? Page 1 of 58

 What are the factors that can influence users to adopt a new technology? How is Botswana capitalizing on the benefits, if any, of the adoption of 3G technology? What are the limitations of the 3G wireless technology in Botswana?

1.1.3 Research objectives

To review literature and establish how countries are ranked based on the factors used by the World Economic Forum. To establish the impact and role of Information, Communication and Technology on a growing economy like Botswanas. To determine the factors that can influence users to adopt a new technology. To determine the benefits that can arise from the adoption of 3G technology and if Botswana is capitalizing on any of those opportunities. To determine the weaknesses of 3G technology in Botswana and recommend a way forward.

1.2 BACKGROUND INFORMATION 1.2.1 History

It is crucial to analyse Botswana before all the technological advancements before we could establish any benefits or impacts that have come with modern information technology. After gaining independence from the British in 1966, the poor and sparsely populated southern African country had to rely on international aid to support her budget (at the time, with a Gross Domestic Product per Capita of about US$70 a year) (Central Intelligence Agency, 2013). However, with significant capital investment, Botswana has since transformed itself into one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Agriculture was the main source of foreign exchange after independence accounting for 40% of the countrys Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which according to Parkin et al. (2008) is the market value of all final goods and services produced within a country in a given time period usually a year. However, around the mid 70s, the mining sector, principally diamond extraction became dominant over agriculture and other sectors.

1.2.2 Economy
Botswana is one of the largest producers of diamonds in the world and this has undoubtedly fuelled the growth of her economy. However, reliance on diamonds has proved to be risky. Not only because of the concerns that diamonds are predicted to dry out in Botswana over the next

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twenty years, but also for what occurred during the global economic recession in 2009, where we saw the industrial sector shrinking by 30%, after the global crises reduced demand for Botswanas diamond. In an attempt to diversify the economy from diamonds, the government has placed more emphasis on other sectors. In the 2012 Budget Speech, Matambo (2012) stated that Botswana has national development plans in place to accomplish economic diversification largely by reinvesting the proceeds of high returns from the mineral sector into other sectors such as tourism, manufacturing and agriculture. Another sector that can be vital to an economys growth is the Information, Communications and Technology (ICT) and telecommunications sector. The telecommunications sector has continued to dish out opportunities for economic growth in both developed and developing markets and have become an essential part of how economies work and function. Mobile and wireless services have become the universal providers of communications services because of the often undeveloped fixed-line. According to a study by Deloitte (2012), mobile telephony has transformed the way in which consumers and business operates in developing markets and has the potential to impact economic development.

1.2.3 Technology
Up until the end of the 20th Century, there was undoubtedly a clear division between the cellular or wireless industry and other telecommunications industries which at the time offered basic telephone, television, radio and computer services. Most mobile operators at the time had adapted to using the second generation (2G) digital wireless technologies to enable voice communications and limited data services, while most of the wire-line, cable and satellite systems provided the bulk of the older telecommunications services. Like any other service, wireless communications have had its limitations but at the same time have led to tremendous success, surpassing fixed line connections worldwide in 2001, just 12 years after its market introduction. This has been especially evident in developing markets where, due to their lower deployment costs, and greater network flexibility, wireless technologies have become the primary means of communication for millions of people, spurring the economic and social development of these markets. The beginning of the 21st Century came with it a whole new dimension of telecommunications. With the introduction of the third generation (3G) of wireless technologies came the high expectations and desire for high speed internet, and high speed transfer of data. 3Gs abilities to Page 3 of 58

provide a wide variety of audio, video and data services, combined with high speed added to its perceived attractiveness.

1.2.4 Competitiveness
Countries worldwide have come to the realisation that an integrated informational and communicational technologies industry can go a long way in enhancing the competitiveness and creativity of their economies and fuel the sustainable growth of the global economy. A countrys ICT competitiveness is determined by its rankings on the Global Information Technology Report, which is released by the World Economic Forum (WEF) annually. Through the evolved methodological framework known as the Networked Readiness Index (NRI), this report aims to measure the extent to which 142 economies worldwide take advantage of ICT and other new technologies to increase their growth and well-being. The report provides detailed profiles of the 142 economies and also included with it data for each of the 53 indicators used in the computation of the NRI. Botswana has one of the highest mobile market penetration rates in Africa. The average revenue per user is also one of the highest on the continent. In an attempt to generate new revenue streams and secure market share, three mobile operators Mascom Wireless (an affiliate of South Africas MTN), Orange Botswana (backed by France Telecom) and Be Mobile (a subsidiary of fixed-line incumbent Botswana Telecommunications Corporation) have entered the underdeveloped ICT sector with different strategies including 3G mobile, LTE, WiMax and ADSL services. These strategies and services have the potential to drive the country into a new dimension of technology that will see them within arms-length of the worlds leaders. Botswana made her debut in the GITR in 2003 with a ranking of 55 from 102 countries. Botswana climbed to 50th position out of 104 countries in the 2004-2005 edition but by 2008, she had deteriorated by 27 places. She was 77th in 2008 and the deterioration continued as she downsized by 14 places to position 91 in the 2010-2011 report. Botswana has however risen to 89th (out of 142 countries) in 2012.

1.3 PROBLEM STATEMENT

With the implementation of the 3G wireless technologies, Botswana is striving to keep up with technological developments across the world, which would assist them in economic growth and

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also a higher ranking in global competitiveness. The technological environment is changing every day, and it is the need for innovation by customers that will not make this easy. The research problem under investigation is the impact that customer perspectives can have on the adoption and impact of technology, on the economy, growth and competitiveness of Botswana.

1.4 RATIONALE
After revealing its technological aspirations to the world in the early 1980s when Botswana Telecommunications Corporation (BTC) was established, Botswana has become well known to have one of the most modern and innovative telecommunication infrastructure in Africa. BTC was the only telecommunications provider in Botswana until 1996 when Mascom Wireless and Vista (now known as Orange Botswana) came onto the scene. At the end of 2011, there were a total of 22 commercial Internet service providers, serving a population of just above 2 million. This has been noticeable in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) global rankings. In 2012, the World Economic Forum ranked Botswana sixth in Africa, up from tenth in 2011. According to the report, Botswana leapfrogged Senegal, Morocco, Namibia, Kenya and Gambia in terms of ICT competitiveness. The report measures the degree to which economies leverage ICT to enhance competitiveness by assessing ten pillars ranging from digital content, policy, infrastructure, affordability, efficiency, skills, usage, economic, environmental and social impacts. Regional powerhouse, South Africa, has a higher ranking for its infrastructure and economic impact of ICT, which also being slightly cheaper than Botswana in service and product offerings (WEF, 2012). Botswanas rise in ICT competitiveness can be traced to the Governments P70 million (548653.000 British Pounds) investments in the East Africa Submarine Cable System which is to provide local data users with fast internet at low costs. However, as Tlale (2012) reports, there is a need for improvement in the area of individual usage of ICT as well as the affordability of IT to ensure a positive economic impact. The findings of this research are expected to give the ICT industry, with the aid of customer perspectives and knowledge, the necessary knowledge to come up with new and innovative ways to help Botswana benefit more from ICT and in this situation, 3G technologies, and climb up the global competitive rankings.

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1.5 OUTLINE OF CHAPTERS

There are 6 chapters in this study, with Chapter 1 providing the scope and background information, and Chapter 2 being assigned with the reviewing of current literature related to the study. The methodology which has been used to collect data is stated and explained in Chapter 3. This is then followed by the presentation of findings and data analysis in Chapter 4. Chapter 5 sees the discussion and synthesising of key findings in relation to the literature review and primary data: encompassing conclusions and recommendations. The final chapter, Chapter 6, provides the researchers personal reflection on conducting this research.

1.6 CHAPTER SUMMARY

What this introductory chapter has done is provide a framework to which this research paper is based on. The aims of the study and the research questions and objectives presented will provide a road map to how to collect data relevant to achieve the aim. The motive of this research has also been brought forward, together with the technological developments of Botswana and her ICT Competitiveness history.

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CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.0 INTRODUCTION
This chapter discusses the theoretical and empirical literature from previous studies concerning the adoption of mobile and wireless services. The focus is mainly on the 3G wireless technology and its impact on economic growth and competitiveness, with the logic that customer perspectives have a major influence in the success and penetration of a new service. Another key area of interest will be the evolved Network Readiness Index structure and how it is suited to measure economies competitiveness.

2.1 GLOBAL ICT COMPETITIVENESS

In its decade of existence, the World Economic Forums Global Information Technology Report (GITR) has relied on the Networked Readiness Index (NRI) for measuring the degree to which economies across the world leverage ICT for enhanced competitiveness (Churu, 2012). During this period, with the help of the NRI, the GITR has helped policymakers and relevant stakeholders monitor their economies strengths and weaknesses as well as their progress over time. In addition, the report has assisted in the identification of the best practices in networked readiness and has designed strategies for establishing optimal ICT diffusion to boost competitiveness (WEF, 2012, p.3). Apart from a few minor adjustments in the variable level to better reflect the dynamic trends in the technology landscape, the NRI has remained relatively stable and unchanged since its adoption in 2002. Dutta and Jain (2003) proposed that this has allowed for meaningful comparisons across time and created a valuable database of technology metrics. However, the ICT industry is not the same as it was back in 2002 and Katos (2010, p.16) asserts that its affecting our societies differently and increasingly transforming our economies. We now live in a world where the internet and its related services are a necessity and are accessible by the average person and where the business world has become so competitive and complex that instant communication is a daily requirement. More precisely, over the past decade, the world has become increasingly hyperconnected (WEF, 2012). Social media and the rapid growth of mobile devices are all drivers of this process of hyperconnectivity. Society has changed and so have the patterns and relationships between consumers and enterprises, and citizens and the state. Page 7 of 58

According to Fredette et al. (2012) hyperconnectivity is arguably the most important trend in todays world, with so many new possibilities and opportunities to increase productivity and wellbeing by re-defining business as we all know it, innovation and improving the way public services are delivered. However, Wang and Huang (2011) warns that with the increasing hyperconnectivity comes the challenges and risks in terms of cybercrime, the flow of personal data and access to information. Despite all of this though, there is no denying that the impact on societies today is growing due to the worlds increasing hyperconnectivity. In this context, it is important that any methodology adopted to monitor and measure the adoption and impacts of ICT on an economy or society must be able to incorporate the evolving environment and deal with the fact that we are living in a hyperconnected world. The 2012/2013 edition of the GITR has undertaken a reviewed NRI framework which has gone through revamping to ensure its relevance and to remain at the fire-front of measuring and benchmarking the role of ICT for competitiveness and well-being for the next decade (WEF, 2012). According to Geiger et al. (2012) the NRI framework is inspired by four underlying principles: Measuring the economic and social impacts of ICT is crucial. An enabling environment determines the capacity of an economy and society to benefit from the use of ICT. ICT readiness and usage remain key drivers and preconditions for obtaining any impacts. All factors interact and co-evolve within an ICT eco-system. The framework should provide clear policy orientations and identify public-private partnership opportunities. As a result, the framework gauges: the friendliness of a countrys market and regulatory framework in supporting high levels of ICT uptake; the degree of a societys preparation to make good use of an affordable ICT infrastructure; the efforts of the main social agentsthat is, individuals, business, and governmentto increase their capacity to use ICT as well as their actual use of ICT in their day-to-day activities; and

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 The broad economic and social impacts accruing from ICT and the transformation of a country toward an ICT- and technology-savvy economy and society. Figure 2.0: the evolved Networked Readiness Index Structure

Source: WEF (2012, p.6) GITR uses 10 pillars of ICT growth and development to rank economies: Politicaland regulatory environment, Business and innovation environment, Infrastructure and digital content, Affordability, Skills, Individual usage, Business usage, Government usage, Economic impacts and Social impacts. Within these 10 pillars there are a total of 53 variables which are used to come up with the score for each pillar (WEF, 2012).

2.2 BOTSWANAS ICT COMPETITIVENESS

WEF (2012) has awarded Botswana with a score 3.58. Even though this places Botswana in 89th position from 142 countries, it is still just 0.08 units above the score considered to be of the Page 9 of 58

worst ICT competitive countries (See Figure 2.1). Botswana has been placed sixth in Africa behind Tunisia, Mauritius, South Africa, Cape Verde and debutants Rwanda. The fact that Botswana is sixth in Africa with a rather unsatisfactory performance globally shows how Africa is still lagging behind the rest of the world. Figure 2.1: Networked Readiness Index map

Source: WEF (2012, p.9) Figure 2.1 shows that overall, European countries continue to dominate and remain at the forefront of the efforts to leverage ICT to transform its economy and society. According to the European Commission (2013) the reason behind Europes success in technology is the integration of ICT in their competitive strategies, which will then boost innovation. Another reason is that they are able to incorporate ICT in all aspects of society, be it healthcare or education. Botswanas global ICT competitiveness has been deteriorating since 2008 and this can be attributable to the fact that she has not been performing particularly well in some of the important pillars especially in comparison with other African countries such as Tunisia, Mauritius and South Africa. For example, South Africa and Mauritius has for the past five years out performed Botswana on the pillar of political and regulatory environment which reflects a Page 10 of 58

countrys ability to develop business ideas and assess ICT penetration. Despite a relatively good performance on the social impact pillar, Botswana has also been out performed on the affordability and government usage pillar which considerably affects the economic usage pillar. These trends have led to a 12 places decline between 2008 and 2012, 77th position in 2008/09, 86th and 91st in 2009/10 and 2010/11 respectively and a slight rise to 89th in 2011/12 (see Figure 2.2). Figure 2.2: Botswana's Overall ICT Competitiveness (2008-2012)

95

90

85

80

75

70 GITR 2011/12 Rank out of 142 GITR 2010/11 Rank out of 138 GITR 2009/10 Rank out of 133 GITR 2008/09 Rank out of 134

2.2.1 Environment sub-index

The environment sub-index gauges the friendliness of a countrys market and regulatory framework in supporting high levels of ICT uptake and the development of entrepreneurship and innovation-prone conditions (WEF, 2012, p.7). In order to maximise on the potential impacts and benefits of ICT, a country should have a supportive environment (Microsoft, 2004; Taylor and Zhang, 2007). WEFs environment sub-index includes a total of 18 variables distributed into two pillars. The political and regulatory environment pillar (nine variables) examines the quality of the national legal framework of a particular country and assesses the extent to which it facilitates ICT penetration and development. The assessment of the regulatory environment includes the protection afforded to property rights, the independence of the

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judiciary, and the efficiency of the law-making process, and the passing of laws relating to ICT and software piracy. This pillar has been one of the best performing pillars for Botswana, clocking in a ranking of 47th, 45th, 47th and 40th in 2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11 and 2011/12 respectively (WEF 2008; WEF 2009; WEF 2010; WEF 2011; WEF 2012).

According to The Heritage Foundation (2013), the overall regulatory environment of Botswana encourages entrepreneurial activity, together with a fairly well developed financial sector. The labour regulations are relatively flexible and support the development of a modern labour market. The legal system is also sufficient to ensure commercial dealings, and also the protection of intellectual property rights has improved significantly over the years. However, Keetshabe (2012) states that in Botswana there is still no legislative framework to facilitate and enable the provision of e-services. He continues to assert that current laws tend to prohibit, rather than promote the use of ICT to provide services and gives an example of how the legislation does not provide the recognition of electronic signatures, authenticity of electronic documents and admissibility of electronic evidence, to name a few. To address these legal issues, Botswana must aim at developing a simple, consistent and technology-neutral legislation to recognize ICT processes and transactions including recognition of electronic signatures as a valid authentication method for electronic transactions which will ultimately give assurance and confidence to consumers, the business community and Government agencies to engage and adopt in electronic transactions.

The business and innovation environment pillar (nine variables)gauges the quality of the business framework conditions to boost entrepreneurship, taking into account dimensions related to the ease of doing business (Geiger et al. 2012). This pillar also measures the presence of conditions that allow innovation to flourish by including variables on the overall availability of technology, the demand conditions for innovative products, the availability of venture capital for financing innovation-related projects, and the presence of a skillful labor force.

As an effort to raise the level of investment and provide financial assistance to citizens looking to venture into innovation-related projects, or any project for that matter, the Government of Botswana has set up institutions such as the Citizen Entrepreneurship Page 12 of 58

Development Agency (CEDA), Botswana Development Corporation (BDC) and the National Development Bank (NDB) (BIDPA, 2009). Launching a business costs less than 2 percent of the level of average annual income and requires no minimum capital (The Heritage Foundation, 2013). With the availability of financial support and with a growing economy and society demanding the latest in technological advancements, it comes as no surprise that this is one of the best performing pillars of Botswana.

2.2.2 Readiness sub-index

The readiness sub-index measures the degree to which a society is prepared to make good use of an affordable ICT infrastructure and digital content (WEF, 2012, p.7). The readiness subindex has a total of 12 variables distributed into three pillars: The Infrastructure and digital content pillar (five variables) monitors and measures ICT infrastructure development, in terms of the state of the mobile network coverage, international internet bandwidth, secure internet services and also the accessibility of digital content. Botswana is a well endowed country in terms of developed and modern telecommunications infrastructure. There is a fixed-line telecommunications network in place including a complete fibre-optic ring that could reach 80% of the population if fully utilised (BTA 2010, cited in Sesigo 2011). Despite Botswanas impressive infrastructure, the main problem is that its citizens have not really benefited from it. According to Sesigo (2011), Botswana, in common with other developing nations, has lagged far behind in providing access to and usage of the latest ICT tools and resources to its citizens.

The affordability pillar (three variables)is a very important one in terms of ICT adoption as it assesses the costs associated with accessing ICT services, whether it is via mobile telephony or fixed broadband internet, as well as the level of competition in the internet and telephony sectors that determine this cost. Botswana telecommunications costs are high, and even though in real terms, they have been reducing for the past decade, they are still high by international standards. According to Chere (2011), this has been a major factor in disabling investment opportunities in the country. The fact that there are only three prominent cellular and telecommunications providers could explain a lot in terms of the level of competition, but investments such as the expansion of terrestrial networks Nteletsa 2 and E-PORTAL, Page 13 of 58

and investments on the east and west African Sub-marine cables; one has to wonder why costs are still high.

The skills pillar (four variables) will assume that there is a cost effective and well developed ICT infrastructure, and will analyse another important aspect that influences ICT adoption, and that is the ability of a society to make effective use of ICT thanks to the existence of basic education provided by the countries educational system, the rate of secondary education enrolment and level of adult literacy. The Government of Botswana has invested heavily into the development and growth of its education system in-line with the countrys Vision 2016 pillar of An Educated and Informed Nation. The Ministry of Education and Skills Development takes up the largest share of the countrys budget and in 2013, this budget will among other things cater for an increase in bursaries for post secondary students and open new secondary schools (Matambo, 2013). The adult literacy rate in Botswana currently stands at 82.9%, which is above most SADC countries (BEDIA, 2013).

2.2.3 Usage sub-index

The usage sub-index (15 variables) assesses the individual efforts of the main social agents that is individuals, businesses and government to increase their capacity to use ICT, as well as their actual use in their day-to-day activities with other agents (WEF, 2012, p.7). The individual usage pillar (seven variables) looks at the ICT penetration at individual level and also measures ICT diffusion with the help of indicators such as the number of mobile phone subscriptions, individuals using the internet, households with a personal computer (PC), households with internet access, both fixed and mobile broadband subscriptions, and the use of social networks. Botswana ranked 95th from 133 economies in 2009 on this pillar with an estimated 120,000 internet users (WEF, 2009; Internet World Stats, 2009). In 2012, there was an increase of users to 294,000, which is 14% of the population. This resulted in the slight change in rankings in the individual usage pillar, this time 102nd from 142 economies. The 294,000 Facebook subscribers as at December 2012 will also have a positive effect on the individual usage ranking.

The business usage pillar (five variables)measures the extent to which businesses utilise the internet as well as their efforts to integrate ICT into an internal, technology-savvy, Page 14 of 58

innovation-conducive environment that generates productivity gains. This pillar also measures a businesss technology absorption capacity as well as its overall capacity to innovate and the production to technology novelties measures by the number of PCT patent applications. It also establishes the availability of staff training within businesss, which will ultimately indicate the extent to which management and employees are better capable of identifying and developing business innovation (WEF, 2012).

The government usage pillar (three variables)looks into the efforts governments make to implement their visions for ICT development, and the number of government services they provide online. Botswana has moved forward with its National e-Government Strategy 2011-2016, which according to Molale, (2011), to be successful, will need all of the ministries and agencies to introduce minor changes in technology, business processes and organisational structures. The making available of all government services online will not only improve public sector service delivery but will also increase the use of ICT across all segments of society.

2.2.4 Impact sub-index

Comprising of a total of eight variables, the impact sub-index measures the social and economic impacts accruing from ICT to boost competitiveness and well-being and that reflect the transformations toward an ICT and technology-savvy economy and society. The economic impacts pillar establishes the effect of ICT on a countrys competitiveness in relation to the generation of technological and non-technological innovations in the shape of patents, new products or processes, and organizational practices. This pillar also measures the overall shift of an economy toward more knowledge-intensive activities (Dutta et al. 2012). The social impact pillar aims at assessing the ICT-driven improvements in well-being thanks to its impact on the environment, education, energy consumption, health progress, or more-active civil participation. It establishes the extent to which ICT is present in education as a proxy for the potential benefits that are associated with the use of ICT in education (WEF, 2012).

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2.3 ICT MARKET

Undoubtedly, the market size of any economy and or economic sector will affect its productivity because a large market will allow companies to exploit economies of scale. The bigger the market, the higher the expected return from investments. This is no different with the ICT market of Botswana. Mobile telephony networks of the Public Telecommunications Operators (PTOs) namely Botswana Telecommunications Corporation (BTC), Be Mobile, Orange Botswana and Mascom Wireless are estimated to cover at least 95 percent of the Botswana population (Lute, 2011). These are the main service providers as they are currently the only licensed telephony operators which are permitted to provide both mobile and fixed telephony services. However, despite the permissive nature of the license, BTC remains the only PTO to provide both mobile (Be Mobile) and fixed telephony while Orange Botswana (Pty) Ltd (Orange) and Mascom Wireless Botswana (Pty) Ltd (Mascom) provide mobile telephony only (BTA, 2012).

2.3.1 Market share in mobile telephony

For the period ending March 2012, Mascom continuesto hold the lions share in the mobile telephony market like it did for the period ending March 2011,recording 54% of the total subscriber base, followedby Orange at 35% and lastly BTC (Be Mobile) at 11%. See Chart 2.0 and Chart 2.1 below:

Chart 2.0: Market share 2011

Be Mobile Orange Mascom

Chart 2.1: Market share 2012

Be Mobile Orange Mascom

14% 52% 34% 54%

11%

35%

2.3.2 Financial performance

The two mobile operators, Mascom and Orange, as at December 2011 had accumulated total revenue of P2.24 billion, which can be seen as a moderate increase of 1.8% compared to

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P2,20billion in December 2010. There was also a rise from P680 million of total net profits for the year in December 2010, to P700 million in December 2011 (BTA, 2012, p.35). These figures can be traced to the increase in internet uptake in Botswana (See Figure 2.5) more specifically mobile internet for Mascom and Orange. Figure 2.5: Internet uptake in Botswana: March 2011 and March 2012

300000 250000 200000 Mar-11 150000 100000 50000 0 ADSL Fixed Wireless Mobile Internet Mar-12

Figure 2.5 shows that the overall internet uptake has increased from 203,885 subscribers in March 2011 to 279,429 in March 2012 (294,000 at December 2012). According to BTA (2012), fixed mobile internet and ADSL constitute only 6% of the internet subscribers whilst mobile internet accounts for 94%. ADSL and fixed wireless internet witnessed slight changes to their number of subscribers between March 2011 and March 2012. Mobile internet performed better with an increase of subscribers from 185,971 to 259,486 between March 2011 and March 2012. According to the World Bank (2012), this has had a positive impact on the overall internet penetration in Botswana as it moved from 10% in 2011 to 13.8% in 2012. The increase in mobile internet subscribers has come about mainly due to the rigorous attempts to generate new revenue streams and the securing of market share by the three PTOs. Over the years the companies have moved forward from the EDGE and Second Generation (2G) wireless technologies to more advanced 3G and 3.5G technologies. As previously stated in this Page 17 of 58

research, these services have the potential to drive a country into a new dimension of technology that will see them within arms length of the worlds most technologically advanced countries.

2.4 THIRD GENERATION (3G)

The world of telecommunications has changed rapidly as we enter the era of convergence between wireless networks, broadband communication and the content sector. According to Prakash and Behera (2010) demand for advanced services such as mobile internet and mobile video have risen immensely and have been labelled as the main catalyst for the continuous growth of the telecommunications industry. The mobile industry has been gaining momentum for years now. In 2009, mobile technology was dubbed the most rapidly adopted technology in history with an estimated 4.6 billion subscriptions globally. Today figures published by the United Nations International Telecommunications Union (ITU) reveal the impressive spread of mobile connectivity. According to ITU (2013) Facts and Figures report, mobile-cellular penetration rates stand at 96% and there are now 6.8 billion mobile-cellular subscriptions globally. This is literally almost as many people as there are in the world (7.1 billion). For mobile technology to thrive it requires a pedestal on which it can succeed and the Third Generation of wireless technologies (3G) has been such a pedestal since its first adoption in 2001. According to Lee et al. (2009) the successful diffusion of 3G technology is necessary for the provision of many advanced applications via the mobile platform such as mobile broadband internet and video. From a global perspective, deployment of 3G services is significantly more developed in some countries than others. The first 3G network offered for commercial use was launched in Japan in 2001 (Chen, 2007). And the first African country to adopt the network was Mauritius in 2004. Botswana introduced this network in 2008 and the coverage of the network is mostly concentrated in and around the countrys two largest cities, Gaborone and Francistown (Garg and Garg, 2011). 3G services are therefore a recent development in Botswana hence literature on the network in Botswana is scarce and scattered. Research by Garg and Garg (2011) aiming to assess the usage patterns and adoption of 3G services in Botswana, revealed that there is a high level of mobile penetration in Botswana. However, the research also revealed that 62% of the researchers participants were aware of 3G services in Botswana and only 8% of the 62% actually using it. BTA (2012) asserts that even though internet penetration is perceived to be low in Botswana, there are still signs that mobile Page 18 of 58

internet via 3G is on the rise as there is an increasing number of individuals accessing the internet through mobile handsets. BTA confirms that the exact number of such individuals is yet to be measured and until then, low estimates will continue to be cited in various literatures. Qualcomm (2009) states that 3G networks play a vital role in expanding access to essential communication (voice) and value-added information (data) services, as well as improve the overall level of tele-density. An improved tele-density in Botswana can lead to benefits such as an enhanced GDP and job creation opportunities in the telecommunications sector. Shapiro and Hassett (2012) suggests that 3G services are enabling employers to provide employees with real-time access that can help assist them in responding to customers claims more quickly and effectively, hence increasing productivity. 3G technology is also set out to improve peoples quality of life. Communication services used on a daily basis have improved tremendously with 3G technology. 3G has the ability to provide healthcare services to people in rural areas as soon as new wireless healthcare services and devices enter the market (Qualcomm, 2009). For instance, wireless health services ranging from medication reminders to remote diagnostic and monitoring services have the potential to improve and extend life. Qualcomm further mentions that other industries that can benefit from the adoption of 3G technology include the financial services and mobile commerce. Mobile financial services such as mobile banking supported by 3G technologies will provide a new level of convenience, visibility and safety when it comes to managing finances, no matter what the consumers socio economic status may be. However, in light of all the success and impact of the technology, 3G and its applications have encountered obstacles that have hindered the technologys development and user acceptance. Botswana might have an infrastructure that is up to international standard, but the cost of cellular infrastructure is high. According to Diare (2013), the implementation of 3G is very expensive as it requires closer base stations and upgrading base stations is very costly. There are high spectrum-license costs and network deployment costs. A positive with 3G is that it can be captured by a wide variety of handsets, but the problem lies with the fact that most of those handsets are expensive and cannot be afforded by most people. Another drawback of 3G is its high energy consumption. Assessing 3G will have a negative effect on a handsets battery life.

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2.5 USER ACCEPTANCE

Information technology acceptance and use is a topic that has captured the attention of many technology researchers for many years now. Bugembe (2010) suggests that this is because IT usage has risen beyond its traditional role of operational support and now plays a central role in formulating business strategies and enhancing productivity. The main aim of technology acceptance theories used in recent literature is to explore the factors that could possibly influence the adoption and diffusion of new technologies throughout a social system. According to Rocker (2009), one of the best and mostly used models for this task is the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) developed by Fred Davis. What makes TAM similar to most technology acceptance theories is that it also assumes that users can be persuaded to adopt a certain technology based on cost-benefit considerations. What makes it different to some is that it presupposes that two particular constraints can also influence users acceptance of a technology; Perceived ease of use (PEOU) and Perceived usefulness (PU). Based on the original definitions of (Davis et al. 1989 cited in Baran 2009), PEOU refers to the degree to which a user expects the target system to be free of effort. PU on the other hand describes the individuals subjective probability that using a specific application system will increase his or her job performance within an organizational context. PEOU consists of determinants such as; easy to use, easy to read, the understandability and complexity. Venkatesh (2000) describes PEOU as an individuals perception on how easy the innovation is to learn and use. In some situations, users and prospective users may have the belief that a certain technology may be successful but at the same time believe the technology is too difficult to understand and use and that the benefits of usage are outweighed by the effort of application. Users look for a technology that is capable of being used advantageously and according to Bugembe (2010), if we look at it from an organizational context, where people are generally reinforced for good performance by raises and bonuses, a system high in perceived usefulness is one for which a user believes in the existence of a positive use-performance relationship.

2.6 CHAPTER SUMMARY

Even though Botswana is among the top ten countries in Africa, her global ICT competitiveness ranking has been on the decline for the past four years. Botswana has been performing well for its political, business and innovation environment, but the main reason for this decline has been the poor performance in the readiness and usage sub-indexes. The country is trying to improve Page 20 of 58

its competitiveness by implementing new policies and strategies, of which some will aim at improving the government and individual usage and also the educational system. The internet uptake in Botswana, due to the improving mobile market, has been doing particularly well. This is also attributable to the adoption of 3G technology, which since its adoption into the mobile market of Botswana has attracted more customers to use mobile internet. Botswana has to aim at giving greater focus to improve the pillars incorporated in the readiness and usage sub-indexes in order to improve her overall competitiveness.

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CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 INTRODUCTION
This chapter discusses the methodology that has been used to collect data for this research. It is organized into six different but inter-related segments; the research philosophy, strategy, data collection methods, data analysis, sampling, ethics and limitations of the research. When we talk of research methodology we not only talk of the research methods but also consider the logic behind the methods we use in the context of our research study and explain why we are using a particular method or technique and why we are not using others so that research results are capable of being evaluated either by the researcher himself or by others (Kothari, 2004, p.8). The methodology for this research has been based on the framework known as the research onion.

3.2 RESEARCH ONION

The research onion is a framework which is used to provide a systematic process for carrying out primary research (Saunders et al, 2009). It also helps the researcher in choosing the relevant philosophy, approach, strategy, data collection methods and instruments in relation to his/her research topic. Figure 3.0: Research Onion

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Figure 3.0 show that there are six different research layers which must be understood clearly in order to carry out research and obtain primary information. There is the research philosophy, which according to Saunders et al (2009) contains important assumptions about the way in which the researcher view the world. The philosophy the researcher adopts (for example; Positivism, Realism, Interpretivism, Pragmatismetc) is influenced by practical considerations and his/her particular view of the relationship between knowledge and the process by which it is developed. Another level on the onion is the research approach, in which the researcher decides to use either the deductive or the inductive approach. This is followed by the research strategy that the researcher is planning to employ. The onion also shows the use of data collection methods (and the decision to use mono, mixed or multi methods), time horizons (cross-sectional and longitudinal) and lastly procedures of data collection. However, it is important for the researcher to understand all the items presented by the onion in order to know which are relevant to his research. It is also important for the reader to understand the onion as well in order to relate to the researcher and understand his reasons for adopting some of the items on the onion.

3.2.1 Research Philosophy

As indicated by figure 3.0, there are ten possible philosophies a researcher can adopt when conducting research. However, it is vital that a researcher understands that no one philosophy is better than another. Fact is they are better at doing different things. It all depends on the research questions the researcher is seeking to answer. The research philosophy can be branched into three different ways; Epistemology (which constitutes what is acceptable knowledge), Ontology (which is concerned with the nature of reality) and Axiology (which is a branch of philosophy that studies judgements about value). Each contains important differences which influence the way in which the researcher might view and think about the research process. It is then based on these three branches that the researcher is able to align himself with the appropriate philosophy. And because this research is a management research, there are mainly four philosophies that can be possibly be relevant and adopted for this research.

3.2.1.1

Positivism

This philosophy presents the idea that reality is stable and can be observed and described objectively (Saunders et al, 2009). The assumption is that the researcher is independent, which means he/she will neither affect or be affected by the subject of the study. If your research philosophy reflects the principles of positivismthen you will probablyadopt the philosophical Page 23 of 58

stance of the natural scientist. You will prefer working with anobservable social reality and that the end product of such research can be law-like generalizations similar to those produced by the physical and natural scientists (Remenyi et al, 1998). In order to formulate the research strategy to collect data, the researcher is likely to use existing theories to develop hypotheses which will go through rigorous testing leading to the further development of theory.

3.2.1.2

Realism

Realism is an epistemological position which like the positivism approach relates to scientific enquiry. It is similar to positivism in that it assumes a scientific approach to the development of knowledge. The essence of realism is that what the senses show us as reality is the truth: that objects have an existence independent of the human mind (Saunders et al, 2009). The meaning and in particular the relevance of realism for business and management research becomes clearer when two forms of realism are contrasted. The first type of realism is direct realism. It simply asserts that what you see is what you get (what we experience through our senses portrays the world accurately). The second type of realism is critical realism which argues that what we experience are just sensations, images of the real world not the things directly (Sellers 2011).

3.2.1.3

Interpretivism

This approach advocates that it is important for the researcher to understand differences between humans as social actors and requires the researcher to understand the term social actors and grasp the subjective meaning of social action as the emphasis is on the difference between conducting research among people rather than objects (Bryman and Bell, 2007; Saunders et al, 2009). According to Descombe (2010) this philosophy is concerned with taking interest in social sciences, describing human experiences, dealing and presenting matters the way other people perceive them and appreciate that people see things differently. Interpretivism is critical of the positivism because it seeks to collect and analyze data from parts of a phenomena and, in so doing, positivism can miss important aspects of a comprehensive understanding of the whole.Interpretivism proposes that there are multiple realities, not single realities of phenomena, and that these realities can differ across time and place (Neill, 2006).

3.2.1.4

Pragmatism

This is the fourth philosophy available to be adopted by the researcher and it argues that the most important determinants of the researchers choice of epistemology, ontology and axiology are the researchers choice of epistemology; ontology and axiology are the research questions Page 24 of 58

because one may be more appropriate than others in answering particular questions. In a situation where the research questions do not clearly indicate whether to adopt the positivism or interpretivism philosophy, the researcher can take up the pragmatism because it allows the researcher to work with variations in epistemology. Tashakkori and Teddlie (1998, cited in Saunders et al, 2009) suggests that pragmatism is intuitively appealing because it avoids the researcher engaging in rather pointless debates about concepts such as truth and reality, and Descombe (2010) suggests that it places much emphasis on what is practical than the abstract when it comes to issues of knowledge and truth. With this basis and knowledge and that from the aforementioned philosophies, and because of the researchers inability to affect or be affected in any way by the ways and factors that the World Economic Forum uses to rank countries competitiveness in the global economy (making it a positivism) and the researchers freedom to undertake the research in a subjective way that allows him to find out the factors that can influence users to adopt a new technology (making it interpretivism), this research has been conducted using the pragmatism philosophy.

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3.2.2 Research Approach

According to Luck and Rubin (1987) as cited in Chordia (2012, p.17), a research design is the determination and statement of the general research approach or strategy adopted for a particular project. The research approach will be an essential guide for the researcher and his data collection and analysis and will always be associated and divided into two approaches, being the Deductive and Inductive approaches. In this research, since the researcher has already adopted the pragmatism philosophy, it is much more appropriate that the research be conducted using a mixture of both deductive (apply/test theory) and an inductive approach (collect data and apply theory) because, according to the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (2008), pragmatism suggests that the value of any theory can only be judged by how well it will work in answering real practical needs and how well it works in practice.

3.2.2.1

Deductive

A deductive approach owes much to a scientific research and it involves the development of a theory that is subjected to a rigorous test (Saunders et al, 2009). The characteristics and stages through which deductive research will progress can help in searching for the casual relationships between variables, like a countrys ICT competitiveness and the users perceived attractiveness and usefulness of new technology. To establishing the relationship between these two variables, it is important to select samples of sufficient size in order to generalize conclusions.

3.2.2.2

Inductive

On the other hand, the inductive approach, which is associated with interpretivism, differs from the deductive in that it is mostly used by social science researchers who are critical about an approach that enables a cause-effect relationship to be made without taking time to understand how humans interpret their social world. It is a theory building process, where the researcher starts by observing specific instances and then seeking to establish generalizations about the phenomenon under investigation. It involves the collection of qualitative data.

3.2.3 Research Design

With the aim of gaining more insights to the factors that can influence users to adopt a new technology, the benefits that can arise from the adoption of 3G technology and its overall impact on the economy and competitiveness of Botswana, a case study will be used. This is because a case study is used for theory-testing and theory-building which fits well with the adopted

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research approach. A case study involves the empirical investigation of a particular phenomenon within its real life context using multiple sources of evidence.

3.2.4 Research Methods 3.2.4.1 Target population and samples

The research population chosen for analysis in this research will consist of upper senior management and research consultants and also users of the mobile networks under investigation, from which a sample is to be selected for the research. Quinlan (2011) argues that a sample is a subset of a population and is representative of the overall population (Population=P). In this research, two populations (P1 and P2) will be targeted as shown in Table 3.0. The population will be selected based on their experience and possible affiliations with wireless data technology. Table 3.0: Population and samples Organization Botswana Telecommunications Corporation Population Size 3 Sample Size 2 Participant Position Research consultants Mobile subscribers Notation P1

500,000+ Total 500,000+

50 52

P2

3.2.4.2

Sampling

For some research questions in other studies it might be possible to collect data from an entire population, probably because it is of a manageable size. However, this does not necessarily mean the researcher will obtain more useful results than from collecting data from a sample. There are two types of sampling methods, one being the Probability (random) method and the other being the Non-probability (non-random) sampling method. With the probability method, subjects are randomly chosen from a population, and this means that its possible to answer research questions and to achieve objectives that require the researcher to statistically estimate the characteristics of a population from the sample.

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Alternatively, there is non-probability sampling. It provides a range of alternative techniques to select samples based on the researchers subjective judgement. Non-probability sampling consists of five techniques: Quota sampling, Snowball sampling, Convenience sampling, Purposive sampling and Self-selection sampling.

3.2.4.2.1 Quota sampling

Quota sampling is entirely non-random and is normally used for interview surveys. It is based on the premise that the researchers sample will represent the population as the variability in the sample for various quota variables is the same as that in the population (Barnett 1991, cited in Saunders et al, 2009).

3.2.4.2.2 Snowball sampling

This technique is commonly used when it is difficult to identify members of the desired population. The researcher using the snowball sampling technique will then have to find one participant, conduct the research and ask the participant to recommend another participant. The researcher goes through the same procedure with the next participant and when finished, asks that participant to recommend another participant. This goes on until no more participants are given (Quilan 2011).

3.2.4.2.3 Self-selection sampling

With this technique, it is the participants who are to identify themselves and their desire to take part in the research after a public request from the researcher. They do so by their free will and maybe influenced by the research question(s) or objective(s) (Kothari 2004).

3.2.4.2.4 Convenience sampling

This sampling technique (also known as Haphazard sampling) involves selecting haphazardly those cases that are easiest to obtain for your sample, such as the person interviewed at random in a shopping centre. The sample selection process is continued until the required sample size is met (Saunders et al, 2009).

3.2.4.2.5 Purposive sampling

This last technique, purposive sampling (also known as judgemental sampling), will be adopted for this research. This is because it enables the researcher to use his own judgement to select participants who will be best suited to answer research questions and make sure objectives are met. The purposive sampling approach is also appropriate because it works well with very small samples and this research only has two samples. Reasons for sampling in this research are that Page 28 of 58

there are time and budget constraints that will prevent the researcher from assessing the entire population.

3.2.4.3

Data Collection Instrument

Primary data will be obtained by using semi-structured interviews and both open and close ended questionnaires and this is because the interviews provides the researcher with an insight into the participants attitude and ideas towards a subject and open ended questionnaires allow for the in depth discussion of topics and allows the researcher to better access the respondents true feelings on the issue presented to them. Close-ended questions are more specific and are easily analyzed and appropriate for simple responses.

3.2.4.4

Data Collection Procedure

Data will be collected through the interviewing of experienced participants in the field of wireless technologies and a total of 50 questionnaires will be distributed to mobile subscribers. Only 50 will be distributed because of the time constraints and inability to analyse a large amount of data in a short period of time. The researcher believes 50 will contain sufficient data to help reach the objective of finding out the factors that influence users to adopt new technology. Secondary data will be collected from books, newspaper articles and reviewed electronic journals.

3.2.4.5

Data Analysis Procedure

Primary data collected will then be summarized. In other words, key points that emerged will be broken down from long statements to short statements and might have to be rephrased to be able to understand it better.

3.2.4.6

Measures to ensure trustworthiness

Validity and reliability are two fundamental elements in the valuation of a research instrument. It is the duty of the researcher to create reliability and validity tests, be it to survey questionnaires or any instrument he is using to obtain primary data. Validity is concerned with the extent to which an instrument measures what it is intended to measure, and reliability is concerned with the ability of an instrument to measure consistently (Tavakol and Dennick, 2011). It should be understood that the reliability of an instrument is closely associated with its validity. However, according to (Bernstein 1994, cited in Tavakol and Dennick 2011) the reliability of an instrument does not depend on its validity and its actually possible to objectively measure the reliability of an instrument.

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Interviews Interviews have been recorded using a digital voice recorder in an attempt to ensure the validity and credibility of the data collected and presented in this paper. The recordings were converted to word document format and returned to interviewees for verification. Actual dialogue will be used in the data analysis to further ensure credibility and validity. Questionnaires A total of 50 completed questionnaires were collected and to measure their reliability, the Cronbachs alpha was used (calculated). Developed by Lee Cronbach in 1951, the alpha is expressed as a number between 0 and 1 and it sets out to provide a measure of the internal consistency of a test or scale. Internal consistency describes the extent to which all the items in a test or scale measure the same concept, hence it is connected to the inter-relatedness of the items within the test (Tavakol and Dennick, 2011). Therefore, the internal consistency should be measured to establish validity. The incorrect use of Cronbachs alpha has sometimes seen off tests and scales as unreliable and not generating trustworthy results, so it is very important that it is understood very well by the researcher. Table 3.1 and Table 3.2 in Appendix show the reliability statistics of the researchers collected questionnaires; number of items in the questionnaire and the alpha value, and the Item-total statistics respectively.

3.3 ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS

Consent letters were written to all the organizations involved in this research requesting for permission to solicit information. Their rights and responsibilities were explained to them, concerning things like withdrawal from the study and their safety by being involved in this research. All data was kept confidential and for educational purposes only.

3.4 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY 3.4.1 Time

The availability of adequate time proved to be the main limitation to the study. Since the commencement of the independent studies, the researcher had four other research assignments to work on and at the same time preparing for the very challenging final year examinations. Despite this the researcher was still able to come up with a solid piece of work but there is no doubt that more time could have yielded a better final paper.

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3.4.2 Response from participants

It was difficult to schedule interviews because of company policies not to get involved in academic researches that the researcher had hoped to acquire information from. Only one interview was conducted. Participants took long to respond to questionnaires which prompted the researcher to do a lot of follow-ups to speed up the response rate to have time to analyze the data.

3.5 CHAPTER SUMMARY

This chapter was mainly an explanatory chapter on how primary data was collected. The philosophy adopted was the pragmatism, because of the researchers inability to affect or be affected in any way by the ways and factors that the World Economic Forum uses to rank countries competitiveness in the global economy, and the researchers freedom to undertake the research in a subjective way that allows him to find out the factors that can influence users to adopt a new technology. The research is not theory-based and does not seek to develop a new theory of its own, hence the use of questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Typical with many research papers, this one was also subject to limitations. Time proved to be the main problem encountered by the researcher, as well as participants taking long to respond to questionnaires.

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CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
4.1 INTRODUCTION
The aim of this research is to investigate the impact of the adoption of third generation (3G) wireless technology on the economy, growth and competitiveness of Botswana, with the view of customer perspectives to analyze the success of the technology and recommending ways it can be improved in the future. In order to achieve the above aim and comprehensively answer the research questions mentioned in Chapter 1, the researcher has opted to use interviews, closed and open-ended questionnaires to collect data. The purpose of this chapter is to present and analyse the data collected. Firstly, the chapter will present the respondents profiles, and the next part of the chapter will see the presentation of findings and followed by the interpretation and analysis of individual research questions.

4.2 Research objectives

To review literature and establish how countries are ranked based on the factors used by the World Economic Forum. To establish the impact and role of Information, Communication and Technology on a growing economy like Botswanas. To determine the factors that can influence users to adopt a new technology. To determine the benefits that can arise from the adoption of 3G technology and if Botswana is capitalizing on any of those opportunities. To determine the weaknesses of 3G technology in Botswana and recommend a way forward.

4.3 Textual analysis techniques

Data analysis and interpretation is the process of assigning meaning to collected data and determining the conclusions, significance and implications of the findings (Office of Institutional Research and Assessment, 2013). It involves the organisation of raw unorganised field data, processing it in order to obtain its true meaning. In order to investigate the impact of 3G wireless technology on the economy, growth and competitiveness of Botswana, this research had to be broad and exploratory, and fairly descriptive to be able to analyse the role of customer perspectives in the success of new technology; hence adopting a qualitative analysis. Page 32 of 58

One of qualitative datas characteristics is its diverse nature. Because of this, there is no standardized procedure for analysing such data. However, according and as explained by Saunders et al (2009), there are three ways of possibly grouping this type of data for analysis.

4.3.1 Categorisation (grouping) of meanings

This process involves two activities: developing categories and, subsequently attaching those categories to meaningful chunks of data. By doing this, the researcher is able to recognize and develop and test propositions.

4.3.1 Structuring (ordering) of meanings, using narrative

This process commences with the use of verbatim transcripts or complete sets of notes that have been produced. This is applicable where research is based on individuals accounts of their experiences and the ways in which they explain these through their subjective interpretations and relate them to constructions of the social world in which they live.

4.3.1 Summarising (condensation) of meanings

This is whereby long statements collected from interviews and open-ended questionnaires are summarized into short statements and rephrased in order to extract the key points and make sense of what has been said or stated. Categorisation seems to be more about the fragmentation of qualitative data to further the process of analysis. However, the researcher believes in what Musson (2004) has asserted and that is that researchers should retain the integrity of the data they have collected. The structuring process is irrelevant to this research because it is based on the narrative approach, which this research has not adopted. So, based on the above reasons, the researcher has decided to adopt the condensation technique. It will assist the researcher to become conversant with the key themes and any relationships that may have emerged from interviews.

4.4 Background data of participants

Primary data was collected from two samples, not three as the researcher had initially hoped and planned, as one of the respondents did not return the questionnaire she was requested to complete. The two samples consist of Respondent A and Respondent B, both from Botswana Telecommunications Corporation (BTC), occupying different senior positions at the organization (See Table 4.0). Respondent B also works closely with BTCs subsidiary, Be Mobile. Both were asked to answer questions relating to among others the role of information, communication and

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technology on a growing economy like Botswanas and the benefits that can arise from the adoption of 3G technology and if Botswana is capitalizing on any of those opportunities. Table 4.0 Background Information of Respondents

Respondent Code A

Position

Qualification

Experience (years) 3 years

Network planning Degree and optimization engineer Data management Diploma manager Degree

and 5 years

4.6 MAJOR FINDINGS

This is a section of this chapter where results will be analysed and interpreted in relation to the research objectives stated earlier in Chapter One and at the beginning of this chapter. In nonstandardised (qualitative research) interviews, the interview is normally audio-recorded and subsequently transcribed (Saunders et al. 2009), and that is exactly what the researcher has done in this research; producing a written (word-processed) account of the actual words said in the interview. The verbatim will be used to satisfy research objectives two, four and five. Objective one has already been dealt with in Chapter Two (Literature Review). Finally, data extracted from questionnaires handed out to mobile subscribers has been used to deal with Objectives three and five.

4.6.1 Objective 1
To review literature and establish how countries are ranked based on the factors used by the World Economic Forum:

As stated in the Literature Review in Chapter Two, the World Economic Forum (WEF), for the past decade, has released a document known as the Global Information Technology Report (GITR), which according to the WEF (2012, p.3) has assisted relevant stakeholders and policymakers in monitoring their economies strengths and weaknesses as well as their progress over time. The literature reveals that the GITR is not a stand-alone report and it actually relies on a comprehensive tool for measuring the degree to which economies across the world leverage ICT for enhanced competitiveness. This tool is known as the Networked Readiness Index (NRI) and based on its 10 pillars of ICT growth and development, the GITR Page 34 of 58

and the WEF is able to rank countries accordingly to their ICT progression. Within these 10 pillars (Political and regulatory environment, Business and innovation environment,

Infrastructure and digital content, Affordability, Skills, Individual usage, Business usage, Government usage, Economic impacts and Social impacts) there are 53 variables used to come up with the score for each pillar (WEF, 2012). Not only does the NRI help in the ranking of economies but it also assists in the identification of the best practices in networked readiness and designs strategies for establishing optimal diffusion to boost competitiveness.

4.6.2 Objective 2
To establish the impact and role of Information, Communication and Technology on a growing economy like Botswanas.

Information, Communication and Technology offers opportunities to developing countries such as Botswana and aims at playing an important role in the promoting of sustainable local development and the acceleration of economic growth. Economies utilize ICT to achieve a variety of development objectives including the expansion of education opportunities, reduction of unemployment and the access to government services. The Government of Botswana has invested a lot of money in educating its citizens. Evidence of this is the fact that the Ministry of Education has been awarded the biggest share of the countrys budget, which is set to go a long way in building more schools and sponsoring post secondary students. Education in Botswana is free but not compulsory. The Ministry of Education has authority over all the primary, junior and senior secondary schools. Even though primary education is probably the most important stage in the educational structure, and the government strives to make it available for everyone, Botswana has invested most in secondary education. Currently there are 212 junior community secondary schools and 28 senior schools.
Botswana can be commended for the effort to provide resources to junior and secondary schools. It is understood that most of them have fully equipped computer laboratories, but the problem is that most schools struggle with their effective use. The government has introduced the national ICT Policy, Maitlamo, which is to provide a guide to accomplish social, economic and political transformation through the effective use of ICT. Under education, the policy has the ThutoNet Program which aims to provide all schools with modern PCs and internet access, design and implement an ICT content and curriculum development programme for the primary, secondary and tertiary sectors, and secure funding to sustain ICT in education.Respondent B

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With the assistance of Information, Communication and Technology, the Government of Botswana is looking to make available all Government services online for the public to utilise, with the hope that if correctly implemented, there will be an improvement in public sector delivery and an increase in the use of ICT in society.
the provision of government services in electronic form. We believe it has become essential for the efficiency and effectiveness of the public service. The government has also made an undertaking through the Maitlamo Policy which is set to take ICT services to the people and also to meet the aspirations of Botswana as per Vision 2016 pillars of an innovative, informed and educated nation. With the help of ICT, we can ensure that Botswana has a skilled and productive workforce that is digitally literate. Respondent A

4.6.2 Objective 3
To determine the factors that can influence users to adopt a new technology.

Part of this objective was addressed in the Literature Review of this research paper (Chapter Two), where the researcher presented a brief explanation of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). The literature revealed that TAM suggests that there are two particular constraints that can influence users acceptance of a technology, being the users Perceived Ease of Use and Perceived Usefulness. The literature reviewed suggests that technology should be capable of being used advantageously and ease to operate for it to be adopted.

A question was also asked on the open-ended section of the questionnaire distributed to mobile subscribers asking them about how Botswanas service providers are attracting them as the users to adopt their services. Most of the respondents, if not all, advocated to the fact that a good marketing strategy was vital to lure them in. Even though some respondents found the vigorous advertising strategy usually adopted by the countrys mobile service providers irritating at times, majority hailed it for being the reason they adopt the services. Most of the respondents believe they should be well-informed on a service; its cost and its benefit in order to adopt it.

Additional questions were included in the closed-ended section of the questionnaire which can further address the aforementioned objective. See Table 4.1, Table 4.2 and Table 4.3 below:

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Table 4.1: I become motivated to learn about new technology Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Strongly agree Agree Neutral Valid Disagree Strongly disagree Total 7 2 50 14.0 4.0 100.0 14.0 4.0 100.0 96.0 100.0 5 16 20 10.0 32.0 40.0 10.0 32.0 40.0 10.0 42.0 82.0

Table 4.2: When I see someone I know using new technology, I am interested in learning how to use the technology Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Strongly agree Agree Valid Neutral Disagree Total 9 21 13 7 50 18.0 42.0 26.0 14.0 100.0 18.0 42.0 26.0 14.0 100.0 18.0 60.0 86.0 100.0

Table 4.3: I will use a particular technology device if someone I know uses it Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Agree Neutral Valid Disagree Strongly disagree Total 3 32 12 3 50 6.0 64.0 24.0 6.0 100.0 6.0 64.0 24.0 6.0 100.0 6.0 70.0 94.0 100.0

40% of the respondents believed they had a neutral standing when asked if and when a new technology becomes widespread, they become motivated to learn about the technology. 32% agreed, suggesting some users will prefer to wait for a technology to be widely used and accepted by the public before considering to adopt it.

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When asked if seeing someone they know using new technology makes them more interested in learning how to use the technology, 42% agreed. This can be interpreted that influence from friends and colleagues could be another influential factor to whether to adopt a new technology. When participants were asked if they will use a particular technology because someone they know uses it, 64% were neutral on the matter and 6% agreed.

4.6.2 Objective 4
To determine the benefits that can arise from the adoption of 3G technology and if Botswana is capitalizing on any of those opportunities.

Most part of this objective was dealt with in the literature review. But one point that was omitted from the literature review was the fact that Botswanas mobile service providers have fully utilised and taken advantage of the perceived attractiveness of the 3G technology to gain a competitive edge and gain more market share with wide coverage of the network.
3G technology [has basically] helped our company Be Mobile/ Botswana

Telecommunications [Corporation] to be more competitive [along-side other service providers like Mascom Wireless and Orange Botswana] and has also attracted more customers as 3G technology provides high speed internet.

With reference to the internet uptake statistics by the Botswana Telecommunications Authority, mobile internet users have increased significantly in recent years. This is mainly attributable to the 3G technology. However the penetration rate is still not seen as high enough in international standards and this is due to the high costs of telecommunication in Botswana. The necessary infrastructure is available, but costs incurred by mobile operators to commercialise the network are still high.
Interviewer: What challenges have you encountered in your attempt to make 3G technology available for all Batswana across the country? Respondent: As we know 3G is a good technology, it comes with some [challenges] as well for deploying it, because it is so expensive. And also, you have to do a research first of how many customers will be able to get the technology, use it or will they manage to buy the devices which compatible with the 3G technology. So its really (pauses)it was really tough to deploy it.

4.6.2 Objective 5
To determine the weaknesses of 3G technology in Botswana and recommend a way forward.

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The aim of this research was to determine the benefits and impacts of the 3G technology on the economy, growth and competitiveness of a country (i.e. Botswana). But just like with other services, there are loopholes and weaknesses that can be associated with 3G technology. This has been incorporated in the literature reviewed concerning the technology and

recommendations will be made in Chapter Five

4.7 DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS 4.7.1 Reinforcing what is already known 4.7.1.1 ICT Competitiveness determination
Political and regulatory environment, Business and innovation environment, Infrastructure and digital content, Affordability, Skills, Individual usage, Business usage, Government usage, Economic impacts and Social impacts, are the major determinants of ICT competitiveness. Botswanas ICT competitiveness has been on the decrease for the past four years. Botswana has not been performing well in the usage sub-index, which assesses the individual efforts of the social agents that is individuals, businesses and government to increase their capacity to use ICT. These two facts concur with the literature reviewed that ICT readiness and usage remain key drivers and precondition for obtaining any impacts. An increase in government usage can motivate society to adopt technology in their everyday lives, which will in-turn encourage foreign investors to come invest in Botswana.

4.7.1.2 National ICT Policy

ICT is a key driver of economic growth, poverty reduction and global competitiveness. This is what the National ICT Policy of Botswana is based on. Approved and branded Maitlamo Policy in August 2007, aims to create enabling environment, universal service and access to information and communications facilities, and make Botswana a regional ICT hub.

4.7.1.3 ICT in education

ICT resources in schools in the country are up to standard. The problem is that those students do not receive the necessary education from the teachers to actually say that they are fully utilizing the resources. This may be due to the fact that before a program under the Maitlamo Policy called ThutoNet was introduced, the education system for primary, secondary and tertiary sectors did not have a curriculum program to educate students on incorporating ICT in their daily lives.

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4.7.1.4 E-Government
The provision of government services online will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the public sector. Civil servants tend to prefer to work at their own pace because at the end of the day to them it does not matter if they are outperformed by private sector workers where bonuses are based on performance. E-government hands the initiative back in the hands of the public, but to ensure effective use of the online government services, the Maitlamo Policy must set out to take ICT to the people, especially in rural regions to educate and advise them on the importance of everyday adoption of technology.

4.7.2 What is new and different in the findings 4.7.2.1 Implementation Strategy
Due to the enormity of the work that need to be undertaken in designing and implementing the programs and strategies that the Maitlamo Policy is recommending, relevant and effective tools must be in place to ensure a high rate of implementation success. It is a norm with governments that some of their policies are implemented pre-maturely and without thorough research and planning being done. If extensive research was conducted in the first place, it can save government money of having to review policies because they are failing to carry out what they were intended to do.

4.7.2.2Prepaid vs.Post-paid
Historical data has shown that prepaid services are dominating post-paid services in the mobile telephony market. In the year end March 2012, prepaid services had 98% share compared to 2% of the post-paid services in the market. Post-paid subscription comes with the convenience of uninterrupted service without having to manage usage. On the other hand, prepaid services are mainly for seasonal users who are really not concerned about not having to always be connected to the internet. The reason people opt for prepaid is because there is a perception that there are many hidden issues associated with post-paid. First of all, most people do not want to be tied up to a two or three year contract with monthly fees. Furthermore, most users believe there are extra hidden fees associated with post-paid because the idea of always online worries them. There is billing issues associated with every post-paid plan. The carrier will send you a monthly bill that must be paid to continue service. Users could possibly prefer prepaid over post-paid because they can track their usage and expenses. No added fees or taxes. You pay for what you use.

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CHAPTER FIVE
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 INTRODUCTION
This research was investigate the impact of the adoption of third generation (3G) wireless technology on the economy, growth and competitiveness of Botswana, with the view of customer perspectives to analyze the success of the technology and recommending ways it can be improved in the future. The research paper was guided by research questions and objectives outlined in the introductory chapter of the paper (Chapter One) and were further elaborated in Chapter Two as part of the literature review process. Chapter Three saw the development and presentation of the research methodology and Chapter Four saw the presentation, analysis and discussion of findings. The purpose of these chapters has been to carry out an investigation on not only the impact of 3G technology but also on Botswanas overall ICT competitiveness, and this has been done through a systematic research process based on primary and secondary data. The following are the conclusions and recommendations of the research findings.

5.2 CONCLUSIONS
Botswanas global ICT competitiveness has been deteriorating for the past four years. The decline is mostly attributable to the fact that Botswana has been performing badly in the requirements put forward by the World Economic Forum for the individual usage, business usage, government usage and the readiness sub-index in its entirety. With ICT readiness and usage as the key drivers, a poor performance on their respective pillars will result in poor impact results. Botswana is a well endowed country in terms of developed and modern telecommunications infrastructure. However, the problem lies with the fact that she has not done much to make sure her citizens benefit much from it. This has become a norm among developing countries especially in Africa, where we have seen that compared to European and Asian countries, they still lag behind in providing access to and usage of the latest ICT tolls and resources to its citizens. For the past five years, there is evidence that policies and strategies have been formulated in an attempt to engage the public in incorporating ICT into their daily lives. However, this is just theoretical evidence. The pursuit of promoting ICT adoption in every corner of the country has been heavily hindered by the pace of implementation of the policies and strategies, and this does not help the countrys competitiveness in any way. Page 41 of 58

These policies incorporate strategies aiming to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the public service sector. The National e-Government strategy will make available all government services online. This is a good strategy as it also encourages the use of ICT across all segments of society. The country also has to divert its attention to the individual usage pillar collaborate with public and private service providers and formulate strategies that can benefit them all with the main aim of improving ICT diffusion and ICT penetration at individual level. The affordability of ICT services has been a hindering factor to the progress and competitiveness of Botswanas ICT market. This is puzzling to say the least considering all the investments the government has made in an attempt to reduce costs being heavily incurred by consumers. However, the overall ICT competitiveness of the country needs a joint effort by the government, public and private sector and all other stakeholders who can influence the growth and adoption of ICT, in order to grow.

5.3 RECOMMENDATIONS 5.3.1 ICT and Education

As already mentioned, ICT resources in schools in the country are up to standard, and that the online limitation has been that students have not received the necessary education to actually assert that they are fully utilizing the resources. Before the ThutoNet program, there was no curriculum program incorporated into the education system that could educate students on incorporating ICT in their daily lives. With the new curriculum, it is important that it is up to the levels of international standards to better equip students with skills relevant to ICT growth. To make sure of this, the curriculum can be matched up with that from countries such as South Africa and Mauritius who have performed better in the skills pillar. The curriculum should be more engineering and technologically oriented to make sure students grasp the main foundations of Information, Communication and Technology.

5.3.2 E-Government
Without e-government, the provision of government services meant waiting for long periods of time to get assistance and going through many complicated and sometimes unnecessary procedures. So the benefits of e-government should not be undermined at any point because it saves time for the public and also allows public servants to concentrate on other pressing

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issues. Government databases will be loaded with everything related to the country and this will even allow potential investors to learn about the country without having to visit.

5.3.3 Implementation
As already mentioned, the enormity of the work needed to be undertaken in designing and implementing programs and strategy requires for relevant and effective tools to be in place to ensure a high rate of implementation success. The government should form an implementation committee, where their job will be to oversee the implementation of every program and strategy. With such a committee in place, extensive and thorough research and planning can be made before any implementation, thus reducing any chances of failure on the part of the strategy.

5.3.4 4G Mobile Networks Technology beyond 3G

On the 12thof June 2012 Mascom announced that it will be extending its 3G network coverage to further parts from the main cities and towns. Another major announcement was that they will be launching a limited 4G network. What is this 4G one may ask. Well, basically, the fourth generation of wireless technology standards and the successor of the 3G technology. Some analysts argue that 4G is nothing but faster internet, while others believe it will change and benefit businesses and countries more than how 3G did. What is all the fuss about? Well, we are talking about technology that should supposedly set peak download speeds of about 100 megabit per second for high mobility communication and 1 gigabit per second for low mobility communication. It was just four years ago when Mascom Wireless, Botswanas biggest cellular network provider, announced that they were launching the 3G network. An upgrade that reportedly cost them P50 million (US $7.7 million). We have seen what 3G can do, its benefits and its flaws. An upgrade to 4G couldnt come at a better time, when Botswana needs technology to come in and raise them up the competitiveness rankings. Once completely rolled out, the 4G network is expected to provide heighted and cheaper connectivity for the 2 million plus Mascom sim cards in Botswana. This has opened up the door for further research on this topic, maybe a thesis to investigate the benefits of the transition from 3G to 4G technology on the economy and competitiveness of Botswana; with reference to the expanding of opportunities in the business sector and improved information and communication services; and customer knowledge and acceptance of the 3G network (which will definitely contribute to how successful the 4G will become.)

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CHAPTER SIX
PERSONAL REFLECTION
The journey to the completion of this dissertation has been a bitter-sweet one. It was definitely challenging but mostly enjoyable. Hurdles encountered along the way at the end of the day turned out to be very valuable lessons that the author will cherish for a long time. This dissertation has been a priceless and precious development tool to the knowledge of the author concerning research. The author believes that to get through this programme, one should be extremely disciplined and be able to manage the time he or she has been granted. It was very tough pursuing this dissertation under the schedule that was put forth by the University. At the same, the author had to prepare for his final examinations. It requires one to dig deep within themselves, persevere and not give up. A lot of personal sacrifices had to be made, but if given the opportunity to round back the clock, the author would probably start working on the dissertation much earlier than he did, but apart from that, would not do anything differently. The author had the option to choose whatever topic he saw appropriate. The programme has taught the author to research extensively on a wide range of topics, not only relating to Accounting and Finance, and write comprehensive reports on them. This ability will be used someday when the author pursues a masters degree in mathematical finance. Opportunity granted by the University of Derby and Botswana Accountancy College, it was an honour to investigate Botswanas ICT competitiveness.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Aftab, N. and Iqbal, A. (2006) 3G mobile communication services perspective.Masters thesis.Lulea University of Technology, Lulea. Baran, E. (2009) Analysing key factors affecting the adoption intentions of 3G Mobile services in Turkey.Masters thesis.Lund University. BIDPA (2009) Performance and competitiveness of small and medium sized manufacturing enterprises in Botswana. Botswana Institute for Development Policy Analysis, Gaborone. Botswana. Department of Finance (2012) 2012/2013 Budget Speech by Honourable O.K Matambo: Minister of Finance and development planning Delivered to the National Assembly on 7th February 2012.Gaborone, Government Printing and Publishing services. Botswana. Department of Finance (2013) 2013/2014 Budget Speech by Honourable O.K Matambo: Minister of Finance and development planning Delivered to the National Assembly on 4th February 2013. Gaborone, Government Printing and Publishing services. Botswana. Sesigo (2011) Pathways to making Botswana an educated, informed nation. Gaborone, Public Libraries. Botswana Telecommunications Authority (2012) Annual Report 2012. Gaborone, BTA. Chou, L. (2001) An analysis of wireless internet industry in the Networked Economy. Masters of Arts thesis.Georgetown University, Georgetown. Deloitte. (2012) What is the impact of mobile telephony on economic growth? A report for the GSM Association [Internet]. London, New Street Square. Available from Dutta, S. and Jain, A. (2003).The Networked Readiness Index 2003-2004: Overview and Analysis Framework. Switzerland, World Economic Forum. Fredette, J., Maron, R., Steinert, K. and Witters, L. (2012) The promise and peril of hyperconnectivity for organizations and society. Switzerland, World Economic Forum. Geiger, T., Dutta, S. and Osorio, B. (2012) The Networked Readiness Index 2012: Benchmarking ICT progress and impacts for the next decade. Switzerland, World Economic Forum.

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Hasset, K. and Shapiro, R. (2012) The employment effects of advances in internet and wireless technology: evaluating the transitions from 2G to 3G and from 3G to 4G. New Policy Institute, USA. International Telecommunications Union (2013) Facts and Figures.United Nations and ITU. Kothari, C.R (2004) Research Methodology: Methods and techniques (2nded). New-age International Publishers. Lute, A. (2012) 95% of Botswana covered by mobile telephony.[Internet]. Available from: <http://www.weekendpost.co.bw/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1634%3A95percent-of-botswana-covered-by-mobile-telephony&catid=58%3Anews&Itemid=67> [Accessed: 13 May 2013] Molale, E. (2011) Botswanas National e-Government Strategy 2011-2016.Government of Botswana. Parkin, M., Powell, M. & Matthews, K. (2008) Economics. Harlow, Pearson Education Limited. Prakash, S. and Behera, S. (2010) Study and implementation of 3G mobile security.BSc dissertation.National Institute of Technology, Rosrkela. Qualcomm (2009) Economic benefits of 3G for different countries worldwide. Qualcomm Incorporated, USA. Quilan, C. (2011) Business Research Methods.South-western Cengage Learning. Rcker, C. (2009). Perceived Usefulness and Perceived Ease-of-Use of Ambient Intelligence Applications in Office Environments. In: M. Kuroso (Ed.): Human-Centered Design, HCII 2009, LNCS 5619. Springer Verlag, Heidelberg, Germany, pp. 1052 - 1061. Saunders, M., Lewis. And Thornhill, A. (2009) Research methods for business students (5thed). Pearson Education. The Heritage Foundation (2013) Botswana: 2013 Index of Economic Freedom. [Internet]. Available from: http://www.heritage.org/index/country/botswana [Accessed: 13 May 2013]. Tlale, M. (2012) Enhance ICT competitiveness- BNPC.Mmegi Online, 11 September 2012.

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United States of America. Central Intelligence Agency (2013) The World Factbook: Botswana. Washington, D.C, The Office of Public Affairs. World Economic Forum (2008) The Global Information Technology Report 2008-2009. Switzerland, SRO-Kundig, (ISBN-10: 92-95044-19-3) World Economic Forum (2009) The Global Information Technology Report 2009-2010. Switzerland, SRO-Kundig, (ISBN-13: 978-92-95044-81-4) World Economic Forum (2010) The Global Information Technology Report 2010-2011. Switzerland, SRO-Kundig, (ISBN-10: 92-95044-95-9) World Economic Forum (2011) The Global Information Technology Report 2011-2012. Switzerland, SRO-Kundig, (ISBN-10: 92-95044-33-9)

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APPENDICES
APPENDIX 1: QUESTIONNAIRE TO MOBILE SUBSCRIBERS

QUESTIONNAIRE My name is GaleakelweKolaatamo. I am a final year BA (Hons) Accounting and Finance student studying at the Botswana Accountancy College (in conjunction with the University of Derby in the United Kingdom). As part of my degree, I am currently doing a dissertation entitled the impact of the third generation (3G) wireless technology on the economy, growth and competitiveness of Botswana. Technology is part of our everyday lives. We deal with technology at work, schools and even in our homes, and it is important to familiarize ourselves with innovation and the latest technological advances. It will be greatly appreciated if you complete this questionnaire which will go a long way in assisting me with my research. It will take you approximately 20 minutes to complete. Name: . Age (indicate with an X): 18-21 22-25 26-35 35+

Occupation: Gender: Date: . For the following statements, please indicate your position regarding the use of technology. Circle the response that best describes your level of agreement to each statement. (1= strongly agree, 2= agree, 3= neutral, 4= disagree or 5= strongly disagree)

1. I am computer literate

2. I am comfortable using technology

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3. I get nervous when I have to use technology

4. I try to avoid using technology

5. I frequently read articles or other sources of information that describe new technology. 6. I am motivated to use technology in my everyday life 7. I regularly use technological communicate with others devices to

8. When a new technology becomes widespread, I become motivated to learn about the technology 9. I believe problems technology can help societys

10. I am eager to learn how new technologies can benefit me personally

Questions 11-18: The following statements addresses the general attitudes toward the technicality of technology and seeking help with technology. Please indicate your position, with the assumption that Someone I know can refer to anyone in your social network such as friends, neighbours, relatives and associates. 11. When I see someone I know using new technology, I am interested in learning how to use the technology 12. I will use a particular technology device if someone I know uses it 1 2 3 4 5

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13. If I dont understand something, I ask someone I know for help

14. I am afraid to ask people who I know to help me because I dont want to appear ignorant

15. I am confused by the terminology associated with many technological devices

16. I enjoy talking to technical support because it helps me to understand the terminology

17. I avoid calling technical support because I get more confused

18. I become more interested in technology if it is well explained to me

Questions 19-23: The following questions will require an open answer from your knowledge and experience with Information and Communication Technology. 19. In 2012, an authoritative World Economic Forum report ranked Botswana sixth in Africa in terms of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) competitiveness. The report measures the degree to which economies leverage ICT to enhance competitiveness by assessing ten pillars ranging from digital content, policy, infrastructure, affordability, efficiency, skills, usage, economic, environmental and social impacts. How has Botswanas technological aspirations affected, and or, benefited you? . 20. Botswanas rise in ICT competitiveness can be traced to the Governments P70 million investments in the East Africa Submarine Cable system which is to provide local data users with

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fast internet at low costs. How are Botswanas service providers attracting you, as the user, to adopt their services? . 21. Botswanas adoption of the third generation (3G) wireless internet technology means the country is right up there with the worlds developed countries in terms of technological advancements. What is your view on an adoption of this magnitude?

22. There is a need for improvement in the area of individual usage of ICT as well as the affordability of IT to ensure a positive economic impact. How important do you think customer perspectives, like Perceived ease of use and Perceived usefulness, are in the wide acceptance of new technology? . 23. Between a scale of 1 and 5 (1= doing BAD and 5= doing GOOD) how is Botswana doing in terms of providing its population with the latest technological advancements? (Please circle the appropriate answer)

BAD

GOOD

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APPENDIX 2: QUESTIONNAIRE TO BTC OFFICER

QUESTIONNAIRE My name is GaleakelweKolaatamo. I am a final year BA (Hons) Accounting and Finance student studying at the Botswana Accountancy College (in conjunction with the University of Derby in the United Kingdom). As part of my degree, I am currently doing a dissertation entitled the impact of the third generation (3G) wireless technology on the economy, growth and competitiveness of Botswana. Technology is part of our everyday lives. We deal with technology at work, schools and even in our homes, and it is important to familiarize ourselves with innovation and the latest technological advances. It will be greatly appreciated if you complete this questionnaire which will go a long way in assisting me with my research. Name: Kabelo Europa Position: Data management manager Organization: Botswana Telecommunication Corporation Date: 15 May 2013 1. How long have you been occupying your current position? Five years in September 2. ICT offers opportunities to developing economies such as Botswanas and aims at playing an important role in the promoting of sustainable local development and the acceleration of economic growth. Which development objectives is Botswana utilizing ICT in order to achieve? At the moment, Botswana is very concerned and involved with the expansion of education opportunities and how she can use ICT to educate Batswana to become a computer and technologically-literate population. Another region that the government is investing a lot of money on is the provision of government services online. Yes theoretically it is believed that this will improve the public services Page 52 of 58

delivery to the nation but for this initiative to take off and be successful, a good ICT structure must be in place. 3. How is Botswana utilizing ICT to achieve the development objectives aforementioned? To start off with the education sector, Botswana can be commended for the effort to provide resources to junior and secondary schools. It is understood that most of them have fully equipped computer laboratories, but the problem is that most schools struggle with their effective use. The government has introduced the national ICT Policy, Maitlamo, which is to provide a guide to accomplish social, economic and political transformation through the effective use of ICT. Under education, the policy has the ThutoNet Program which aims to provide all schools with modern PCs and internet access, design and implement an ICT content and curriculum development programme for the primary, secondary and tertiary sectors, and secure funding to sustain ICT in education. In respect to e-government, basically, following in the trail of other developing countries, Botswana aims to make available all government services online. Organizations and Ministries will be required to adopt the necessary technology to get ready for this.

4. How is Botswana doing in terms of having the necessary infrastructure and resources in place to support a solid ICT sector? ICT infrastructure is very good in Botswana, but one can argue that it is not fully utilized. Internet usage is still relatively low and there is still concern on the differences between the urban and rural areas access to ICT services.

5. Any suggestions on how the overall performance of the ICT sector can be improved? Botswana is on the right track. An educated nation will fully utilize the technological advancements the country is aiming to provide.

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APPENDIX 3: INTERVIEW WITH BTC OFFICER

INTERVIEW My name is GaleakelweKolaatamo. I am a final year BA (Hons) Accounting and Finance student studying a University of Derby program at the Botswana Accountancy College. As I have already mentioned, I am currently doing a dissertation entitled the impact of the third generation (3G) wireless technology on the economy, growth and competitiveness of Botswana. This is basically a research studying Botswanas economy and competitiveness as she strives to keep up with technological developments across the world, which would assist her in gaining a higher ranking in global ICT competitiveness. Name of respondent: KeaobakaDiare Organization: Botswana Telecommunications Corporation Position: Network planning and Optimization engineer Date: 02 May 2013

Interviewer: First of all, I would love to know how long you have been holding onto your current position. Respondent: Well, for about three years now. Interviewer: Okay. The 2012 edition of the World Economic Forums (WEF) Global Information Technology Report (GITR) has ranked Botswana sixth in Africa, up from tenth in 2011, in terms of ICT competitiveness. Botswana has scored well for its political and regulatory environment, as well as its business and innovation environment. How would you say these factors have influenced Botswanas high ranking? Respondent: Alright. I think the more Batswana invests more in business the more they get to use ICT skill. This helps [innovation] companies across the world [to invest] in Botswana and this has put Botswana [in the] spotlight and be a recognized [country] worldwide.

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Interviewer: We have recently learnt that the government have invested large amounts of money believed to be around the amounts of P70 million in the East Africa Submarine Cable system. What would you say are the benefits of this investment beyond just fast internet at low costs? Respondent: [Well], in the past most African countries including Botswanas

telecommunications carriers heavily relied on radio or satellite system to carry the bulk of their international traffic. Botswana government is now committed to positioning Botswana as an economy driven by innovation to attract investment, grow the economy and promote interaction between local and international companies. The East African Submarine cable system is therefore an optimum means to improve the communications sector in the region, allowing more people to access at the same time and at cheaper rates; not only that, but the government is hopeful that this will improve inter-connectivity between Botswana and the rest of the world and make business transactions faster. The education, health and business sector will benefit from this connectivity. ICT undoubtedly can greatly improve the economic and social and emergency services and help distribute social, cultural and economic benefits more efficiently. ICT, especially the internet is no longer a luxury in this day and age. Pushing even further, Botswana has now recently collaborated with Namibia to buy into the West African Submarine Cable system, which is expected to be far superior that the east cable; providing speeds up to 5.12 Terabits per second compared to 3.8 of the east cable. Interviewer: Botswana is moving forward with its e-government strategy which will ultimately result in the provision of most government services online, enhancing efficiency, lowering costs and boosting access. How else is Botswana making sure they capitalize on the improving information and communication services? Respondent: Indeed we will soon see the provision of government services in electronic form. We believe it has become essential for the efficiency and effectiveness of the public service. The government has also made an undertaking through the Maitlamo Policy which is set to take ICT services to the people and also to meet the aspirations of Botswana as per Vision 2016 pillars of an innovative, informed and educated nation. With the help of ICT, we can ensure that Botswana has a skilled and productive workforce that is digitally literate.

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Interviewer: Undoubtedly, Botswanas rise In ICT rankings can also be traced to the adoption of the 3G technology. How has this technology helped Be Mobile/ Botswana

Telecommunications Corporation increase its market share of users in Botswana? Respondent: 3G technology [has basically] helped our company BeMobile/ Botswana Telecommunications [Corporation] to be more competitive [along-side other service providers like Mascom Wireless and Orange Botswana] and has also attracted more customers as 3G technology provides high speed internet. Interviewer: What challenges have you encountered in your attempt to make 3G technology available for all Batswana across the country? Respondent: As we know 3G is a good technology, it comes with some [challenges] as well for deploying it, because it is so expensive. And also, you have to do a research first of how many customers will be able to get the technology, use it or will they manage to buy the devices which compatible with the 3G technology. So its really (pauses)it was really tough to deploy it. Interviewer:Between a scale of 1 to 5 how would you rate Batswanas acceptance of the technology? Respondent:Ill really say 4 [out of 5] because there are morein our system we can see that there are a lot of customers using internet services. Interviewer: In conclusion, how do you think the overall ICT competitiveness of Botswana can be improved? Respondent:Okay. This I think can be done by trying by all means to educate each Motswana in the whole country to know a lot about ICT and its benefits and how it can improve their dayto-day lives and furthermore their business ventures. Interviewer: Thank you very much. Am sure your answers have been relevant and very useful in helping me complete my dissertation. Respondent:Okay, it is my honour. Interviewer: Thank you Sir.

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APPENDIX 4: RELIABILITY ANALYSIS WITH CRONBACHS ALPHA FOR QUESTIONNARE TO MOBILE SUBSCRIBERS
Reliability Statistics Cronbach's Alpha .784 N of Items 17

Item-Total Statistics Scale Mean if Item Deleted Scale Variance if Item Deleted Corrected ItemTotal Correlation I am computer literate I am comfortable using technology I get nervous using technology I frequently read articles or other sources of information that describe new technology. I am motivated to use technology in my everyday life I regularly use technological devices to communicate with others. I become motivated to learn about new technology I believe technology can help societys problems I am eager to learn how new technologies can benefit me personally When I see someone I know using new technology, I am interested in learning how to use the technology 41.88 34.230 .819 .734 42.24 35.778 .828 .740 41.54 33.519 .858 .729 42.62 37.098 .738 .750 42.04 33.794 .814 .733 41.14 34.490 .595 .753 42.88 42.42 36.312 32.657 .805 .853 .744 .726 Cronbach's Alpha if Item Deleted

40.04

51.304

-.658

.841

42.30

43.071

.028

.799

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I will use a particular technology device if someone I know uses it If I dont understand something, I ask someone I know for help I am afraid to ask people who I know to help me because I dont want to appear ignorant I am confused by the terminology associated with many technological devices I enjoy talking to technical support because it helps me to understand the terminology I avoid calling technical support because I get more confused I become more interested in technology if it is well explained to me 42.34 38.637 .717 .757 41.16 43.770 .007 .793 40.90 44.173 -.053 .798 40.98 46.591 -.265 .821 40.16 42.994 .081 .791 42.26 43.462 .062 .790 40.94 41.853 .209 .784

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