Tio Nakasole

Over the last two decades, the world has evolved from the economics of things to the economics of information. 

The role of the information systems is to provide information to management, which will enable them to make decisions and ensure that the organisation is controlled. It is worth noting that the term information system (IS) and information technology (IT) are used interchangeably and means the same thing. 

Economically, organisational systems represent the fundamental elements of a business, its people, work processes, tasks, structure, and control systems and the plan that enables them to work efficiently to culminate their business goals. 

The importance of IS 

As per the Corporate Governance Code for Namibia (Namcode) chapter five, principle C5 indicates, “the board should ensure that the IT strategy is integrated with the company’s strategic and business process. It should be seen to add value by enabling the improvement of the company’s performance.” 

For organisations, companies and governments to become competitive, survive and thrive, they must gear towards the information system that supports their business and organisation’s goals. In tandem, it is crucial by emphasising that the results can be catastrophic if these mechanisms do not align information systems with business goals, organisation goals as well as with the resolutions of international bodies such as the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Trade Organisation (WTO). 

In Namibia, some of the strategic objectives that have been set out to achieve Vision 2030 and enshrined in the National Development Plans are increased and sustainable economic growth, an adequate supply of qualified, productive and competitive labour force and innovative and productive usage of technology. These strategic objectives will only be realised when the big guns – be it CEOs, boards of directors, and regional managers are task-oriented in ensuring that there is a robust process in place to identify and exploit where appropriate, opportunities to improve the performance and sustainability of the company in the triple context through effective and efficient IT use. 

Leading examples 

According to the recent Global Information Technology Report for Inclusive Growth, countries such as Singapore, Luxembourg, Finland and Switzerland are some of the progressing countries that have leveraged IS and communication technologies in their businesses and governments. 

Singapore offers the most conducive business and innovation environment worldwide and the second most digital-ready workforce (second, behind Finland). Luxembourg’s government has developed a vision for information technology and, helped by public-private partnerships formed in the context of the ICT cluster Initiative. This exemplified that the system has worked for them and not against them. 

Boom barricades 

Of course, concern about failure has been persistent within the information system field in the Namibian context. 

Undeniably, liquidated Air Namibia, Road Contractor Company (RCC), and TransNamib are some of the companies that need a proper rescue of Information system usage. 

Yes, we have built and transformed institutions of science and technology such as NUST. Undoubtedly, there are plenty of graduates who remain unemployed. 

In other words, no market for them. The academic disciplines of information and technology today are lucrative fields of study. 

Each year, the same institution produces quite a few several graduates, yet there is no market for them. On the other hand, when there is an opportunity, the number of years required is matched. Academic institutions and corporates need to impose robust bridging programs and modalities to overcome such loopholes. 

Capacity 

While India and Pakistan have nuclear bomb-building capacity, China is providing the technology for quick acceleration of launching satellites into orbit, and Africa still cannot refine their oil for themselves. 

Instead of developing our nations, we are heavily dependent on developed countries. We must have learnt from them through the integration of brain drains with expertise from such countries in building strong Information systems with us. 

Appor t ioning enough internship and apprenticeship opportunities to them will be another opportunity which will enable us to revive and test both theories with practice. 

Of course in the academic disciplines, information system means different things to different people. For instance, understanding marketing information systems means understanding the functional approach to business in general and the market function in particular. 

The alignment of information systems in organisations need to be colour-coded and implemented at an early stage if Vision 2030 and African Agenda 2063 are to be realised. 

* Tio Erastus Nakasole is an MBA student at the Namibia University of Science and Technology and a holder of an Honours Degree in Economics. He serves as the sales and service manager at HiFi Corporation Namibia. The views expressed do not represent those of his employer. - theoerastus@ gmail.com