7/29/2019 Internet and Mobile Phone Penetration.docx

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/internet-and-mobile-phone-penetrationdocx 1/2

INTERNET AND MOBILE PHONE PENETRATION AND HOW IT IS/WILL IMPACT

ZIMBABWE’S ECONOMY.1 

*explore the opportunities for technology start-ups – possibilities and challenges.

In the early 1990’s, Zimbabwe was regarded as the breadbasket of Africa. The economy was great at

that point. A lot of people could afford the basics and even the luxurious commodities. A few years

down the line, the country experienced a massive hyper-inflation; severe economic and political

hardships hit the nation. There was turmoil in different parts of the country. One asks a question, did

Zimbabwe lose its pride? I answer, yes and no. Why the conflicting answers? Through such periods –  

Zimbabwe’s education is still well spoken of. Zimbabwe might not have revived the agricultural

industry they were known for, but the education industry has a way of coming back  – stronger each

time. Zimbabwe is well known of the high literacy level it boasts of - amongst other things. The

education sector can be considered as the backbone of a nation; as a result, education at every level is

imperative to the success of a nation. More importantly, educating the young generation through the

use of Information Communication and Technologies (ICT) will have a positive outcome towards the

economy of Zimbabwe.

Our fathers therefore wonder, if we are highly spoken of, why the need to bring new technologies?

Why the need to change the syllabus to suit a special technical style? We had a great economy

without technology, why utilize it now? Well, in all honesty - what worked ten years ago is not

guaranteed to work or fail – but as we reform our thinking and stay open-minded we are bound to

think of improved ways of resuscitating the economy of Zimbabwe. Indeed the vast ICT tools have

been tried and tested in most developed and other developing countries however we all know that

culture also plays a pivotal role in the adoption of these technologies. It is thus for this reason that the

issue of culture or personal preference at high management level should be challenged – if it does not

improve the economy of the country.

True that there has been a widespread of mobile phones within Zimbabwe since the 2009 coined

“dollarization” er a began. This has indeed seen a vast population afford to get both polyphones

(normal) and smart phones. The types of smart phones have also incremented in the local markets,

making it more affordable for the middle class person, which is the majority – I presume. More

 people can now enjoy mobile internet services at “low costs” – as compared to the pre-2009 era were

very few would fork out their hard-earned cash to get the service. Now looking introspectively a lot

of people have access to useful material online. The issue of going to the library can be nullified by a

greater population. Google Scholar provides a lot of published material that is as useful as any

textbook. The focus thus shifts from knowledge accumulation to finding, identifying,

manipulating and evaluating existing knowledge, integrating this knowledge to real-world

scenarios, to solve problems and communicate this knowledge to others. (Brown, 2000:3). The

economy will therefore boast of people with great research capabilities, thus improving research

at national level which could mean funding from certain well-wishers. 

1I will tackle this issue from an education perspective. (Pardon my ignorance on the business side)

7/29/2019 Internet and Mobile Phone Penetration.docx

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/internet-and-mobile-phone-penetrationdocx 2/2

As much as they are positive attributes of the internet and mobile penetration level they are also

drawbacks. For an economy to function fully, it also requires a well groomed person - a person with

boundaries. The online activities of children below 18years need to be heavily guarded for safety

by both law enforcements and those funding their mobile activities. The more information the

user becomes exposed to, the more vulnerable they are to the risks associated with the web.

Mobile security, identity protection and privacy, location tracking, social engineering, human

trafficking are areas that need constant monitoring so that the youth avoid the misfortune of 

becoming statistics for cybercrime. Behavioral experts have reported the possibility of addiction

or psychological attachment to the phone and disengaging with the real world. These are all

causes of concern and if they are overlooked they might still bring a great economy without a

well principled person to manage.