Incorporación de TIC en el sector productivo: uso y desuso de las políticas públicas para favorecer su difusión

The article aims at providing an overview regarding the diffusion of ICT in Latin American firms, and the main policies to promote it. It shows how the use of these technologies is characterized by substantial differences in the case of relatively smaller firms, as well as in economic sectors where they operate. The study also identifies a number of elements that influence and affect the possibilities of incorporating these technologies. These factors, which generally have not been taken into account when defining policies to amass the effective and efficient use of ICT, should be considered crucial in the design and implementation of these policies. The definition of specific and targeted policies and instruments that consider the different degree of relative development of sectors and firms is necessary. Given the wide differentials in terms of productivity and access to technology experienced by the firms in the region, only through interventions that are tailored to firms' specific needs could achieve greater and better use of ICT in Latin American productive structure. Not doing so could help increase the polarization among firms and the structural heterogeneity, so characteristic of Latin America.(This abstract was borrowed from another version of this item.)