International Trade in Services.pdf - DSpace at Khazar University

Exporting Information Technology Services: In the Footsteps of India 245
Table 7.4. A Checklist of IT Service Questions for Policy Makers
Improving the quality and quantity of the engineering talent pool
1. Are fresh engineering and computer science graduates adequately trained If not,
where is the education failing Are technical curricula up to date and in line with the
demands of the IT service sector What can be done to raise educational standards
and the relevance of training Are there any unnecessary restrictions or high tariffs
associated with imports of technical and computer literature Does the government
have the capacity to enforce regulations for quality assurance
2. Is the local education system producing enough computer science engineers to
meet demand If not, are there barriers to the private provision of training services
in the IT field If there are barriers, do they fulfill a prioritized objective Do the
barriers discriminate against foreign providers of training and technical education If
so, to what purpose Is there scope for reforming these rules
3. Are fresh graduates trained in international languages Are there rules that prohibit
or discourage teaching in international languages If so, what are the objectives of
such prohibitions, and can the same goals be reached while still allowing increased
flexibility
4. Are postgraduate courses offered in computer science and related engineering
fields If not, is there scope for initiating collaboration with the private sector to
finance and design such programs and also help sponsor students
5. Are there any particular barriers against women students of computer science and
engineering or are there issues that reduce the desire of such women to join the
industry If so, what are they and how can they be removed
Addressing weaknesses in Internet connectivity and associated
telecommunication regulation
1. How do local broadband connectivity, reliability, and prices compare with these
areas in other countries in the region and the world Are there any local rules and
regulations that hold back investment in network capacity
2. Are high prices a result of a lack of competition If so, what anticompetitive action
can the government undertake to liberalize the market and increase investment
3. Are there barriers to market access for foreign providers of Internet services and
telecommunications services If so, what purpose do they have Can foreign
providers provide the necessary investment and competition to improve connectivity
and capacity
4. Are tariffs imposed on the importation of the physical equipment for Internet
connectivity If so, to what extent are the tariffs likely to raise prices and reduce
investment in broadband infrastructure
5. Is the country’s connectivity dependent on a single-source cable If so, would more
points of connection raise reliability and network capacity Could negotiations with
neighboring countries help address some of the capacity issues
6. Are consumers prohibited from using voice over Internet protocol services If so,
does the prohibition serve a meaningful purpose Who benefits from the restriction,
and can negotiations reform the current framework
Facilitating the commercial presence of foreign IT service providers
1. Are there legal restrictions to market entry through commercial presence for foreign
companies
(Table continues on the following pages.)