Towards An Integrated Information Communication Technology Framework: Linking Namibian Rural Based Small And Medium Entreprises To Global Value Chains

Abstract

The globalization of supply chains has increased the complexity of logistics

and supply chain management. In today‟s business world, geographic boundaries have

become less relevant and the logistic networks now transcend borders and significantly

permeate into other economies. As enterprises worldwide grapple to embrace these

changes, Small to Medium Entrepreneurs in marginalized rural communities in Namibia

are yet to reap the benefits of the ongoing logistics evolution. Instead they face a

number of challenges. Issues such as the digital divide, under-developed market

facilities, e.g. storage equipment, and the large distances that have to be travelled to

reach economic hubs are just a few examples. Moreover, the skewed income

distribution between urban and rural communities and the spatial demographic locations

of alternative market segments has restricted rural based Small and Medium Enterprises

(SMEs) to being primary service providers to disadvantaged people. This research

critically examines the state of logistics in the Namibian rural market. It provides

anecdotal illustrations of how existing public and private sector ICT infrastructure may be

mobilized and effectively applied to the entire supply chain. It furthermore highlights the

importance of IT applications in supply chain management and its impact on profitability

to rural based enterprises. Based on this, the research concludes by developing and

presenting an integrated ICT framework that promotes the participation of rural SMEs in

the robust global supply chains.

General Terms

Management, Measurement, Documentation, Performance, Design, Economics,

Reliability, Experimentation, Security, Human Factors, Standardization, Languages,

Theory, Legal Aspects, Verification.

Keywords

Infrastructure, ICT, Namibia, Business, Rural area, Industry collaboration, education,

framework.