India's Software Industry: State Policy, Liberalisation and Industrial Development

• Authors: Richard Heeks
• Venue: India's Software Industry: State Policy, Liberalisation and Industrial Development
• Year: 1996

From the Publisher:Richard Heeks provides the first critical analysis of the development of India's software industry and the impact on it of the recent policy of liberalisation in the areas of trade, state intervention and foreign investment. The study is located at the intersection of three major trends witnessed in the ninetiesthe increasing importance of computer software in all aspects of business; the mounting global search for outsourcing services and manufacture on the part of multinational companies; and the growing dominance of neo-liberal policy models inspired by the World Bank and the IMF. The author starts with a detailed history of the government's role in India's industrial development. Dr Heeks then examines important issues concerning the software industry such as the division of labour within exports, the relation between export and domestic markets, the role of multinationals, and the impact of imports. Finally, he also studies the development of India's computer industry because of the intimate connection between software and hardware. Basing his arguments on a wealth of facts and figures and probing many misconceptions, Dr Heeks concludes that liberalisation has brought in only limited benefits, and argues that a successful software industry requires essential state interventions of a promotional nature. To this end, he makes recommendations for the future growth of this industry both in India and in other developing countries. Besides being of considerable interest to academics and professionals in the areas of business finance, management, information systems, economics, industrial development and computers, this book will be essential reading for all computer manufacturers, software companies, bureaucrats and those engaged in framing economic and industrial policies.