During times like these, I often question my study path and career goals. From inception, you display an urge, an illuminated flame, the zeal to find research material and then questions start to come forth when you are having difficulty attaining such.
“What am I really doing here?”
“Why didn’t I stop at my MBA?”
“Who told me to choose this topic?”
I’m pretty sure you all can relate because the list of questions go on and on. It took me some time to obtain material relevant to my study and when I did, the abstract was sometimes misleading, which caused me to scrap and continue searching. I did find some interesting articles though, which is why today we will discuss one on how Information and Communications Technology (ICT) is fueling economic growth. Did you guys realize the pun used based on my research topic from my previous blog? Let’s stay focused and continue.
When economic development is mentioned in any forum, oil and gas or even large industries are the first things that come to mind. Yes! To some, it’s on the back burner and may be less visible but trust and believe that it’s a powerhouse today. Previous research conducted by Majeed and Ayub (2018) demonstrates that ICT has a tangible and measurable impact on economic growth worldwide. Let’s really think about it, the more a country invests in technology, something that’s always evolving, the more that economy can grow. Simple things such as having access to the internet can allow people to learn new skills online, communicate easily, start online businesses and access different markets, old and new. Productivity is immediately increased and new opportunities opens up in the palm of your hands or with a click or touch. Traditional systems must be used or continue to be built upon because developing countries can jump ahead into modern digital solutions. They will be the ones who will benefit the most.
For Countries such as the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, ICT investments can be seen as a major opportunity, more so as we start diversification beyond oil and gas. This article also highlighted a caveat that we might sideline or even miss. It states that not all ICT investments are equal (Majeed and Ayub, 2018). Strong telecommunication infrastructure, accessible online services and effective e-government systems can be seen as having a massive impact on these investments. Efficiency is improved, cost savings and a lot of services easily accessible to citizens are present from these areas. ICT should not be seen as just an option because from this article, it is essential for economic growth. For Trinidad and Tobago, embracing ICT isn’t just about modernization its simply about building a more sustainable, innovative and resilient future.
As I conclude with this blog, my journey continues. I will say, however, finding articles or noticing gaps are not the only part of my research process but really digging deep and pressing through the uncertainty but also learning each step of the way. ICT has shown me that the future of economic growth is not only what we see, like oil and gas but what directs innovation behind closed doors and back offices, empower and connects us. Thank you for taking the time to read and explore this topic with me. Stay tuned as I uncover moving beyond oil and gas into a digital future.
Reference
Majeed, M. T., & Ayub, T. (2018). Information and communication technology (ICT) and economic growth nexus: A comparative global analysis. Pakistan Journal of Commerce and Social Sciences, 12(2), 443–476.
Beyond Oil and Gas 
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