Technological Leapfrogging in the Developing World: Successes and Failures

“Governments and NGOs alike have lauded the explosion of cellular phones in the developing world. The World Telecommunications Union reported in 2011 that 79% of the population in developing states have a mobile phone. The planet now boasts over 6 billion cellular phone subscriptions. Landlines and internet availability have never approached availability and usage on such a massive scale. While many organizations hoped to achieve similar successes with other technologies, the vast majority of attempts to ‘leapfrog’ technological predecessors fail. The cellphone sits on a short list of successful leapfrogging technologies. This list and those technologies absent from the list suggest a model and likely path that developing countries will follow on their trek to the ever-elusive goal of development.”

Source: OODA Loop – Technological Leapfrogging in the Developing World: Successes and Failures