Report from Beijing: 2 Sunday, September 29, 2002 Think the U.S. lead in software is unassailable? Think again. With U.S. companies looking to cut costs, more and more are deciding to outsource their software development needs offshore. When they do, there are literally hundreds of service providers in dozens of countries competing for their business. In Asia, dynamic software centers have emerged in India, China, Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam. India has long been the favored destination for companies seeking to outsource. The reasons are clear: it has a deep pool of programming talent, a wide range of expertise in both software and hardware design, and the ability to handle complex projects at relatively low cost. Project management and English language skills are strong. But now China is moving to catch up. Industry analysts predict that China will be the largest IT outsourcing country by 2007. China has an estimated 200,000 professionals in the software exporting industry, with another 50,000 graduates entering the workforce each year. Software parks have been set up in centers such as Pudong (Shanghai), Dalian, Xi’an and Chengdu. U.S. investors can qualify for rent-free office space and sweeping tax breaks. Special offices have been set up to help foreign IT firms obtain business licences. What does all this mean for EDPros? The world our children will grow old in will be vastly different from the world of today. Global networks will grow. Now is the time to plant seeds in your communities. Encourage a sister city program. Learn more. (See how one small town in North Carolina has done it.) Celebrate international programs at your schools and encourage student exchanges. Support foreign language instruction. Get involved in international travel. The seeds you plant today are likely to grow into big tress indeed. Go posted by Ed Morrison |		This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License. links Some Background on EDPro Weblog The purpose of this weblog is to help economic development professionals -- EDPros -- keep up with the changes sweeping our profession. Strap on your goggles. It's a whole new game. There are no experts any more. The only place to learn about economic development is from other EDPros who are doing it. One other point: the prevaling approach (paradigm, if you like) in economic development is shifting from competition to collaboration. There are a lot of reaasons underlying this shift, but here's the important insight: You, your community, and your region will do better by collaborating and sharing information. So, spread the word...Share the knowledge. Tell a friend about EDPro Weblog. If you are using a news reader, here is the link to syndicate this site: Here's the link if you are a bloglines subscriber: Speaking and workshops on Open Source Economic Development As the idea of Open Source Economic Development starts spreading, more people are asking about it. Visit the I-Open web site to learn more. My colleagues and I are happy to explain the basic concepts in a talk or a workshop. E-mail Susan Alshuler if you'd like to learn more about workshops and speaking. Background on Ed Morrison Download some background information on me here.

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