5. RESULTADOS Y DISCUSIÓN
5.7 SEGUIMIENTO DEL PROCESO DE BIOTRANSFORMACIÓN DEL trans CINAMALDEHÍDO (A)
Defining the exact scope of ICT services and CRS can be a challenging endeavour for several reasons. First, by their very nature these services are constantly changing, and thus any attempt to reach internationally agreed definitions often requires more time than needed for the services to have evolved once more due to technological innovations and new business practices. Second, distinguishing between ICT services and CRS is difficult as there are important linkages between the equipment, software and communications components of the information technology (IT) market and developments in the computer services sector.78 As stated in a background note by the WTO secretariat describing CRS, “[t]he IT industry
has grown out of a convergence of telecommunications, computer technology and software as well as more content-oriented industries such as broadcasting and publishing. The blend can yield hybrid IT services difficult to categorize into any particular sector. For instance, there may be a fine line, if any, between certain online computer services and value added telecommunications services.”79 Finally, when
it comes to the ICT sector, existing classifications normally include both goods and services.
However, the ICT services and CRS sectors are gaining increasing importance in today’s economies and receiving increased attention from policymakers including trade negotiators. In this context, it can be considered useful to have definitions which allow for devising measures aimed specifically at the services segment of the ICT sector, including by clearly defining the various subsectors and services considered to be a part of the sector.
This paper adopts the classification of ICT services used by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) – based on the United Nations’ International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities (revision 4) and on work done in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and in the context of the World Summit on the Information Society – to come up with a definition and classification of ICT services, including with a view to promoting the collection of information and data on such services.80One important element to note about the definition is that it includes telecommunications
services and computer-related services. ICT services are considered to include (a) software publishing; (b) telecommunications; (c) computer programming, consultancy and related activities; (d) data processing, hosting and related activities, and web portals; and (e) repair of computers and communications equipment.
78 WTO (1998), Computer and related services. Background note by the secretariat.
79 Ibid., p. 1.
80
Data collection is useful, for example, for countries when preparing to conduct trade negotiations. It is noteworthy however that ICT services were not included as a specific category in the WTO services classification list which was used in the WTO Uruguay Round services negotiations. By extension, most trade negotiations which use the GATS model also do not include such a category in countries’ lists of liberalization commitments.
Software publishing services include the publishing of ready-made (non-customized) software, i.e.
operating systems, business and other applications, and computer games for all platforms.
Telecommunications services are defined as including wired telecommunication activities, wireless
telecommunication activities, satellite telecommunication activities and other telecommunication activities. These services cover activities aimed at providing telecommunications and related service activities, i.e. transmitting voice, data, text, sound and video. The transmission facilities that carry out these activities may be based on a single technology or a combination of technologies.
Computer programming, consultancy and related activities consist of services that provide expertise in
the field of information technologies: writing, modifying, testing and supporting software; planning and designing computer systems that integrate computer hardware, software and communications technologies; on-site management and operation of clients’ computer systems and/or data processing facilities; and other professional and technical computer-related activities.
Data processing, hosting and related activities, and web portals include the provision of infrastructure
for hosting, data processing services and related activities, as well as the provision of search facilities and other portals for the Internet.
As for repair of computers and communications equipment, they are considered to include services for the repair of computers and peripheral equipment as well as the repair of communications equipment such as cordless or cellular telephones, carrier equipment modems, fax machines, communications transmission equipment (e.g. routers, bridges, modems) and so forth.
For policy purposes it can be useful to distinguish between ICT services and ICT-enabled services, which consist of services ranging from call centres and customer contact centres, to data entry and transcription services and even more sophisticated services such as financial analysis, data mining, insurance claims processing, remote education and publishing, and medical diagnostics. ICT-enabled services may also be a sector of interest to Uganda but will not be the main focus of this introductory report due to space limitations.81
A classification of CRS used in the GATS negotiations suggests that this sector consists of the following: (a) consultancy services related to the installation of computer hardware, (b) software implementation services, (c) data processing services, (d) database services and (e) other CRS.
Consultancy services related to the installation of computer hardware consist of assistance services
to clients in the installation of computer hardware and computer networks.
Software implementation services comprise all services involving consultancy on and development and
implementation of software. “Software” is defined as the sets of instructions required to make computers work and communicate, which may include a number of different programs developed for specific applications (application software) and situations in which the customer may have a choice of ready-made off-the-shelf programs (packaged software), specifically developed programs for its requirements (customized software) or a combination of the two.82
Data processing services consist of “input preparation services” which include data recording services
such as key punching, optical scanning or other methods for data entry.
81 ICT-enabled services can be considered to be formed of three subcategories, namely front-office services (which comprise
call centres and customer contact centres), back-office services (e.g. data entry, human resources, payroll, finance and accounting, procurement, transcription) and knowledge process outsourcing services (e.g. financial analysis, data mining, engineering, research and development, insurance claims processing, architectural design, remote education and publishing, medical diagnostics, journalism).
82 The subcategories of software implementation services, based on the United Nations, Provisional Central Product
Classification, are (a) systems and software consulting services (services of a general nature prior to the development of data processing systems and applications); (b) systems analysis services (analysing the clients’ needs, defining functional specification and setting up the team, as well as project management, technical coordination and integration and definition of the systems architecture); (c) systems design services (technical solutions, with respect to methodology, quality assurance, choice of equipment software packages or new technologies, etc.); (d) programming services (the implementation phase, i.e. writing and debugging programs, conducting tests and editing documentation); and (e) systems maintenance services (consulting and technical assistance services of software products in use, rewriting or changing existing programs or systems and maintaining up-to-date software documentation and manuals and specialist work, such as conversions).
Database services comprise all services provided from primarily structured databases through a
communication network. Specifically excluded are data and message transmission services, which are classified under telecommunications services, and documentation retrieval services, which are classified as library services.
Other CRS include data preparation services for clients that do not involve data processing and training
staff of clients and other professional services.
Table IV. 3. List of Information and Communications Technology Services, Computer and Related Services and Information and Communications Technology-Enabled Services
ICT services CRS ICT-enabled services
x Software publishing x Telecommunications services x Computer programming, consultancy and related activities x Data processing,
hosting and related activities, web portals x Repair of computers
and communication equipment
x Consultancy services related to the installation of computer hardware x Software implementation
services
x Data processing services x Database services x Other CRS
x Front-office services (e.g. call centres, customer contact centres)
x Back-office services (e.g. data entry, human resources, payroll, finance and accounting, procurement, transcription) x Knowledge process outsourcing
services (e.g. financial analysis, data mining, engineering, research and development, insurance claims processing, architectural design, remote education and publishing, medical diagnostics, journalism)
Table IV.3 summarizes these distinctions. From this brief introduction it is already clear that ICT services and CRS are closely related, including because of technological convergence and the lists of services included in these two sectors are quite lengthy. A first recommendation relating to the analysis of these subsectors in the SPR, and particularly in the in-depth research to be undertaken by the national expert team, would be for more focused identification of the subsectors and services of current and potential interest to Uganda so as not to overextend the coverage of the research undertaken.
2. Importance of the Sector for Developing Countries, Including Least Developed Countries