The document discusses the greatest challenges facing the ICT sector in Latin America and the role the author hopes to play. It identifies the key challenges as infrastructure, innovation, human talent, and adaptability. Regarding infrastructure, the author hopes to lead technology initiatives and make complex decisions impacting companies' infrastructure. For innovation, the author wants to lead innovative projects and develop a personal business idea. In human talent, the focus is on practical ICT education. Overall, the author aims to help companies respond quickly to changing customer demands and market conditions.

1. Question H- What do you believe are the greatest challenges facing the sector or industry you would like to specialize in at IE? What role do you hope to be able to play in this sector or industry in the medium term?
IE Application
Express Yourself
Manuel F. Ospina
IE IMBA Applicant
2015 intake

2. Manuel Ospina 2014 – Express Yourself
Target of the coming slides
As a Telecommunications engineer who works as a project manager leading technology initiatives in the ICT (Information Communications and Technology) sector, I want to continue building my profile in the ICT industry.
In the current presentation, I will share my opinion about the greatest challenges that face the sector in the Latin American region, and the role I hope to play in the intermediate term.
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3. Manuel Ospina 2014 – Express Yourself
2,2%
1,8%
2,4%
1,4%
6,7%
2,5%
2,4%
3,2%
3,6%
2,3%
2,1%
2,9%
1,0%
6,8%
3,0%
2,9%
4,4%
3,9%
USA
Canada
West
Europe
Japan
APxJ
Latin
America
CEE
MEA
World
2014
2015
3,0%
5,9%
3,7%
4,8%
11,0%
11,4%
12,1%
8,7%
5,9%
4,6%
3,0%
2,0%
-0,9%
7,4%
12,9%
5,0%
6,8%
4,6%
USA
Canada
West
Europe
Japan
APxJ
Latin
America
CEE
MEA
World
YOY Growth 2012
YOY Growth 2013
Latin America has to face several challenges to improve its current economic indicators. Nonetheless it is a very promising region to do business in the ICT (Information Communication and Technologies) sector
Figures
Source: IDC Black Book, Jul 2013
Total ICT Market Growth by Market
Source: IMF world Economic outlook
Real GDP Annual Percent Change
GDP in Latin America is below the world average; the region has to face challenges to increase the current numbers.
Despite its less-than-amazing GDP numbers, the region is the fastest growing ICT market in the world.
“ Latin America will continue to demonstrate its ability to leapfrog when it comes to technology uptake. But for this to come true in its greatest extent, technology solutions will need to contribute to escalate, optimize and potentiate existing resources. Real gains in agility and productivity will continue to drive demand, With that in mind, opportunities are up for grabs”
IDC Latin America Predictions 2014
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4. Manuel Ospina 2014 – Express Yourself
Global technological developments and government efforts are creating a positive business environment in the region, that have changed customer demands, requiring the improvement of the ICT services in every sector
ICT flow that is changing the market
Global technological developments
Government efforts
Latin American context
Customer demands
Improvement of ICT services
Intersectorial companies need to improve their ICT technologies.
Sectors such as:
Banking
Telecommunications
Insurance
Oil & gas
Products
Global technological development is improving productivity and decreasing costs, as well as increasing revenues and services for final users in all industries.
Example of technologies mentioned above include: Cloud, mobility, analytics, and social networks.
Governments understand the importance of ICT in improving citizens’ lives and are leading plans to make these services available to everyone.
Examples of regional government plans:
Colombia: Vive Digital
Paraguay: Paraguay Conectado and PNT
Panama: National ICT Strategy 2008–2018
Chile: Strategy for Digital Development
Mexico: Digital Agenda
Average GDP in the region is below the world average, however the region is the fastest growing ICT market in the world.
Global companies are discovering Latin America as a fresh region to do business.
Increased availability of new technologies is changing customers’ behaviors and creating new needs.
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5. Manuel Ospina 2014 – Express Yourself
Infrastructure
Innovation
Human Talent
Adaptability
Customer behaviors are generating challenges for the ICT sector, and the sector’s growth depends on quick responses in the areas of infrastructure, innovation, adaptability and human talent
Groups of the ICT challenges
Customer Behaviors
Find new technologies to improve current processes, services, revenues, and profits.
Define the best cost-benefit technologies.
Ensure that networks and application infrastructures can respond to customer demands.
Create scalable solutions.
Ensure internal structures will respond quickly to market changes.
Improve companies’ internal processes.
Ensure best human resources to lead responses to technological changes.
Maintain resources and avoid talent rotation.
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6. Manuel Ospina 2014 – Express Yourself
Infrastructure
Innovation
Human Resource
Adaptability
Infrastructure decisions in the intermediate term will define future market behavior in the coming years; leaders are charged with making important decisions
Challenges and my Role
Infrastructure
Infrastructure challenges
Skills Assessment
Technical skills
Sector knowledge
Quantitative/Analytical
Strategic thinking
Work experience
Problem solving
Innovation
Global mindset
Lead technology initiatives for key companies in the sector as a service provider.
Make complex decisions that will impact the companies’ infrastructure in the present and the future.
Lead technological projects for intersectorial companies and to have a considerable positive impact on their business. This could be in the below fields:
Technology deployment and Consultant.
Infrastructure Operation.
The role I hope to play in the intermediate term
Skills and self-assessment
Government
Private Sector
Education
Define a work path and deploy public networks to enable citizen access to online world. More connectivity increments use of the internet and of new technologies that will incentivize demand for ICT services, as well as for private investments.
Regulate ICT markets to encourage growth in the sector in a healthy business environment.
Deploy scalable infrastructure to improve services for end users in the most cost-effective way possible (Technologies related to Cloud, Mobility, Applications, and Social Media).
 Make the best decisions with regards to Inbound vs. Out-bound, In-source vs. Out-Source or Cloud vs. In-house.
Focus on practical ICT education for engineering, management, law, etc. students.
Work jointly with the private sector to strengthen education in new leading technologies.
Accounting
Managerial decision making
Finance
Operations
Strategy
IE courses helpful to improve skills
NON-EXHAUSTIVE
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7. Manuel Ospina 2014 – Express Yourself
Infrastructure
Innovation
Human Resource
Adaptability
Companies of inter sectorial industries use ICT innovation, to reach differentiation from the competition and improve performance
Innovation
Challenges and my Role
Skills Assessment
Technical skills
Sector knowledge
Global mindset
Quantitative/Analytical
Strategic thinking
Leadership
Entrepreneurship
Project management
Lead innovation initiatives in the region, with the required knowledge and skills, and to reach business goals.
Be an agent of change for innovative projects that will generate key changes in the region.
Be persistent with innovation efforts.
Add a global and technical point of view to innovation initiatives in the Latin American region.
Develop a personal business idea that will permit innovation in the region.
Finance
Accounting
Entrepreneurial Management
Leading people and teams
Communications skills
Critical management thinking
Government
Private Sector
Education
Develop strategies to increase in-country innovation and form clusters of innovative countries.
Support and incentivize technical education for people from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds by working jointly with the education sector.
Identify key ICT differentiators to increase the quality of services, revenues and profits.
Challenge the status quo, investigate customer behaviors, search for new technologies and new ways to do tasks.
Be open to new ideas, new ways to do things and be unafraid of making mistakes. A persistent search for innovation and the creative exercise involved in doing so, lead to huge changes in companies.
Work jointly with the private and public sector to support continual research for new technologies and innovation.
Challenge the status quo, work with local and international partners to increase innovation in the region.
Innovation challenges
The role I hope to play in the intermediate term
IE courses helpful to improve skills
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Skills and self-assessment
NON-EXHAUSTIVE

8. Manuel Ospina 2014 – Express Yourself
Customer behaviors change constantly; a strong relationship with final customers and fast adaptability with ICT tools will allow companies to respond quickly to new market demands
Challenges and my Role
Skills Assessment
Communication
Leadership
Flexibility
Quantitative/Analytical
Strategic thinking
Work experience
Problem solving
Global mindset
Lead processes in companies to improve the responses to customer demands, through my current experience, knowledge of the sector, and the tools provided by the IE MBA.
Identify required changes in companies based on customer behaviors.
Lead initiatives to improve the flexibility of companies in the sector, through the soft and hard skills.
Leading people and teams
Strategy
Finance
Communication skills
Entrepreneurial management
Operations
Infrastructure
Innovation
Human Resource
Adaptability
Adaptability
Adaptability challenges
Government
Private Sector
Education
Government regulators require clear definitions of internal processes, to respond quickly to market changes, and to maintain healthy environments to do business.
Clear definitions of internal process to respond quickly to market changes and internal engagement from all the members to produce the needed fast responses to market changes.
Develop resilient organizations with strong internal communications and high sensitivity to customer behaviors.
Break out of the comfort zone; self confidence and innovation enable fast responses to market demands.
Continually monitor social networks to detect patterns and be aware of new market demands.
Prepare the ICT professionals of the future to be proactive and sensitive to market behaviors while working effectively.
The role I hope to play in the intermediate term
IE courses helpful to improve skills
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Skills and self-assessment
NON-EXHAUSTIVE

9. Manuel Ospina 2014 – Express Yourself
Infrastructure
Innovation
Human Resource
Adaptability
Talent is a key factor that permits companies to reach their targets; human beings represent the greatest value for companies
Challenges and my Role
Skills Assessment
Communication
Sector knowledge
Read audience
Strategic thinking
Interpersonal
Problem solving
Multicultural awareness
Team work
Work jointly with the areas to define growth plans for human resources to maintain IT staff, create a healthy work environment, and retain high qualify staff.
Lead coaching for staff in my group to permit talent improvement and high company performance.
Develop an integral profile (in terms of technical skills and experience) to be prepared in the long term as an academic trainer.
Government
Private Sector
Education
Make efforts to improve citizens’ technical education and ensure preparation of local professionals for the ICT sector.
Develop strong ICT staff recruitment procedures to ensure the best skilled resources.
Follow effective training plans on new technologies to develop employee skills and ensure the high quality service that the market demands.
Develop strategies for main IT staff to increase their loyalty and avoid talent rotation and additional costs generated by training, learning curve etc.
Create good work conditions, healthy work environments, and carrier plans to ensure staff retention.
Human talent challenges
Finance
Communications skills
International exchanges
Entrepreneurial management
Operations
IE courses helpful to improve skills
The role I hope to play in the intermediate term
Human talent
Work jointly with companies to improve professionals’ preparation in fields such as engineering, law, and management, focusing on the ICT sector.
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Skills and self-assessment
NON-EXHAUSTIVE

10. Manuel Ospina 2014 – Express Yourself
The ICT sector in Latin America, affronts considerable challenges and requires prepared leaders, to improve business environments, services, revenues and profits on companies
Latin America
ICT Challenges
My Role
with an MBA of the IE
Conclusions
Latin America has to contend with considerable challenges to increase its current GDP, and to decrease poverty in the region. ICT is a tool that can be used to decrease this gap, and to reach governments’ goals.
Latin America is the fastest growing ICT market in the world that will lead the race to close the poverty gap. To achieve this, public and private sectors have to work jointly.
Global technological developments and government efforts are creating a positive business context in the region, which is changing customer behaviors and creating an increasing demand for ICT services.
The challenges that the ICT market faces are grouped as follows:
Infrastructure: Infrastructure decisions and investments will define future market behavior for the coming years.
Innovation: Innovation gives companies of inter sectorial industries the differentiators and tools to reach business goals and be leaders in the markets.
Adaptability: Final customers and the fast adaptability achieved with ICT tools will allow companies to respond quickly to new market demands.
Human Talent: Human talent is the greatest value for each company, and allows companies to reach corporate goals.
The education sector will determine the professional quality of human resources and work jointly with governments and private companies to develop the required skills in future leaders.
Lead technology and innovation initiatives for key companies in the sector as a service provider.
Make the best decisions to improve the context of the sector, as a highly prepared leader.
Be an agent of change for innovative projects that will generate key changes in the region.
Develop an integral profile to be prepared in the long term as an academic trainer.
Develop a personal business idea that will permit innovation in the region.
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Manuel Ospina 2014 – Express Yourself
References
IDC Latin America Predictions 2014, December 2013, IDC #LA14047
Latin America ICT Industry Update, August 28, 2013, Coral Gables
WORLD ECONOMIC OUTLOOK, April 2014, World Economic and Financial Surveys
The Global Information Technology Report 2013, Growth and Jobs in a Hyperconnected World , World Economic Forum
The Global Information Technology Report 2014, Rewards and Risks of Big Data, World Economic Forum
IE Business School, International MBA, Program Structure
PROFESSIONAL SKILLS IN THE ICT INDUSTRY, 2001, Akademi University, Leppimäki, Sami, Tammi, Mari and Meristö, Tarja
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