| The ongoing information explosion in developed countries contrasts sharply with the information poverty of many developing countries in Latin America. This information poverty takes many forms: planning without facts, poor information support for decision making, inadequate financial control and cumbersome reporting and monitoring systems, underdeveloped decision support systems at all levels of management, limited access to information for macroeconomic and sectorial policy formulation and implementation, isolation of researchers and professionals from international research findings, lack of information on natural resources, and poor access to timely information and national and international markets. While many Latin American countries have the computational power to process and provide information for decision making, they suffer from information poverty because of their inability to manage and fully appreciate the importance of information technology.;Of 1,050 questionnaires distributed as part of a field study of users of end-user computing technologies in Costa Rica, Ecuador and Guatemala, the number of respondents totaled 414. The results of the research model, based on the general linear models method for unbalanced data, suggest that both similarities and differences exist among countries. End-user computing technology was identified as the only variable where the effect on end-user computing success depends on the country. Similarities were identified by the absence of managerial activities implemented within organizations to manage the EUC environment. In addition, the results suggest that differences exist among public and private organizations in developing countries. Data facilities was identified as a variable directly related to end-user computing success in private and public organizations. (Abstract shortened by UMI.);A key to formulating effective business strategies in developing countries involves the capacity to analyze and comprehend thoroughly the organizational external environment. The fundamental difference managing in developing countries is the nature of the business environment, which varies considerably from the business environment is more developed countries. End-user computing is one area where this difference is most pronounced. Decision makers in developing countries still leave virtually all decision making with respect to this important element of information technology to the information systems staff. |
