This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Mutula, S. M. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

The Impact of Y2K in Southern Africa

Department of Library and Information Studies, University of Botswana, PO Private Bag 0022, Gaborone, Botswanamutulasm{at}mopipi.ub.bw

The Y2K phenomenon passed with little undesirable effects reported among the fourteen member states of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The Y2K bug had little effect on the region’s information systems in corporations such as telecommunications, power, finance, airlines, manufacturing, securities and the aviation industry. The pervasiveness of the bug and the inter-dependency of the region’s information and communication systems created panic. It was appreciated by member countries that fear of the bug would be the worst enemy of regional economies. The need to maintain confidence was critical to avoid the problems that could be caused by over-reaction. The countries of the region appreciated that the effects of Y2K would know no national or political boundaries and that every country would be affected in some way. The need for joint efforts in addressing the bug was therefore imperative. Within the framework of SADC, the countries of the region, either jointly or singly, put in place programmes and allocated financial resources to address the bug.

Information Development, Vol. 17, No. 1, 19-28 (2001)
DOI: 10.1177/0266666014240638


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?