Pakistan Inc. - The High Tech. Edition

Best Practices in Pakistani Software Sector

A Research Project Website

Funded by Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) and Supported by Ministry of IT & Telecom & P@ SHA

Maintained by: Athar Osama, Principal Investigator & Project Leader

Final Version of PSEB Best Practices Study in now Available Online in 4 Formats

Executive Summary of Report–9 pages, 500K, .pdf format [Download],  January 2005

“Summary of Findings” Paper–20 pages, 700K, .pdf format [Download], January 2005

Full Version Research Report– 125 pages, >1MB, .pdf format [Download], January 2005

Briefing Slides from Jan-2005 Meetings in KHI, LHR, ISB– 23 slides, 590KB, .pdf format [Download],  January 2005

Have You Taken The Software Best Practices Survey? [Study has now concluded and Survey has been withdrawn]

About the Project:

The Best Practices in Pakistani Software Industry Project is 3-month-long research endeavor designed to provide a baseline for understanding the current state and dynamics of the Pakistani Software Industry. Unlike the tradition of Ivory Towers Research, we are hoping to make this a participative process of sharing and learning. An active project website is being maintained, not only to disseminate information about the project but also to  solicit feedback from and involve industry players, corporate visionaries and leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, software professionals, policymakers, researchers, journalists, and students etc. in this participative endeavor to learn about the Pakistani Software Industry.

Important Project Update (Feb 25, 2005):

The Final version of PSEB Best Practices Study Report titled “Pakistan’s Software Industry: Best Practices and Strategic Challenges” is now available online in four different formats. While this report incorporates several of the in-person, online, and offline comments/suggestions received by us during our consultative meetings in Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad, this research is a dynamic ongoing process like Pakistan’s IT Industry itself. If you have any comments or suggestions, please feel free to send them to Athar Osama at: Athar.Osama(at)gmail.com  by January 15, 2005. Whle this update culminates the PSEB Project, this website would remain active and alive for the benefit of the Pakistani Software Industry and people associated with or interested in it. The author of this website would post comments and research papers, as and when they become available. If you have anything of value that you want posted here, please send it to him at the above address. Also refer this website to your Pakistani and foreign friends.

Important Project Update (Jan 3, 2005):

The Draft version of PSEB Best Practices Study Report titled “Pakistan’s Software Industry: Best Practices and Strategic Challenges” is now available online for comments/suggestions. Please use the links (above) to download. Comments/reviews/suggestions about the report maybe sent directly to Athar Osama at: Athar.Osama(at)gmail.com  by January 15, 2005. A final version of the study report incorporating all the comments/consultations with stakeholders would be released following that.

 Important Project Update (Nov 24, 2004):

The field work on the project began on Oct 15, 2004 and continues till this day. The Phase-I of the fieldwork was carried out in Karachi (Oct 18-24, 2004 and Nov 22-30, 2004), Islamabad (Oct. 26-Nov 2, 2004), and Lahore (Nov 3-12, 2004). During this period over 35 software houses of various sizes and types were surveyed and their top-executives interviewed. Several more are still to be interviewed/surveyed. In Phase-II of the study, an Online Survey of Best Practices in Pakistani Software Sector [click here] is being launched to allow a wider cross section of the industry to become part of the study. If you haven’t already, we strongly encourage you to take the 15-20 minute organizational survey. The survey would remain online between Nov 23-Dec 5, 2004. All data from the survey would be analyzed in aggregates and no identifiable information would be disclosed. We strongly urge you take the survey to make the study as representative of the industry as possible. In the final (Phase-III) of the study, consultative meetings are being planned with key stakeholders to discuss the findings of the study and draw up institutional/policy recommendations.

 Project Update - Oct 2004:

This is an on-going effort. The website would change/be-updated with the passage of time. We’re hoping to attract the participation of Pakistani Software Industry Professionals and Researchers and learn together. Please visit this website often, read the blog, or register onto our mailing lists to participate. If you’re a researcher working in a related area and would like to have your work featured on this website, please contact us.  If you have any comments/suggestions regarding the project, or this website, please feel free to contact Athar Osama at Athar.Osama(at)gmail.com