Strategies for Recruiting and Retaining Information Technology Workers: The Case of Lebanon

1
Strategies for Recruiting and Retaining
Information Technology Workers The Case of
Lebanon

• By
• Toufic Mezher and Dima Sabouneh
• American University of Beirut
• Engineering Management Program

2
Introduction

• The last decade was marked by a technological
  revolution. This was due largely to the
  successful deployment of IT solutions in the
  industrial and service sectors and emergence of
  software technological parks (STP).
• This high demand for IT professionals has
  resulted in a global shortage.
• The objective of this presentation is to
  summarize the innovative recruiting and retention
  programs adopted by the successful IT
  organizations to solve the the shortage problem.

3
Introduction

• In Lebanon, the IT sector has become one of the
  most vital and advanced sectors in the country.
• New automated Telephone switches were installed
  by the Lebanese MPT. In addition, Internet
  service provider companies and GSM network
  operators emerged in the past 5 years.

4
Human Resources Management

• HRM is the utilization of human resources to
  achieve organizational objectives. Six
  functional areas are associated with HRM
• human resource planning,
• recruitment and selection
• human resource development
• compensation and benefits
• safety and health and
• employee and labor relations.

5
Who is the Core IT Worker?

• The core IT occupations are
• computer scientists,
• computer engineers,
• systems analysts, and
• computer programmers.
• The core IT occupations are differentiated from
  other IT-related jobs by significantly higher
  skill and educational requirements.

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Who is the Core IT Worker?
Computer Scientists they generally design
computers and conduct research to improve their
design or use, and develop and adapt principles
for applying computers to new uses. Computer
engineers they work with the hardware and
software aspects of systems design and
development Systems analysts they work to help
an organization realize the maximum benefit from
its investment in equipment, personnel, and
business processes. Computer programmers they
write and maintain the programs that list in
logical order the steps that computers must
execute to perform their functions.
7
IT Labor Shortage

• The term "shortage" refers to a "market
  disequilibrium between supply and demand". A
  shortage requires two things an occupational
  market in disequilibrium and a slow market
  response.
• When a worker shortage occurs, employees and
  workers take various actions, some of which can
  be tracked statistically as indicators of the
  presence and severity of a shortage.

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IT Workforce Shortage Assessment

• The followings are some indicators of IT labor
  shortage
• Increased recruiting,
• overtime,
• reducing minimum qualifications,
• substitution of machinery for labor,
• training, bonuses,
• benefits, and
• a growing amount of IT work contracted.

9
Costs of an IT Worker Shortage

• Slow Innovation and Product Development
• Slowdown in Productivity Improvement
• Fill positions with people who are less than
• adequately qualified
• High Failure Rate of software projects
• Limit innovation and stifle competitiveness
• Increase in the cost of doing business
• High-wage jobs

10
IT Human Resources Management

• The ability to attract IT professionals with the
  desired skills and to retain them so that they
  may offer productive contributions is an outcome
  of the human resource and work practices employed
  by an IT organization.
• Due to the severe shortage and high turnover rate
  of the IT professionals, getting and keeping the
  right person with the right skills at the right
  time requires extraordinary efforts and
  innovative practices.

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Alternatives to Recruitment

• Temporary and Contract Employees employers can
  get the specific skills they need for a temporary
  project without hiring people that might need to
  be laid off later
• Outsourcing allow the proliferation of
  technical consulting companies and staffing
  operations that can offer a wider range of
  opportunities to individuals.

12
IT External Recruitment

• The recruitment process usually begins when a
  manager issues a job requisition. The requisition
  is usually accompanied by the job analysis. Then,
  external sources for meeting the specified
  qualifications and skills are identified.
• The process is achieved by matching the skills of
  the applicants with the required skills using
  selection tools and interviewing.

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Job Analysis of an IT Manager
1. Position Title IT Manager 1. Position Title IT Manager
2. Basic Purpose Plan, coordinate, and direct design, production and computer related activities. May supervise IT workers 2. Basic Purpose Plan, coordinate, and direct design, production and computer related activities. May supervise IT workers
3. Working Environment Spend most of their time in offices in comfortable surroundings. They usually work 40 hours per week. They may experience pressure in meeting goals within short time frames or tight budgets 3. Working Environment Spend most of their time in offices in comfortable surroundings. They usually work 40 hours per week. They may experience pressure in meeting goals within short time frames or tight budgets
4. Educational Background/Experience Bachelor degree in computer science or engineering is required. A graduate degree in MBA or Engineering Management is often preferred. Also, experience with the specific technology on the job 4. Educational Background/Experience Bachelor degree in computer science or engineering is required. A graduate degree in MBA or Engineering Management is often preferred. Also, experience with the specific technology on the job
5. Duties Determine technical goals within broad outlines provided by the top management Make detailed plans for the accomplishment of these goals Propose budgets for projects Make decision on staff training and equipment purchases Hire IT employees Supervise and Review the work of these employees Coordinate the activities of his unit with other organizations units 6. Skills Knowledge of engineering, computer and Information System to oversee a variety of activities Knowledge of administrative functions budgeting/hiring/supervision Interpersonal skills Planning, organizing and time management Delegate tasks within the team Write a clear description of the job of each person in the team
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Sources of IT Workers

1. Four-Year colleges programs
2. Graduate programs
3. Competitors
4. College Relationships
5. Recruiting Firm
6. Employee Referrals
7. World Wide Web
8. Networking

15
Selection Tests

• The tight IT labor market and increasing salaries
  are prompting the use of testing services.
• The selection tests include
• job knowledge,
• work sample, and
• personality tests.
• Due to the variety of IT-related jobs, selection
  tests are specific for each position or
  occupation.

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Position/ Title Technical Tests
IT Manager  Job Knowledge Tests project management functions (budgeting/planning/time management), human resource functions (hiring/retaining/reviewing), and knowledge of the technology on the job tests. Verbal Work Samples writing business letters or a clear job description for each member in the team.
Network Administrator Job Knowledge Tests Networking knowledge TCP/IP, SNA, IPX Operating systems Windows NT, Windows 95, Unix, Solaris Internetworking Ethernet Switching, Routing LAN administration Microsoft NT server, Novell NetWare, Ethernet, HTTP Internet skills Net Development tools
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Title Tests
IT Manager Ability Tests. Working with Language assess his ability in using the language as a vehicle for reasoning and problem solving Motivation/Interest Tests. Team work shows the level of interest in work that deals with people Personality Tests. Consciousness, stress and leadership tests
Other IT Workers Ability Tests. General abilities to assess the reasoning, problem solving and analysis skills Motivation/Interest Tests - Working with Data assess their ability to deal with compiling, computation and programming functions - Working with Things assess the level of working with inanimate objects like computers and other equipment Personality Tests. Cooperation, innovation , and frankness tests
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Interviewing

• The interview provides an opportunity for the
  employer and applicant to assess whether a match
  exists between an applicants qualifications and
  skills and the organizations needs. It should
  include the following issues
• Job-related information is discussed
• Job description is communicated to the
  interviewee
• Some work samples are shown to the applicant
• Topics like overtime, flextime, and compensation
  issues are discussed
• Communicate to the applicant the organizational
  competitive differentiator elements.

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Retention Practices
Concern for Productivity Concern for Individual Compensation and Benefits Career Development and Security
Performance Measurement Opportunities for Advancement Compensation and Benefits   Longer-term Career Development
Work Arrangements Opportunities for Recognition Compensation and Benefits   Organizational Stability and employment Security
Employability Training and Development Quality of Leadership Compensation and Benefits   Organizational Stability and employment Security
Employability Training and Development Sense of Community Compensation and Benefits   Organizational Stability and employment Security
Employability Training and Development Life-Style Accommodations Compensation and Benefits   Organizational Stability and employment Security
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Crafting an IT HR Strategy

• In order to understand an organization IT HR
  retention strategy, we have to understand two
  factors the length of the employment and needs
  of IT professionals
• Length of Relationship Organizations seeking a
  long term relationship will invest more in career
  development and security. Organizations seeking a
  short term relationship expend additional
  resources on compensation and benefits.
• Assumptions about Needs Under the assumption
  that IT professionals are driven by professional
  achievement needs, practices related to concern
  for productivity are more heavily emphasized.
  Under the assumption that IT professionals seek a
  balanced life, a balance of practices from both
  strategic levers of concern for productivity and
  concern for the individual are used.

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Crafting an IT HR Strategy LTI Strategy

• An organization following an Long-term Investment
  (LTI) strategy sees IT people as worth developing
  and retaining because of their specific knowledge
  and competencies relative to the organization.
  The organization believes that besides the need
  for professional achievement people have other
  short and long term needs to be maintained. The
  LTI strategy has more emphasis on practices
  related to career development and security.

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Crafting an IT HR Strategy BP Strategy

• An organization following a Balanced Professional
  (BP) strategy sees the IT people as a scarce
  resource providing valuable contributions to the
  organization for a number of years. The
  organization believes that besides the need for
  professional achievement people have other short
  and long term needs to be maintained. BP strategy
  places more emphasis on practices related to the
  concern for the individual.

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Crafting an IT HR Strategy HPP Strategy
An organization following an High Performance
Professional (HPP) strategy sees the people as a
scarce resource providing valuable contributions
to the organization, ideally for a number of
years. The organizations following the HPP
strategy do not consider building commitment and
loyalty among professionals. Thus, IT workers may
tend to experience stress and burnout resulting
in high turnover rate.
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Crafting an IT HR Strategy STP Strategy
An organization following Short-Term Producers
(STP) strategy sees the people as a scarce
resource providing highly valuable contributions
to the organization in short term. It believes
that IT people willing and able to provide these
contributions are driven by short term
professional achievement and financial goals. STP
strategy has more emphasis on compensation.
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The 4 strategic levers
Long Term
LTI
BP
Length of Relationship Sought
HPP
STP
Short Term
Personal Professional
Personal, Professional Security
Professional Achievement
Assumptions about Needs
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IT Recruitment Retention in Lebanon The
Objective of the Survey

• Data were collected form 10 Lebanese IT
  organizations in three sectors using a
  questionnaire. This survey has several
  objectives
• To show that there is a growth in the Lebanese IT
  sector despite the severe economic situation in
  Lebanon and there is a shortage in certain types
  of skills set
• To identify the organizations recruiting
  policies and the strategies used in external
  recruitment such as sources, methods, and
  selection tools
• To assess the extent to which each organization
  is applying the 11 retention practices in order
  to keep its employees.

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Questionnaire Contents

• The questionnaire utilized in the survey contains
  17 sections
• Information about the Organization
• Information about the IT department
• Information about the IT labor shortage.
• Recruitment
• Interviewing
• Selection Tests
• Performance Appraisal
• Work Arrangements
• Human Resources Development and Training
• Longer-Term career Development
• Organizational Stability and Employment Security
• Financial Compensation
• Opportunities for Advancement
• Opportunities for Recognition
• Quality of Leadership
• Sense of Community
• Lifestyle Accommodations

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The Surveyed Companies
No. Sector Services No. of Current Employees Growth Factor
1 Customer Support Installation and support of O/S and networking services 7 1.28
2 Internet Internet Service Provider 4 1.5
3 Internet Regional Internet Consultant and Network Integrator 23 1.17
4 Internet Internet Service Provider 11 1.36
5 Internet Internet Service Provider 16 1.25
6 Internet Web Page Design 6 1.5
7 Telecom X.25 and Frame Relay Services 5 1
8 Telecom GSM Network operator 144 1.11
9 Telecom Microwave Link installation and maintenance 10 1
10 Telecom Microwave Link installation and maintenance 12 1.5
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IT Labor Shortage

• Half of companies stated that they have problems
  finding professionals in Web-related jobs (Web
  design using JAVA as a development tool and Web
  administrators).
• Half of them complained that they are having
  problems finding networking professionals
  (Designing/installing/ maintaining a LAN or WAN),
  Cisco products, UNIX and WinNT professionals.
• This can be attributed to the fact that there is
  a rapid change in technology and frequent changes
  in skill requirements, there are mismatches
  between what university teaches and industry
  needs, and a lot of professionals are immigrating
  to other countries Canada, States etc where the
  working conditions are better.
• Two companies said that they lack low-level
  managers because they cannot find professionals
  that combine technical and supervisory skills.

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Recruitment Practice No. of companies adopting the practice
a. Alternatives to Recruitment
Overtime 8
Contingent Workers (part-timers) 8
Telecommuting 1
Subcontracting 1
b. Sources
Internal (PFW) 5
High Schools and Vocational Schools 2
Colleges and universities 9
Competitors 4
Other firms 1 (ISP in case of the internet consultant company)
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Recruitment Practices (contd)
c. Methods No. of companies adopting the practice
Internships 3
Ads in newspaper 8
Employment Agency 5
Recruiters 4
Company Web Site 4
Employee Referrals 8
Walk-in applicants 6
Ads in universities 1
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The Recruitment Practices (Contd)

• It is important to note that one company stated
  that it does not recruit women because of the
  nature of the work, which requires constant
  travelling. Two other telecom companies said that
  they do not assign to women duties like microwave
  installation
• d. Selection Tools
• Interviewing All of the organizations admitted
  that they usually conduct an interview to assess
  the technical and personality skills, the
  experience and the educational background of the
  applicant. Only three of them mentioned that the
  organizations strategy and policies (Challenging
  duties, compensation, and salary) are
  communicated to the applicant
• Selection Tests None of the organizations has a
  prepared available technical or personality tests
  for the applicant. Usually, these tests are
  rarely conducted

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RETENTION PRACTICES Co.1 Co.2 Co.3 Co.3 Co.4 Co.4 Co.5
1. Concern for Productivity 1. Concern for Productivity 1. Concern for Productivity 1. Concern for Productivity 1. Concern for Productivity 1. Concern for Productivity 1. Concern for Productivity 1. Concern for Productivity
Performance Measurement Conducted By Immediate Supervisor Immediate Supervisor Immediate Supervisor Immediate Supervisor Immediate Supervisor Immediate Supervisor Immediate Supervisor
Method Rating Scales Rating Scales Rating Scales Rating Scales Rating Scales Rating Scales Rating Scales
Frequency Once per yr. Once per yr. Once per yr. Once per yr. Once per yr. Once per yr. Once per yr.
Work Arrangements Interesting Duties Challenges Job Rotation Interesting Duties Job Rotation Interesting Duties Challenges Interesting Duties Challenges Interesting Duties Challenges Interesting Duties Interesting Duties
Training Development Technical skills New methods Technical skills New methods Technical skills Technical skills new methods Technical skills new methods Technical skills new methods Technical skills new methods
2. Career Development Security 2. Career Development Security 2. Career Development Security 2. Career Development Security 2. Career Development Security 2. Career Development Security 2. Career Development Security 2. Career Development Security
Longer-term career Dev. Executive Development Dev. Of communication skills Career planning No Career Planning Executive Development Dev. Of communication skills Career planning Executive Development Dev. Of communication skills Career planning Executive Development Dev. Of communication skills Career planning Executive Development Dev. Of communication skills Career planning No Career Planning
Organizational Stability Employment Security Not Applicable Not Applicable Not Applicable Not Applicable Not Applicable Not Applicable Not Applicable
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RETENTION PRACTICES Co.6 Co.7 Co.8 Co.8 Co.8 Co.9 Co.9 Co.10
1. Concern for Productivity 1. Concern for Productivity 1. Concern for Productivity 1. Concern for Productivity 1. Concern for Productivity 1. Concern for Productivity 1. Concern for Productivity 1. Concern for Productivity 1. Concern for Productivity
Performance Measurement Conducted By Immediate Supervisor Immediate Supervisor Immediate Supervisor Immediate Supervisor Immediate Supervisor Immediate Supervisor Immediate Supervisor Immediate Supervisor
Method Rating Scales Rating Scales Rating Scales Rating Scales Rating Scales Rating Scales Rating Scales Rating Scales
Frequency Once per yr. Once per yr. twice per yr. Once per yr. Once per yr. Once per yr. Once per yr. twice per yr.
Work Arrangements Interesting Duties Challenges Interesting Duties Job Rotation Interesting Duties Challenges Job rotation Interesting Duties Challenges Interesting Duties Challenges Interesting Duties Challenges Interesting Duties Challenges Interesting Duties Job rotation
Training Development Technical skills New methods Technical skills New methods Technical skills new methods Technical skills new methods Technical skills new methods Technical skills new methods Technical skills new methods Technical skills
2. Career Development Security 2. Career Development Security 2. Career Development Security 2. Career Development Security 2. Career Development Security 2. Career Development Security 2. Career Development Security 2. Career Development Security 2. Career Development Security
Longer-term career Dev. No Career Planning No Career Planning Executive Development Dev. Of communication skills Career planning Executive Development Dev. Of communication skills Career planning No Career Planning No Career Planning Executive Development Dev. Of communication skills Career planning Executive Development Dev. Of communication skills Career planning
Organizational Stability Employment Security Not Applicable Not Applicable Not Applicable Not Applicable Not Applicable Not Applicable Not Applicable Not Applicable
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RETENTION PRACTICES Co.1 Co.2 Co.2 Co.3 Co.4 Co.5
3. Compensation and Benefits System Salaries Bonuses Insurance Paid vacation/sick days Social security Salaries Bonuses Insurance Paid vacation/sick days Social security Salaries Bonuses Insurance Paid vacation/sick days Social security Salaries Bonuses Insurance Paid vacation/sick days Social security Salaries Bonuses Insurance Paid vacation/sick days Social security Salaries Bonuses Insurance Paid vacation/sick days Social security
4. Concern for Individual 4. Concern for Individual 4. Concern for Individual 4. Concern for Individual 4. Concern for Individual 4. Concern for Individual 4. Concern for Individual
Opportunities for Advancement PFW Dual career path Not Applicable PFW Dual career path PFW Dual career path PFW Not Applicable
Opportunities for Recognition Feeling of Achievement Not Applicable Feeling of Achievement Feeling of Achievement Feeling of Achievement Not Applicable
Quality of Leadership Managerial skills training Empowerment of employees Managerial skills training Empowerment of employees Managerial skills training Empowerment of employees Managerial skills training Empowerment of employees Managerial skills training Empowerment of employees Managerial skills training Empowerment of employees
Sense of Community Interaction with the CEO Intranet Intranet Intranet Intranet Intranet
Lifestyle Accommodations Flextime Comfortable working conditions Flextime Comfortable working conditions Flextime Comfortable working conditions Flextime Comfortable working conditions Flextime Comfortable working conditions Flextime Comfortable working conditions
36
RETENTION PRACTICES Co.6 Co.7 Co.8 Co.9 Co.10
3. Compensation and Benefits System Salaries Bonuses Insurance Paid vacation/sick days Social security Salaries Bonuses Insurance Paid vacation/sick days Social security Salaries Bonuses Insurance Paid vacation/sick days Social security Salaries Bonuses Insurance Paid vacation/sick days Social security Salaries Bonuses Insurance Paid vacation/sick days Social security
4. Concern for Individual 4. Concern for Individual 4. Concern for Individual 4. Concern for Individual 4. Concern for Individual 4. Concern for Individual
Opportunities for Advancement Not Applicable Not Applicable PFW Dual career path PFW Not Applicable
Opportunities for Recognition Not Applicable Not Applicable Feeling of Achievement Feeling of Achievement Not Applicable
Quality of Leadership Empowerment of employees Managerial skills training Empowerment of employees Managerial skills training Empowerment of employees Managerial skills training Empowerment of employees Managerial skills training Empowerment of employees
Sense of Community Intranet Intranet Intranet Interaction with CEO Intranet Intranet
Lifestyle Accommodations Flextime Comfortable working conditions Flextime Comfortable working conditions Flextime Flextime Flextime Comfortable working conditions
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Concern levels of the 10 organizations
Concern for Co. 1 Co. 2 Co. 3 Co. 4 Co. 5 Co. 6 Co. 7 Co. 8 Co. 9 Co. 10
Productivity High High High High High High High High High High
Individual High Middle High High Middle Middle Middle High Middle High
Career Dev. employee security Middle Little Middle Middle Little Little Little Middle Little Middle
Strategy adopted BP HPP BP BP HPP HPP HPP BP HPP BP
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Recommendations and Conclusion

• The IT Lebanese organizations are facing
  shortage in IT workforce. In order to overcome
  this shortage, many strategies can be adopted
  creation of governmental practices, collaboration
  between universities and industry, retraining of
  the current IT workforce and innovative
  recruiting and retaining practices.

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The Need for Governmental Initiatives

• It should continue to build an up-to-date
  information infrastructure.
• It should encourage the development of
  information technology parks by given incentives
  to the private sector. Incentives include tax
  breaks, low cost of lands and utilities, building
  educational institutions nearby, low
  communication costs, reduce governmental
  bureaucracy, change labor laws, etc. Information
  technology parks can help stop the brain drain
  from Lebanon.
• It should take the initiatives by using IT
  technologies in all its ministries and agencies
  by using local companies.
• It should reinforce the bureau of national
  statistics which should include information
  related to educational institutions and IT
  industry, e.g., existing companies, IT labor
  market including forecasting future needs, and
  other related information.

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The Need for Governmental Initiatives

• It should adopt programs for K-12 education that
  will lead to greater technological literary. This
  will enable a larger fraction of citizens to
  participate in and benefit from more productive
  working careers.
• It should encourage continuous education and
  training for the workforce.
• It should invest in basic and applied IT
  research.
• It should help to strengthen traditional higher
  educational programs in IT related areas. The
  government can encourage colleges and
  universities to promote degrees to prepare
  students to meet IT industry needs.
• It should encourage universities and industry to
  form a variety of partnerships to train the IT
  workforce.

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New Higher Education Outlooks

• Universities should broaden their educational
  approach in sciences, in technology, and in the
  humanities and should educate students to be more
  sensitive to productivity, to practical problems,
  to teamwork, to the culture, institutions, and
  business practices of other countries.
• Create a new cadre of students and faculty
  characterized by (1) interest in, and knowledge
  of, real problems and their societal, economic,
  and political context (2) an ability to function
  effectively as member of a team creating new
  products, processes, and systems (3) an ability
  to operate effectively beyond the confines of a
  single discipline and (4) an integration of a
  deep understanding of science and technology with
  practical knowledge, a hands-on orientation, an
  experimental skills and insight.
• The curriculum in business and engineering
  management schools should have strong emphasis on
  international management, technology management
  including information technology, and human
  resources management.

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New Higher Education Outlooks

• Establish a major interdepartmental research
  center on information technology between business
  and engineering schools.
• IT curricula needs to develop faster than other
  disciplines and determine the types of training
  needed by employers.
• Universities should provide additional incentives
  for faculty to encourage them to stay in academia
  and not go to the private sector. Incentives
  should include higher salaries and more research
  funds.
• Business and engineering schools should form
  advisory boards from the private sector. This
  will increase the collaboration between the
  education and the private sector and will
  facilitate internship and other joint programs.
• Try to form joint education and training centers
  with leading IT companies like Microsoft, Cisco,
  etc.

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Retraining of the Current Workforce

• Cisco Equipment Training for network
  professionals
• Windows NT (Win 2000) skills enhancement
• UNIX knowledge enhancement for system
  administrators
• JAVA knowledge training for Web Designers
• Middle level Managers if the company has a PFW
  policy then the employee having a bachelor degree
  should enrol in the university to get a Master
  degree in MBA or Engineering Management. These
  two programs are available in most of the
  Lebanese universities

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Improvement of the Recruitment Practices

• The Internet recruitment should be more used.
• The internship method should also be used more
  often. Actually, three companies are using it. It
  is a cheap hiring method where the selection
  decision is more certain because the employee
  worked for a probationary period before getting
  hired.
• In the interviewing process, only 3 companies
  admitted that they communicate to the applicant
  the companys differentiator elements.
  (organizations vision, compensation, and
  training).
• Finally, selection testing (technical and
  personality) should be conducted more frequently.
  Due to the increasing IT salaries and IT
  shortage, a wrong hiring decision is highly
  costly for the company.

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Improvement of the Retaining Practices

• Five of the surveyed companies are following the
  BP strategy while the other five are following
  the HPP strategy. In order for these companies to
  shift to the LTI strategy where the turnover rate
  is minimum all the surveyed 10 organizations must
  improve their practices in career development and
  employee security lever. The 5 organizations
  following the HPP strategy must improve their
  level of concern for the individual as well
• The three strategic levers concern for
  productivity, Organizational Stability and
  Employment Security, concern for the individual
  must be adopted aggressively in order for IT
  companies to move toward LTI strategy.

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Final Conclusion

• Collaboration between industry and universities
  is necessary to bridge the knowledge gap between
  them. Educational institutions are a good source
  for building knowledge and skills for future IT
  professionals and for the continuing education of
  existing ones.
• Retaining current employees is crucial to the
  continuation of work within the organization and
  offering good employees long term-contracts (3 to
  5 years) is an additional good retaining
  incentive along with an above average pay.
  Companies should always strive to move toward the
  LTI strategy and periodically conduct a
  satisfaction survey because the needs to people
  are changing constantly.

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Final Conclusion

• IT companies should think global and try to get
  contracts from the international markets
  especially when companies in the US or Europe are
  outsourcing part of their work (e.g., Ireland and
  Indian experience). One advantage of Lebanese
  market is in its highly skilled professionals
  which are trilingual (Arabic, English and
  French). This give it an advantage over other
  regional countries.
• The government should take the lead in building
  human resources in the country through
  legislation, constantly update the information
  infrastructure including building local networks
  connecting the country, building information
  technology parks including nearby educational
  infrastructure, and give more incentives to
  attract both local and international companies.
  These incentives should include tax break, cheap
  utilities and lands, cut on government
  bureaucracy, etc.