It has been reported that those who live in the Tropics find themselves on the wrong side of the digital divide and lack access to basic technological infrastructure including internet connectivity. However, a closer look at the state of digital and technology innovation in this region reveals a more fragmented picture. Against a backdrop of needing to grow businesses and seek new opportunities to unleash the potential of the Tropics, the existing tensions and opportunities that technology brings to this region, and the evolutionary change in business proposition and value chain, there is much to still be done to better understand these issues.

With a Tropical region focus, this book explores the extent to which emerging technologies impact business development at nation-specific and regional levels. It unravels the diverse factors and practices that emerge through technological innovation and its role in driving business development in the Tropics. The topics covered in the book include diffusing innovations in the Tropics, designing digital customer touchpoints in the Tropics, synergizing operations and connectivity in the Tropics and securing the future of Smart Tropics.

Targeted primarily at academics, business practitioners and public policy experts operating in the product and service economies, this book provides theoretical and practical insights for anyone interested in the role that emerging technologies may play in business development in the Tropics.