For over 30 years the installation of information systems has been promoted in developing nations by international organizations and international consultancies in order to transfer technical expertise from the industrialized countries to the Third World. While some have questioned the value of indiscriminately transferring scientific and technical information without ensuring some means of adapting the new techniques to local conditions, others welcome the social and economic development that technological advancement can offer. There are, however, a multitude of factors that affect programs for the transfer of information technology and the development of information networks including: (1) the negotiation process; (2) the physical environment; (3) the political and economic infrastructure of the receiving country; (4) technological assimilation and support training; (5) administrative support; and (6) training and support for local staff. Attention to these factors can lessen the chances of failure for international cooperation, but they cannot by themselves guarantee success. (49 references) (DB)