In the late 1990s, the rise in the dollar reflected global perceptions of expanding investment opportunities in the United States and the resulting current account deficit provided a safety valve through which strong domestic demand was met in part by higher foreign production.
I would, however, note that many of the countries that may be the farthest behind are also those that are least dependent upon technology. Similarly, many of these countries have the fewest links to the international financial markets, and their performance during the century date change is least likely to have a significant cross-border impact.