|
|
|||||
 |
The 2006 e-readiness rankings
A white paper from the Economist Intelligence Unit
Written in co-operation with the IBM Institute for Business Value With over 1bn Internet users and 2bn mobile-phone users worldwide, and continual progress in most qualitative indicators of technology-related development, the world in early 2006 may be proclaimed ever more “e-ready”. This year’s e-readiness rankings reflect such progress, as all but two countries have improved their scores from the previous year. Most of the rankings’ top players have moved upwards in lock step, and there has been little real movement in the broader ranks from 2005 to 2006 (although the addition of three new countries this year has pushed some down the list).
Just as encouraging is the apparent narrowing of the “digital divide” in some facets of e-readiness. This is particularly evident in basic connectivity: emerging markets are providing the vast majority of the world’s new phone and Internet connections. Many developing countries are also enhancing their e-readiness in other ways—for example through the growth of information technology (IT) outsourcing capabilities in countries such as Bulgaria, Vietnam and, of course, India. The Economist Intelligence Unit has published an annual e-readiness ranking of the world’s largest economies since 2000. The ranking evaluates the technological, economic, political and social assets of 68 countries—including this year’s newest additions, Bermuda, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates—and their cumulative impact on their respective information economies.
|
|
|
|||
|
||||||
