Global Information Technology Report Research Articles

The Impact of Digital Economy Embedding on Trade and Export——Empirical Analysis Based on Transnational Panel

with the advent of the digital economy era, digital embedding has brought significant improvements to enterprise exports. This paper adopts the input-output table of 56 departments between countries in the world database, the social and economic account sea, the annual report of the Wall Street Journal and the American Heritage Foundation, the global information technology report and other data. From the theoretical level, this paper expounds that digital embedding can improve total factor productivity and promote enterprise exports by promoting technological progress, and also demonstrates the impact of digital embedding on enterprise exports from an empirical perspective. After considering the endogeneity, this paper finds that the digital economy can improve the total factor productivity and increase the export of enterprises. After considering the robustness, it is still established. Based on the heterogeneity test of countries with different economic levels, national digital economy development levels, and different industries, digital embedding has a differential impact on the export promotion of enterprises. This study provides empirical evidence for promoting the digitalization of investment and promoting the rise of trade exports, and broadens the policy connotation of theoretical research.

The Viewpoint on Legislation and Guidelines on e-Business and e-Commerce: Kazakhstan’s Approac

According to Global Information Technology Report, Kazakhstan ranks 39th among countries actively introducing information technologies into electronic business and electronic commerce. The legislative development for e-business and e-commerce in Kazakhstan has begun since 1999, a number of legislative regulations and guidelines have been developed by national parliament of Kazakhstan. The purpose of this article is to present and analyze viewpoint on current national legislation and guidelines on e-business and e-commerce in post-soviet Kazakhstan. This article uses comparative method of legal rules governing e-business and e-commerce issues between Kazakhstan and international countries. Furthermore, it applies a system method, where e-business and e-commerce was considered as a co-economic-legal phenomenon in the mutually agreed existence of its main components such as e-document circulation and e-economy. The article concludes that there is no clearly nationally formulated concept of legal regulation of e-business and e-commerce, there is no clear terminology base and uniform usage of terms, a clear idea of how and what should be regulated. The article highlights that Kazakhstan needs to apply integrated approach with further revision of national legislation and guidelines considering experiences of developed countries and standards of the United Nations convention on the use of electronic communications in international contracts. This review article explores a problematic area of national legislation and guidelines on e-business and e-commerce in transitional Kazakhstan which display interests to e-business and e-commerce and at the same time, country experiences the difficult economic situation, caused by decreasing oil prices, higher inflation and significant devaluation of the national currency.

Morocco e-Readiness Assessment: University Contribution

The main purpose of this study is to explore the critical issues that impede an effective implementation of information communication technology (ICT) as related to higher education (HE) in Morocco. An e-readiness survey based on Harvard e-readiness assessment framework is administered in order to check the role of university in getting Morocco e-ready. First, a diagnosis is done at the level of preparedness of Moroccan institutions in networked areas of access, society, economy and policy. The data was collected from the annual reports of Moroccan Telecommunications regulations agency (ANRT), reports from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Global Information Technology Report (NRI), quantitative and qualitative surveys from previous research studies, and statistical websites. The findings reveal that Morocco has, apart from networked economy and local digital content, a fairly advanced e-readiness status in other indicators in the model of Harvard Centre of International Development. Ironically, such findings show that it is the Moroccan university that needs to catch up with society.

Un nuevo modelo de gobernanza en las telecomunicaciones

Diez años después de finalizadas las reformas al sector de telecomunicaciones, el Informe Global de Tecnologías de la Información 2016, publicado por el Foro Económico Mundial, deja a Nicaragua en una posición no deseable. El problema, más allá de apuntar a la estructura de mercado imperante, señala también a la modalidad pública reguladora adoptada para intervenir al sector. En este sentido y haciendo uso de una revisión bibliográfica de la literatura existente, la autorregulación de la industria surge como una propuesta interesante dentro de las nuevas formas de gobernanza regulatoria y convenientemente tratable desde el enfoque de la teoría de juegos.

Aporte de las tecnologías de la información para el desarrollo sostenible de Honduras

La masificación en el uso de las TI, en especial la telefonía móvil, el acceso a Internet y las conexiones en banda ancha son ejes centrales en el análisis de impacto de las TI en nuevos servicios y productos, en nuevos modelos organizacionales y en el aumento de la intensidad del trabajo y conocimiento de la fuerza laboral. Para obtener el máximo rendimiento de la digitalización, tiene que ser difundida dentro de los sectores económicos y sociales de la nación.Esta investigación, mediante una revisión bibliográfica para obtener datos y luego someterlos al análisis, se enfoca en establecer una aproximación de la contribución de las Tecnologías de la Información (TI) al desarrollo sostenible en Honduras. Su objetivo es identificar cómo las TI han contribuido y contribuirán a este proceso alineándolas al crecimiento económico, cuidado del medio ambiente y desarrollo social del país, utilizando como instrumento base el Subíndice de Impacto de las TI del Reporte Global de Tecnologías de la Información 2015 del Foro Económico Mundial.

A System Dynamics Approach for Digital Sustainability Assessment

The Network Readiness Index, as explained in the Global Information Technology Report 2015: ICTs for inclusive growth, prepared by World Economic Forum along with INSEAD, Business School and Johnson Cornell University, is the capacity of countries to exploit & leverage ICTs for increased competitiveness and wellbeing. The report assesses the Network Readiness Index of 143 economies of the world. The current paper will analyze and develop a Model through System Dynamics Approach. The model is based on five major principles, on which the different economies are assessed in the report. (1) A high-quality regulatory and business environment is critical in order to fully leverage ICTs and generate impact; (2) ICT readiness—as measured by ICT affordability, skills, and infrastructure—is a pre-condition for generating impact; (3) Fully leveraging ICTs requires a society-wide effort: the government, the business sector, and the population at large each have a critical role to play; (4) ICT use should not be an end in itself. The impact that ICTs actually have on the economy and society is what ultimately matters; (5) The set of drivers— the environment, readiness, and usage—interact, co-evolve, and reinforce each other to form a virtuous cycle; (as per the report) Based on these principles a Stock-Flow Model is developed and finally the data from Indian economy is taken into consideration to run the simulation to understand the impact of the Network Readiness Index and how quantitatively it can be utilized by any economy to increase competitiveness and well –being.

Open Source Software in the UAE: Opportunities, Challenges and Recommendations (A Survey Research Study)

The UAE is one of the most technologically advanced countries in the Gulf region and the Middle East. IDC expects total IT spending in the UAE to increase at a compound annual growth rate of 6.0% over the five-year forecast period, reaching $8.06 billion in 2017. According to the latest survey by the World Economic Forum: The Global Information Technology Report 2014, the UAE now ranks 24th in the world in terms of IT spending. In this research paper, we look closely at Open Source Software usage in the UAE. A survey study was conducted in four categories-governments and ministries, IT companies, universities and IT enthusiasts to explore the opportunities and challenges faced by this segment of the software industry. The study is also compared with two Arabic countries: KSA and Tunisia. This is the first study of its kind in this part of the world and is expected to contribute significantly to the global direction for Open Source Software.

What’s so bad about sound opinions?

The release of the World Economic Forum's (WEF) Global Information Technology Report 2014: Rewards and Risks of Big Data in June has received varied responses in South Africa. The Report's central focus is, as it states, global information technology - and the readiness of countries to avoid the risks, and benefit from the very considerable rewards, associated with 'big data'. As part of the analysis presented in the Report, the general quality of education systems, and of maths and science education in particular, are scored - a small part of the overall assessment, but (of course) telling in themselves. The Report placed the general status of South Africa's education system at 146 out of 148 countries, and the maths and science education at 148 out of 148. By comparison, Swaziland was placed at 81 and 91, respectively, and Zambia at 38 and 76.

Performance of ICT Industry in Six Asian Countries

This study explores the performance of ICT industry through Sales Growth Rate and Profitability Ratio between ASEAN and East Asia and also through individual country. Data from Orbis Database (OVBD) were analyzed; 24 ICT companies in ASEAN region which involve Thailand, Malaysia, and Philippines; and 231 ICT companies in East Asia; Japan, China and South Korea by using t test and ANOVA techniques. Our empirical results shows that East Asia shows a good performance in Sales Growth Rate but low performance in Profitability Ratio compare to ASEAN in the ICT industry. By comparing the performance of each country, China shows positive performance in the Sales Growth while Malaysia has the low performance in Profitability Ratio; ROSF, ROCE and Korea with its ROA, Profit Margin and EBITDA. Various resources were used to support our findings such as Global Information Technology Report, China Internet Network Information Center, Asian Development Bank and also implying sales maximization theory in this study.

Contextual Assessment of Adoption and Use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) by Small Businesses in Lagos, Nigeria.

This study examines the level of ICT usage by small business in Nigeria. Empirical arguments indicate that small businesses in Nigeria have low levels of ICT usage within their business processes, which consequently limits their capacity to fully benefit from the opportunities which ICTs offer for business process efficiency, growth, competitive advantage and new markets. A qualitative approach is adopted which employed observations, interviews and analysis of documents of the small businesses covered. This is backed up by a quantitative benchmarking of Nigerian businesses to other small businesses in select African countries; this is achieved by using secondary data from the World Economic Forum's 2013 Networked Readiness Index (NRI). The NRI is a component framework adopted in the annual Global Information Technology Report (GITR) published by the World Economic Forum (WEF). The paper concludes that the level of ICT usage by small businesses in Nigeria is significantly low, even when compared with what is obtainable in the other African countries benchmarked by the World Economic Forum's NRI. The study provides empirical evidence for low level of ICT usage among small businesses in Lagos, Nigeria.

Bridging the digital divide through ICT

Bridging the gap of the digital divide can play an important role in education, employment and economic growth of any country. The present study attempts to examine and analyze the digital divide status of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries compared with countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and other Arab countries. It uses 19 indicators of four factors adapted from The Global Information Technology Report 2009–2010 to measure the digital divide. Findings of the study indicated that GCC countries have a better ICT infrastructure than the ASEAN and other Arab countries. Similarly, the results of the study revealed that GCC nations have more ICT users than the ASEAN and other Arab countries. However, the study found no significant differences among these groups of countries in regard to government support and usage of ICT. Findings of the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) show that, across the three groups of countries, the influence of ICT infrastructure is consistently significant in narrowing the digital divide. The regression results also prove a significant relationship between government support for ICT and government usage of ICT.

Exploring the critical pillars and causal relations within the NRI: An innovative approach

The Global Information Technology Report released by the World Economic Forum (WEF) has employed networked readiness index (NRI) to measure the global competitiveness of a country’s information and communication technologies (ICT) diffusion. The final NRI overall scores were measured by an arithmetic mean aggregation of the composite pillars scores, which implicitly assumed that all the pillars have constant weights. The Report did not explore the critical pillars and causal relations for better decision making. To add values to this Report, the objective of this paper is to propose an innovative approach by using data mining techniques and partial least squares path modeling to scrutinize the critical pillars within the NRI and to further explore the causal relations amongst them. An empirical analysis based on the latest Report (2009–2010) is carried out. The results show that “business usage,” “business readiness,” and “market environment” are the three root drivers—critical pillars to manipulate the NRI overall scores; whereas “government readiness,” which is further mostly affected by the “government usage,” is the foremost enabler to the NRI overall scores. Based on the results, policy makers are suggested to allocate limited resources with priority to the three root drivers and one foremost enabler to frog-leap the global competitiveness of national ICT diffusion.

The Global information technology report, 2007-2008: fostering innovation through networked readiness

The Global information technology report, 2007-2008: fostering innovation through networked readiness

High-level factors affecting availability of online government services worldwide

The purpose of this research is to develop and test a parsimonious research model of drivers of e-government. Specifically, we investigate individual and business internet use both as direct antecedents of the availability of online government services and as indirect factors mediated by government development of an information and communications technology (ICT) regulatory environment. Beginning with theoretical motivations provided by the New Institutional Economics, we develop and test our research model using data on 122 countries using 2006 data from the World Economic Forum's (WEF) Global Information Technology Report (GITR). Our findings indicate that business rather than individual internet usage has greater explanatory value as an antecedent to the availability of e-government services, and that the ICT legal environment mediates both relationships.

The global information technology report, 2006-2007: connecting to the networked economy

The global information technology report, 2006-2007: connecting to the networked economy

Indian IT and ICT Industry: A Performance Analysis Using Data Envelopment Analysis and Malmquist Index

The present study gives an account of IT and ICT infrastructure in India and points out the reasons for the boom in the IT exports and outsourcing business today and in times to come. The article analyzes the performances of the Indian IT industry by working out the technical efficiency of the software and telecommunication firms using the mathematical model of the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). The DEA is a non linear programming way of calculating technical efficiency of the decision making units. The study also examines the impact of various determinants on technical efficiency of software firms and net exports across the IT firms and further examines the determinants for new technology adoption by telecommunication industries, because the success of the software firms in terms of its exports is intertwined with the performance of telecommunication industry. The study uses a Malmquist index to estimate total factor productivity (TFP) change for the common set of software firms existing between 1996 and 2006 using a prowess data base. The total factor productivity is decomposed into efficiency change (catching up phenomena) and technical change (innovations) for the common set of software firms existing between 1996 and 2006 in India. At the end the study works out the performance of the Indian ICT sector in comparison with countries which are front runners using the DEA and global information technology report 2006 data base. The study will quantify the changes needed in the relatively good Indian ICT environment and ICT readiness to increase its ICT usage among individuals, business and government. The article confirms the improvements in productivity, efficiency, and technical change of the Indian Software industry from 1996 to 2006.