Information And Communication Technology Services Research Articles

The impact of information and communication technologies on international trade: A case of Sub-Saharan Africa

The aim of this research is to analyze the effect of information and communication technologies (ICT) on the bilateral trade flows of the countries of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). We use the method of generalized least squares (GLS) panel to correct for correlation and heteroskedasticity problems. We have employed the gravity model extended to ICT to examine the effects of key ICT indicators on bilateral exports and imports. The sample includes 44 African countries of the subcontinent, including 43 countries as partners (importers/exporters) and one reporter country (exporter/importer) and covers the period 2010 to 2019. The results show that access to mobile telephony and the internet, as well as the development of e-commerce, have a great potential for improving intra-African bilateral trade and that the effect of ICT is not unequivocal according to the category of flow considered. However, it emerges from these results that the development of ICT as it is today has not yet succeeded in overturning the argument of physical distance as a barrier to trade in sub-Saharan Africa. The key conclusion is that the establishment of better-quality ICT services and infrastructure is more critical to intra-African trade. African policymakers should accommodate sufficient support to establish the ICT infrastructure and expand ICT penetration by reducing the costs of communication, transactions and access to ICT.

Operational Technology resilience in the 2023 draft delegated act on cybersecurity for the power sector—An EU policy process analysis

The EU’s 2020 Cybersecurity Strategy promotes cybersecurity as essential for building a resilient, green, and digital Europe. Cleaner energy sources such as wind and solar are more volatile and thus need digital integration with Industrial Control Systems (ICS) for grid balancing. However, the digitization and the properties of cyberspace provide the ability to coordinate disruptive cyberattacks against power grid infrastructures. Digital weapons may be launched against ICS to start multiple cascading outages with a keystroke, causing large-scale blackouts we have never seen before. To reduce risk, the EU’s Strategy describes three objectives for ICS: Secure-by-design, resilient, and timely patched. In the strategy, the European Commission suggests a ”network code,” i.e. a delegated act for the electric power sector, setting rules for cybersecurity in cross-border electricity flows. The draft delegated act of November 2023 presents security requirements for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Network and Information Systems (NIS). Although ICS systems are used directly to manage electricity flows, ICS is only mentioned in one of the delegated act’s recitals as a subcategory of ICT products. Suppose Information Technology (IT) rather than Operational Technology (OT) is the focus of the delegated act. In that case, policymakers may not fulfill the EU cybersecurity strategy’s ICS objectives, thus failing to improve the resilience of power grid infrastructures and cross-border electricity flows. This study is a policy process analysis, and its contribution is threefold. First, a literature review is conducted to understand the extent to which the delegated act covers OT. Second, a framework condition analysis is applied to understand why the delegated act lacks OT-specific security requirements. Third, the analysis is extended to understand whether OT is sufficiently covered to achieve the EU strategy’s ICS objectives. In conclusion, our analysis shows a strong intention to include OT-specific security in the preparatory work of the delegated act, but that a stronger position of the IT communities forced OT onto the sideline. Further, the study shows weak fulfillment of general secure-by-design principles and security patch management. These results indicate that OT coverage in the delegated act is not in line with the expectations of the EU’s cybersecurity strategy and the delegated act’s early preparatory work. Therefore, we have suggested three measures to increase OT resilience focus in the act: (a) Define the expressions NIS, ICT services, ICT processes, and ICT in general as umbrella terms that include OT, (b) The foreseen minimum and advanced cybersecurity controls should require OT-specific measures, including holistic secure-by-design principles and patch management covering all patching phases, (c) Develop an OT implementation guide for the delegated act. Our work can be used by policymakers to optimize cybersecurity policy processes and by researchers studying socio-technical gaps in the cybersecurity domain.

Knowledge and Access to Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) services among Research Faculties of CCS HAU, Hisar

The study was carried to determine the knowledge and access of ICTs services among the research faculties of CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar. All the colleges of university were selected. Data were collected personally from 120 research faculties selected by simple random sampling technique through a structured questionnaire and analyzed with the help of appropriate statistical tools by using 26 version (SPSS). The findings revealed that majority of the respondents were male having age between 37-47 years with PhD with NET having service experience of 6-10 years belonged to nuclear type of family and had medium family educational status. Knowledge and access regarding MS office and online ICT applications was medium to high among majority of the respondents. Moreover, knowledge and access regarding internet were medium to low while knowledge and access regarding scientific portal/website/tools was found low among respondents.

Information communication technology and manufacturing industry exports based on technology intensity in OECD and non-OECD countries

Studies on the effect of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) on the export of the manufacturing industry, as disaggregated into the low-, medium-, and high-technology intensity, were lacking. However, the trade impact of ICT is mixed and relies on countries’ development and adoption of technology. To this end, this study explicitly contributes to this strand of literature. By using some key and popular ICT indicators we examined the comparative influence of ICT on the manufacturing industry exports defined by their technology intensity/adoption in OECD and non-OECD countries. A panel data technique with the PPML (Pseudo-Poisson Maximum Likelihood) covering the period 2010–2018 was applied for the analysis. Our empirical strategy indicates that internet use only promotes manufacturing exports of high-technology intensity in OECD countries. Low-technology intensity manufacturing exports were negatively affected by an increase in the use of the internet in all the samples of non-OECD and OECD economies. Except for high-technology, an increase in mobile phone subscribers is associated with increased manufacturing exports in all categories of industries and all sample countries. Broadband subscriptions only positively affect exports of low-technology intensity in OECD countries and negatively affect exports of medium-technology in non-OECD countries. The economic complexity index shows a positive influence on exports in OECD and non-OECD countries except for low-technology intensity. Human capital has been found to influence manufacturing exports in OECD countries and reduce exports in non-OECD countries. In both the OECD and non-OECD countries, positive and significant effects of GDP and trade were observed in all categories of technology adoption. These findings imply that in OECD and non-OECD countries ICT is an important aspect worth considering in trade policy making due to its significant influence on exports. ICT services need to be checked by the government to ensure quality, efficient, and effective delivery for better export. Findings also support the practical significance of ICT especially in developing OECD countries.

An assessment of the carbon emissions of China's ICT system from the demand and supply perspectives

Previous research has predominantly examined China's Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry's carbon emissions through the lens of technological progress, overlooking impacts from both demand and supply perspectives. We employ a subsystem input-output model to analyze the total emissions of China's ICT industry from 2002 to 2020, decomposing them into direct, intra-sectoral, feedback, and spillover components from both perspectives. Our findings reveal that between 2002 and 2020, demand-driven emissions increased by 205.1 %, while supply-driven emissions surged by 496.4 %. From both demand and supply perspectives, the spillover component emerged as the dominant contributor from 2002 to 2020, particularly in 2020, accounting for more than 99 % of the total emissions. From a demand-driven perspective, we identify ICT manufacturing as the primary emissions source, contributing to over 66 % of the total emissions during the period and triggering significant spillover emissions in the power and heavy manufacturing sectors. Conversely, the supply-driven approach highlights ICT services as the major emitter, accounting for over 70 % of the total emissions between 2002 and 2020, with notable spillover effects observed in the transport sector. We highlight the significance of shaping consumption behaviors related to ICT manufacturing products and improving emissions efficiency in electricity and heavy manufacturing, both crucial intermediate inputs in ICT production, from a demand perspective. From a supply perspective, promoting the adoption of clean technologies among downstream users of ICT services could aid China's emissions mitigation efforts in the digital era.

Теоретические аспекты исследования взаимосвязи уровня развития информационно-коммуникационных технологий и социально-экономического развития регионов РФ

The influence of information and communication technologies (ICT) on the development of the country's economy as a whole and individual regions is considered, the importance of the ICT sector in the economic, social, and social processes of the country and its regions is noted. The necessity of identifying the relationship between the uneven development of the ICT sector and the socio-economic development of the regions is substantiated. A study of domestic and foreign works devoted to the relationship between the level of ICT development and socio-economic systems has been conducted. The author's interpretation of the concept of the “digital divide” is presented, the reason for its formation and strengthening, the concretization of the opportunities and threats it creates for the subsequent spatial development of Russia is revealed. By systematizing the characteristics of narrow and broad approaches to the definition of the digital divide, their advantages and disadvantages were highlighted, and the expediency of developing a new methodology for assessing digital inequality was proved. The essence of the narrow approach is manifested in the uneven access to ICT services, which is based on the uneven development of ICT infrastructure. The broad approach is based on the study of the level, causes and consequences of digital gaps between countries, regions, and territories. It is noted that the boundaries between the presented approaches are leveled as a reaction to the challenges of modernity, forming a new integral approach accumulating theoretical and methodological developments of previous periods. Improving management efficiency at the present stage is largely due to leveling the influence of factors exacerbating the digital divide, identifying and comprehensively studying emerging opportunities/threats for the development of specific territories.

Method for Calculating the Avoided Impact of Specific Information and Communication Technology Services

Particular Information and Communication Technology (ICT) services can help avoid environmental impact in larger contexts. However, there is no commonly agreed bottom-up methodology for calculation of the total net reduction effect of specific digital ICT services. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a common denominator for most methodologies. The most common method is the Attributional LCA (ALCA), and recently the emerging handprint ALCA estimating so-called positive environmental impacts. Moreover, Consequential LCA (CLCA) can be used to capture market effects. The third conceptual approach is Input-Output LCA. The purpose is to propose and test a new method based on some of the existing ones. The existing concepts are compared and a synthesis is made to create a practical but still useful method. The new method is applied to two illustrative cases in the ICT domain; the introduction of a 5G enabled drone for pipe inspection and the 5G enabled health consultation. Compared to simplified ALCA, the difference between the absolute scores for the baseline system and the target system changes around 10% when the proposed simplified CLCA (SCLCA) method is used. The results show that SCLCA, when combined with analytical methods for expressing digital ICT services’ own impact, is a fruitful approach which is both practical and feasible. The new method includes formulae for calculating the total lifetime environmental impact of a specific ICT Equipment when reused or replaced.

State of Agricultural E-Government Services to Farmers in Tanzania: Toward the Participatory Design of a Farmers Digital Information System (FDIS)

The projected population increase and drastic climate changes are a great setback to food security through sustainable agriculture. However, governments need to play key roles in supporting the agriculture sector, which creates considerable employment and contributions to most countries’ Gross Domestic Product (GDP) outcomes. In many countries, the governments already support the agriculture sector with services based on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to reach many stakeholders, including smallholder farmers. This paper investigated the status of e-Government services in the agriculture sector for farmers in order to understand the functions and scope of e-services, the challenges faced by farmers, both addressed and unaddressed, and the challenges of ICT-based services for farmers and other stakeholders in Tanzania. We used a qualitative research approach to interview the Ministry of Agriculture, farmers, extension workers, and agriculture processing industries. The main finding reveals that e-government services play a major role in the agriculture sector in Tanzania. Our results show that the pre-existing ICT services identified for farmers cannot meet the needs of farmers in a complete farming cycle. Moreover, lack of awareness, digital illiteracy, and poor infrastructure are the major challenges faced by farmers and other stakeholders when it comes to ICT-based services. These results justify the need for a comprehensive digital platform, particularly the proposed Farmers Digital Information System (FDIS) to enable farmers and other stakeholders to access essential services in a complete farming cycle for a more sustainable agriculture.

A Study on the Effect of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) on Trade in Services in the United States

The pandemic of COVID-19 appears to boost trade in services and even the ICT service exports in the U.S. The U.S. has been recognized as the world's largest services market and became a leading exporter and importer of services over the last two decades. In this perspective, this study attempts to empirically identify the impact of ICT on trade in services and ICT service exports in the U.S. by employing the modified gravity model of trade from 1990 to 2021. The results indicate that overall ICT access and ICT use have significant positive effects on the trade in services and ICT service exports, but others brought about different results. The study also finds two important facts. First, FTS has a positive effect on the trade in services and ICT services exports, while, MCS has a completely negative effect on both the trade in services and ICT services exports. More interestingly, the dimension of ICT use of IUI and FBS have a different impact on both trade in services and ICT services exports. Another important finding is that the coefficients of IUI and FBS in relation to the trade in services have an unexpected negative sign, while both IUI and FBS have a positive influence on ICT service exports. Finally, these empirical results imply that ICT use has played a more productive role in enhancing ICT service exports than that of ICT access in the U.S. Consequently, these results might provide vital policy insights for the development of ICT and more rapid growth of services trade.

Climate impacts of digital use supply chains

Information and communications technology (ICT) has become an indispensable part of our lives. Prior research on climate impact of ICT devices and services mostly makes use of life cycle assessment and energy modeling frameworks focused on embodied greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Because these perspectives emphasize the GHGs emissions associated with the construction and distribution of digital devices along production supply chains, not much is known about the GHGs emissions monitored or facilitated by digital device use. In this study, we propose the concept of digital use supply chains (DUSCs) as an orthogonal dimension of digital devices’ life cycle. DUSC refers to the production activities and resource consumption recorded by digital devices. We propose a framework to conceptualize and quantify digital behavior-related GHGs emissions through use of the Screenomics paradigm, where users’ digital screen data are unobtrusively collected moment-by-moment. Through Screenomics’ granular recording of users’ digital behavior, we evaluate behavior-based GHGs emissions traced by the digital devices. DUSC connects individual’s digital behaviors to their global climate change impact, contributing to a more nuanced and complete evaluation of the climate impacts of the digital economy. Our single-case study indicates the estimated scale of the GHGs emissions linked to a user’s one-day digital activities could be three orders of magnitude (1000 times) higher than the emissions associated with the device life cycle alone. DUSC could enable climate change mitigation at a meaningful, actionable level through personalized educational or behavior change programs, and also facilitate novel data-driven feedback loops that may provide digital device users with insights into their personal climate impacts. Recognition and future study of DUSC could accelerate the quantification and standardization of a ‘carbon handprint’ of digital devices and create positive climate impacts from digital products and services.

The sustainability of information and communication technology (ICT) in previously disadvantaged public schools in Gauteng, South Africa

In 2015, a Member of the Executive Council (MEC) of the Gauteng provincial legislature, South Africa, introduced the “Classroom of the Future” programme in previously disadvantaged schools, allowing an integration of information and communication technology into classrooms. In this article we focus on the sustainability of ICT in these schools. We regard sustainability as meeting one’s needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The sample constituted 18 participants from 6 disadvantaged schools in the Classroom of the Future initiative. Semi-structured face-to-face and telephonic interviews were employed for data collection. Our results show that ineffective teacher professional development for ICT, and inconsistent and timeous service delivery from the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) technicians/teacher trainers were a major deterrent to effective ICT implementation. Additionally, the phasing-in approach to the rollout of ICT was a serious challenge to ICT sustainability in schools. We recommend improved teacher professional development initiatives pertaining to ICT to be instituted in schools where heads of departmenti take responsibility for empowering post-level one (PL 1) teachers on ICT to improve classroom learning. We also advocate for new improved service delivery from GDE technicians/teacher trainers, who are held accountable for fulfilling their mandates.

Technophilia: Viable Tool for Actualizing Refugee Education

The use of computers and associated hardware, software, and networks, to provide learning through virtual learning systems have become a means of supplementing the existing traditional teaching method. This innovation, though new in a developing country such as Nigeria, is capable of serving the needs and requirements for improving the quality of education in the numerous Internal Displacement Camps in Nigeria. In this research, the education of school-age children in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps is examined with particular focus on the enrollments, and the quality of provided education. Also, case studies of various African countries’ programs geared towards improving the quality of education, and skilling up her students for employment using various Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools, are presented. The innovations directly or indirectly yielded positive impacts on national economies of the deploying countries. Targeting school age children in the over 140,000 IDP camps in Nigeria with ICT-based learning, will have the triple effect of quality education, skill acquisition, and reduction in the growing number of IDPs in the camps as a result of unwanted pregnancies. National Communication Commission’s Digital Job Creation for Youth (DJCY), which follows a customized boot camp, with the beneficiaries being offered computers with associated connectivity toolset, and set up as Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) after training them in ICT services, is recommended for the youth in the IDP, while immersive learning (VR lens) should be used for interactive learning experience for the younger children, with Google expedition for control of accessed content. The framework for refugee education is adapted to specifically focus on ICT-based education, training, and skill acquisition for refugees. Keywords: Quality Education, Virtual Reality, Google Expedition, Internally Displaced Persons, Education Innovation, National Communication Commission (NCC) CISDI Journal Reference Format Olebara, C.C. (2023): Technophilia: Viable Tool for Actualizing Refugee Education. Computing, Information Systems, Development Informatics & Allied Research Journal. Vol 13 No 4, Pp 31-44 Available online at https://www.isteams.net/cisdijournal. dx.doi.org/10.22624/AIMS/CISDI/V14N4P3

The Impact of Digital Transformation on the Economy: Technological Innovation and Efficiency

"The investigation into the evolution of the digital economy has yielded profound insights into its fundamental nature, the pivotal drivers guiding its advancement, and the trajectories characterizing the metamorphosis of economic operations within organizations. The outcomes of this inquiry are primed to underpin the effectiveness, calibre, and dependability of information-driven and analytical underpinnings, indispensable for informed managerial judgments geared towards nurturing the inventive potential inherent in the digital economy. Furthermore, these findings address the impediments that curtail seamless digital transformation. Among the preeminent findings engendering novelty in this research, the subsequent elements stand out: the formulation of a comprehensive framework for the delineation and taxonomy of economic activities within the digital economy domain, encompassing both a classification schema for economic pursuits intrinsic to the digital sector and another for economic endeavours facilitated by the integration of digital technologies. A comprehensive array of metrics has been systematically devised to assess the evolution of the digital economy. This framework encompasses indicators derived from information and communication technology (ICT) statistics, national economic accounts, fixed asset investments, and foreign trade, as well as indicators custom-developed in consonance with the proposed taxonomy of economic pursuits within the digital economy. This classification system comprises five distinct blocks, each comprising discrete sets of indicators: those about the ICT sector, the digital sector, organizational outlays on digital technologies, digital proficiency of the workforce, and a holistic gauge of the digital economy. An intricate methodology has been formulated to quantitatively evaluate the ICT sector’s state, progression, and competitive standing. This methodological construct encompasses algorithms for the computation of physical quantities of gross value added and fixed capital investment segregated by the nature of economic undertakings associated with the production of ICT goods and provisioning ICT services. Also included are computations for the index of fixed capital formation rate, alongside indicators appraising the extent of the economy’s engagement with international trade concerning diverse digital products."

University teaching skills in ICT and disability. The case of the Autonomous Community of Madrid

AbstractTeachers must be prepared to serve all learners, regardless of their abilities or needs in this information and communication society. This implies developing the necessary competences to provide inclusive education to all students. The purpose of this study was to investigate the opinion of university teachers in the Autonomous Community of Madrid on their training in the use of technologies to support students with disabilities. To carry out this research, a descriptive approach combining both quantitative and qualitative methods was used. The final sample consisted of 106 university teachers (information collected through questionnaires) and 8 professionals from ICT Production Resource Centres and Services for People with Disabilities in the respective universities (information collected through interviews). Two data collection instruments were used: an ad-hoc questionnaire as a data collection instrument, and a semi-structured interview. The results of the study showed that university teachers have a low level of competence in the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) to support students with disabilities. The lack of teacher training negatively affects the inclusion process in university education institutions. Higher education institutions need to promote the training of teachers in the use of technologies to cater for diversity.

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The investigation into the evolution of the digital economy has yielded profound insights into its fundamental nature, the pivotal drivers guiding its advancement, as well as the trajectories characterizing the metamorphosis of economic operations within organizations. The outcomes of this inquiry are primed to underpin the effectiveness, calibre, and dependability of information-driven and analytical underpinnings, indispensable for informed managerial judgments geared towards nurturing the inventive potential inherent in the digital economy. Furthermore, these findings aim to address the impediments that curtail seamless digital transformation. Among the preeminent findings engendering novelty in this research, the subsequent elements stand out: the formulation of a comprehensive framework for the delineation and taxonomy of economic activities within the digital economy domain, encompassing both a classification schema for economic pursuits intrinsic to the digital sector and another for economic endeavours facilitated by the integration of digital technologies. A comprehensive array of metrics has been systematically devised to assess the evolution of the digital economy. This framework encompasses a gamut of indicators derived from information and communication technology (ICT) statistics, national economic accounts, fixed asset investments, and foreign trade, as well as indicators custom-developed in consonance with the proposed taxonomy of economic pursuits within the digital economy. This classification system comprises five distinct blocks, each comprising discrete sets of indicators: those pertaining to the ICT sector, the digital sector, organizational outlays on digital technologies, digital proficiency of the workforce, and a holistic gauge of the digital economy. An intricate methodology has been formulated to quantitatively evaluate the state, progression, and competitive standing of the ICT sector. This methodological construct encompasses algorithms for the computation of physical quantities of gross value added and fixed capital investment segregated by the nature of economic undertakings associated with the production of ICT goods and provisioning of ICT services. Also included are computations for the index of fixed capital formation rate, alongside indicators appraising the extent of the economy's engagement with international trade concerning diverse digital products.

International tourism development in the digital economy era: the role of ICT services and digital finance

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate how information and communication technology (ICT) services and digital finance affect the development of international tourism.Design/methodology/approachThe two-way fixed effect panel regression model, spatial econometric model, panel threshold regression model and panel quantile regression model are used. Data on tourism, economic and social development in 198 Chinese cities from 2011 to 2020 are analyzed.FindingsThis study finds that digital economy including ICT services and digital finance has significantly promoted the development of international tourism industry, while there is a negative spatial spillover effect. The promotion effect of international tourism increases significantly after digital innovation reaches the threshold value. International tourism is benefiting more from digital economy with the development of international tourism industry.Research limitations/implicationsThe development quality of international tourism industry has not been analyzed due to data limitations, and the mechanism has not been tested.Originality/valueThis study creatively reveals the development of international tourism industry in the digital economy era from ICT services and digital finance perspectives. This study also shows the spatial, nonlinear and asymmetric relationship between digital economy and international tourism.

Empirical Investigation into ICT Services Evaluation Within a Public Institution

The aim of the paper is to investigate the quality of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) services provided to employees in a public administration organization. The Region of Central Macedonia (RCM) was chosen as the examined enterprise/organization. The provider of these services is exclusively the Department for Transparency and eGovernment (DTeG). After a presentation of the theory behind service quality measurement in general and in ICTs specifically, a quantitative research was carried out, utilizing a SERVPERF-derived, ICT-adapted, short form 13-item/4-dimension instrument approach. This research indicated that RCM employees value both the quality of the ICT services, as well as the satisfaction from them, as provided by DTeG, highly. The adapted SERVPERF instrument exhibited high internal consistency values, as well as strong correlation between its items and the overall perceived quality and satisfaction. Dimensionality tests indicated that two dimensions of the service quality constructs are measured: a combined “reliability”, “responsiveness” and “assurance” dimension and an “empathy” one. the findings can be used by the targeted organization to improve the quality of ICT services and better meet the needs of their users.

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for Online Classes in Economics Education in TU, Nepal

This study intends to investigate how ICT is used for online economics classes and how students view online learning. This study has used a mixed-methods research approach to accomplish the objective. The quantitative findings from the student survey and the qualitative data gained from the evaluation of key informant interviews have provided a level of understanding. Total 28 students of Master Level Economics Education admitted in Mahendra Ratna Campus, Tahachal were taken for the study to investigate the issues. TU altered its academic calendar and closed physical sessions beginning on March 24, 2020, following the finding of the first case of COVID-19 in Nepal on January 23, 2020, in an effort to limit the impact on students' learning and time. The university then made the decision to switch to an online teaching mode. The objective of this action research is to analyze the role of ICT for online classes, to measure students’ positive and negative reactions regarding online classes, and the problems underlying in online classes. The major findings of the study include infrastructure need to be enhanced for the expansion of ICT Services and use of ICT in education. The majority of students said that their online learning experience was normal and online classes were of good quality. Infrastructure connectivity is deemed to be adequate. Online learning platform is new among teachers and students and met educational needs and maintained regularity. Smart Phones were major device for remote learning.

The effect of digitalism on the economic growth and foreign trade of creative, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and high-tech products in OECD countries

The use of digital technologies has come to the fore in every aspect of life due to closures, social distance and bans during the pandemic period. Today, digital technologies are used in many sectors and their importance is increasing day by day. While digitalism refers to the increased use and integration of digital technologies, ICT appears to have a profound effect on economic growth and foreign trade in the creative and high-tech industries.
 In 2022, it is seen that 5.3 billion people, which corresponds to 66.3 percent of the world's total population, have access to the internet. Active mobile-broadband subscriptions has reached 86.9 percent in 2022 in the world. Exports in ICT goods were 2.77 trillion USD and ICT services were 848.4 billion USD in 2021. The share of ICT goods as percentage of total trade in the world was 13.2 percent whereas it was 7 percent in OECD countries. Share of ICT services as percentage of total trade in the world was 14 percent whereas it was 13.3 percent in OECD.
 The study aims to investigate the relationship between the export performance in “Creative”, “ICT” and “High-tech” products with their digital infrastructure and economic growth in OECD countries.
 The results show that there is a positive correlation between overall index scores and GDP per capita in OECD countries. “The share of ITC employment in total employment” and “the share of information and communication (ISIC rev4) in GDP” have a high positive correlation coefficient as 0.693 so that the correlation is significant even at the 0.01 level (2-tailed). “GDP growth rate” and “GDP growth in information and communication (ISIC rev4)” ” have a high positive correlation coefficient as 0.585 so that the correlation is significant even at the 0.01 level (2-tailed). “High-tech export share in total merchandise export” and “share of ICT goods as percentage of total trade, annual” have a high positive correlation coefficient as 0.656 so that the correlation is significant even at the 0.01 level (2-tailed). “The share of ITC employment in total employment” and “share of ICT services as percentage of total trade, annual” have a high positive correlation coefficient as 0.501 so that the correlation is significant even at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).

The Use of Project Management Techniques and Its Positive Impacts on Project Outcomes in New Zealand Businesses

The use of project management (PM) is of immense value in achieving project success that ultimately assists businesses to thrive and contribute to the growth of an economy. This research has one main research question “How does the use of PM techniques have positive impact on project outcomes in New Zealand (NZ) businesses?”. The research adopted inductive approach to build theory and qualitative research methodology to address the main research question using four research objectives. This is an exploratory research using a case study research strategy that is coherent with the inductive qualitative research design. Two organisations representing the construction services and the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) services business in NZ were chosen. In-depth interviews were used to collect data, data analysis was completed through thematic analysis techniques. Findings were assessed through a theoretical construct mainly based on the Project Management Institute’s (PMI) PM framework. Findings indicated that the two organisations had strong focus on PM function supported by their organisational structures. Organisation A relied more on Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and Gantt chart technics while organisation B adopted an agile approach. Both considered designating project manager when deploying a formal PM function. While Company A has not implemented dedicated technology to support PM function, Company B has though not fully utilised. Hopefully, findings from this study will assist organisations in the construction and ICT services business sectors being significantly reliant on PM function to deliver project outcomes and to be successful in their businesses.