04/10/2008 | 02:35 AM
MANILA, Philippines - The country has improved its capability to use information and communications technology (ICT) for development, but may not be doing enough to keep in step with its peers in this regard, the Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU) "E-readiness rankings 2008: Maintaining momentum" report says.
The white paper defines "e-readiness" as "a measure of the quality of a country’s information and communications technology infrastructure and the ability of its consumers, businesses and government to use ICT to their benefit," based on a number of criteria.
Specifically, the Philippines’ "e-readiness" score has been improving to 4.90 out of 10 points this year, from 4.66 last year and from 4.41 in 2006.
But it has stagnated in its ranking against other economies, improving slightly to 54th place out of 69 markets last year — tied with India — from 56th out of 68 in 2006, but falling this year to 55th place out of 70.
A selection of other economies covered showed the following movements through the list in these same years:
* Hong Kong got the highest ranking among Asian economies covered, rising to 2nd place from 4th last year and 10th in 2006;
* Singapore was the second highest among Asian markets covered, keeping its 6th place from last year, after rising from 13th spot in 2006;
* South Korea was the third highest-positioned Asian economy, rising to 15th place from 16th last year, and from 18th in 2006;
* Japan was the fourth-ranking Asian market in the list, keeping its 18th place from last year, after rising from its 21st place in 2006;
* Taiwan was the fifth highest Asian economy in the list, but falling to 19th place this year from 17th last year, after rising from 23rd spot in 2006;
* Malaysia rose to 34th place this year from 36th last year, compared to its 37th spot in 2006.
* Thailand regained its 47th place this year, after falling to 49th place last year from 47th in 2006;
* India kept its 54th spot from last year, compared to 53rd in 2006;
* China kept its 56th place from last year, compared to 57th in 2006;
* Pakistan fell to 64th place this year from 63rd last year, after rising from its 67th spot in 2006;
* Vietnam maintained its 65th place from last year, after rising from its 66th spot in 2006;
* Indonesia fell to 68th this year, after falling to 67th last year from 62nd in 2006.
First and last place
The United States rose to 1st place this year from 2nd place last year — also its spot in 2006, while Denmark sank to 5th place this year from its top spot in 2007 and 2006.
Iran laid at the bottom at 70th place this year from the bottom 69th spot last year, after placing 65th — or fourth lowest — in 2006.
Azerbaijan ranked 69th this year from 68th last year and in 2006.
The average "e-readiness" score for all 70 economies stood at 6.39 this year from 6.24 last year.
Criteria
In terms of "e-readiness" criteria, the Philippines improved its scores for most factors, except one:
* consumer and business adoption, with a weight of 25%, rose 0.35 point to 5.45 from 5.10;
* connectivity and technology infrastructure, with a weight of 20%, rose 0.50 point to 3.20 from 2.70;
* business environment, with weight of 15%, rose 0.13 point to 6.56 from 6.43;
* social and cultural environment, also with 15%, rose also by 0.13 point to 4.53 from 4.40;
* government policy and vision, 15%, rose 0.15 point to 5.20 from 5.05; but
* legal environment, which also had a 15% weight, actually dropped 0.15 point to 4.50 from 4.65.
"The gap between the ’haves’ and ’have-nots’ in our rankings narrowed again in 2008 — a hopeful indication of a contraction in the digital divide between developed and developing countries," a press statement Wednesday on the report read.
"However, the narrowing of this gap was considerably less than in previous years," it noted.
The same statement quoted EIU Editorial Director Robin Bew as noting that "the world’s most developed digital economies, and many of less developed ones, continue to record impressive gains in broadening access to ICT and making digital services available to the population."
"It is hard work to maintain this progress, however, and even the leaders have much to do to translate these gains into real economic and social benefits," Mr. Bew said.
The EIU has been conducting this study since 2000. - BusinessWorld
The white paper defines "e-readiness" as "a measure of the quality of a country’s information and communications technology infrastructure and the ability of its consumers, businesses and government to use ICT to their benefit," based on a number of criteria.
Specifically, the Philippines’ "e-readiness" score has been improving to 4.90 out of 10 points this year, from 4.66 last year and from 4.41 in 2006.
But it has stagnated in its ranking against other economies, improving slightly to 54th place out of 69 markets last year — tied with India — from 56th out of 68 in 2006, but falling this year to 55th place out of 70.
A selection of other economies covered showed the following movements through the list in these same years:
* Hong Kong got the highest ranking among Asian economies covered, rising to 2nd place from 4th last year and 10th in 2006;
* Singapore was the second highest among Asian markets covered, keeping its 6th place from last year, after rising from 13th spot in 2006;
* South Korea was the third highest-positioned Asian economy, rising to 15th place from 16th last year, and from 18th in 2006;
* Japan was the fourth-ranking Asian market in the list, keeping its 18th place from last year, after rising from its 21st place in 2006;
* Taiwan was the fifth highest Asian economy in the list, but falling to 19th place this year from 17th last year, after rising from 23rd spot in 2006;
* Malaysia rose to 34th place this year from 36th last year, compared to its 37th spot in 2006.
* Thailand regained its 47th place this year, after falling to 49th place last year from 47th in 2006;
* India kept its 54th spot from last year, compared to 53rd in 2006;
* China kept its 56th place from last year, compared to 57th in 2006;
* Pakistan fell to 64th place this year from 63rd last year, after rising from its 67th spot in 2006;
* Vietnam maintained its 65th place from last year, after rising from its 66th spot in 2006;
* Indonesia fell to 68th this year, after falling to 67th last year from 62nd in 2006.
First and last place
The United States rose to 1st place this year from 2nd place last year — also its spot in 2006, while Denmark sank to 5th place this year from its top spot in 2007 and 2006.
Iran laid at the bottom at 70th place this year from the bottom 69th spot last year, after placing 65th — or fourth lowest — in 2006.
Azerbaijan ranked 69th this year from 68th last year and in 2006.
The average "e-readiness" score for all 70 economies stood at 6.39 this year from 6.24 last year.
Criteria
In terms of "e-readiness" criteria, the Philippines improved its scores for most factors, except one:
* consumer and business adoption, with a weight of 25%, rose 0.35 point to 5.45 from 5.10;
* connectivity and technology infrastructure, with a weight of 20%, rose 0.50 point to 3.20 from 2.70;
* business environment, with weight of 15%, rose 0.13 point to 6.56 from 6.43;
* social and cultural environment, also with 15%, rose also by 0.13 point to 4.53 from 4.40;
* government policy and vision, 15%, rose 0.15 point to 5.20 from 5.05; but
* legal environment, which also had a 15% weight, actually dropped 0.15 point to 4.50 from 4.65.
"The gap between the ’haves’ and ’have-nots’ in our rankings narrowed again in 2008 — a hopeful indication of a contraction in the digital divide between developed and developing countries," a press statement Wednesday on the report read.
"However, the narrowing of this gap was considerably less than in previous years," it noted.
The same statement quoted EIU Editorial Director Robin Bew as noting that "the world’s most developed digital economies, and many of less developed ones, continue to record impressive gains in broadening access to ICT and making digital services available to the population."
"It is hard work to maintain this progress, however, and even the leaders have much to do to translate these gains into real economic and social benefits," Mr. Bew said.
The EIU has been conducting this study since 2000. - BusinessWorld
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