EIU: Chile scored 31st among 64 countries for IT competitiveness
Publicado el:15 de agosto de 2007
Relatively few countries possess all the factors necessary to support a thriving information technology sector, but the United States, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom provide the strongest environments for IT competitiveness, a new study concludes among 64 countries across seven regions.
As reflected in the Economist Intelligence Unit's "IT industry competitiveness index", these factors include an ample supply of skills, an innovation-friendly culture, world-class technology infrastructure, a robust legal regime and well-balanced government support, not to mention a competition-friendly business environment. Those countries possessing most of these "competitiveness enablers" are also home to high-performance IT industries: all but four of the top 22 countries in the Economist Intelligence Unit index are also among the world's top countries in terms of IT labour productivity.
In Latin America, Chile outperformed in the Region, where Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and Colombia ranked in 43, 44, 45 and 51st respectively.
Other key findings of the research including the following:
Few nations? IT sectors can compensate for major environmental weaknesses. India and China have been able to parlay unique factors, such as workforce size, low wages or language attributes, into strong sector performance, compensating for glaring weaknesses in the business environment. Few other countries will be able to manage this feat. Moreover, India and China will need to improve on their enablers, as their cost advantages will erode.
Skills requirements are changing radically. Talented IT employees are in short supply everywhere, but the situation will get tougher, as the nature of skills needed is changing. In addition to technical knowledge, tomorrow's IT employee will require expertise in project management, change management and business analysis, among other areas. Educational systems in only a few countries have made a firm start to adjust their training curriculum.
Skills-rich emerging markets are likely to move up the index table. Future rivalry to India and China will come from the likes of Russia, Brazil, Malaysia and Vietnam, as well as smaller nations such as Estonia, Lithuania and Chile. Most perform respectably in at least one aspect of IT competitiveness, and the skills base of each is improving. Carving niches in software development and services represents their best chance of moving up the table.
The legal regime is an important differentiator. Countries must balance open competition in IT with robust protection for intellectual property rights. The US and western Europe -thanks partly to the galvanising efforts of the European Union- stand heads above the rest in the degree of protection afforded and in enforcement. A vigorous IPR regime is not incompatible with an "open approach" to innovation in IT.
Eager governments must strike the right balance. Governments can do much to help create an environment in which IT firms will thrive, but it is a delicate balancing act. Through far-sighted policy, governments can help improve competitiveness. At the same time, they must avoid picking winners, among either IT firms or technologies. West European governments have been the most successful in striking the right balance.
"There is a strong link between the presence of IT industry competitiveness enablers in countries and the strength of their IT sector," confirms Denis McCauley, Director, Global Technology Research with the Economist Intelligence Unit. "Governments and industry leaders must pay close attention to these enablers if they wish to boost the global competitiveness of their IT industries."