The Nordic countries continue to be the most “networked” economies in the world, but the US and Singapore are close behind, according to the latest rankings by the World Economic Forum. Denmark and Sweden took the top slots for the third year running, followed by the US, Singapore, Switzerland and the three other Nordic nations, Finland, Iceland and Norway.
In its annual global information technology report, Geneva-based Forum said good education fundamentals and high levels of technological readiness and innovation were essential engines of growth needed to overcome the current crisis.
Irene Mia, senior economist in World Economic Forum, said the success of countries with extensive access to information and communication technologies (ICT) “stands as a reminder for leaders in both the public and private sectors not to lose focus on ICT as an important enabler of growth and competitiveness in times of crisis”.The Forum’s “networked readiness index” used statistical data and its business executive survey to rank 134 economies on ICT, including infrastructure and regulations, the readiness of individuals, businesses and governments to make use of ICT, and their actual use of the technologies available.
