EIU IT Industry Competitiveness Index: Seven APAC Economies In Top 20

Seven Asia Pacific economies have entered the Top 20 list of the most competitive IT economies in the world.

AsianScientist (Sep. 27, 2011) – Asia Pacific economies are becoming more competitive in information technology (IT), with seven economies – Singapore, Australia, Taiwan, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, and Hong Kong – making the Top 20 list of the most competitive IT economies in the world.

Worldwide, Singapore clinched third place, beating out previous third-place holder Sweden, and after traditional heavyweights the United States and Finland.

These IT statistics were reported today by the non-profit anti-piracy trade group Business Software Alliance (BSA) with its publication of 2011 edition of the Economist Intelligence Unit’s IT Industry Competitiveness Index.

In its latest update since 2009, the Index benchmarks 66 economies on a series of indicators: overall business environment, IT infrastructure, human capital, research and development (R&D), legal environment, and public support for industry development.

With an increase in investments and improvements to regulatory settings, Asia is raising its game to meet the standards global leaders have set, said Roger Somerville, Senior Director – Policy, BSA Asia-Pacific

“Asia Pacific economies have done well with most improving their rankings, some markedly so in the case of Singapore, Malaysia and India,” Somerville said.

While Singapore jumped six places and made gains across the board, Malaysia, in particular, leaped by 11 places to No. 31 because of a surge in R&D activity (IT patents), and India vaulted 10 spots to No. 34 on the strength of its private R&D spending and availability of highly skilled and educated workers.

After making “impressive headway” in the 2009 ranking, China moved up only one position this year to No. 38 “because of its poor record of protecting intellectual property rights,” the report stated.

In an accompanying EIU report, titled “The Payoffs And Perils Of IT Industry Policy,” the authors wrote that South Korea fell three places to No. 19 because Korea’s Ministry of the Knowledge Economy had protected the country’s huge tech conglomerates at the expense of more entrepreneurial companies, curbing innovation.

The 2011 IT Industry Competitiveness Index interactive ranking table can be viewed at http://globalindex11.bsa.org/country-table/, along with detailed economy summaries, industry case studies, and video interviews with IT experts.

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Source: Business Software Alliance.
Disclaimer: This article does not necessarily reflect the views of AsianScientist or its staff.

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