In terms of competitiveness, Italy finally managed to reverse the trend: instead of a decline, we recorded a step forward. After Assinform's cold shower on the IT market, in fact, the Economist Intelligence Unit takes care of the good news through the publication of the IT Industry Competitiveness Index: Italy gains a position and climbs from 24th to 23rd place in the global information technology competitiveness index.
Now in its fourth edition since 2007, the Index refers to 66 countries according to a series of indicators that reflect the critical areas considered fundamental for an IT sector to be highly innovative: the overall economic context, the available IT infrastructure, human capital, the progress of research and development, the judicial system and incentives offered by the public sector to industrial development in the country in question.
At the top of the 2011 edition are once again the United States, followed by Finland, Singapore, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Our country gains a position in the global ranking, rising to 23rd in the span of two years, thanks to better assessments of the economic environment (which obtains a score of 74,7 out of a total of 100, i.e. an improvement of 2 compared to the 2009 edition), on research and development (score 25,4, with an improvement of 9 compared to 2009) and on the legal system (score 80, improvement of 7 compared to 2009).
This year's study reveals that traditionally strong IT nations maintain their leadership positions in part because “advantage generates advantage”: in practice, over years of investment they have built solid foundations for technological innovation and now continue to reap the benefits.
However, new nations emerge, even with great leaps forward, such as Malaysia, which conquered 11 positions, India (+10 positions), and also Singapore, Mexico, Austria, Germany and Poland.
Matteo Mille, President of BSA Italy, comments on the goal as follows: “It is clear that no nation holds a priori the monopoly of cutting-edge technology: there are formulas that have demonstrated their effectiveness, and anyone is free to make use of them in the challenge for success. This is why we affirm that the trend, as far as competition in IT is concerned, is towards a pluricentric world. As we have seen, Italy enjoys good evaluations on its economic and legal system, and is slowly improving in its investment in research and development, even if mainly thanks to the investment of private companies. In fact, our country receives only a 50 out of 100 on IT infrastructures (-2,5 points compared to 2009), a 47 on human capital (-1,4 points) and 63,2 (-1 point) in relation to public support to industrial development, on which it will be appropriate to concentrate efforts in the coming years. As international experience demonstrates, the commitment will be well rewarded”.
Look at the site ofEconomist Intelligence Unit
