How technology sectors grow: Benchmarking IT industry competitiveness 2008
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How technology sectors grow: Benchmarking IT industry competitiveness 2008 free of charge [PDF 154 KB].
Technology spending may be softening in many parts of the world as
the credit crunch bites, but the longer term fundamentals of IT
industry competitiveness remain constant. An innovation-friendly
culture, a steady flow of talent, advanced technology infrastructure, a
robust legal regime, well-balanced government support and an open
business environment are all vital factors that enable a country's IT
producers to thrive. These form the basis of the Economist Intelligence
Unit's "IT industry competitiveness index", in which the United States
ranks as first in the world in 2008, maintaining its top position from
the previous year.
As an incubator of high-tech start-ups and technology innovation and
as a developer of talent, the US remains second to none. However, there
is no room for complacency, as three new countries—Taiwan, Sweden and
Denmark—move into the top five this year, displacing others such as
Japan and South Korea. IT industry environments elsewhere in Europe and
Asia, including in emerging markets, are also becoming more competitive.
The index results are highlighted in a new report, How technology sectors grow: Benchmarking IT industry competitiveness 2008, written by the Economist Intelligence Unit and sponsored by the Business Software Alliance (BSA).
