Pakistan gained merely two spots to reach at 61st position in the worldwide ranking which is not impressive as compared to the other developing countries, due to poor performance on indicators of overall business environment, legal environment and government support for industry development, the Business Software Alliance (BSA) recently reported in its publication of 2011 edition of the Economist Intelligence Unit’s IT Industry Competitiveness Index.
“Pakistan has gained only 2 spots in this year’s rankings because of its poor performance in protecting intellectual property rights,” BSA President and CEO Robert Holleyman said. “In the years ahead, policymakers in Pakistan have an opportunity to improve in that area. We know from global experience it will be worth the effort.”
Pakistan is losing ground in Information Technology (IT) compared to other regional countries in the current scenario. Updated for the fourth time since 2007, the Index benchmarks 66 countries on a series of indicators covering the critical foundation areas for IT innovation: overall business environment, IT infrastructure, human capital, research and development (R&D), legal environment and public support for industry development.
Kamal Ahmed, Country General Manager, Microsoft Pakistan said, “This is not an encouraging sign for Pakistan’s IT industry. Our IT industry employs more than 12,000 professionals with the growth rate of almost 41% while generating over $2 billion annually in tax revenue. It would benefit all if we aim high for the next year’s index”.
Topping the overall rankings for 2011 are the United States, Finland, Singapore, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
This year’s Index finds that countries traditionally strong in IT are maintaining their positions of leadership in part because “advantage begets advantage” — they have built up solid foundations for technology innovation through years of investment and they are continuing to reap the benefits. But the global field of competition is becoming more crowded as new challengers, especially in developing economies, raise their games to meet the standards the leaders have set.
“It is abundantly clear from this year’s IT Industry Competitiveness Index that investing in the fundamentals of technology innovation will pay huge dividends over the long term,” said Holleyman. “It is also clear that no country holds a monopoly in information technology. There is a proven formula for success, and everyone is free to take advantage of it. Because of that, we are moving to a world with many centers of IT power.”
The biggest movers in this year’s Index compared to the previous edition in 2009 include Malaysia, which vaulted 11 spots in the overall rankings because of a surge in research and development activity, and India, which leapt 10 spots on the strength of its robust research and development and dynamic human capital environment. A number of other countries — including Singapore, Mexico, Austria, Germany and Poland — posted strong overall gains this year by showing new levels of strength across the board in all IT foundation areas.
“As the global economy starts to recover, it is more important than ever for governments to take a long-term view of IT industry development,” Holleyman said. “Policy makers cannot not just look at this issue on an annual basis, or they risk being left behind. They must assess the next seven to nine years, and invest accordingly, in order to make substantive gains in IT competitiveness.”
The 2011 IT Industry Competitiveness Index is available for download on BSA’s website at www.bsa.org/globalindex, along with interactive ranking tables, detailed country summaries, industry case studies and video interviews with IT experts.
Dear TNT Reader,
At The News Tribe, our mission is to bring you free, independent, and unbiased news and content that keeps you informed and empowered. We are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalism, as we understand that we are a platform for truth.
Apart from independent global news coverage, we also commit our unique focus on the Muslim world. In an age marked by the troubling rise of Islamophobia and widespread misrepresentation of Muslims in Western media, we strive to provide accurate and fair coverage.
But to continue doing so, we need your support. Even a small donation of 1$ can make a big difference. Your contribution will help us maintain the quality of our news and counteract the negative narratives that are so prevalent.
Please consider donating today to ensure we can keep delivering the news that matters. Together, we can make a positive impact on the world, and work towards a more inclusive, informed global society.
Donate Monthly Subscription Annual Subscription