IT indicators
The widespread success of information technologies reflect dynamic modern politico-economic realities
In a society that is increasingly linked by worldwide networks, where information has become a crucial element, access to computer technology and the Internet is now a major issue. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has developed a composite index, the Digital Opportunity Index (DOI), to analyse this state of affairs.
Based on 11 indicators, the DOI is intended to measure three parameters: IT access, digital infrastructure, and IT use by the population. DOIs have been calculated for 181 countries since 2004. On a scale of 0 (bad) to 1 (excellent), the index gives a quick idea of the varying degrees of IT access between countries.
In 2007, the DOI gave a revealing overview of world politico-economic dynamics. Among the 25 highest-scoring countries were Japan, several western European countries, North America, Australia, and New Zealand. However, the dominant world power - the USA – ranked only 20th. In contrast, newly industrialised countries often score highest, notable examples being South Korea (ranked number 1 with a DOI of 0.8), Singapore (5th), Taiwan (7th), and Hong Kong (8th).
Countries from Eastern European, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East reported more modest DOIs. Sub-Saharan Africa is the most delayed area in terms of IT technology penetration.
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