Yesterday saw the release of the 2011 edition of the Nokia Siemens Networks Connectivity Scorecard, an annual global research project led by Canada’s own Leonard Waverman, dean of the Haskayne School of Business at University of Calgary. The Scorecard now uses 40 different indicators, up from 28 last year, to rank 50 countries, not only on their deployment of ICT infrastructure, but also to measure “useful connectivity” – what the authors call the extent to which governments, businesses and consumers make use of connectivity technologies to enhance social and economic prosperity.
Canada climbed up a rung to 8th place, jostling in a cluster of four countries: UK (6th), Australia (7th) and Finland (9th) that are expected to swap positions in the coming years. The full report is available for download [pdf, 617 KB]
As Professor Waverman mentioned during the launch at Georgetown University yesterday, useful connectivity and the multi-variate analysis that makes up the Connectivity Scorecard looks beyond just infrastructure and attempts to examine how these facilities are put to use. It is important to examine the adoption of ICTs as well as the availability.
A couple of weeks ago, we saw the release of the World Economic Forum’s Global Information Technology Report. The NSN Connectivity Scorecard is another important guide for those developing national digital economy strategies. How will the government establish programs that take Canada to a leadership ranking in these two major indices?
We’ll be discussing these indices and so much more at the end of this month at The 2011 Canadian Telecom Summit. Have you registered yet?