14 DAY TRIAL // Sweden is now considered the most networked country in the world, according to the latest Global Information Technology Report from The World Economic Forum. The report doesn't rank countries by their information and communication technology capabilities alone, though that certainly plays an indirect role, but looks at how those countries are utilizing that infrastructure to their advantage.
"Sweden tops the rankings of The Global Information Technology Report 2009-2010, released today for the ninth consecutive year by the World Economic Forum. Sweden is followed by Singapore and Denmark, which was in the number one position for the last three years. Switzerland (4), the United States (5) and the other Nordic countries together with the Canada, Hong Kong and the Netherlands complete the top 10," the report's summary reads.
Some of the world's most wired countries have made it to the top ten, which is not surprising, but just having a great infrastructure is not enough. Of course, countries that have built this infrastructure have done so with the full intention of utilizing it and are perhaps in the best position to do so, but there isn't a direct correlation between things like broadband coverage and the Global Information Technology Report's ranking, though there is a clear resemblance.
There are three main areas that the report emphasizes. They all revolve around how technology is being taken advantage of in different sectors, at the government level, at the commercial level and, finally, by regular people.
"It is not good enough for organizations to use technology to reduce costs—they have to be able to use ICT to enhance innovation in all aspects of what they do. Governments have to move beyond providing online services (traditional e-government boundaries) to provide more effective governance to their citizens. While individual citizens will increase their use of the Internet, ICT has to be deployed to create cohesive and harmonious societies," the report explains.