U.S. Loses Top Spot in Global Tech Study

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Robert J. Berger" <rberger () ibd com>
Date: March 28, 2007 4:36:23 PM EDT
To: Dewayne Hendricks <dewayne () warpspeed com>, David Farber  
<dave () farber net>
Subject: U.S. Loses Top Spot in Global Tech Study

U.S. Loses Top Spot in Global Tech Study

By BRADLEY S. KLAPPER Associated Press Writer

http://www.salon.com/wire/ap/archive.html?wire=D8O58PMG0.html

March 28,2007 | GENEVA -- European countries and Singapore have  
surpassed the United States in their ability to exploit information  
and communication technology, according to a new survey.

The United States, which topped the World Economic Forum's "networked  
readiness index" in 2006, slipped to seventh. The study, out  
Wednesday, largely blamed increased political and corporate  
interference in the judicial system.

The index, which measures the range of factors that affect a  
country's ability to harness information technologies for economic  
competitiveness and development, also cited the United States' low  
rate of mobile telephone usage, a lack of government leadership in  
information technology and the low quality of math and science  
education.

But Thierry Geiger, one of the Forum's economists responsible for the  
361-page report, said the U.S. market environment remains the best in  
the world in terms of how easy it is to set up a business, get loans  
and have access to market capital.

Nordic countries -- traditionally strong in all surveys conducted by  
the Geneva-based Forum -- dominated the top of the rankings. Denmark  
edged Sweden for the top spot, while Finland was behind in fourth.

Singapore, which topped the poll in 2005, was the top Asian nation in  
third. Rounding out the top 10 were Switzerland, fifth; Netherlands,  
sixth; Iceland, eighth; Britain, ninth; and Norway, 10th.

The report covered 122 countries, with Chad, Burundi, Angola,  
Ethiopia and Bangladesh at the bottom.


––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Robert J. Berger - Internet Bandwidth Development, LLC.
Voice: 408-882-4755 eFax: +1-408-490-2868
http://www.ibd.com




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