Year: 2019
Type: article
Abstract: Diffusion of information and communication technologies (ICT) in different areas has accelerated the \ngrowth of the global economy. It has large impact to the business by transforming processes, creating new services, \nindustries. ICT development requires new technologies and new approaches to innovate and integrate. The European \nCommission stated: "The Internet and digital technologies are transforming the lives we lead, the way we work – as \nindividuals, in business, and in our communities as they become more integrated across all sectors of our economy and \nsociety". The access to high-speed digital infrastructures, skills of the effective usage of highly developed digital \ntechnologies represents the prerequisite productivity and the social inclusion in the digital economy. \nDevelopment of new technologies and applications demands respective skills and competences of the citizens. That \nalso leads to problems related to measurement of the level of digitization of the economy. There are several institutions \nthat evaluate digital competences. The Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI), developed by the European \nCommission, is a composite index that summarises relevant indicators on Europe’s digital performance and tracks the \nevolution of EU member states in digital competitiveness. \nThe aim of the paper is an empirical verification of the assumption that ICT factors (measured by DESI components) \naffect national economic development. This study uses statistical and econometrical methods to examine the relationship \nbetween ICT factors, digital competence indicators and economic development in the EU through statistical evidence. \nA panel data analysis confirmed significant linkage between ICT factors (infrastructure, competence, investment and \ntrade size) and economic growth in the EU countries. Taking into consideration the digitalization trends, could be stated \nthat there is still a huge potential for progress and growth.
Authors: Kristine Rozīte, Signe Bāliņa, Rita Freimane
Language: English
Subfield: Strategy and Management
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W3144151472