U.S., Scandinavia Lead World in e-Business Success
A study released today predictably awards
first place to the US in the global e-commerce regatta, but
showed Australia, the UK and Canada close behind.
Research by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) and its
communications arm, Pyramid Research, showed Nordic
countries in four of the next five spots.
The researchers said that thanks to sophisticated telecopy
systems and technically-savvy populations, Norway, Sweden,
Finland and Denmark ranked high.
The analysts did not disclose their methodology.
Singapore scored higher than much of Western Europe, they
said.
The rankings indicate that the world's best e-business players
are not necessarily the largest or richest economies, the researchers
said. "Our rankings show how the Internet is producing new centers
of excellence - look at Australia and Scandinavia," said EIU Editorial
Director Daniel Franklin.
Some of the world's largest countries score low on the
list. India ranks 45th, despite its wealth of software
programmers and a booming outpouring industry, EIU said.
China fares even worse, at 49th, although it has one of the
world's fastest-growing Internet populations. Poverty,
illiteracy and infrastructure inadequacies prevent e-business
from gaining critical mass, the survey said.
Wealth does not automatically translate into e-business
prowess. An embrace of high-tech industries and broadband
access puts South Korea ahead of wealthier Italy, the
researchers said, adding that in a global race for online
commerce that prizes innovation and entrepreneurship,
Japan merits only 18th, behind high-tech Taiwan.
--Reported By Newsbytes.com, http://www.newsbytes.com .