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 .