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New York (pte022/14.12.2004/12:00) - Businesses in Sweden are the leaders in IT, according to a study by US consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton http://www.boozallen.com . The International Benchmarking study by the New-York based firm, which was produced for the British Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) http://www.dti.gov.uk , used its own "Sophistication Index" to determine how eagerly and capably countries have embraced information technology, including wireless access and Internet access. Ireland was in second place, while Britain claimed the third spot.
The study was based on nearly 8,000 telephone interviews with businesses in the G7 countries, plus Australia, Ireland, South Korea and Sweden. Sweden's rise from fifth place in 2003 to first this year was due to the country's use of technology by both large and small businesses. Ireland came second because of the expertise workers there have in IT, and Britain's third place was due to businesses there being quick to adopt new technologies early, such as voice over IP (VoIP calling). Germany came fourth, and was followed by South Korea, Canada, the United States and Australia. Italy, Japan and France claimed the last places. The survey covered companies in sectors including manufacturing, construction, retail and wholesale, transport, communications, finance and services, and government agencies.
Globally, the study found that more businesses are measuring the benefits of technology rather than its costs. In addition, the focus of business has shifted from Internet access to the speed and reliability of the connection. "Overall, businesses are taking a more thoughtful and selective approach to deploying technology," said Fredrich Knops, Vice President of Booz Allen Hamilton. "We see a tighter focus on value-added applications, and greater emphasis on measurement to assess the benefits of new technology." The study is the eighth of its kind since it began in 1997.
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