Information and communication technology (ICT) for development of small and medium-sized exporters in East Asia: Viet Nam

Includes bibliography

New information and communications technologies for education in Latin America: risks and opportunities

Includes bibliography

Policies and practices for the use of information and communications technologies (ICTs) in education in Latin America and the Caribbean

Includes bibliography

Resolution 672(XXXIV): establishment of the Conference on Science, Innovation and Information and Communications Technologies of the Economic Commision for Latin America and the Caribbean

Incluye Bibliografía

Resolution 672(XXXIV) Establishment of the Conference on Science, Innovation and Information and Communications Technologies of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean

Spanish version available

Report on the working group on information and communications technologies of the statistical conference of the Americas of ECLAC

Incluye Bibliografía

Information and communications at the service of women in Latin America and the Caribbean

Includes bibliography

New information and telecommunications technology in the transport sector

The growing use of e-commerce and the need to generate efficient solutions to problems such as traffic jams and the physical distribution of merchandise have created a new scenario for transport in general, particularly in urban areas. Because of this, the application of new information and telecommunications technologies presents a strategic challenge that enables maximum advantage to be obtained from the deregulation of markets and the opening up of economies, as well as addressing other urgent needs of this sector. This issue of the Bulletin is based on a study of the application of information and telecommunications technologies to fleet management and urban transport, being carried out by the ECLAC Transport Unit. Although the study focuses on the impact of these technologies in these fields, its reflections, analysis and conclusions are also applicable in other areas of the transport sector.

Mexico: industrial policies and the production of information and communication technology goods and services

This study investigates the extent to which the digital boom has had repercussions on productive activity, in terms of both manufacturing (ict goods) and services (ict services), in addition to its potential ramifications in the rest of the Mexican economy. Input-output matrices are used and compared to those of Brazil and the United States. Mexico has fallen behind, particularly in the production of ict goods, and the productive chains of this activity have weakened. The ict services sector offers much greater potential than has been exploited thus far, with the advantage that it involves comparatively more value added and has major diversification possibilities. It is considered essential to find more effective industrial policies targeted on the ict goods and services sectors; but the experience of countries such as Brazil, which have applied more proactive approaches with mixed results, suggests that this will be challenging.

The causal relationship between information and communication technology and foreign direct investment

This paper investigates the simultaneous causal relationship between investments in information and communication technology (ICT) and flows of foreign direct investment (FDI), with reference to its implications on economic growth. For the empirical analysis we use data from 23 major countries with heterogeneous economic development for the period 1976-99. Our causality test results suggest that there is a causal relationship from ICT to FDI in developed countries, which means that a higher level of ICT investment leads to an increase inflow of FDI. ICT may contribute to economic growth indirectly by attracting more FDI. Contrarily, we could not find significant causality from ICT to FDI in developing countries. Instead, we have partial evidence of opposite causality relationship: the inflow of FDI causes further increases in ICT investment and production capacity. © United Nations University 2006.

Externality effects of information and communication technologies across country Borders

As information and communications technology (ICT) involves both traditional capital and knowledge capital, potential spillovers through various mechanisms can occur. We posit that ICT capital may boost productivity growth, not only in the home country, but also in other countries. In this paper, we provide empirical evidence of such spillovers using panel data on 37 countries from 1996 to 2004. Our results support the existence of ICT spillovers across country borders. Furthermore, we find that developing countries could reap more benefits from ICT spillovers than developed countries. This is particularly important for policy decisions regarding national trade liberalization and economic integration. Developing economies that are more open to foreign trade may have an economic advantage and may develop knowledge-intensive activities, which will lead to economic development in the long run.

Information and communication technology (ICT) and human development

Using panel data for 41 developed and developing countries over the period 1998-2004, this paper examines the links between ICT diffusion and human development. We conducted a panel regression analysis of the investments in healthcare, education and information and communication technology (ICT) against human development index (HDI). The results show that these variables can be used to predict HDI scores. In agreement with findings of previous research, it is clear from our analysis that the central focus on ICT as a solution for development will not bring the results that the promoters of ICT as an ‘engine of growth’ are expecting. It is unwise to disaggregate the issues of education and healthcare infrastructure from ICT infrastructure development. ICT policies should be integrated with other national policies in order to find a holistic and structural solution to development.