In the race to take advantage of information technology, the United States is dropping back, while European countries, particularly those in Scandinavia, are surging ahead, according to a report released last week. And if not for a strong higher-education system, the United States would be slipping even farther behind, said the report, which was issued by the World Economic Forum.
The forum’s report, which is prepared every year, includes a “Networked Readiness Index” that measures a country’s infrastructure, regulatory environment, and willingness to put resources into technology. The United States, which clocked in at No. 1 last year, slid to No. 7 this year. The economists who put together the index blame the slip on regulations and policies that stifle innovation. But the analysts say educational institutions that are producing researchers wanted by industry are keeping the country in the game.
Denmark took the No. 1 spot, followed by Sweden. Last year they were ranked third and eighth, respectively. The reason for the Scandinavian surge: government policies that boost levels of connectivity within these countries and strong support for educational institutions that graduate people who can implement those policies. —Josh Fischman
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