Suchergebnisse

Monitoring the readiness of countries for the application of information and communication technologies (ICT) has a long tradition. It is reflected through the application of various synthetic indicators - indexes, which were created for these purposes by various organizations and associations. These indicators are expected to reflect new trends in the field of ICT, and also to measure the readiness and achievements of individual countries in the ICT usage. The aim of this paper is to show significant changes in the structure of one of the most well-known indices in this area - Network Readiness Index, which has been in use for almost two decades. The paper emphasizes the application of this index in monitoring the process of digital transformation at the level of economic and social development of individual countries, especially in the COVID crisis. Also, the tendencies of this process in the post-COVID period are considered. Monitoring the process of digital transformation at the country level is characterized by a multidimensional approach. In this sense, the complex structure of the NRI latest version is presented. It is based on 60 indicators grouped in four areas: technological trends, human resources capacity, government regulations and the impact of new technologies on the economy, quality of life and achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals adopted in 2015. Also, the paper discusses the position of Serbia and other Western Balkans countries measured in the context of the newly created index, and presents a comparison of these countries with European Union countries. ; Praćenje spremnosti zemalјa za primenu informaciono-komunikacionih tehnologija (IKT) ima višegodišnju tradiciju. Ona se ogleda kroz primenu različitih sintetičkih pokazatelјa – indeksa, koje su za te svrhe kreirale različite organizacije i asocijacije. Od ovih pokazatelјa se očekuje da, sa jedne strane, odražavaju nove trendove u IKT oblasti, a sa druge strane, da mere spremnost i postignuća pojedinih zemalјa u primeni tih novih tehnologija. Cilј ovog rada jeste da prikaže značajne promene u strukturi jednog od najpoznatijih indeksa za praćenje spremnosti zemalјa za primenu informaciono-komunikacionih tehnologija - Network Readiness Index (NRI), koji je u upotrebi skoro dve decenije. U radu je posebno naglašeno sagledavanje primene ovog indeksa u praćenju procesa digitalne transformacije na nivou ekonomskog i društvenog razvoja pojedinih zemalјa, posebno u uslovima kovid krize. Takođe, sagledane su i tendencije ovog procesa u postkovid periodu. Praćenje procesa digitalne transformacije na nivou zemalјa karakteriše višedimenzionalni pristup. U tom smislu prikazana je složena struktura najnovije verzije ovog indeksa koja se zasniva na 60 indikatora, a koji su sintetički povezani u četiri oblasti: tehnološki trendovi, kapaciteti lјudskih resursa za primenu novih tehnologija, značaj vladinih regulativa, kao i uticaj novih tehnologija na ekonomiju, kvalitet života i ostvarenje Održivih razvojnih cilјeva Ujedinjenih nacija (UN Sustainable Development Goals - SDGs) prihvaćenih 2015. godine. Takođe, u radu je razmatrana pozicija Srbije i ostalih zemalјa Zapadnog Balkana merena u kontekstu novokreiranog indeksa, i prikazano je poređenje ovih zemalјa sa zemlјama Evropske unije.

The application of information and communications technologies (ICTs) in all spheres of human activities has a significant impact on the development of each country. A better understanding of the relationship between these phenomena can contribute to the policy of a more balanced and long-term sustainable development on the national level. In this regard, the aim of the paper is to investigate the link between ICT and development profiles, taking the European countries as an example. We use several composite indexes (i.e., the ITU ICT development index, the global competitiveness index [GCI], and the Legatum prosperity index [LPI]) to investigate these countries' profiles and find a common structure among their respective relationships. We applied the partial least squares regression (PLS-R) model and included a new welfare index – the prosperity index, which integrates all the key dimensions of country development (economic, social, and environmental). Our main finding is that PLS-R models successfully extract important information on common structure vis-à-vis the observed countries' ICT and development profiles. Certain ICT indicators – namely, Use of ICT and Price of ICT services – can be considered predominant indicators, given their impact on a set of competitiveness and prosperity features within a country. These ICT indicators influence certain competitiveness attributes - Technological readiness, Business sophistication, Institutions, and Innovation, and certain prosperity attributes - Governance, Economic quality, and Personal freedom of the observed countries. These observations may be of great importance, as policy-makers can leverage them when designing the appropriate ICT and development strategies at national level.

Education has always been a driving force behind economic prosperity. However, this has become especially important in a globalized knowledge- and new-technology-based economy. The research presented in this paper focuses on the relationship between ICT, population education, and economic growth and development. The analysis of this relationship is based on the latest data collected from relevant national and international institutions. The results obtained from a survey conducted at the Faculty of Economics, University of Belgrade, are also analyzed. The paper highlights the challenges faced by the education systems in general, and the education system of Serbia in particular, confronted with the new wave of technological innovation which is fundamentally changing the nature of work and imposing new requirements with regard to the necessary knowledge and skills. Our research results indicate that ICT and education have been recognized by the Government of Serbia as the important determinants of economic and the overall social development.