Singapore Tops IT Competitiveness in Asia Pacific, Ranks No. 3 Worldwide

Jakarta Globe, Irene Tham - Straits Times Indonesia, September 27, 2011

Singapore has raced past Australia to become the most competitive IT market in Asia Pacific, a new study by the Economist Intelligence Unit shows.

Worldwide, Singapore has clinched the third place, after traditional heavyweights the United States and Finland.

The fourth report Investment for the future: Benchmarking IT Industry Competitiveness 2011 scores 66 countries around the world on six key indicators: overall business environment, technology infrastructure, human capital, legal framework, public support for industry development, and research and development landscape.

The bi-annual study was sponsored by non-profit anti-piracy trade group Business Software Alliance. The United States has consistently retained its pole position as the world's most competitive IT market.

EIU ranked Singapore first in the region and third globally due to the nation's strong showing in its R&D environment and the Government's support for industry development.

Globally, Singapore surpassed Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, Sweden, the Netherlands and Denmark.

In 2009, Singapore ranked ninth globally and second in Asia Pacific in IT competitiveness.