The Croatian IT Sector is Developing in the Right Direction, but Changes are Necessary

Only a few countries in the world possess all the factors necessary for the advancement of the information technology (IT) sector. The high level of conditions required for the development of IT competitiveness in Europe is ensured by the United Kingdom, Sweden, Denmark, and Switzerland, concludes a recently conducted study.

Within the framework of the IT Industry Competitiveness Index, the Economist Intelligence Unit (EUI) identifies extensive availability of qualifications, knowledge and skills, an innovation-oriented environment, top-notch technological infrastructure, a strong legal system, balanced government support, and particularly – a business environment conducive to market competition as the most important factors. Countries that have the majority of these competitiveness factors also possess a highly developed and strong IT industry: out of the 22 countries that ranked highest in this research, as many as 18 are – in terms of information technology production productivity – among the most developed countries.

These are some of the key conclusions of the study “Resources for Competition: Measuring IT Industry Competitiveness” conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit and sponsored by the international association of business software manufacturers, the Business Software Alliance (BSA). This is also the first attempt to compare the effectiveness of countries in building an environment conducive to increasing the competitiveness of the IT industry. The research covered 64 countries from 7 global regions. – Information technology is one of the main drivers of economic and social progress worldwide. Software significantly contributes to progress, both directly and indirectly, through improved productivity, efficiency, and creativity – says Mladen Vukmir, spokesperson for BSA in Croatia. He adds that despite Croatia not being included in the study, its conclusions can certainly serve as a guideline for the Government of the Republic of Croatia and greatly assist in raising national IT competitiveness. The study’s conclusions confirm that the Croatian technology sector is heading in the right direction, but there is also room for improvement.

– The Croatian technology sector is one of the fastest-growing in the region. Our legislation is well-defined, and companies are increasingly recognizing the value of intellectual property. However, to advance in the IT industry, our government needs to make the best use of and strengthen the factors that the Study identifies as key to building an environment conducive to the advancement of the national IT industry: qualifications, knowledge and skills, IT infrastructure, strong legislation, government support, and investments in research and development. Strong protection of intellectual property rights is particularly important for us to ensure continuous investments in technologies and innovations – concludes Vukmir.