The Measuring the Information Society Report, which has been published annually since 2009, features key ICT data and benchmarking tools to measure the information society, including the ICT Development Index (IDI). The IDI 2016 captures the level of ICT developments in 175 economies worldwide and compares progress made since the year 2014. The MISR 2016 assesses IDI findings at the regional level and highlights countries that rank at the top of the IDI and those that have improved their position in the overall IDI rankings most dynamically since 2014. It will also use the findings of the IDI to analyze trends and developments in the digital divide. The report will present 2015 prices for about 160 countries and provide a detailed analysis of mobile-cellular, fixed-broadband and mobile-broadband prices over the period 2008-2015. It will highlight the role of ICTs in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and present the newly agreed SDG indicator framework, including the ICT indicators. The report will also include a chapter looking into new metrics to measure mobile uptake, and a chapter presenting data analyzing Internet use and uptake.

The Measuring the Information Society Report, which has been published annually since 2009, features key ICT data and benchmarking tools to measure the information society, including the ICT Development Index (IDI). The IDI 2016 captures the level of ICT developments in 175 economies worldwide and compares progress made since the year 2014. The MISR 2016 assesses IDI findings at the regional level and highlights countries that rank at the top of the IDI and those that have improved their position in the overall IDI rankings most dynamically since 2014. It will also use the findings of the IDI to analyze trends and developments in the digital divide. The report will present 2015 prices for about 160 countries and provide a detailed analysis of mobile-cellular, fixed-broadband and mobile-broadband prices over the period 2008-2015. It will highlight the role of ICTs in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and present the newly agreed SDG indicator framework, including the ICT indicators. The report will also include a chapter looking into new metrics to measure mobile uptake, and a chapter presenting data analyzing Internet use and uptake.

Digital technologies are spreading rapidly, but digital dividends--the broader benefits of faster growth, more jobs, and better services--are not. If more than 40 percent of adults in East Africa pay their utility bills using a mobile phone, why can’t others around the world do the same? If 8 million entrepreneurs in China--one third of them women--can use an e-commerce platform to export goods to 120 countries, why can’t entrepreneurs elsewhere achieve the same global reach? And if India can provide unique digital identification to 1 billion people in five years, and thereby reduce corruption by billions of dollars, why can’t other countries replicate its success? Indeed, what’s holding back countries from realizing the profound and transformational effects that digital technologies are supposed to deliver? Two main reasons. First, nearly 60 percent of the world’s population are still offline and can’t participate in the digital economy in any meaningful way. Second, and more important, the benefits of digital technologies can be offset by growing risks. Startups can disrupt incumbents, but not when vested interests and regulatory uncertainty obstruct competition and the entry of new firms. Employment opportunities may be greater, but not when the labor market is polarized. The internet can be a platform for universal empowerment, but not when it becomes a tool for state control and elite capture. The World Development Report 2016 shows that while the digital revolution has forged ahead, its 'analog complements'--the regulations that promote entry and competition, the skills that enable workers to access and then leverage the new economy, and the institutions that are accountable to citizens--have not kept pace. And when these analog complements to digital investments are absent, the development impact can be disappointing. What, then, should countries do? They should formulate digital development strategies that are much broader than current information and communication technology (ICT) strategies. They should create a policy and institutional environment for technology that fosters the greatest benefits. In short, they need to build a strong analog foundation to deliver digital dividends to everyone, everywhere.

The Measuring the Information Society Report (MISR), which has been published annually since 2009, features key ICT data and benchmarking tools to measure the information society, including the ICT Development Index (IDI). The IDI 2015 captures the level of ICT developments in 167 economies worldwide and compares progress made since the year 2010. The MISR 2015 assesses IDI findings at the regional level and highlights countries that rank at the top of the IDI and those that have improved their position in the overall IDI rankings most dynamically since 2010. The report will feature a review and quantitative assessment of the global ITU goals and targets agreed upon at PP-14 and included in the Connect 2020 Agenda. In addition, the MISR will show the results of the ICT Price Basket (IPB) and present and analyse fixed and mobile broadband price data for around 180 economies. The report also includes a chapter looking into recent developments of the Internet of Things (IoT).

The Information Economy Report 2017 analyzes the evolving digital economy and its implications for trade and development. While these are still early days of the digital economy, it is already clear that it will have globally transformative impacts on the way we live, work and develop our economies. As the world strives to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, harnessing the power of information and communications technologies (ICTs) is essential. Large parts of the developing world remain disconnected from the Internet, and many people lack access to high-speed broadband connectivity. Policymaking at the national and international levels needs to mitigate the risk that digitalization could widen existing divides and create new gaps. Since increased reliance on digital technologies, such as cloud computing, three-dimensional printing, big data and “the Internet of things”, it is essential to start assessing opportunities and pitfalls alike, and to prepare for what is coming. The analysis contained in the report contributes to this process and proposes ways in which the international community can reduce inequality, enable the benefits of digitalization to reach all people and ensure that no one is left behind by the evolving digital economy.

This edition focuses on trade connectivity, which is critical for inclusiveness and sustainable development. Physical connectivity enables the movement of goods and services to local, regional and global markets.

This book can be used to teach public policy and help international industry leaders and academics understand the context of UAE and the role it plays in the global arena. This project is a series by the Academy of International Business - MENA chapter, supported by the Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government, Dubai.