ICT in Czech Republic in the year 2004

							ICT in Czech Republic
   in the year 2004

       Olga Štěpánková
       president of CSKI
    step@labe.felk.cvut.cz
    Few basic facts concerning ITC
• GDP growth (2004): about 3% a year (slightly above the
  average of EU-15)
• 48% of adults have a computer at home; 2/3 are
  connected to Internet, i.e. 32% of adults can access
  Internet from their home.
• 52% behind the digital divide: 38% of population has
  no experience in using computers and 14% play computer
  games only
• A.T. Kearne Consulting: “CZ is one of the countries with
  best conditions for design and development of ICT
  solutions (immediately after India, China, Malaysia)”
        Governmental Initiatives
• 2000: Law on electronic signature
• since 1999: program of Min.Education “Internet to
  schools”
• 24.3.2004: the government decree No. 265 “State
  Information and Communication Policy” = strategic
  document in the field of e-society upto 2006
• October 2004: public portal ensuring uniform
  approach to governmental services;
   The Manifest of Knowledge Society
SPIS, association of core ICT industries in CZ
 If no serious socio-economic changes, the country
  will decline so slowly that almost nobody will take
  notice. Results: decreasing creative potential and
  exodus of competent people
 Road towards knowledge society requires
  financial and moral long-term investments. The
  problem? The results cannot be manifested before
  the end of several election periods. Clear vision,
  integrity and strength are needed!
                    Strengths
• ICT market/GDP: CZ on the 4. position among 25
  countries [eE]
• Well-qualified hard-working open-minded work force
  with high ability to improvise. Sophisticated production.
• Top level SW production.
• Number of people working in R&D is twice as high
  compared to G7 [WB, 2004].
• More than 5000 new ICT graduates each year.
• Several decades of presence of females in ICT and in
  technical environment in general.
  Weaknesses: general comments

• Slow legislation and lack of transparency in decision-
  making, low transparency and intelligibility of the tax
  system. Insufficient property protection [WB, 2004].
• High degree of corruption [Transparency Int. 2004]: 4
  worst countries in Europe: Czech Republic, Latvia,
  Slovakia and Poland.
• Low availability of governmental services offered
  through Internet
• Refutation of simple international standards by public
  institutions (e.g. concerning IT literacy)
               Weaknesses: IT
• Low number of university graduates in full
  population (about 50% of the number characterising
  G7 countries [WB, 2004]), insuf.computer literacy
  (less than 50% [DEMA, 2004]).
• Significantly lower number of technical publications
  than average of G7 countries [WB, 2004].
• Excessive price of access to Internet (approx. 3 times
  more than in EU-15 [eE]), low number of employees
  connected to Internet (about 2/3 of the average of EU-
  15 [eE]).
              Opportunities
• Competitiveness of Czech SW companies
  working on int.scale
• Attractive country with friendly life environment
• Culture of high esteem for education: life-long
  learning is considered by 51 % of Czech citizens
  (39 % count on e-learning)
• Education - rich resources to increase quality
  and accessibility of middle and higher education.
  This may be no more the case in several years.
                  Threats
• Continuous decline of quality of education due
  to underpayment of teachers
• Artificial barriers preventing work force
  mobility (domain specific home-made IT
  certification systems)
• The state applies no positive motivation to
  encourage personal growth of citizens
• National narcisism supported by usage of fuzzy
  notions (like computer literacy)
 Time for bold political decisions

Should a state support the specific section of
  enterprises dealing with information and
  communication technologies?
[MKS] : The correct answer is neither YES
  nor NO ; both answers are wrong. The right
  answer is “Define the concepts first and
  specify what does it mean to support
  peak technologies”!
The best decision the state can accept to support
   ICT is to create good legal and cultural
                 environment.

Ensure
   public administration,
   education,
   legislation,
   support of direct foreign investment,
   friendly conditions for small enterprises.
       IT literacy: a fuzzy notion
Czech Min.of Informatics: National Health Service
 A course in IT literacy,       (UK) defines IT literacy as
   which has been delivered     an ability to use efficiently
   to 32.000 of students        the hospital computer
   already.                     system. This needs 40-120
It takes 120 minutes (aimed     hours.
   at a total layman who does
   not know the difference    Comparing the price and the
   between mouse and            results of both projects is
   keyboard).                   highly misleading.
 Some SWOT contradictions: low
   impact of investments in ICT
• Top position in ICT market/GDP: CZ on the 4.
  position among 25 countries [eE]
• Excessive price of access to Internet (approx. 3
  times more than in EU-15 [eE]), low number of
  employees connected to Internet (about 2/3 of the
  average of EU-15 [eE]).
• Low availability of governmental services
  offered through Internet, Low usage of e shopping
    Some SWOT contradictions:
  low average productivity of R&D
• Excessive work-force in R&D is twice as high
  compared to G7 [WB, 2004].
• Significantly lower number of technical
  publications than average of G7 countries [WB,
  2004].
      Impact of Int. Community:
         CEPIS, IFIP, ..., EU
• Best practices - raising awareness among politicians!!!
• Definition and standardisation of notions and criteria
  to be applied in the context of knowledge society.
• Insisting on usage of these de-mystified notions when
  describing the obtained results (e.g. of the financed
  international projects including the Structural Funds)
• Introduction of reliable internationally recognised
  certification programs.
• Standardisation as a tool to prevent manipulation with
  facts and to fight corruption.
  Are you interested in getting
Manifest of Knowledge Society ?

       Olga Stepankova
    step@labe.felk.cvut.cz