1. MEASURING THE DIGITAL ECONOMY
A NEW PERSPECTIVE
Global Forum on the
Knowledge Economy
Tokyo
2 October 2014
Andrew Wyckoff
Director for Science, Technology and Innovation
OECD

2. The mobile broadband
revolution

3. 125
100
75
50
25
0
3 out of 4 OECD inhabitants have a
mobile wireless broadband
Mobile wireless broadband penetration, by technology,
Terrestrial mobile wireless Satellite Terrestrial fixed wireless All technologies, 2009
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
December 2009 and 2013
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Source: OECD (2014), Measuring the Digital Economy. A New Perspective, OECD Publishing.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/888933147973

4. Millions
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
Devices are becoming powerful and
affordable
The progress of smartphones, 2010-13
Quarterly global shipping trends
Smartphones Other mobile phones
Source: OECD (2014), Measuring the Digital Economy. A New Perspective, OECD Publishing.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/888933147808

5. New and more data-intensive
applications

6. Fixed (wired) broadband penetration rates by speed tiers, December 2013
50
40
30
20
10
0
Broadband speed has been increasing …
> 10 mbps > 4 mbps / < 10 mbps < 4 mbps
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
As a percentage of subscriptions
Source: OECD (2014), Measuring the Digital Economy. A New Perspective, OECD Publishing.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/888933148053

7. … while the cost of data storage has
been declining
Average data storage cost for consumers, 1998-2012
Per Gbit
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
USD
Hard disk drives Solid-state drives
Source: OECD (2014), Measuring the Digital Economy. A New Perspective, OECD Publishing.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/888933147819

8. Emerging data-mining techniques are leading
to innovations that increase well-being
Cost of genome sequencing, 2001-14
Cost per genome, logarithmic scale
USD current
100000
10000
1000
100
10
1
1 million USD
10 000 USD
Source: OECD (2014), Measuring the Digital Economy. A New Perspective, OECD Publishing.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/888933147871

9. Usage rates are reaching
saturation in some countries,
with catch up potential for
laggers

10. People are increasingly using the
Internet …
Internet usage trends in the OECD
By country change between 2006 and 2013
%
100
80
60
40
Inter-country gap (percentage points) Average (all countries)
Highest ranking country
20
0
Lowest ranking country
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Source: OECD (2014), Measuring the Digital Economy. A New Perspective, OECD Publishing.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/888933147770

11. … but large cross-country differences
remain in uptake
Internet usage trends in the OECD
By country change between 2006 and 2013
%
100
80
60
40
20
0
2006
2013
Source: OECD (2014), Measuring the Digital Economy. A New Perspective, OECD Publishing.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/888933147770

12. and in the type of usage by
individuals …
The diffusion of selected online activities among Internet users, 2012-13
Percentage of Internet users performing each activity
100
75
50
25
0
E-mail
Product
information
News
reading
Social
networking
E-banking
E-gov.
(any
interaction)
Online purchases
Gaming/
audio-video
Travel/
accomod.
%
Highest Lowest Average
Web radio/TV
Telephone
E-gov.
(download)
E-gov.
(upload)
Software
download
Job search
Online sales
Medical
appointment
Content creation
Source: OECD (2014), Measuring the Digital Economy. A New Perspective, OECD Publishing.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/888933148228

13. … and businesses
The diffusion of selected ICT tools and activities in enterprises, 2013
Percentage of Internet users performing each activity
100
75
50
25
0
Broadband Website
%
Highest Lowest Average
E-purchases Social network ERP Supply chain
mngt. (ADE)
E-sales RFID
Source: OECD (2014), Measuring the Digital Economy. A New Perspective, OECD Publishing.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/888933148510

14. Participation in e-commerce differs
across age groups and firm size
Participation in e-commerce by individuals and enterprises, 2007-08 and
2012-13
Individuals by age and enterprises by employment size
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
2007 2013 Via
handheld
devices
(2013)
%
As a percentage of all individuals
As a percentage of Internet users
Top 3 countries
Bottom 3 countries
25-44 year-olds
(2013)
65-74 year-olds
(2013)
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
2008 2012
10-49
(2012)
50-249
(2012)
250+
(2012)
%
As a percentage of all enterprises
As a percentage of enterprises in each employment size class
Top 3 countries
Bottom 3 countries
Source: OECD (2014), Measuring the Digital Economy. A New Perspective, OECD Publishing.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/888933147963

15. ICT industries continue to
be dynamic and
innovative, despite
sluggish employment in
the crisis

16. The dynamism of the ICT sector
showed up also during the crisis …
Net business population growth between 2009 and 2012
Average annual growth rate
%
10
8
6
4
2
0
-2
-4
-6
ICT sector Business economy
16
Source: OECD (2014), Measuring the Digital Economy. A New Perspective, OECD Publishing.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/888933148696

17. … but employment suffered from
greater downswings
ICT sector employment in the OECD, 1995-2012
Annual growth rate (left-hand scale) and percentage share on total employment
(right-hand scale)
% %
4.2
4.0
3.8
3.6
3.4
6
3
0
-3
-6
Employment growth in the ICT sector
Total employment growth
Employment share of the ICT sector (Right-hand scale)
Employment growth in the ICT sector
Total employment growth
Employment share of the ICT sector (Right-hand scale)
Source: OECD (2014), Measuring the Digital Economy. A New Perspective, OECD Publishing.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/888933147936

18. … and information industries have
maintained a lead in labour productivity.
Apparent
labour
productivity
levels,
information
industries
vs. total
economy,
2012
OECD total
economy level
= 100
Information industries
GRC
PRT
CAN
IRL
USA
CZE
ESP
JPN
BEL
SVK
POL
OECD
GBR
ITA
SWE
HUN
SVN
FRA
NLD
CHE
EST
DEU
AUT
DNK
FIN
250
200
150
100
50
50 75 100 125 150
Total economy
Source: OECD (2014), Measuring the Digital Economy. A New Perspective, OECD Publishing.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/888933147890

19. Harnessing the potential
of the digital economy:
new skills for workers, firms
and users are needed

20. Cross-country differences in ICT skills
use at work remain important …
Computer use at work, 2012
Percentage shares of workers
%
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
Straightforward and moderate use Complex use No computer use
Source: OECD (2014), Measuring the Digital Economy. A New Perspective, OECD Publishing.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/888933148332

21. … as the generalised need for further
acquisition of (new) ICT skills.
Individuals who judge their computer skills to be sufficient if
they were to apply for a new job within a year, 2013
As a percentage of all individuals
%
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
All Individuals Individuals with high formal education Individuals with no or low formal education
Source: OECD (2014), Measuring the Digital Economy. A New Perspective, OECD Publishing.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/888933148354

22. Find MORE: 113 indicators
 The digital economy today
 Investing in smart infrastructure
 Empowering society
 Unleashing creativity and innovation
 Delivering growth and jobs

23. An OECD effort to …
 Mark progress on ICT indicators
 Identify data gaps
 Propose actions to advance the
measurement agenda

24. MEASURING THE DIGITAL ECONOMY
A NEW PERSPECTIVE
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measuring-the-digital-economy.htm