ICTNET European Network for the Research on the Economic Impact of ICTs Research Areas
1) ICT, productivity and growth
Objectives
The key role of ICT for productivity, growth and competitiveness is well recognised. This role might be particularly important given the current economic consequences of the financial crisis. This work package will address the following key questions:
Objectives
Intangibles are a key factor for measuring the impact of ICT and R&D policies. The objective of this WP is to enhance the measurement and the analysis of intangibles by:
3) ICT-enabled innovation
Objectives
As the crisis forces our societies to look for a different growth path and policies engage even more in the support of ICT, an assessment of their potential impact on innovation become crucial to ensure that today‘s measures serve as an investment in long-term growth.
These work package would address three questions, which are particularly relevant to policy:
4) ICT diffusion to the economy
Objectives
The impact of ICT and ICT-related policies crucially depends on the diffusion of ICT to the economy. The objectives of this WP are:
Objectives
The key role of ICT for productivity, growth and competitiveness is well recognised. This role might be particularly important given the current economic consequences of the financial crisis. This work package will address the following key questions:
- How does investment in ICT and the spread of new ICT applications enhance productivity in different firms, industries and countries?
- How can research results on specific determinants of ICT-related productivity, in particular investment in ICT, intangibles, R&D and innovation activities be integrated in order to better understand the overall effect of ICT on productivity?
- How can currently debated and implemented ICT policies be assessed when confronted with the synthesis of research results?
- How does performance of countries during the crisis relate to their performance, structure and ICT investment before?
- Does the crisis hit the ICT sector less because firms invest in efficiency gains or do firms become reluctant to innovate?
Objectives
Intangibles are a key factor for measuring the impact of ICT and R&D policies. The objective of this WP is to enhance the measurement and the analysis of intangibles by:
- Improving the definitions and measurement methods;
- Analysing how ICT, R&D and other intangibles interact;
- Evaluating the effects of the economic crisis on the "knowledge capital" embodied in intangibles.
3) ICT-enabled innovation
Objectives
As the crisis forces our societies to look for a different growth path and policies engage even more in the support of ICT, an assessment of their potential impact on innovation become crucial to ensure that today‘s measures serve as an investment in long-term growth.
These work package would address three questions, which are particularly relevant to policy:
- Does ICT raise the capability of firms to innovate?
- What are the channels through which ICT spur innovation?
- What are the complementary conditions/assets that make ICT useful for innovation?
4) ICT diffusion to the economy
Objectives
The impact of ICT and ICT-related policies crucially depends on the diffusion of ICT to the economy. The objectives of this WP are:
- Developing new indicators to better monitor the extent and speed of ICT diffusion among firms and households;
- Analyse the role of institutions and regulations in promoting or hampering ICT diffusion;
- Assess the potential impact of the economic crisis on ICT diffusion;
- Assess the potential contribution of ICT diffusion to the economic recovery.
