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The Nightmare of Exclusion from the
Digital Economy is now Wandering Around Greece.
Athens, November 19th, 2002 – According to evident presented in the
report "Strategic’s Digital World Outlook 2002 – Greece’s & S.E. Europe
Technology Observatory and Assessment" announced today from consulting
firm Strategic International SA in the context of the 3rd annual
“Strategic’s Digital World Forum 2002”, Greece ranks last among its
European Union partners in almost all Digital Economy indicators.
According to analysts, this leads to the creation of the Digital Divide
and, consecutively, to exclusion of the country from the Digital Economy
and the Information Society.
According to New Economy consultants Strategic International, the
parameters that, acting as a loop, lead countries to the Digital Divide
and finally to outcast from the Information Society, are the following:
1. Economic Divide
The GDP per capita for 2000 in Greece equals to the 67,2% of the EU15
average, while in 1980 it stood for the 70,4%.
This weak performance, at a time when Ireland scored 118% for the same
period and figure, makes any effort towards the Information Society almost
impossible to advance.
2. Technological Divide
The weakness of economic strengthening, contrarily to other similar
countries’ efforts, leads to the second divide, the technological one.
According to data presented after, the R&D Divide is quite big. The R&D
Spending in Greece for 2001 is 0,13% of the country’s GDP, while the EU 15
Average stands 11 times higher at 1,3%.
3. Information Society Divide
According to relevant indicators, 33,8 out of 100 W. Europeans have access
to the Internet, while in Greece this figure falls at 8,8.
4. Digital Economy
According to a recent study by the World Economic Forum and the Studies
Center for European Unification presented at 16/9/2002 in Saltsburg,
Greece comes last out of the 14 surveyed countries, judged by the criteria
set from the Lisbon Summit.
At the presentation of this report, Mr Costas Kataras, CEO of Strategic
International SA, stressed that "… these four dangerous circular steps
lead Greece to an even wider Digital Divide from its EU partners and,
inevitably, to Digital Exile."
Figure 1
Strategic International’s Digital World Outlook- Assessment of Greece,
2002
Source: Strategic International /K.Kataras SA, © Copyright 2002
At the context of the same report, Strategic International’s ICT
indicators for Greece were also presented.
Table 1
Greece: Basic ICT Indicators by Strategic International /K.Kataras SA,
2001
Source: Strategic International /K.Kataras SA
Comparing High Tech Markets of Greece to the EU, it is easily observed
that only Greek Telecoms approach the EU average, while IT has yet a long
way to go.
Figure 2
Basic Greek ICT Indicators as % of W.European Average, 2001
Source: Strategic International /K.Kataras SA
Additionally, the company’s analysts also presented the firm’s forecasts
for the IT and Telecoms Markets towards the next 3 crucial Olympic and 3rd
CSF years, which talk about strengthening of growth rates after the end of
2002.
Figure 3
Greek Vs EU Average IT Market Growth Rates, 2000 - 2004
Source: Strategic International /K.Kataras SA, EITO
Figure 4
The Greek Telecoms Market, 1998- 2004 (mEuro)
Source: Strategic
International/ K.Kataras SA
What is even more surprising is that Greece doesn’t hold the first place
in the IT sector, even when S.E.Europe is concerned.
Figure 5
PC Penetration – S.E.Europe, 2000
Source: Strategic International/ K.Kataras SA, ISPO
ESIS
Strategic’s 3rd annual “Digital World Forum 2002” for S.E.Europe’s IT,
Telecoms, Internet and New Media sectors, is held in Athens on the 18th
and 19th of November 2002 with main being “STRATEGIES FOR THE NEXT DAY:
User Challenges, Industry Opportunities and New Business Models”. The
forum s chaired by Mr Emmanouil Protonotarios, Head of National Metsovion
Polytechnics’ Telecoms Lab.
What is considered to be the most important Digital Economy meeting for
S.E.Europe, Strategic’s “Digital World Forum 2002” hosts first class
international speakers.
Amogn the forum’s keynote speakers are: Mr. Andreas Andrianopoulos/
Former Cabinet Minister, Writer and Business Consultant, Mrs Miranda
Xafa, Market Analyst/ Monitor Group, Mr. Blagovest Sendov/
Academician,Vice Speaker of the Bulgarian Parliament, Mr. Carlo A.
Baldissera–Pacchetti, Partner/ Accenture, Mr. Andrew Entwistle,
Principal Consultant / Analysys Consulting Ltd, Mr. Thomas Karakoulias,
Country Manager GR & CY/ ΑΤ&Τ, Mr. Santino Saguto, Vice President/
ATKEARNEY, Mr. Tom Reclitis, General Manager/ HP Hellas, Mr.
Argiris Baklezos, Senior Manager/ KPMG Consulting, Mr. Daniel
Middleton, Enterprise Business Support Director/ NORTEL NETWORKS EMEA,
Mr. Dimitris Papagianopoulos, Chief Commercial Officer/ TELESTET,
Mr. Luigi Giacalone, General Director/ SchlumbergerSema MGM,
Mrs. Fiona J. M. Paua, Economist/ World Economic Forum (Davos).
For more information regarding “Digital World Forum 2002”, visit its
electronic site at:
www.strategic.gr/events/digitalworldforum2002 contact Strategic
International SA at tel.: (+30)-210 7229571, Fax: (+30)-210 7224531.
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About Strategic International SA
Strategic International SA (http://www.strategic.gr)
is a Strategy Consulting firm specializing in Telecommunications,
Information Technologies, New Media and the Digital Economy. As a
leading firm in S.E. Europe and Eastern Mediterranean region, the
company provides effective and unbiased consultancy on the future of
High Technology in the region but also in a wider, global context.
Services include: Consulting, Market Research, Publications/ On-Line
Services and Events.
Clients include the largest worldwide Telecom, IT, High Tech and
Financial companies.
Press Office (Photos, Statistics, Presentations, Interviews,
etc.)
Mrs Nassy Kondyli
Strategic International / Kataras S.A.
8, Issiodou Str., 106 74 – Athens
Tel.: +30 210 72 29 571 - Fax:+30 210 72 24 531
Email:
communications@strategic.gr
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