U.S. Loses Top Spot in Global Tech Study

US LOSES TOP SPOT IN GLOBAL TECH STUDY
[SOURCE: Associated Press, AUTHOR: Bradley Klapper]
European countries and Singapore have surpassed the United States in their ability to exploit information and communication technology, according to a new survey. The United States, which topped the World Economic Forum's "networked readiness index" in 2006, slipped to seventh. Denmark edged Sweden for the top spot, while Finland was behind in fourth. The study, out Wednesday, largely blamed increased political and corporate interference in the judicial system. The index, which measures the range of factors that affect a country's ability to harness information technologies for economic competitiveness and development, also cited the United States' low rate of mobile telephone usage, a lack of government leadership in information technology and the low quality of math and science education. But Thierry Geiger, one of the Forum's economists responsible for the report, said the U.S. market environment remains the best in the world in terms of how easy it is to set up a business, get loans and have access to market capital.
http://www.salon.com/wire/ap/archive.html?wire=D8O58PMG0.html

* The Global Information Technology Report
http://www.weforum.org/en/initiatives/gcp/Global%20Information%20Technol...
* Foreign Nations Take Tech Title
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/03/29/BUG41OTHE...