From:
OECD Factbook 2014
Economic, Environmental and Social Statistics
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/factbook-2014-en
Size of the ICT sector
Please cite this chapter as:
OECD (2014), “Size of the ICT sector”, in OECD Factbook 2014:
Economic, Environmental and Social Statistics, OECD Publishing.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/factbook-2014-65-en
This work is published on the responsibility of the Secretary-General of the OECD. The
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SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY • INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS
Information and communications
SIZE OF THE ICT SECTOR
While demand for the products of information industries increased relentlessly from 2000, the share in value added of these activities fell in most OECD economies. There were a l s o c h a n g e s i n t h e i r c o m p o s i t i o n . I n d e e d , t h e manufacture of computers and electronics and, to a lesser extent, telecommunication services saw their importance diminish as production shifted to other (mostly non-OECD) economies and unit prices fell as a result of productivity growth and increased competition.
Meanwhile, the share of information technology (IT) services in total value added rose across all reporting economies, largely offsetting losses in the other sectors.
Definition
The aggregate of information industries here includes ISIC rev. 4 Division 26 (Manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products) and Section J (Information and communication), which in turn consists of Divisions 58-60 ( P u b l i s h i n g a n d b r o a d c a s t i n g i n d u s t r i e s ) , 6 1 (Telecommunications) and 62-63 (Computer programming, and Information service activities). Hence information industries here encompass ICT industries (Divisions 26, 61 and 62-63, plus group 58.2, software publishing), with the exception of Trade and repair activities, as well as Media and content industries (included in Divisions 58-60 and in the Group 63.9).
Comparability
Statistics on value added by activity are not always directly comparable across countries, owing to the co-existence of different regional classifications of economic activities, the transition to a revised classification (e.g. from NACE rev.1 to NACE rev.2), and the lack of sufficiently detailed information. In the case of Information industries, an important issue is the presence of significant shares of value added embodied in the output of other industries.
Overview
In the last decade, the manufacture of computers and electronics and, to a lesser extent, telecommunication services saw their importance diminish as production shifted to other, mostly non-OECD economies, and unit prices fell as a result of productivity growth and increased competition.
On average, the share of the information industries in total value added passed from 6.1% to 6.0% of total value added, growing by more than 1 percentage point only in Estonia, Greece, Ireland and the Slovak Republic, which benefited from delocalisation, and falling steeply in Austria and Finland.
Trends in employment are similar to those reported for value added. In this case, though, the shift towards more labour intensive IT service activities is reflected in a slight increase of average employment.
C h a n g e s i n t h e c o m p o s i t i o n o f e m p l oy m e n t accelerated through the crisis. Between 2000 and 2011, in nearly all countries employment in manufacturing of computer, electronic and optical products employment fell significantly and losses were also apparent in publishing and telecommunication services, while IT and other information services were among the few industries to register gains across most reporting countries.
Sources
• OECD (2013), OECD Science, Technology and Industry Scoreboard 2013, OECD Publishing
• OECD (2012), OECD Internet Economy Outlook, OECD Publishing.
Further information
Analytical publications• OECD (2012), “ICT Skills and Employment: New Competences and Jobs for a Greener and Smarter Economy”, OECD Digital Economy Papers, No. 198.
• OECD (2012), OECD Science, Technology and Industry Outlook, OECD Publishing.
Statistical publications
• OECD (2011), OECD Guide to Measuring the Information Society 2011, OECD Publishing.
Websites
• OECD Key ICT Indicators, www.oecd.org/sti/ictindicators.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY • INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS
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SIZE OF THE ICT SECTOR
Share of ICT in value added and in employment
Percentage
1 2 http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/888933028406
Share of ICT in value added
As a percentage of total value added
1 2 http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/888933025993 Share of ICT value added in business sector value added Share of ICT employment in business sector employment
2011 or latest available year Percentage point change
2000-11 2011 or latest available year Percentage point change
2000-11
Australia .. .. .. ..
Austria 3.8 -0.9 2.9 -0.2
Belgium 4.5 -0.2 2.7 -0.1
Canada 5.1 .. 2.6 -0.4
Chile .. .. .. ..
Czech Republic 5.7 0.6 3.2 0.6
Denmark 5.2 -0.1 4.4 -0.1
Estonia 6.9 1.3 4.4 1.1
Finland 6.4 6.4 6.4 6.4
France 5.1 -0.7 3.3 -0.2
Germany 5.1 -0.4 3.9 -0.1
Greece 4.9 1.5 1.8 0.1
Hungary 7.4 0.7 4.9 1.1
Iceland 4.3 -1.3 .. ..
Ireland 11.9 1.0 5.2 -0.8
Israel .. .. .. ..
Italy 4.9 -0.1 3.2 0.1
Japan 8.1 -0.2 4.7 0.1
Korea 9.6 -0.8 .. ..
Luxembourg 7.0 0.2 4.4 0.2
Mexico .. .. .. ..
Netherlands 5.1 -0.6 3.5 -0.3
New Zealand .. .. .. ..
Norway 3.9 -0.3 3.3 -0.9
Poland 4.1 0.2 .. ..
Portugal 4.1 -0.2 1.9 0.3
Slovak Republic 5.9 1.6 3.3 0.4
Slovenia 4.7 -0.4 3.4 0.2
Spain 4.6 -0.4 2.7 0.0
Sweden 6.8 0.1 4.5 -0.9
Switzerland 7.4 0.7 5.4 0.2
Turkey .. .. .. ..
United Kingdom 7.4 -0.3 4.3 -0.4
United States 7.1 0.0 3.8 -0.9
EU 28 .. .. .. ..
OECD 6.0 -0.1 3.7 0.1
Brazil .. .. .. ..
China .. .. .. ..
India .. .. .. ..
Indonesia .. .. .. ..
Russian Federation .. .. .. ..
South Africa .. .. .. ..
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
2000 2011
