The implications of the changing nature of Information and Communications Technology on UK competiveness

ICT is undergoing profound changes which – unless acknowledged, analysed and addressed – present significant risks to the future competitiveness of UK business and the national economy. Factors include globalisation, off-shoring, protectionism, impatient capital, changing skill requirements and growing business dependency.

Accordingly, The Academy is undertaking a study with the following terms of reference:

• consider the importance of the ICT base for the UK economy;

• examine the present and projected state of UK ICT-related business activity in a global context;

• identify potential ways and means for improvement; and

• make policy and other recommendations.

The study group, chaired by John Trewby CB FREng, comprises Fellows and non-Fellows from Business, Government, Institutions and Universities. It is seeking evidence-informed views, using conventional information gathering methods and YouTube. Topics include the UK’s strength and level of exploitation of ICT, user and academic attention to sustaining the skill base, and the urgency and nature of responses to possible threats.

Detailed information about the study is available here.

Evidence is being collected on the core questions of the study. Evidence will be collected until October 1st 2008. The call for evidence is available online here.

For Information: There is an adjacent study from the Royal Society on the role of science, technology, engineering and maths in services sector innovation. For those interested in this area please see www.royalsociety.org/servicesinnovation