Technology & Innovation

New EIU report finds lack of skills and infrastructure—not security— biggest obstacles to implementing new technology by governments in South-East Asia

June 07, 2016

Asia

For immediate release: June 7th, 2016

New EIU report finds lack of skills and infrastructure—not security— biggest obstacles to implementing new technology by governments in South-East Asia

- 37% of South-East Asian public- and technology-sector officials surveyed name cloud computing the most important technology trend

- Indonesia is viewed as most effective at implementing new technologies, Singapore lags despite reputation as global ICT leader

- One-in- three respondents believe public-sector organisations in their countries are “very effective” at implementing new technologies

- Organisational challenges have overtaken cyber security as the biggest challenge to public-sector technology adoption

A released today by The Economist Intelligence Unit finds that sub-par hardware, manpower shortages and poor data-sharing are hampering uptake of cutting-edge technology by the governments of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. is based on a survey of 300 technology-sector leaders as well as interviews with experts in industry, government, academia and the civic sector. It is sponsored by Microsoft.

The report finds that better use of data, including cloud access and manipulation, is high on respondents’ list of priorities. They also have high hopes for the Internet of Things, in which everyday objects communicate with each other and central servers, facilitating everything from traffic flows to flood control. Yet 46% of survey respondents in government say lack of skills among public-sector workers is the top barrier to greater utilisation of technology, while 44% working in the technology sector point to organisational ICT infrastructure.

Regional variations show surprising gaps in perception. Only 20% of Singaporean respondents believe their government is “very effective” at implementing new technologies. This compares to 57% of Indonesian respondents and 33% overall. This illustrates the challenge in fulfilling the ever-advancing needs of savvy users. Singaporeans, long used to near-unlimited Internet access and robust services, likely have far higher expectations of their government than users in less-developed markets, for whom mere connectivity is often a major leap forward.

Given the number of high-profile cyber-attacks around the world, it is somewhat surprising that only a small minority (16%) of South-East Asian governments consider cyber-security a barrier to public-sector technology adoption. The research found that private clouds which isolate sensitive information from public clouds are one reason security concerns have been alleviated.

Charles Ross, the editor of the report, said: “Organisational challenges have overtaken security concerns for governments in South-East Asia as they seek to deliver more and more services digitally. Governments in the region have an opportunity to stand at the forefront of smart-government development, but only if it addresses real challenges related to employee and citizen ICT skills, and insufficient infrastructure.”

 

Press enquiries:

Mathew Hanratty, corporate communications manager

+44 (0)20 7576 8546

 

Charles Ross, senior editor

+65 6428 2614

 

Notes to editors

High aspirations, stark realities: Digitising government in South-east Asia draws on a survey of 300 technology sector executives and interviews with government officials, executives and experts tracking the evolution of smart government in South-east Asia.

About The Economist Intelligence Unit

The Economist Intelligence Unit is the world leader in global business intelligence. It is the business-to-business arm of The Economist Group, which publishes The Economist newspaper. The Economist Intelligence Unit helps executives make better decisions by providing timely, reliable and impartial analysis on worldwide market trends and business strategies. More information can be found at or .

 

About Microsoft

Microsoft is a leading platform and productivity company for the mobile-first, cloud-first world, and its mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. More information can be found at .

Enjoy in-depth insights and expert analysis - subscribe to our Perspectives newsletter, delivered every week