ICT for Growth
An unprecedented opportunity to inclusively serve the poor is emerging as individuals and geographies are increasingly connected to the global economy via Information and Communications Technologies (ICT).
Amplifying the Impact
One of the most promising dynamics in the adoption of mobile applications is how they can mutually reinforce one another. This report, produced by the World Economic Forum in collaboration with the Mobile Health Alliance, examines the intersection of mobile health and mobile finance. It explores the dynamics of when "wealth" meets “health”.
World Economic Forum Reports on ICT
In looking at the rapidly expanding adoption of mobile communications, one of the most promising opportunities for positive socioeconomic change lies in the scaling of mobile health and mobile financial services (MFS). Ini fact, more people today have access to a mobile phone than to clean water or the electrical grid. By 2012, it is estimated that there will be 1.7 billion people with mobile phones but no bank account. Of these, approximately 1 billion will also lack access to heatlhcare systems. Providing services in an affordable and sustainable manner for these individuals is a significant challenge. While reduced costs and advanced in network coverage are accelerating, the underlying business models to sustain this growth are unclear. The report, Examining the Intersection of Mobile Health and Mobile Finance, can be found here.
Utilizing Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) as a catalyst for social and economic progress is an opportunity long held in high regard by the international development community. Impacting society at the micro and macro levels, ICT can equip us to help address our greatest social, economic and environmental challenges. The report, Scaling Opportunity: Information and Communications Technology for Social Inclusion, can be found here.
Networks serve as a central metaphor for describing the complexities of modern life. They are also a technological foundation for unlocking tremendous social and economic benefits. Understanding the dynamics of networks - and theri potential for positive change - can help us collectively meet our greatest social, economic and environmental challenges. The report, Enabling Transformation: Information and Communications Technologies and the Networked Society, can be downloaded here.
The global economy is experiencing one of its most complex and comprehensive challenges in history. Focusing on the transformational opportunities posed by the global economic turmoil, leaders from industry, government and civil society attending the 2009 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, agreed that information and communications technologies (ICT) can play a vital role in the pathway to an economic recovery. Details of the report, ICT For Economic Growth: A Dynamic Ecosystem Driving the Global Recovery, can be found here.
The World Economic Forum's inaugural mHealth Summit in San Diego, California established a rich dialogue among leading stakeholders from government, civil society, academia, telecommunications and heatlh industries. Witha focus on identifying key horizontal catalysts for global scale, the summit identified opportunities to leverage the ubiquity, cost effectiveness and personalization of the mobile platform. The collective expertise and influence of those participating in the event created an opportunity for aligning on key priorities in the development of the mHealth ecosystem. To access the full proceedings of the summit, Advancing mHealth Solutions, click here.
Rethinking Personal Data: Strengthening Trust
Rethinking Personal Data: Strengthening Trust examines how the appropriate use of personal data can create enormous value for governments, organizations and individuals. Produced in collaboration with The Boston Consulting Group, the report provides a multistakeholder perspective on how the potential value of personal data can be unlocked.The report aims to foster dialogue around some of the key questions that need to be resolved to ensure long-term and sustainable value creation. Who owns personal data? How can privacy be protected? What is the role of context in setting permissions? How can...
Post date:
May 14, 2012
From Consumers to Creators: Empowering the Digital Generation
Realizing the potential of mobile communications requires that individuals have the ability to constructively use this technology to not only consume content but to also create it. This document focuses on a variety of initiatives around the globe are focused on digital literacy and “digital fluency” as means to ensure that empowered individuals can fully contribute to the digital economy. The report also includes a Call to Action for the technology community to contribute to making this potential a reality.
Post date:
May 7, 2012
Accelerating the Adoption of mLearning: A Call for Collective and Collaborative Action
This report, written by the Forum’s Global Agenda
Council on ICT, examines the opportunities and impact Mobile Learning can have
as a means for positive socio-economic growth. The report notes that no
socio-economic factor is a better indicator of a nation’s economic success than
its investment in education and that mLearning offers fascinating opportunities
to systemically redefine the way that individuals and communities can
contribute to society.
Mobile
Learning serves as a new way of interconnecting everything and everyone --
teachers, tutors, students, study groups, social...
Post date:
February 28, 2012
Big Data, Big Impact: New Possibilities for International Development
The amount of data in the world is exploding - large portion of this comes from the interactions over mobile devices being used by people in the developing world - people whose needs and habits have been poorly understood until now. Researchers and policymakers are beginning to realize the potential for channeling these torrents of data into actionable information that can be used to identify needs & provide services for the benefit of low-income populations. This discussion note is a Call-to-action for stakeholders for concerted action to ensure that this data helps the individuals and...
Post date:
January 22, 2012
Multiplying Agriculture by the Power of Mobile
The revolution in mobile communications is providing a lifeline to agricultural communities around the developing world. Mobile technology is already demonstrating its potential to provide farmers with the services and information they need to grow both their production and their standard of living. By taking steps to make mobile financial services accessible to smallholder farmers, policy makers, enterprises and development organizations can play a role in empowering them with the tools they need to reap the return their hard work deserves.
Post date:
January 22, 2012
ICT Council Agenda
Members of the World Economic Forum’s ICT Agenda Council identify
three core issues: ubiquitous access, relevant access and managing personal
data.
Post date:
January 12, 2012
The New Mobile Reality
Friday 28 January, 16.00 - 17.00
How
will a new mobile experience transform industries and consumer behaviour?
The
following dimensions will be addressed:
-
Impact of "killer" mobile applications-
Future evolution of mobile devices-
Access, security and scale-
Mobile solutions to global issues
Key Points
Mobile telecommunications access is
becoming so ubiquitous that it is easy to envision it becoming as basic a right
as access to clean water.Today, mobile phones keep people
connected and entertained. Tomorrow, it may also keep them alive. Healthcare ...
Post date:
January 28, 2011
Combating Chronic Disease
35 million people die every year due to chronic diseases
Chronic disease is no longer a “rich man’s” burden: more than 80% of deaths are in the developing world
There is a fundamental injustice as many of these deaths are preventable
More information on the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2011: http://www.weforum.org
Davos, Switzerland, 27 January 2011 – With success comes chronic disease. Or so it seems, as developing countries
struggle with one of the consequences of rising wealth and economic success: the devastating toll of diabetes, cancer, lung and heart
disease. ...
Post date:
January 27, 2011
World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2011
Browse the ReportSession VideosHighlights from Saturday 29 JanuaryHighlights from Friday 28 JanuaryHighlights from Thursday 27 JanuaryHighlights from Wednesday 26 JanuaryQuotes from Meeting ParticipantsThe Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos-Klosters is perhaps best known to the world at large simply as "Davos". It is much more than a simple get-together of global leaders from many fields in a Swiss ski resort, however.The Annual Meeting provides a rethinking of our systems and exploration of strategies and solutions that have positive transformational implications. For...
Post date:
January 26, 2011
mHealth
Emerging mobile platforms and the rapid progress in medical technologies are poised to trigger more accessible health services in the decade to come.Mobile Health (or m-health) is the cover-all term for the use of mobile devices in the healthcare arena. The key benefit of mobile devices such as personal digital assistants (PDAs) or mobile phones is in the way it enable communication and the delivery of medical information between practitioners and patients.Mobile health may be of particular benefit in the developed world where hand-held devices and other mobile communications systems are in...
Post date:
October 22, 2010
Global Information Technology
The Global Information Technology Report 2013, the 12th in the series, analyses the impact and influence of ICTs on economic growth and jobs in a hyperconnected world. Read the full news release for more information.At the core of the report, the Networked Readiness Index (NRI) measures the preparedness of an economy to use ICT to boost competitiveness and well-being. In this edition, Finland (1st), Singapore (2nd) and Sweden (3rd) continue to lead the NRI, with the Netherlands (4th), Norway (5th), Switzerland (6th), the United Kingdom (7th), Denmark (8th), the United States (...
Post date:
October 21, 2010
A Charter for Health Data
Endorsing the Global Health Data Charter The current list of organizations that endorsed the Global Health Data Charter can be found here. Should your organization be interested in endorsing this Charter and adding its name to the 'Global Health Data Charter Endorsement' document, kindly contact: datacharter@weforum.org.Background to the IssueFinding accurate data can be a serious problem in developing countries and this limits the ability of policy makers to plan and provide appropriate levels of healthcare services. The main problem with data is that it is often incomplete...
Post date:
October 20, 2010
