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Impact of Selected e-Services on Socioeconomic Development in the Arab Region

Symbol: 
E/ESCWA/ICTD/2013/2
Issued in: 
2013

Assessing the impact of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and e-services remains a relatively uncharted domain due to the absence of internationally agreed indicators which hinders the ability of policymakers to properly evaluate the impact of ICT initiatives and adapt them to local conditions.

This study assesses the availability, maturity and status of selected e-services in the Arab region through available indicators and frameworks that aim to measure the impact of e-services on socioeconomic development. This study evaluates those frameworks and uses them to assess the status and socioeconomic impact of e-services in the Arab region.

The study concludes with a framework for the process by which e-services impact socioeconomic outcomes. It suggests policy initiatives that exploit the transformation potential of ICT, as well as innovation in e-services, both made possible by technological advances and the increasing pervasiveness of ICT. The proposed initiatives are presented along with metrics that pave the way for better measurement of the impact of ICT and e-services in the future.