ICT and Productivity
This workstream was created to look at the impact that ICT could have on UK productivity. It focussed on three core aims:
• Developing a shared understanding of ICT’s contribution to productivity
• Identifying the barriers to be overcome to maximise this contribution in the UK
• Creating a set of actions that built on existing initiatives, which both the private and public sectors could take to raise productivity through the use of ICT
The output from the workstream was a report identifying some of the key barriers to more effective use of the technology within the UK and suggesting actions to overcome these.
The report analysed the impact of ICT on productivity growth in the UK and other countries. Evidence showed that investment in ICT, in itself, was not enough to achieve productivity growth. Productivity improvements would only be achieved if investment in ICT was part of organisational and process change. The key challenge to business and the public sector should be how best to implement process and organisational change, supported by ICT to help drive productivity growth in the UK.
The report also recognised the vital role of not just ICT skills, but the skills required to deliver business and process change – including management and leadership skills. The extent of the UK’s capability to deliver this change was one of the key components of the report.