The demand for statistics on information and communication technologies (ICT) is continuously increasing as more countries seek to design, monitor and review national policies. This manual has been prepared to assist developing economies in measuring and monitoring the information economy and is for the benefit of statistical agencies, in particular in developing and transition economies. It aims to support the production of information and communication technology (ICT) statistics that are internationally comparable - specifically statistics relating to the ICT sector, ICT trade and the use of ICT by businesses. It does not, however, cover household statistics.
The manual takes into account different practices and capabilities of national statistical offices (NSOs) and highlights specific challenges that some developing economies face in their production of ICT statistics. It looks at the following areas:
- the background to measurement of ICT;
- methodological and practical aspects of production of ICT statistics in the information economy including model questions for surveys on ICT use and important institutional issues related to compiling ICT statistics;
- institutional issues such as coordination between actors in the national statistical systems, the work of international organisations and capacity building.
