Malaysia falls three spots in world digital competitiveness
In this article (5)
Malaysia has fallen three spots to 27th position in the IMD World Digital Competitiveness Ranking 2018, its lowest overall score in five years.
According to the IMD World Digital Competitiveness Center’s report, this year the majority (29) of countries in the study showed an improvement in their level of digital competitiveness, but Southeast Asian nations such as Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia recorded a decline.
Meanwhile, Singapore, which was ranked number one in the last five years, was overtaken by the United States in the study of 63 economies. Other countries in the top five were Sweden, Denmark and Switzerland.
“Results show that several countries are experiencing an “adaptive imbalance” or a mismatch between high levels of training and education, and the attitudes towards embracing digitalisation; among these economies, we note Austria, Malaysia and Russia,” said the report.
The overall ranking was based on three factors: knowledge, technology and future readiness.
Malaysia maintained its knowledge ranking at 17th place while dropping four rungs to 22 for technology and two spots to 29 for readiness towards digital transformation.
IMD is an independent business school with Swiss roots and global reach.
Questions & Answers
Q.What is Malaysia's new ranking and how does it compare to previous years?
What is Malaysia's new ranking and how does it compare to previous years?
Malaysia now ranks 27th in the IMD World Digital Competitiveness Ranking 2018. This represents a three-spot drop from its previous position and is its lowest overall score in the last five years.
Q.Which specific areas contributed to Malaysia's decline in the ranking?
Which specific areas contributed to Malaysia's decline in the ranking?
Malaysia maintained its 17th place for knowledge but saw drops in other areas. Its technology ranking fell four places to 22nd, and its readiness for digital transformation dropped two spots to 29th.
Q.How did other Southeast Asian countries perform in the same report?
How did other Southeast Asian countries perform in the same report?
Similar to Malaysia, other Southeast Asian nations such as the Philippines and Indonesia also recorded a decline in their digital competitiveness. In contrast, Singapore, previously ranked first, was overtaken by the United States.
Q.What is an 'adaptive imbalance' and which countries, besides Malaysia, are experiencing it?
What is an 'adaptive imbalance' and which countries, besides Malaysia, are experiencing it?
An 'adaptive imbalance' describes a mismatch between high levels of training and education and the willingness to embrace digitalisation. The report notes Austria and Russia as also experiencing this issue, alongside Malaysia.
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