E-readiness evaluation in the Republic of Moldova in 2006
E-readiness evaluation in the Republic of Moldova in 2006
At indication of the Ministry of Information Development and with support of United Nations Development Programme, „BUSINESS INTELIGENT SERVICE” company made a sociologic survey on evaluation of e-readiness level of the Republic of Moldova in 2006.
Analyses of e-Readiness Indices allows to assess development level of Information Society in the Republic of Moldova, quantitative and qualitative realizations of the country in the field of ICT. Also, an analysis of obtained results allows determining and appreciating of impact factors, identifications of low-developed sectors and state policy priorities in the field of ICT.
To evaluate the level of e-readiness of the Republic of Moldova, were selected 4 methods, from the whole variety of methods, which correspond to the purposes of assessment and take into consideration options of the country:
- CID – E-Readiness Index (International Development Center of Harvard University) – allows a deep analysis of internal situation, allows assessment of development level by sectors, emphasizing strong and weak parts.
- e-Europe Set of Indices – allows to compare with countries from European Community. This method is recommended for South-East Europe countries.
- Digital Access Index – until November 2005 was used to assess the people possibility to access and use ICT. Later, it was associated with Info-State Index (Orbicom), creating ICT Opportunity Index.
- ICT Opportunity Index – is applied to estimate the level and evolution of development processes of ICT sectors. It allows assessment of evolution in the interior of the country, comparison between countries and between averages per country.
CID Methodology
According to CID method, to determine level of Digital Integration of a community, are used 19 quality and quantity indices from 5 categories, classified in development phases from 1 to 4.
The structure of CID indices by categories and sub-categories and volues of partial indices, are presented in Table 1.
Structura setului de indicatori CID pe categorii şi sub-categorii şi valorile indicatorilor parţiali, sunt prezentate în tabelul 1.
Table 1. Synthetic Indices to calculate eRI
|
|
1999-2000
|
2003-2004
|
2005-2006
|
|
Access to network
|
3,17
|
3,48
|
3,51
|
|
Information Infrastructure
|
3
|
3,25
|
3,50
|
|
Internet Availability
|
3
|
3,80
|
3,80
|
|
Internet Cost
|
3
|
3,40
|
3,40
|
|
Speed and Quality of Network
|
3
|
3,43
|
3,67
|
|
Hard- and Software Resources
|
3
|
3,00
|
3,00
|
|
Technical Support and Services
|
4
|
4,00
|
3,67
|
|
Direction Policies for Digital Integration
|
2,5
|
2,97
|
3,21
|
|
Regulation in telecommunications
|
3
|
3,60
|
3,75
|
|
ICT commerce policies
|
2
|
2,33
|
2,67
|
|
e-Economy
|
2,25
|
2,94
|
3,13
|
|
ICT employment opportunities
|
3
|
3,00
|
3,50
|
|
Business-to-consumer e-commerce
|
2
|
3,00
|
3,00
|
|
Business-to-business e-commerce
|
2
|
2,75
|
3,00
|
|
e-Governance
|
2
|
3,00
|
3,00
|
|
e-Education
|
3
|
3,08
|
3,26
|
|
School access to ICT
|
3
|
3,00
|
3,29
|
|
ICT-aided development of education
|
3
|
3,00
|
3,00
|
|
ICT labor force development
|
3
|
3,25
|
3,50
|
|
e-Society
|
3
|
3,20
|
3,31
|
|
e-Presence of people and organizations
|
3
|
3,20
|
3,40
|
|
Relevant electronic content
|
3
|
3,00
|
3,25
|
|
ICT in everyday life
|
3
|
3,40
|
3,40
|
|
ICT in job place
|
3
|
3,20
|
3,20
|
|
e-Readiness Index (eRE)
|
2,78
|
3,13
|
3,283
|
E-Readiness evolution is presented graphically in the Figure 1.
Figure 1. E-readiness Evolution (CID method)
Analysis of e-readiness evolution reflects a continuous positive trend.
The higher level of development is appropriate for network access, generated by Internet availability, network speed and quality and technical support. E-Economy reached the highest growth rates, but its value is comparatively low.
A great influence had e-readiness development and State policies, especially elaboration and approval of regulation framework in the field of ICT, financing of some information development programmes.
In the field of e-Education the evolution is positive, mostly due to launched state programmes and grants from international organizations, but ICT assimilation in education, both from the quantity and quality points of view, is still unsatisfactory.
More and more people realize the necessity and benefits of ICT use by population at job and home became a usual practice.
E-Europe Indices
E-Europe set of indices, as the method of e-readiness assessment, is based on assessment of the level of Internet access, information security, broadband access and on-line public services.
Table 2. E-Europe Set of indices
|
Indices
|
Value
|
|
2004
|
2006
|
|
Access and Internet use in society
|
|
Percentage of people, with access to Internet at home
|
3,50%
|
12,20%
|
|
Percentage of people with regular access to Internet (at least once a week)
|
12%
|
18%
|
|
Age
|
|
|
|
16-20
|
30,2%
|
47,5%
|
|
20-30
|
22,4%
|
57,3%
|
|
30-40
|
12,3%
|
23,5%
|
|
40-50
|
5,2%
|
12,6%
|
|
50-60
|
3,9%
|
6,2%
|
|
60-74
|
0%
|
1,5%
|
|
Sex
|
|
|
|
Male
|
14%
|
28,6%
|
|
Female
|
10,7%
|
20%
|
|
Sector activity
|
|
|
|
Public
|
13,8%
|
21,5%
|
|
Private
|
21,6%
|
23,4%
|
|
NGO
|
21,5%
|
100%
|
|
Do not work
|
9,9%
|
25,7%
|
|
Education level
|
|
|
|
Secondary incomplete
|
2%
|
14,5%
|
|
Secondary /secondary general
|
7,5%
|
15,2%
|
|
After lyceum / secondary specialized
|
8,6%
|
9,6%
|
|
Higher/ higher incomplete
|
26,8%
|
42,3%
|
|
Access to and use of ICT in business
|
|
Percentage of employees who use computers with Internet connection in their routine work
|
7,10%
|
54,70%
|
|
of them:
|
|
|
|
up to 9 employees
|
35,3%
|
36,97%
|
|
10 up to 49 employees
|
23,3%
|
26,14%
|
|
50 up to249 employees
|
13,8%
|
12,27%
|
|
250 and more employees
|
2,5%
|
3,58%
|
|
of them working in:
|
|
|
|
Industry
|
2,80%
|
9%
|
|
constructions
|
3,10%
|
10%
|
|
energy sector
|
1,10%
|
30%
|
|
transport
|
3,70%
|
7%
|
|
commerce
|
10,70%
|
22%
|
|
public food
|
9,80%
|
8%
|
|
tourism, hotels
|
25%
|
44%
|
|
financial institutions, insurance, real estate operations
|
10,60%
|
8%
|
|
telecommunications
|
6,30%
|
17%
|
|
computer technologies
|
70,70%
|
43%
|
|
business services (marketing, advertising, consulting, training courses)
|
19,60%
|
70%
|
|
editing services, printing industry
|
4,10%
|
56%
|
|
mass-media
|
36,20%
|
27%
|
|
medical services
|
17,20%
|
7%
|
|
technical services (car repairs, technical repair)
|
29,70%
|
16%
|
|
consumer services
|
n/a
|
4%
|
|
agriculture/forest/fishery sector
|
n/a
|
1%
|
|
entertainment
|
24,20%
|
16%
|
|
other services
|
14,90%
|
33%
|
|
Internet access cost
|
|
Internet access prices, in USD, including VAT
|
|
|
|
ADSL
|
|
|
|
64Kbps/unlimited
|
340
|
12
|
|
128Kbps/unlimited
|
|
20
|
|
256 Kbps/unlimited
|
|
26
|
|
512Kbps/ 2000 MB traffic/unlimited in weekend
|
|
35
|
|
1024 Kbps/unlimited
|
|
85
|
|
CABLE MODEM (night 20:00 - 08:00, 24 hrs/Saturday and Sunday)
|
|
|
|
64Kbps/unlimited
|
16,6
|
18
|
|
128Kbps/unlimited
|
24,9
|
28
|
|
DIAL-UP
|
|
|
|
Moldtelecom “Internet Total”, Chişinău/minute
|
|
0,005645
|
|
Moldtelecom “Internet Total”, republic of Moldova (20 hrs)
|
|
|
|
Other providers (MoldInfoNet, Telemedia, Arax) (20 hrs)
|
|
0,005645
|
|
Modern on-line public services
|
|
e-Governance
|
|
Number of basic public services totally accessible on-line
|
|
|
|
e-Education
|
|
Number of pupils per computer connected to internet (only PCs used for training purposes have been included), broken down by types of schools:
|
|
|
|
Number of pupils in preuniversity education institutions
|
607377
|
517000
|
|
Number of computers in preuniversity education institutions
|
10375
|
12753
|
|
Total number of computers connected to Internet in preuniversity education institutions
|
508
|
10747
|
|
Number of pupils per 1 computer
|
45
|
40
|
|
Number of pupils per 1 computer connected to internet
|
1196
|
49
|
|
Percentage of general secondary schools with access to Internet
|
|
|
|
Chişinău
|
8,20%
|
|
|
Republic of Moldova, without Chişinău
|
3%
|
|
|
Republic of Moldova
|
6,50%
|
|
|
Number of pupils per 1 computer in general secondary schools with access to Internet
|
|
|
|
Chişinău
|
55,10
|
|
|
Republic of Moldova, without Chişinău
|
45,50
|
|
|
Republic of Moldova
|
48,60
|
|
|
e-Health
|
|
Percentage of citizens (older then 16 years), using Internet to look for medical information
|
|
3,50%
|
|
General percentage of MSI which ensure the use of electronic card of the patient
|
|
0,90%
|
|
Number of specialists in healthcare and social assistance using computer in their work place
|
1035
|
2470
|
|
Number of specialists in healthcare and social assistance, thousands
|
|
12577
|
|
Percentage of specialists in healthcare and social assistance using computer in their work place
|
1,60%
|
19,40%
|
|
e-Business
|
|
On-line aquisitions and sales
|
|
|
|
Percentage of e-commerce in overall commerce
|
|
|
|
e-Business Readiness index
|
|
|
|
Information Security
|
|
Experience of Internet users in ICT security
|
|
|
|
Percentage of users, who have security problems (viruses, hackers)
|
67%
|
74,0%
|
|
Percentage of enterprises with access to Internet having security problems
|
75%
|
71,0%
|
|
Broadband
|
|
Broadband penetration
|
|
|
|
Presence of broadband access (percentage of households) by types of platforms
|
|
|
|
Percentage of companies with broadband access to Internet
|
7,30%
|
31,0%
|
|
Percentage of households or individuals with broadband access to Internet
|
1%
|
9,4%
|
|
Percentage of public administration agencies with broadband access
|
4,50%
|
27,0%
|
Graphical presentation facilitates the understanding of trends, thus Figures 2 – 6 represents by a evident formula realizations of the Republic of Moldova in the chapter access/use of Internet and on-line public services.
|
Figure 2. E-Education – number of computers
|
|
Figure 3. E-Education – number of pupils per 1 computer
|
|
Figure 4. E-Health
|
|
Figure 5. Information security
|
|
Figure 6. Broadband access
|
E-Europe set of indices confirms positive trends concerning the use of ICT, but comparing to other countries realizations are weak.
Digital Access Index
Digital Access Index (DAI) was introduced in 2003 by International Telecommunication Union in order to estimate e-readiness level of a country comparing to other country, axing on assessment of people possibilities to have access and use ICT.
Methodology of DAI calculation suppose the use of 5 indexes, which are reflected in the Table 3:
Table 3. Calculation of Digital Access Index in 2006
|
Factor
|
Indicator
|
Objective
|
Percentage
|
Index Value
|
Partial Indices
|
Synthetic Indices
|
|
A
|
B
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 (3/1*2)
|
5
|
|
Development of infrastructure
|
Number of subscribers to fixed telephony/ 100 inhabitants
|
60
|
0,5
|
29,70
|
0,2475
|
0,4455
|
|
Number of subscribers to mobile telephony/ 100 inhabitants
|
100
|
0,5
|
39,60
|
0,198
|
|
Education level
|
Literacy rate
|
100
|
0,667
|
99
|
0,66
|
0,899
|
|
Total school coverage
|
100
|
0,333
|
71,62
|
0,24
|
|
Availability
|
Internet access price
(20 hrs/mth),percentage of total income per capita
|
100
|
Inverse
value
|
84
|
0,84
|
0,84
|
|
Quality
|
Number of broadband subscribers/ 100 inhabitants
|
30
|
0,5
|
0,63
|
0,01
|
0,02
|
|
Total capacity of international Internet traffic per inhabitant, bps
|
10000
|
0,5
|
202,8
|
0,01
|
|
Degree of use
|
Percentage of population using Internet
|
85
|
1
|
21,2
|
0,25
|
0,25
|
|
Digital Acces Index
|
|
|
|
|
0,491
|
Graphical presentation of structure of Digital Access Index is presented in the Figure 7.
Figure 7. Structure of Digital Access Index, in evolution.
ICT Opportunity Index
Starting with November 2005, DAI is not calculated separately anymore, being introduces into ICT Opportunity Index, which connects two well-known methods: ITU method – Digital Access Index and Orbicom Method – Info-State Index.
Combination of those two indices was necessary to correspond to the growing needs of international cooperation and to exclude unjustified phenomenon of duplication of its functions. Both indices, DAI and Orbicom, estimates access and use of ICT for the majority of the states. Both of them are qualitative and includes a big number of indices, using the same data source – World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database.
Now, ICT Opportunity Index is calculated by ITU and is based on ITU data and Orbicom conceptual principles of Info-State.
Ict Opportunity Index depends on the level of Info-Density and Info-Use, which is estimated on the base of 19 quality and quantity indices from 4 sub-categories.
Udated list of necessary indices to determine ICT Opportunity Index is presented in the Table 4.
Tabelul 4. Partial Indices of ICT Opportunity Index
|
Indicators
|
Partial indicators
|
Indices
|
|
Mold2006
|
Ref2005
|
Mold2004
|
Mold2006/ Mold2004
|
Mold2006 / Ref2005
|
|
ICT Opportunity Index
|
|
147,56
|
|
|
81,24
|
|
Info-density
|
|
129,86
|
|
|
83,67
|
|
Networks
|
|
164,37
|
|
|
54,78
|
|
Main lines/ 100 inhabitants
|
29,61
|
24,76
|
21,46
|
138,00
|
119,60
|
|
Subscribers to mobile telephony/ 100 inhabitants
|
39,60
|
47,16
|
13,20
|
300,00
|
83,97
|
|
Band width (Kbps per capita)
|
0,203
|
1,24
|
0,065
|
312,31
|
16,37
|
|
Competences
|
|
102,60
|
|
|
127,80
|
|
literacy rate (%)
|
99,00
|
82,50
|
99
|
100,00
|
120,00
|
|
Primary education, coverage (%)
|
96,70
|
99,70
|
95
|
101,79
|
96,99
|
|
Secondary education, coverage (%)
|
93,00
|
69,90
|
88
|
105,68
|
133,05
|
|
Tertiary education, coverage (%)
|
49,00
|
25,40
|
47,7
|
102,73
|
192,91
|
|
Total coverage
|
71,62
|
52,62
|
69,02
|
103,77
|
136,11
|
|
Info-use
|
|
167,67
|
|
|
78,87
|
|
Penetration
|
|
147,50
|
|
|
90,51
|
|
Number of homes equipped with TV (%)
|
97,00
|
70,00
|
82,1
|
118,15
|
138,57
|
|
Number of PCs/ 100 inhabitants
|
12,35
|
19,38
|
1,96
|
630,10
|
63,74
|
|
Internet users/ 100 inhabitants
|
18,00
|
21,44
|
12
|
150,00
|
83,96
|
|
Intensity of use
|
|
190,60
|
|
|
68,73
|
|
Broadband users/ 100 inhabitants
|
0,63
|
4,29
|
0,01
|
|
14,80
|
|
total international traffic, min per capita
|
133,2
|
41,73
|
17,35
|
767,72
|
319,23
|
Opportunity Index by components is shown in the Figure 8.
Figure 8. Opportunity Index by components
According to ITU Report„Measuring the Information Society - 2007”, which presents data on level of ICT Opportunity Index in 183 of states, Republic of Moldova is placed in the„Medium average” category, with a medium level of ICT Opportunity Index, and is on the 83-th place.
In the same time, average annual rate of growing of ICT Opportunity Index is appreciable for the period of 2001-2005 (71,49%), according to which Moldova is on the 35-th place.
After examination of e-readiness level of the Republic of Moldova, are observed general positive trends at all chapters: regulation framework is created, which establish principles and conditions of Information Society Development, different programmes are financed to facilitate assimilation of ICT, number of Internet users and demand for broadband access is growing, computers become an usual tool in the working process and in the everyday life, etc.
Certainly, all these realizations become more and more modest in the comparative analysis with other states, the fact which impose the necessity of effort intensification in order to build Information Society.
|
