Singapore beats Norway, UAE in digital readiness survey

Here's why it topped the list.

A new comparative study by Accenture (NYSE:ACN) has found that Singapore, Norway and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) rank first, second and third, respectively, among 10 countries in their use of “digital government” — from offering online portals to access public services to employing digital channels and social media to communicate and engage with citizens.

The majority of countries that scored best in the study have made a sustained investment in digital government. Top-ranked Singapore, for example, will be one of the first countries to ensure that every citizen has an electronic health record. The highest-ranking countries also actively seek and listen to citizen feedback. In Singapore, 70 per cent of citizens believe that government should consult with them in the design and delivery of public services, which indicates a highly engaged population.

“Singapore leads in all dimensions of digital readiness and scores high in economic competitiveness, citizen engagement as well as public sector productivity,” said Ng Wee Wei, Accenture Managing Director, Health & Public Service, Singapore.

“As governments adopt new digital technologies such as cloud, mobile, social and analytics to provide wider access to citizens and better anticipate their needs, they are experiencing higher levels of engagement, accountability and public trust,” Ng said.