Digibarometer 2022: Finland ranks second in international comparison of the use of digitalisation

For a third year in a row, Finland ranked second in international comparison of the use of digitalisation, the Digibarometer. Like last year, Denmark came first. This time Norway rose to the third place.

Throughout the history of the Digibarometer, since 2014, Finland has ranked among the best three countries.

The Digibarometer indicates the changes in the "digital position" of the country, also in relation to other countries. It measures how digitalisation can be utilised in society. There are three categories: the requirements, use and impact, and three main sectors: businesses, citizens and the public sector.

Finland performed best in the public sector category and was least successful in the impacts of digitalisation on the business sector. In the last few years, there has been a downward trend in Finland's position in that category, despite the fact that the investments of the business sector in research and development have been on average at the same level as those by the highest-ranking countries. There seems to be room for improvement in the allocation of the investments.

Level of industrial digitalisation excellent in Finland

This year, a special theme of the Digibarometer is industrial digitalisation. According to the results, the level of industrial digitalisation in Finland as well as in other Nordic countries, is very high. Especially in Finland and Sweden, the extent of development in the manufacturing industry is at a clearly higher level than in the rest of Europe.

In the industrial sector, the level of digital intensity, i.e. the take-up rate of digital technologies, is influenced, for example, by the size and branch of the company. Small enterprises have a low or a very low level of intensity, while in large enterprises it is very high.

According to the comparison, electricity and heat production were significantly more advanced in terms of digital intensity, while the least successful sector in this regard was metal processing. However, the digitalisation of industrial companies is only just beginning.

"Digital intensity, that is investment in digital technology and know-how, pays for itself for nations, businesses and individuals," says Minister of Transport and Communications Timo Harakka.

"It is necessary to invest in technologies and data utilisation, and particularly in expertise, as only experts can use new technologies and data in the development of businesses and society," Minister Harakka says.

Digibarometer 2022 is published by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, the Ministry of Transport and Communications, the Confederation of Finnish Industries and the Federation of Finnish Enterprises. The study was carried out by Etladata, a subsidiary of Etla Economic Research.

Inquiries:

Aino Sipari, Senior Specialist, tel. +358 50 326 5829, [email protected]