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NATIONAL PRIORITIES
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• Rising shifts of income from labor to capital and
the drop in mid-level jobs in many countries suggest
that the gains from greater use of technology
may not be equitably shared. Without complementary
investments in the skills that workers need to
leverage the internet, automation could exacerbate
inequality rather than promote greater opportunity
and shared prosperity.
• E-government projects have a poor record in
many countries; governments have too often been
unable, and sometimes unwilling, to use the internet
to improve service delivery and increase public
participation. Without more capable and more
accountable public sector institutions, technology
investments could lead to more control and not to
greater empowerment of citizens.
Business regulations that ensure a high degree
of competition, skills that prepare workers for the
21st-century workplace, and accountable public institutions
that use the internet to improve services—
together these constitute the analog foundation that
supports an inclusive, efficient, and innovative digital
transformation.
The idea that technology alone is not enough to
have a widespread impact on development is supported
by a growing academic literature. Researchers
focus on different angles, but come to similar
conclusions (box 5.1). In a growth context, the level
of analysis is a country or sector, and what matters
is how technology interacts with rules—that is, with
regulations and similar endowments. In a labor market
context, the level of analysis is occupations or
specific tasks, and what matters is the interaction of
automation and worker skills. And in a government
context, the level of analysis is a public service, and
what matters for delivery is the accountability of
institutions.
The interdependence
between technology and
complements
Technology and its complements feed on one another.
Improvements in the business climate, human capital,
and public sector governance are already high on
the reform agenda in most countries. With greater
use of technology, the complements also become
more valuable because they interact. Thanks to technology,
firms operating in a well-regulated business
environment are more innovative. Skilled workers
are more efficient. And accountable institutions are
Figure 5.1 Risks from digital technologies in the
absence of complements
Scale
without competition
CONCENTRATION
Source: WDR 2016 team.
more inclusive. The internet thus tends to amplify
existing strengths and weaknesses, and progress
in these areas therefore becomes even more urgent.
Otherwise, there is a risk of falling further behind
for those who do not make the necessary reforms. As
the following sections will show, technology does not
just increase the value of complements. It can also
often raise their quality—for instance, through online
business registration programs, online education, or
better monitoring.
So how can businesses, people, and governments
reap the greatest digital dividends? The Report
suggests many detailed steps to strengthen analog
complements, but policy makers should also keep in
mind a set of overarching principles concerning the
interaction of technology and complements.
Guiding premises
DIGITAL
TECHNOLOGIES
Automation
without skills
INEQUALITY
The inability to scale up is one of the most
commonly cited reasons for failed digital
interventions
The popular media is filled with inspiring stories
involving technology: digital marketplaces are
helping artisans in remote hillsides to access global
markets; the on-demand economy is creating new
startups and digital entrepreneurs; and social media
tools are helping citizens organize and rally around
issues of common concern. But after a promising
start, many initiatives seem to flounder. For every
successful online commerce platform, nearly four
fail to achieve scale. Despite the growing popularity
of the on-demand economy, the firm startup rate in
Information
without accountability
CONTROL