Publication: The Converging Technology Revolution and Human Capital: Potential and Implications for South Asia
Loading...
Files in English
6,040 downloads
Date
2021-09-08
ISSN
Published
2021-09-08
Author(s)
Editor(s)
Abstract
South Asia is heavily impacted by the devastating loss of lives and human capital from the COVID-19 pandemic and the converging technology revolution sweeping the globe. The Converging Technology Revolution and Human Capital: Potential and Implications for South Asia looks at how the region could capitalize on these technologies to accelerate its development of human capital and promote adaptability and resilience to future shocks. The convergence of technological breakthroughs spanning biotechnology, nanotechnology, information technology, and cognitive science is driven by artificial intelligence, data flows, computing power, and connectivity. These breakthroughs can improve service delivery, productivity, and innovation, but they can also exacerbate inequalities and eliminate people’s agency and empowerment. This report analyzes these trends in the region, offering a comprehensive agenda to exploit the opportunities offered by converging technologies while minimizing the risks to vulnerable populations. It proposes strategies for building public sector capacity and promoting data and technology governance frameworks in a rapidly evolving technology landscape.
Link to Data Set
Citation
“Dahlman, Carl J.; Bashir, Sajitha; Kanehira, Naoto; Tilmes, Klaus. 2021. The Converging Technology Revolution and Human Capital: Potential and Implications for South Asia. South Asia Development Forum;. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/36156 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”
Associated URLs
Associated content
Other publications in this report series
Journal
Journal Volume
Journal Issue
Collections
Related items
Showing items related by metadata.
Publication Korea and the Knowledge-based Economy : Making the Transition(Washington, DC: World Bank and OECD, 2000-06)Knowledge is fast becoming a key factor in economic and social development worldwide. Rapid innovations in science, communications and computing technologies are opening up new opportunities for countries to harness knowledge and participate more fully in the global economy. Developing countries that successfully make the transition to the knowledge-based economy will have unprecedented possibilities to become more competitive in world markets and to participate in the global information society. New technologies can also extend the benefits of knowledge to all segments of society and help countries close the gap in living standards among their citizens. This book defines a knowledge-based economy as one where knowledge is created, acquired, transmitted and used effectively by enterprises, organizations, individuals and communities. It does not focus narrowly on high-technology industries or on information and communications technologies, but rather presents a framework for analyzing a range of policy options in education, information infrastructure and innovation systems that can help usher in the knowledge economy. It also makes the case for better co-ordination among the government, the private sector and civil society to enhance competitiveness and advance economic and social development.Publication India and the Knowledge Economy : Leveraging Strengths and Opportunities(Washington, DC : World Bank, 2005)In the global knowledge economy of the twenty-first century, India's development policy challenges will require it to use knowledge more effectively to raise the productivity of agriculture, industry, and services and reduce poverty. India has made tremendous strides in its economic and social development in the past two decades. Its impressive growth in recent years-8.2 percent in 2003-can be attributed to the far-reaching reforms embarked on in 1991 and to opening the economy to global competition. In addition, India can count on a number of strengths as it strives to transform itself into a knowledge-based economy-availability of skilled human capital, a democratic system, widespread use of English, macroeconomic stability, a dynamic private sector, institutions of a free market economy; a local market that is one of the largest in the world; a well-developed financial sector; and a broad and diversified science and technology infrastructure, and global niches in IT.Publication Mexico's Transition to a Knowledge-Based Economy : Challenges and Opportunities(Washington, DC : World Bank, 2008)This book is about how Mexico can transform itself into a knowledge based economy by tapping into a number of existing socioeconomic advantages: macroeconomic stability, emerging regional enterprise clusters that combine local talent with a dynamic private sector, geographical proximity to the world's knowledge economy powerhouse-the United States, as well as a rich cultural base that generates a wealth of ideas. Mexico's transition to a knowledge-based economy provides a broad assessment of the country's readiness to join the global knowledge economy, highlighting the importance of education and institutional reform, and of creating an environment that is conducive to innovation. This transformation, however, is not only about shaping the reform agenda from the top down. It also means trial-and-error experimentation to test what works and what doesn't in the Mexican context, and then taking successful bottom-up initiatives to scale. The book takes a dual approach in its analysis and recommendations. It tackles both the strategic long-term agenda, which entails many difficult changes and choices, while also proposing a diversity of pragmatic, short-and medium-term entry points to initiate and promote the transition within the current institutional structure.Publication Enhancing the Livelihoods of the Rural Poor through ICT - A Knowledge Map(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2008-06)The major objective of the study was to come up with illustrative success stories as well as failures to give lessons on ICT interventions in the area of rural livelihoods and their impact in Tanzania. The key issues addressed in this study were: 1) common ICTs used by the rural poor in Tanzania; 2) which ICTs are regarded as attractive by different groups and why; 3) the use of ICTs by different age cohorts as part of their livelihoods strategies; 4) the role of ICTs in influencing the livelihoods of the poor; 5) what effects, if any, does use of these resources have on vulnerability, livelihoods and value of assets; and 6) whether or not ICT services can be improved in relation to their usage and effects. The study also made a comparative analysis of the use of ICTs by different groups based on age, location, gender and ethnicity. This study was conducted for a period of four months from October 2006 to January 2007, in three different districts (Bagamoyo, Moshi Rural and Njombe). The findings from this study reveal that ICTs commonly used by the rural poor in the selected districts are radio, mobile phone and TV. Development of ICTs is a result of a number of interventions by government, NGOs, development partners and the private sector, and this has impacted on the livelihoods of the rural poor. Survey results confirmed this by revealing that ICTs contributed to improving rural livelihoods through improved businesses (17%), increased access to education (3%), ease of communications (50%) and increased access to key information (30%). The output of this study is expected to inform policymakers as well as other stakeholders, such as development partners, civil society and the private sector, on how ICTs can be adapted to help improve the livelihoods of poor individuals, families and communities in rural areas and increase their income opportunities and/or livelihood sources, thereby improving their chances of escaping from persistent poverty. It also documents what has already been implemented in Tanzania as far as ICTs and rural livelihoods are concerned, and the pertinent gaps in terms of improving the livelihoods of the rural poor by using ICT tools.Publication Will Digital Technologies Transform Agriculture in Developing Countries?(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2016-05)Mobile phones and the internet have significantly affected practically all sectors of the economy, and agriculture is no exception. Building on a recent World Bank flagship report, this paper introduces a concise framework for describing the main benefits from new information and communications technologies. They promote greater inclusion in the broader economy, raise efficiency by complementing other production factors, and foster innovation by dramatically reducing transaction costs. The paper reviews the recent literature on corresponding technology impacts in the rural sector in developing countries. Digital technologies overcome information problems that hinder market access for many small-scale farmers, increase knowledge through new ways of providing extension services, and they provide novel ways for improving agricultural supply chain management. Although there are many promising examples of positive impacts on rural livelihoods--or "digital dividends"--often these have not scaled up to the extent expected. The main reason is that technology can only address some, but not all, of the barriers faced by farmers in the poorer countries.
Users also downloaded
Showing related downloaded files
Publication Global Skill Partnerships for Migration(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-02-07)Higher-income countries are aging at unprecedented rates, creating skills shortages in critical sectors ranging from healthcare to construction to information technology. At the same time, many lower-income countries are experiencing booming youth populations, but many lack the skills needed to access quality work opportunities both at home and abroad. In Global Skill Partnerships (GSPs), origin and destination countries partner to invest in education and training systems in the origin country to meet skill needs in both countries. Through collaboration and innovation in skills development and migration management, GSPs cost-effectively expand domestic training capacity in the origin while facilitating the benefits of regularized skilled migration. This report reviews the state of knowledge of GSPs, considers terminology and approaches, provides a roadmap for policymakers who want to implement GSPs, and clarifies the role of multilateral development institutions in this pivotal agenda. Various GSP and GSP-like programs and pilots have already been implemented globally and financed through various sources, and this report reviews their essential features, challenges faced, and lessons learned for future initiatives. Before highlighting these examples, the report discusses the current global economic landscape, focusing on demographic and education trends and why they call for international partnerships to invest in education and training for workers to participate in domestic and international markets.Publication The Exposure of Workers to Artificial Intelligence in Low- and Middle-Income Countries(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-02-05)Research on the labor market implications of artificial intelligence has focused principally on high-income countries. This paper analyzes this issue using microdata from a large set of low- and middle-income countries, applying a measure of potential artificial intelligence occupational exposure to a harmonized set of labor force surveys for 25 countries, covering a population of 3.5 billion people. The approach advances work by using harmonized microdata at the level of individual workers, which allows for a multivariate analysis of factors associated with exposure. Additionally, unlike earlier papers, the paper uses highly detailed (4 digit) occupation codes, which provide a more reliable mapping of artificial intelligence exposure to occupation. Results within countries, show that artificial intelligence exposure is higher for women, urban workers, and those with higher education. Exposure decreases by country income level, with high exposure for just 12 percent of workers in low-income countries and 15 percent of workers in lower-middle-income countries. Furthermore, lack of access to electricity limits effective exposure in low-income countries. These results suggest that for developing countries, and in particular low-income countries, the labor market impacts of artificial intelligence will be more limited than in high-income countries. While greater exposure to artificial intelligence indicates larger potential for future changes in certain occupations, it does not equate to job loss, as it could result in augmentation of worker productivity, automation of some tasks, or both.Publication Review and Guidance on ECD Assessment Tools in FCV Contexts(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-01-14)By 2030, an estimated two-thirds of the world's extremely poor could be concentrated in countries and contexts characterized by fragility, conflict, and violence (FCV) (World Bank Group, 2020). FCV contexts, affected by humanitarian crises, prolonged emergencies, and armed conflicts, are significant hindrances to poverty reduction and sustainable development. The cycle of instability and violence in these contexts often leads to the destruction of infrastructure and a strain on resources, making it difficult for communities to lift themselves out of poverty and achieve sustainable development goals. The list of FCV contexts includes the World Bank list of countries and territories affected by fragility and conflict situations (FCS), as well as countries suffering from violence and those with large-forcibly displaced populations that are not included in the FCS list. This review aims to describe which early childhood development (ECD) measurement tools have been used in FCV contexts and to serve as a guide for tool selection in these settings. This guidance is intended to assist country teams in identifying appropriate tools for ECD measurement activities, provided that such activities are already recognized as priorities. While parents and caregivers are essential to ECD, particularly in FCV environments, this review does not concern tools that measure adults' well-being or parenting-related outcomes. Instead, it measures children's developmental outcomes and other child-related constructs relevant to FCV contexts. The authors briefly describe the situation of children living in FCV contexts and how it can affect their development. We then make a case for the importance of ECD measurement, the lack of data on ECD in FCV contexts, and the data collection challenges. After that, we provide a deep dive into what was found in the desk review and provide a framework for tool selection. Finally, we present policy recommendations.Publication Implementing 30x30(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-01-24)The publication of nearly 600,000 new species occurrence maps using Global Biodiversity Information Facility data provides an opportunity to reassess international species protection with broader representation for plants, invertebrates, and other species. This development aligns with the global 30x30 initiative, where 188 governments have committed to expanding terrestrial and marine protection to cover 30 percent of the planet by 2030. This study leverages Global Biodiversity Information Facility occurrence maps to identify new opportunities for species protection in 10 countries in Latin America (Brazil, Costa Rica, and Ecuador), Africa (Cameroon, South Africa, and Madagascar), and the Asia-Pacific region (Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, India, and China). By focusing on individual countries, the paper emphasizes the importance of local conservation stewardship. Both terrestrial and marine cases are analyzed, with particular attention to endemic species. Unlike previous efforts, this approach assigns equal weight to all vertebrates, invertebrates, plants, and other species mapped in the database. A spatially efficient algorithm identifies priority localities for establishing new protected areas to safeguard unprotected species. The findings reveal that initial conditions, such as existing protection levels and the spatial clustering of unprotected species, greatly influence outcomes. Unprotected species are shown to be spatially clustered in some countries but not in others, and the representation of different taxa among unprotected species is found to vary significantly across countries. Some countries can achieve full protection within the 30 percent territorial limit, while others may need to exceed it. However, in all cases, spatial clustering enables significant protection gains through modest expansions of protected areas, demonstrating a path forward for enhancing biodiversity conservation within global commitments.Publication What are the Main Variables that Influence the Dynamics of Ecuador’s Sovereign Risk?(Taylor & Francis, 2023-01-16)This paper analyzes the determinants of Ecuador’s sovereign spreads as measured by the EMBI index. We use Bayesian algorithms to estimate a structural vector autoregressive model with three blocks (international, regional, and domestic). Global variables drive most of the dynamics of the Ecuadorian EMBI, also influenced by the evolution of sovereign risks in other Latin American countries like Chile and Peru. We likewise show that the increase in public debt is the primary domestic variable affecting the Ecuadorian EMBI.