Entrepreneurship and Innovation in ICT Companies: A Picture of ICT Sector Applied to a Small European Economy

Definition Of Ict Sector: The Discussion Remains Open

After the discussion about the definition of technology, it is now important to explain the concept at the sector level and, accordingly, in more detail, the Observatory for the Information Society and Knowledge (OSIC) proposed a classification that distributes companies in three categories²: manufacturing, telecommunications services, and other services. However, the classification of economic activities related to that sector remains incomplete³, since other activities can easily be included in the spectrum. As well as the discussion about definition of ICT presented in the last section of this chapter, OECD has an important role in the definition of ICT activities. For further details we may consider Annex 1B: Definitions of the Information Economy Sectors, consulted on page 101 and following in the publication Measuring the Information Economy, OECD (2009). However, and over again as for goods and services in last section, the conceptualization of the sector is still under discussion. It’s important to caveat that the model presented in Figure 1, is not consensual to all. Some OECD groups still argue that the sector should be defined only by entities that include areas of interception or in a more broadly approach.

Figure 1.

Conceptual model proposed to ICT sector

Source: OECD, 2009