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Molline Gagare Business Reporter
THE Finance and Real Estate sector tops the list of establishments that use the Information and Communication Technology (ICTs). A business survey conducted by the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) in collaboration with Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (Zimstat) from 2009 also shows that internet penetration in the country is on the increase.

“Of the 89 establishments from the finance and real estate that took part in the survey, 87 establishments use computers on a daily basis. 75 of these establishments use internet, which resulted in a total percentage of 86 percent” reads part of the report.

Transport and communication industries clinched second position while manufacturing is third.

“The groups that recorded the highest percentages were finance and real estate followed by transport and communication with 84 percent. Manufacturing is third with 83 percent,” says the report.

The report also revealed that persons employed routinely using computers and employment size worked hand in hand.

For example, an indicator showed that out of 39,967 persons who were interviewed in the below 10 employment size only 4,201 routinely used computers. The overall total percentage of persons employed who routinely use computers is 11 percent.

“There was a direct relationship between persons employed routinely using computers and employment size, that is; the smaller the establishment the smaller the proportion.

“Hence establishments employing 250 and above had 40 percent of their persons employed routinely using computers. On the overall, 20 percent of the total number employed routinely used computers,” read the report.

“More than half of the persons employed in all business size categories routinely using computers also routinely used the internet with the exception of the 50-249 employment-size categories, which recorded 48 percent.”

The survey also notes that ICTs are rapidly changing hence the need for their measurement through data collection and analysis.

“In measuring ICTs, there is demand and supply. The supply side for the sector includes ICTs manufacturing, wholesale trade, telecommunications and computer-related services.

“The demand side includes establishments, households and public sector. Availability of the ICTs physical infrastructure and organisational structures enable operation of establishments and the society,” it said.