The Impact of Information and Communication Technology on the Technical Efficiency in MENA and OECD Region

Considering the special attention of economists over the past two decades to information and communication technology (ICT) as one of the factors of efficiency and productivity growth، this paper investigates the relationship between ICT and technical efficiency using a panel data and fixed-effects estimation methods for 11 middle east and north Africa (MENA) countries and 15 members of organizations for economic cooperation and development (OECD) countries sing the dat over the period 2000-2008. The required data are collected from world development indicators (WDI) and world information technology and services alliance (WITSA). The results show that ICT investment has positive and statistically significant effect on technical efficiency in MENA countries group as well as OECD countries group. Nevertheless، the ICT impact on technical efficiency is higher in OECD countries group than that in MENA countries group.