ICT is key to progressive business

Scottish companies will today be urged to integrate information and communications technology (ICT) into their business models or risk being left behind by other economies.

Mark Dixon, chief technology officer at Standard Life, will tell 1,500 delegates at the Scottish Technology Showcase event in Glasgow that ICT is now driving business innovation and changing markets, companies and consumers. "A flourishing ICT industry is a crucial driver of economic growth and is essential to Scotland's ability to compete globally," he will say.

"But only by having the right skills base in place will the industry be able to reach its full potential. Scotland's companies need to ensure information and communication technology is integrated into their business models, otherwise they risk being left behind while the rest of the world takes full advantage of the possibilities technology can bring to their economies."