ICT sector, Content and Media Sector and IT Industry Officially Defined
The Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications of the Russian Federation approved aggregate classification groups “Information and Communication Technologies Sector” (ICT), “Content and Media Sector” (CMM), and “Information Technology Industry” (IT), based on All-Russian classifications RCEA and RCPEA, designed by HSE and endorsed by the expert community.
Experts of HSE ISSEK Centre for Statistics and Monitoring of Information Society conducted in 2013–2014 a study “Developing methodology and improving procedures for statistical observation, data collection, calculation of information society development indicators in accordance with methodology adopted by international organisations, and developing recommendations to improve Russia’s positions in international information society development ratings” commissioned by the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications of the Russian Federation.
The groups “Information and Communication Technologies Sector” and “Content and Media Sector” were designed on the basis the Russian Classification of Economic Activities, revision 2 (RCEA2) OK 029-2014 and the Russian Classification of Products by Economic Activities, revision 2 (RCPEA2) OK 034-2014, in line with international and Russian classification standards.
The ICT sector is defined as a set of economic activities connected with production of products for information processing and communications using electronic devices, including transmission and display of information.
The ICT sector comprises production of and wholesale trade in ICT products, and provision of ICT services. The group of ICT products and services includes computers and peripherals; communication equipment; consumer electronics; other components and ICT products; production of ICT equipment; software publishing; consulting on informatisation and computer technologies; telecommunication services; ICT equipment leasing and rental services; data processing services; information hosting services; computer networks and systems management services; and ICT equipment repair services.
The Content and Media Sector is defined as a set of economic activities connected with production, publishing, and distribution of content (information or products with cultural functionality, and entertainment products). This group comprises publishing of books and periodicals; other publishing activities; production of motion pictures, video films and TV programmes; sound recording and publishing of music; TV and radio broadcasting; activities of information (news) agencies and services. The group of CMM products and services comprises printed products; production of motion pictures, video films and TV programmes and related products and services; publishing of music; computer games; electronic products; and other information services.
In 2014, the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications of the Russian Federation approved the order “On approval of aggregate classification groups for the Information Technology industry”, according to which the IT Industry comprises activities connected with software development and provision of IT-related services.
The above groups were designed to produce official statistics, in particular macroeconomic indicators and indicators measuring performance of the ICT and CMM sectors. They are also used to assess implementation of the Russian state programme “Information Society 2011–2020”, and the “Development Strategy for the Information Technology Industry in the Russian Federation for 2014–2020 and until 2025”.
Collection of such statistics will improve the quality of information and analysis required to make management decisions, set national policy priorities to promote development of the Russian ICT market and support production of Russian ICT products and services. It will also help with integrated analysis and foresight, and with international comparison of information industry and digital economy development indicators.