Abstract
This study is founded on three crucial dimensions of ICT adoption: its extent, the benefits it brings and the challenges it poses. The survey was focused on establishing which tools and channels were being used by the various institutions forming the system of labour administration, and the extent to which they are used in the provision of employment information and services to employers, workers and other governmental institutions. Another area of focus was the perceived benefits and challenges in terms of both human and institutional capacity, the employment relationship and barriers to further ICT expansion. The overview and analysis is presented in five chapters: Global trends in the use of ICT in labour administration in 2015 Chapter 1 provides a background for the study by summarizing the scope of recent changes in the use of ICT in labour administration. Benefits of ICT use in labour administration Chapter 2 discusses the benefits of ICT adoption and highlights how the potential of ICT has been realized to improve institutional communication and collaboration for knowledge sharing. Challenges and risks of ICT use Chapter 3 discusses the challenges, drawbacks and costs of introducing new technologies into labour administration, issues which future efforts must consider. Innovative use of technology in labour administrations worldwide Chapter 4 looks at case studies of the use of new technologies from the fields of labour inspection, public employment services and dispute prevention and resolution. Issues of priority on the ICT policy agenda of global labour administration Chapter 5 combines key findings from the study with insights from the e-government literature to outline general recommendations on the preconditions for the effective use of new technologies and, relatedly, to provide implications for policy makers from specialized areas of labour administration.