The Netherlands is ranked 4th
in the GII this year (up from 5th in
2014), and is 3rd in the Output Sub-
Index and 11th in the Input Sub-
Index. It achieves positions among
the top 25 in all pillars, improving the
most in Human capital and research
(by f ive places to reach 17th) and
Knowledge and technology outputs
(by three places to 6th). Its weakest
showing is in Market sophistication
at 17th place, which, however, also
improved by two places this year. At
the indicator level, the Netherlands
ranks the strongest in the online eparticipation
index (1st), the logistics
performance index (2nd), royalties
and license fee payments and receipts
(1st and 2nd places, respectively),
and country-code top level domains
(1st). Some of its major weaknesses
(measured in percent ranks to take
account of missing values) are in the
Tertiary education sub-pillar, with a
low number of tertiary graduates in
science and engineering, and in the
ease of starting a business, ease of
protecting investors, joint venture/
strategic alliance deals, and the cultural
and creative services exports
variables.