Companies in China and India stand to capture a global competitive advantage because of the strength of their country’s student IT literacy, according to new research from Accenture.

The research, based on a survey of more than 5,000 students and young workers in 13 countries around the world, found that the technology practices of new hires and students, between the ages of 14 and 27, have leapfrogged their counterparts elsewhere in the world.

The research showed that in much of Western Europe the same sample felt that technology consumes too much time.

The Americas (Brazil, Canada, and the United States) and Asia-Pacific (Japan and Australia), meanwhile, have positive perceptions of technology, but not at the same level as young people in China and India.

Gary Curtis, Accenture’s chief technology strategist commented: “The implications are profound. Companies are at risk of failing to attract and retain new hires, while also seeing their competitive edge erode from lack of innovation in information technology.”