Outpacing disruptive change - Views from around the world
We
are arguably some five years into the Internet Revolution.
eCommerce and eBusiness are fast becoming the norm for many
types of consumer and corporate transactions, while the
relaxation of national and international trade barriers has
further accelerated the shift to a truly globalised marketplace.
At BT Ignite, we don't believe that anything 'just happens'. As
one of our recent seminars pointed out, revolutions are driven
by small groups of real people - as little as one per cent of
the population in the case of the Industrial Revolution. The
very fact that you're reading this means you're almost certainly
one of this select band of individuals. Therefore your
decisions, your actions and your understanding of the issues are
even now helping to set the agenda and the timetable of the
global digital future.
Bridging
the chasm
But
what about the other 99 per cent? For them, the Digital Divide
means they could very well get left behind. And if the
Industrial Revolution is anything to go by, it could be decades
before any of us realise the true value of the New Economy we're
creating. That's why, in a concerted effort to understand the
issues and trends that are changing the world so quickly, we've
launched the BT Ignite Communications Programme. Designed for
innovators in communications, commerce and government, it
explores the connections between technology, business and
society, and asks which of our many possible futures might
deliver the highest value to the most people over the longest
period of time.
Under
the theme 'Creating Sustainable Value' the programme has
already begun to examine three specific areas of importance.
With views and insights from leading international academics and
experts we suggest Rethinking Business, Rethinking
Location and Rethinking Society & Culture. In short,
think of every aspect of business you take for granted and ask
yourself 'Is this still true?'
Not
just economics
We
have called this a 'communications' programme because for us it
is as much about sharing knowledge and ideas as it is about
finding better, more effective solutions that allow us to take
advantage of today's technologies. It is also about discussing
ways to address some of the issues that threaten not only
progress but also the future of mankind. Using the Internet to
broaden and share this knowledge will, we hope, help. For many
the net is the problem - especially that vast majority of the
world's population who can't yet access it. But ironically, the
Internet may also offer a significant number of solutions.
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