Bill Gates: How Technology is Changing the Economy, Education, Jobs, Privacy, IT (2000)

Commentators suggest there are various interlocking driving forces, which are changing the rules of business and national competitiveness: Globalization — markets and products are more global. Information technology, which is related to next three: Information/Knowledge Intensity — efficient production relies on information and know-how; over 70 per cent of workers in developed economies are information workers; many factory workers use their heads more than their hands. New Media -- New media increases the production and distribution of knowledge which in turn, results in collective intelligence. Existing knowledge becomes much easier to access as a result of networked data-bases which promote online interaction between users and producers. Computer networking and Connectivity -- developments such as the Internet bring the "global village" ever nearer. As a result, goods and services can be developed, bought, sold, and in many cases even delivered over electronic networks. As regards the applications of any new technology, this depends on how it meets economic demand. It can remain dormant or make a commercial breakthrough (see diffusion of innovation). The technology requirements for an Innovative System as described by the World Bank Institute must be able to disseminate a unified process by which a working method may converge scientific and technology solutions, and organizational solutions.[15] According to the World Bank Institute's definition, such innovation would further enable the World Bank Institute's vision outlined in their Millennium Development Goals. The United Nations Commission on Science and Technology for Development report (UNCSTD, 1997)[16] concluded that for developing countries to successfully integrate ICTs and sustainable development in order to participate in the knowledge economy they need to intervene collectively and strategically. Such collective intervention suggested would be in the development of effective national ICT policies that support the new regulatory framework, promote the selected knowledge production, and use of ICTs and harness their organizational changes to be in line with the Millennium Development Goals. The report further suggests that developing countries to develop the required ICT strategies and policies for institutions and regulations taking into account the need to be responsive to the issues of convergence. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knowledge_economy Image by Matthew (WMF) (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons