Industrial nations
today are undergoing dramatic economic and social
transformation. Knowledge and information are becoming
the foundation for the organization and development of
economic and social activity. At the core of this
transformation is the rapid expansion of infomation and
communication technologies (ICTs) and the growth of
global competition. |
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Transition to the Knowledge
Society describes the wide-ranging implications of
ICTs, their potential for increased production, and their
impact on jobs, skill development, wages and income. The
authors address complex issues of distribution and equity
- particularly with respect to disparities involving
class, gender, ethnicity, age, and skill level. They warn
of risks associated with the wide-spread use of ICTs that
could lead to a society of "haves" and "have-nots",
with certain segments of the world's population facing
the prospect of marginalization or exclusion from the
knowledge-based economy and society of the new millennium.
This book is essential reading for anyone interested
in understanding currrent developments and the role of
public policy and private sector strategies in dealing
with the effects of the introduction of ICTs.