Information Society-Knowledge Society: The Impact of the ”Digital Inequity Phenomena”, Social Structure, New Life Patterns, Virtual Organizations, Activities, Businesses, Programmes, Courses and the Economic Effects

AuthorNiculae Davidescu; Delia Băbeanu
Pages560-571

Niculae Davidescu. Professor, Ph.D., Department of Management Information Systems, Academy of Economic Studies of Bucharest (e-mail: nicolae_davidescu@yahoo.com).

Delia Băbeanu. IT specialist, Ph.D. candidate, Department of Management Information Systems, Academy of Economic Studies of Bucharest (e-mail: delia.del@gmail.com).

Keywords: Information Society, Knowledge Society, Society of Truth, Spirit, Conscience and Morality(STSCM), IT&C, Digital Divide, digital inequality phenomenon, SITM, LONG-LASTING SOCIETY, Tele Centre, Cybermarketing, TeleEducation, TeleShopping, TeleMedicine, e-goverment, e-commerce, e-banking, entertainment systems, teleshopping, telelearning, mobile telephony, virtual telecommunities, Telecottage, Electronic Village Hall, Community Telecommnications Center, Distance Education, Distance Learning, Open Learning, Open and Distance Learning, E-education, Virtual Organizations, virtual team, electronic business solutions (EBSP), leap-frogging.

Page 560

Introduction

The utility of this work can be justified by the following arguments: (1) What matter does the paper cover? The work fulfills the whole IS-KS area by inserting, describing and explaining the key concepts of IS-KS: Globalization, Development and Information Society, the Impact of the “Digital Divide” and “Digital Inequality” phenomenan, Information Society–Knowledge Society, Definition, Objectives and Strategies, Social Structures and New Life Patterns in Information Society, Virtual Organizations, Activities and Businesses, Strategies, Programmes and Courses of the Information Society Approach, plus The Economic Effects Foreseeable through the Implementation of Information Society–Knowledge Society. (2) Why is the studied matter important?. The studied matter is important due to the definition, the fundaments and analysis of the new type of societes: Information Society, Knowledge Society, Society of Truth, Spirit, Conscience and Morality(STSCM) and Long-Lasting Society. In additions, a series of concepts and capabilities are explained as: Tele Centre, Cybermarketing, TeleEducation, TeleShopping, TeleMedicine, e-goverment, e-commerce, e-banking, entertainment systems, teleshopping, telelearning, mobile telephony, virtual telecommunities, Telecottage, Electronic Village Hall, Community Telecommnications Center, Virtual Organizations, virtual team or electronic business solutions (EBSP). (3) How does the author intend to answer to this matter?. The contents of the actual work in the Master’s Degree, named “Information society and it’s economical effects”, by Davidescu N, presented at Romanian Academy in June 2008. (4) What is the relation between the paper and the already existent specialized literature?. The relation between the paper and the already existent specialized literature consists in a systematic approach of the IS-KS issue from the informational, economical and social point of view. In Romania research has been done at Romanian Academy, ASE Bucuresti and diferent scientific organizations. The upcoming solutions are theoretical and practical seen by the point of view of IS-KS specialists.

Page 561

Literature Review

In the IS-KS domain exists a specialised literature, formed due to various studies, treates, articles, research done by specialists, professors and different academies and universities. The most notable work has been done by the team led by Filip Gheorge from Romanian Academy, Professor Rosca I.Gh from ASE and various research done in West Europe and USA. Our contribution consists in the analysis of some global phenomens, like globalization, development and join with Information Society. We can add the impact analysis of “Digital Divide” and “Digital Inequality” Phenomenan, plus definition, objectives and strategies for Information Society–Knowledge Society. In addition, contribution in fundamenting and quantifying solutions are presented for operational solutions regarding Virtual Organizations. Activities and Businesses, Strategies, Programmes and Courses of the Information Society Approach, plus the Economic Effects Foreseeable through the Implementation of Information Society–Knowledge Society.

Theoretical Background

With priority are used concepts, factors, quality analysis, methodology, standards, methods and technologies for identifying individual and society interests, promoting, implementing and dezvolting IS-KS specific structures.

Section 1, entitled “Globalization, Development and Information Society”, contains the description of the amplitude of the globalization phenomenon, the interconnections globalization-global economy substructure, the analysis of the phenomenon concerning the development of the electronic industry and IT&C. Subsequently, the problematics concerning the world countries vs. the development tendencies of the IT&C field are presented. The conclusions concerning the phenomenon of globalization, refer to the following aspects: (a) the dramatic increase of the information transfer flow at the global level, at the same time with the exponential development of the IT&C components and the global substructure of telecommunications, among which the main part is played by the Internet system; (b) the massive increase of the international cash flows and ISD; (c) the significant increase of the international trade volume; (d) the rapid development of the global financial markets, considered to be a “weightless economy”; (e) the creation of “Porteris clusters”, a new “digital geography”, generated by innovation and technological clusters, actually made up of interdependent assemblies of competences, capability and local capacity; (f) the decrease in action and importance of the economically developed countries, in the favour of STNs and international bodies (UNO, IMF, Global Bank, OMC, OECD etc.), at the same time with the increase of the STN importance for the global trade; (g) the externalization of the activities of marketing, production and services, the creation of a new international financial and industrial structure; (h) the increase in number, applicative and restrictive force of the universally applicable standards; (i) the increase of legal and especially illegal migration of people and labour force, at the same time with the accentuation of “brain migration” to the most economically developed countries; (j) the optimization of the cultural relations at the global level, the informatic facilitation of the access to the universal cultural values, by implementing the concepts of “multiculturality”, “mobility” and “interchangeability”; (k) the universality of the English language and Anglo-Saxon concepts. In this section, are also presented the drives of globalization: scientific and technological innovations and the ampleness of the development of the electronic industry (drive I), the implementation and generalization of the usage of Digital Economy (drive II), the present politics of a neo-liberal type, considered to be thePage 562 motive power of the globalization phenomenon (drive III), and the implementation and generalization of the usage of IT&C (drive IV).

Section 2, “The Impact of the “Digital Divide” and “Digital Inequality” Phenomena” starts with the analysis of the “digital divide” phenomenon, regarded as the virtual distance between individuals, generally considered, or geographical areas, seen at various economic and social levels, from the viewpoint of the common perspective on their opportunities, depending on the access to the facilities provided by IT&C and the usage of the Internet system for the whole range of human activities. These reasons have led us to the solution of treating this phenomenon from the viewpoint of the following essential aspects: (a) the “digital divide” phenomenon and its impact on the contemporary world; (b) the ampleness of the “digital inequality” phenomenon and (c) the effects of the “digital inequality” phenomenon.

Section 3, “Information Society–Knowledge Society, Definition, Objectives and Strategies”, contains the analysis of the human society evolution, seen as a systemic complex of interpersonal relationships, a historically determined uniform assembly, resulted from mankind’s activity to produce material goods and spiritual values, necessary for the individual and collective living. The Informational Society is strongly marked by the revolution in the IT&C domain, the political actions and the innovative spirit.

Information Society will ensure the democratization of the association, agreement and co-operation, by means of global data communications, public data and information transfer at a world level, on line co-operation by means of the Internet and/or other types of networks and IS with a global character, with a view to achieving complex data processing, addressed to all the categories of professional/non-professional users.

The concept of KS (knowledge-society) revolves around the society based on knowledge (knowledge-based society or knowledge-based economy). Knowledge Society has the following particularities: (a) the extension and thorough study of scientific knowledge and the truth about knowledge; (b) the maximum dissemination of knowledge for all people, mainly by the Internet, electronic books and e-learning; (c) IS-KS is represented by the parallel concept named “the new economy”, characterized by profound innovation processes, defined by the assimilation and transformation capacity of the innovative knowledge, for developing new products, services and symbols; innovation will be the powerful and profound determinant in KS, by aiming at increasing productivity in respect to the energetic, material and natural resources and the protection of the environment, for which reason, in this new society, the companies that bring technological innovation, on the basis of some proper and particular...

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