Chapter 9 Update

Developments in electronic commerce are high on most policy makers' agendas. I recently attended a talk on the A to Z of the legal aspects of electronic commerce. It confirmed what was stated on page 251 - that international Internet law is a mess! There was an issue (often with lack of international harnonization) for virtually every letter of the alphabet! Dialogue continues between EU and the US but technology moves faster than regulators! Therefore little of substance has changed.

If you want to keep abreast of latest developments the US government has an ecommerce web site, that has the US Framework for Global Electronic Commerce, US ecommerce policy documents and links to international sites.

Other Updates

The following are updates on the competitiveness and innovation indices and specific policy initiatives featured in chapter 9.

• You can find updates at the respective websites to the WEF Global Competitiveness Report (Singapore remains number 1 in 1999) and the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook (see pages 244 and 248)
  
  
• The Massachusetts Innovation Index is monitored and updated annually. The latest index (Nov 1999) comprises 30 indicators (compared to 33 in its first version) and includes an analysis of ecommerce in the state (page 245).
  
  
• Singapore ONE had grown rapidly to over 950,000 users and 300 applications by 2000. Singapore was awarded the first "Intelligent City" Award by World Teleport Association and Telecommunications Magazine.
  
  
• The EC ACTS programme has formally finished and the Fifth Framework progamme almost over. Much focus is now on the Sixth Framework programme (2002-7), which has strands of work on knowledge management, new ways of working (e-Work) and e-commerce.
  
  
• The UK is now promoting Information Age Government for all government departments, and has upped its goal of having government transactions online to 50 per cent by 2002 and all by 2008 (page 256). However, progress reports in the computing press indicates that some departments will not meet even the older (less relaxed) targets. The Office of the e-Envoy is pivotal in this activity. The URL of the DTI web site (page 256) should read http://www.dti.gov.uk

Discussion Points

Do you know of a collaborative community, regional, government or international initiative that involves all sectors and has significantly helped innovation and knowledge networking to create prosperity? Are your policy makers effective at the roles outlined on page 264 and work collaboratively with industry and academia? Share with your views and experience with other readers.

Please email your feedback discussion points to the author at david@skyrme.com. Responses will be summarized in future updates - see Feedback notes.

Additional Information

The Knowledge Connections web site provides a comprehensive resource for many topics covered in the chapter. You can also subscribe to a free monthly email briefing I3 UPDATE / ENTOVATION International news. Also make sure you check out Butterworth-Heinemann's Knowledge Management section from time to time for details of new publications and special offers.