Slide 10 of 32
Notes:
The bullets of this slide highlight some obvious happenings.
Technololgy has changed lives. Information systems not only handle complex tasks, but also the repetitive, meaning lots of people are no longer required to get certain jobs accomplished. IT means job restructuring, as well as job elimination.
Yet, IT/E-commerce goes beyond that. How business is conducted has changed forever. Let's consider the financial services industry.
IT has been put to advantage in the financial services arena. The industry realizes that it does not have the option of waiting, the opportunities to expand and grow new markets requires solid IT and E-commerce capabilities. In addition, strong information systems are needed to just satifsy the traditional markets, to just maintain the status quo.
This New Economy emphasising technology can be characterized in two ways:
1) Efficiencies which translate to lower costs &
The average bank transaction in the traditional world is $1.07, when that transaction is conducted online, the cost is reduced to 7 cents.
So, for the citizen how has his or her life changed? Well, keeping with the financial example, all of this means that the consumer can manage his or her finances anytime. In an environment where business is conducted 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week, the consumer can now do rate comparisons, loan applications, payments, all account monitoring, and buy and sell stocks anytime, the consumer is not required to physically go anywhere. The consumer can manage her financial life completely online.
Every day we hear commentary on the Digital Divide. Well the Digital Divide goes beyond the gap between population groups. There is a Digital Divide between the private and public groups.
There are some notable exceptions in governments, however overwhelming, the private sector is benefitting from technology to a far greater extent than government..
The debate on whether e-commerce has staying power is over. It is here to stay and it is radically altering business. The consumer is the voter, the consumer is the citizen who government serve. Citizen expectations are growing. Everyone agree that government must speed up its progress. The real issue is how should government fund these changes.
Because govt. has to, citizens want to go online not stand in line.