The awkward word: economy

Newport University ESRC seminar, April 1, 2011

Ian Hargreaves

Labels

• Knowledge economy ….. Fritz Machlup (economist 1930s)

• Information economy/society ….. Peter Drucker (business philosopher 1960s)

• Network Society ….. Manuel Castells (sociologist 1970s)

• Digital economy …… Nicholas Negroponte (architect/technology 1980s)

• Creative economy …. Chris Smith (politician 1990s) and John Howkins (media businessman/consultant: 2000s)

Some cross cutting themes

• Access: inclusion/exclusion/marginalisation• Democracy: digital public sphere• Intellectual property• Growth, competiveness, jobs, trade• Education/skills• Communities: real and virtual• Privacy/freedom of information• Work-life fusion

A melting pot of disciplines

• Computer science• Engineering• Mathematics• Communications/media• Education• Law• Business• Arts and humanities• Politics • Biology, neurology, medicine

But what about economics?

• Macroeconomics • Hard economics/soft economics• Micro-economics• Business economics• Development economics• Market theory - digital markets• Competition/property rights• Monetary policy• Productivity• Score-cards and public spending