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Information Society Approaches and ICT Processes (IFI8101)

The concept of information society and its development

Peeter Normak

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Objective of the lecture

We attempt to answer the following questions:

• How to define an information society?

• How the concept Information Society has been evolved?

• What were and are the reasons for the development of the information society?

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The structure of the lecture

Definition of the Information Society (ISoc)

Definition of the Knowledge Society

(KSoc)

Formation of the ISoc conception

Reasons of formation of ISoc

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Introduction of the term Information Society

First was the term Information Society – in Japanies language – used in Japan at the beginning of 1960-ies (Kisho Kurokawa, Tudao Umesao).

1964 – first appearance of the term in a publication (Michiko Igarashi, Jiro Kamishima). NB! 2014-1964 = 50!

1968/1969 – first usage of the term in the title of a monograph (Yujiro Hayashi, Yoneji Masuda, Konichi Kohuma).

1970 – first usage in English language (Yoneji Masuda).

NB! There is still no commonly agreed definition of this concept!

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Discussion

Name the keywords that describe the concept of Information Society?

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Information society – definition 1

Wikipedia:

An information society is a society where the creation, distribution, use,

integration and manipulation of information is a significant

economic, political, and cultural activity. The aim of the information

society is to gain competitive advantage internationally, through

using IT in a creative and productive way.

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Information society – definition 2

Business Dictionary:

Information society is a post-industrial society in which information technology (IT) is transforming every aspect of cultural, political, and social life and which is based on the production and distribution of information.

It is characterized by the

(1)pervasive influence of IT on home, work, and recreational aspects of the individuals daily routine,

(2)stratification into new classes those who are information-rich and those who are information-poor,

(3)loosening of the nation state's hold on the lives of individuals and the rise of highly sophisticated criminals who can steal identities and vast sums of money through information related (cyber) crime.

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Information society – definition 3

Estonian Information Society Strategy 2013:

The term “information society” usually denotes a society, where the

majority of values created by mankind are contained in information.

Most of the information stored by the society is maintained,

transformed and transmitted in a universal digital form. By using a

data exchange network, all members of society have access to

information.

NB! Estonian Information Society Strategy 2020 does not contain any

definition of Information Society! Neither A digital agenda for Europe:http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2010:0245:FIN:EN:PDF

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Information Society – definition 4

The IBM Community Development Foundation:

A society characterised by a high level of information intensity in the

everyday life of most citizens, in most organisations and

workplaces; by the use of common or compatible technology for a

wide range of personal, social, educational and business activities,

and by the ability to transmit, receive and exchange digital data

rapidly between places irrespective of distance.

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Information Society – OECD conceptual model*

Components:• ICT demand (users and uses)• ICT supply (producers and production)• ICT in a wider context (education, innovation etc)

Connectors/mediators/enablers:• ICT infrastructure • ICT products• Information and electronic content

* OECD Guide to Measuring the Information Society 2011, page 13.

Compare with the key words from NETIS Course Book, pages 212-213.

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Information Society – a generic definition

Information society is a society where economic development, culture,

politics and well-being of its members bases to a great extent on

production and using of information.

The meaning of Information – a message being conveyed. A message can be of different types, for example: • formal – a sequence of symbols,• physical – a collection of signals (for example, sound or light)

NB! Information as such should not necessarily have some meaning. For example, the sequence TAG can represent a part in DNA double helix, or it can mean the translation of DAY in German language.

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Information and Knowledge

There does not exist any commonly agreed definition of knowledge.

Example (one of the most general definitions): Knowledge is any acquired experience that helps the man to make sense of the world.

If information has been perceived by a conscious mind and also interpreted by it, the specific context associated with this interpretation may cause the transformation of the information into knowledge.

Possible general formula:Knowledge = Information + meaning (Example: TAG as DAY)Knowledge = Information + experience + belief

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Knowledge Society (KS)

KS is a society which bases to a great extent on analysis and application of knowledge for improving the human living.

A knowledge society differs from information society in that the former serves to transform information into resources that allow society to take effective action while the latter only creates and disseminates the raw data (C. Castelfranchi, 2007).

NB! The word “knowledge” (“information”) appears 54 (100) times in the “Information society” Wikipedia article (9.01.2014).

NNB! The word “information” (“knowledge”) appears 23 (59) times in the “Knowledge society” Wikipedia article (9.01.2014)

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Information Society versus Knowledge Society

9.01.2014

Google: • “information society” – 1 580 000• “knowledge society” – 621 000

Yahoo:• “information society” – 2 350 000• “knowledge society” – 380 000

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Conclusion 1

The concept

Information Society

is today in fact considered as

Knowledge Society

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Possible solution?

1. Considering the term Information Society as a metaphor.

2. Adapt the concepts to the language, basing, for example, on the Knowledge-based Theory of Information1):

• Data are the measure for description of objects or events.

• Knowledge is justified true belief of the relationship between constructs.

• Information is the meaning produced from data based on a knowledge framework that is associated with the selection of the state of conditional readiness for goal-directed activities.

1) William J.Kettinger, Yuan Li (2010). The infological equation extended: towards conceptual clarity in the relationship between data, information and knowledge. European Journal of Information Systems 19, 409-421.

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Formation of the concept – Machlup

Fritz Machlup (1902-1983) started systematic studies about the role of knowledge in development of society. Initially (in 1930-ies) he studied the effect of patents on research, and later widened his scope to the industry sector.

NB! He was 20 when he got his PhD degree.

Introduced in 1962 the notion knowledge economy/industry (in his book “The Production and Distribution of Knowledge in the United States” ).

He considered the following as knowledge sectors: education, research and development, mass media, information technologies, information services.

Benoit Godin (2008). “The Knowledge Economy: Fritz Maclup’s Construction of a Synthetic Concept”: http://www.csiic.ca/PDF/Godin_37.pdf

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Formation of the concept – Drucker

Peter Ferdinand Drucker (1909-2005).

Introduced the concepts knowledge worker (1959) and knowledge society (1969). Introduced also the concepts Outsourcing and Third sector.

Propagated the idea that an enterprise should base on its core competence and outsource the rest.

According to his views the economy will base in the future on the production of knowledge, instead of physical goods.

NB1. He was in fact also a proponent of the principles of flexible (agile) methodologies.

NB2. Knowledge already became a commodity (Examples: Digital libraries, Google).

See the Key ideas of P.Drucker: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Drucker

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Formation of the concept – Castells

Manuel Castells (Manuel Castells Oliván, born 1942; Google Scholar – 38 700) brought with his book “The Rise of Network Society” (1996) the concept network society in common usage.

His fundamental Information Age trilogy:•1996: The Rise of the Network Society•1997: The Power of Identity•1998: End of Millennium.

“A network society is a society where the key social structures and activities are organized around electronically processed information networks”.

Network society was in his understanding not only as a connected set of subjects (as van Dijk it considered), but involves also the aspects of culture, economy and politics.

Introduced the concept Space of Flows.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_society

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Related concepts and key persons (Google Scholar hits in

10.01.2014)

• 1970 – super-industrial society (Alvin Toffler, “information overload”; GS – 20 000)

• 1971 – post-industrial society (Alain Touraine; GS – 19 900)

• 1978 – wired society (James H. Martin; GS – ?)

• 1979 – postmodern society (Jean-François Lyotard; 26 000)

• 1986 – risk society (Ulrich Beck; 35 200)

• 1991 – network society (Jan van Dijk, Google Scholar – 2 570)

• 1993 – post-capitalist society (Peter F. Drucker; GS – 15 000)

• 1997 – informational capitalism (Tessa Morris-Suzuki; GS – 1 640)

• 1999 – digital capitalism (Peter Glotz; GS – 2 970)

• 2007 – transnational network/informational capitalism (Chr. Fuchs; GS – 1 650)

• …

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Example: Application of the Network Society concept

Connectivism – application in education. Introduced by George Siemens and Stephen Downes (2005). Basic principles:• Learning and knowledge rests in diversity of opinions.

• Learning is a process of connecting specialized nodes or information sources.

• Learning may reside in non-human appliances.

• Learning is more critical than knowing.

• Maintaining and nurturing connections is needed to facilitate continual learning.

• Perceiving connections between fields, ideas and concepts is a core skill.

• Currency (accurate, up-to-date knowledge) is the intent of learning activities.

• Decision-making is itself a learning process.

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Discussion

What were/are the most important reasons/prerequisites for the

development of the information society?

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Development of technology

The storage capacity:

The amount of electronically stored information grows exponentially (1986 – 2.6 exabyte; 2007 – 295 EB; 1 EB = 1018 bytes).

The capacity of communication channels:

The growth is exponential as well (1986 - 281 petabyte/day, 2007 – 65 EB/day; 1 PB = 1015 bytes).

Computing power:

Growth about 4 degrees (1986 – 3×108 MIPS, 2007 – 6.4×1012 MIPS; 1 MIPS = Million instructions per second).

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Structural change of the economy

From the middle of 20th century, the markets had tremendously expanded.

Innovation to improve production became the main prerequisite of competitiveness and sustainability.

The services sector (including research and information services) started to act as the most important enabler.

Examples:

1. The total volume of services and production were almost equal in Germany in 1960-ies. The ratio is now about 3:1.

2. The proportion of services offered by IBM rose between 1995 and 2005 in its revenues from 28% to 55%.

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Work processes in a traditional production company

• Products and services were company-centered, based on the company’s capabilities.

• Manufacturing (particularly mass production) was standardized and based on pre-defined unified processes.

• Production assumed certain – previously defined – knowledge and skills of workers.

• Internal communication (including knowledge distribution) was normally top-down; involvement of workers in knowledge creation was minimal.

• The processes are rigid and the changes in environmental conditions are slowly taken into account.

• What else?

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Work processes in the future

• Work is outcome-driven, relying on the cooperation and competence of all parties involved.

• Work is dynamically adaptive, taking into account the individual needs of each individual client.

• Taking into account the individual needs of the clients assumes their involvement and negotiations.

• Quick reaction and response to changing conditions and needs of clients, innovative and flexible approach in solving problems.

• What else?

Foto: Juan Pablo Olmo

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Secondary reasons for development of information society

Some reasons:

1. Services are moving to the Internet, which has evolved into a global marketing instrument.

2. Adaptation of products and services to the individual needs of each client (co-creation, mass customization).

3. Emerging of horizontal and distributed cooperation networks (communities of practice, thematic networks, digital ecosystems etc).

4. Introduction of new process and business models.

5. What else?

All these activities are critically based on information/knowledge and networking.

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Conclusion 2

Development of information society is caused first of all by extremely fast development of technology

and corresponding structural changes of the economy and work processes.

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Discussion

Will 1)fast development of technology

2)structural changes of the economy

3)changes of the work processes

be still the main reasons for further development of information society?

Or will some decrease in importance and something new come up?

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End of part I