The Knowledge Economy

This publication contains six essays responding to the following themes: information as a resource to be shared; whether and how new technologies are causing change in the nature and definition of information; and how changes are affecting the fields of education, economics, sociology, technology, business, and world affairs. Following the foreword (Paul J. Myer), examples of the range of information available to everyone are reviewed in an introduction to the essays (Nicholas Johnson). The value of information is discussed in "The Role of Technology in an Information Age" (Stephen H. Haeckel and Richard L. Nolan). "The Economics of Information" (Roger G. Noll) provides a readable introduction to the subject for noneconomists. "Competing with Information" (Blake Ives and Sirkka L. Jarvenpaa) provides a theoretical base and a case study for conclusions about the nature of information for business, predicting information and expertise will supplant physical goods as the basis of developed nations' economies. "The Promise of a New World Information Order" (Peter F. Cowhey and M. Margaret McKeown) addresses issues such as the utility of the content of global communications. "Technology, Information, and Social Behavior" (Sara B. Kiesler and Pamela Hinds) suggests that it may be as important to study people as information technology itself. "Network Literacy in an Electronic Society" (Charles R. McClure) describes the educational implications of the changing nature of information. (KRN)