IPTS stresses sustainability of information society
Perspectives and policies aimed at developing Sustainable Information Societies feature in the special issue of "The IPTS Report", published by the European Commission Joint Research Centre. Outgoing European Commissioner Edith Cresson prefaces the 48-page issue, concluding that "continued concerted action is required in order to prepare the path towards a sustainable information society." The maturing Information Society does not necessarily imply cultural homogenization is the optimistic view taken in the opening editorial by Erik Bohlin of IPTS (Institute for Prospective Technological Studies) with Alois Frotschnig, IPTS, and Robert Pestel, European Commission, DG XIII. The five articles comprise: - A European way into the global information society (by Prof. Dr. Jan A. G. M. van Dijk (University of Utrecht), Dr. Robert Pester (DG XIII) and Prof. Dr. F. J. Radermacher (FAW)); - A strategic alliance for a sustainable information society (by Alois Frotschnig and Mathias Ottitsch (IPTS) and Klaus Tochtermann (FAW)); - Information technology for sustainable societies - public policy perspectives in Japan: the case of telework (by Hitoshi Mitomo (Senshu University) and Hajime Oniki (Osaka University)); - Indicators of a sustainable information society: policy analysis and application (by Robin Mansell, W. Edward Steinmuller and Uta When (SPRU)); - Sustainable information society policies in Asia: standing firm despite financial turmoil (by Erik Bohlin (IPTS) with others).