Information Society as Risk Society

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Information Society as Risk Society

• 24.7.-11.8. 2000 Helsinki Summer School
• Lecturer Helena Tapper
• Tutors Taina Joutsenvirta Yonca Ermutlu
• Department of Communication
• University of Helsinki

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Information and knowledge

• data refers to raw data, symbols, coded to be
  carried through communication networks
• information structured data, refers to inform
  about something new
• information is organized data, it is negative
  entropy

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Information and knowledge

• knowledge when information has a use value in a
  certain context, it becomes knowledge
• we can talk about a stock of knowledge
• originally knowledge meant knowing ones way

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Knowledge

• knowledge has a. to be a true
• b. well reasoned c. belief
• (Niiniluoto 1988)

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Information Society

• information or knowledge?
• information is not knowledge
• information orientation in society (see Bell in
  1978)
• centrality of scientific information as a key
  resource in organizations and economy
• centrality of information technology in society
• future orientation
• information work/occupations are central in
  society

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Knowledge society

• knowledge is organised information
• knowledge has a meaning in a context to user
• knowledge society emphasises learning, education,
  change through knowing of
• knowledge society /enlightenment

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Information Society

• emphasises as a concept centrality of technology
  and scientific knowledge
• informational economy
• tha majority of labor force works in information
  occupations
• information sector in economy is a central sector
  of economy
• the major value of exports is information
  products or services

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Communication society

• growth of use of various communication
  technologies
• ability to be active in new communication
• environment

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Informational Society

• Castells informational society (mode of
  development)
• spesific ways of social organization where the
  information generation , processing and
  transmission are essential for the productivity
  and power
• network society

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Information Society

• Phases
• 1. information based economy
• 2. information technology
• 3. information society as a strategy for economic
  growth
• 4. nation building
• 5. globalization, network economy

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Information Society

• challenged by network concept
• information society or informational society
• society or community
• IT-strategies
• IS-strategies as post-industrial strategies

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Three waves of information society

• 1. Information economy the 1970s and 1980s
• quantitative measures of information society,
  information sector in the economy
• national information society programs (Japan,
  France, USA others)
• information work as a major share of labor force

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Three waves of information society

• 2nd wave information and communication
  technology as a key technology for economic
  growth
• emphasis on technology development ( R D)
• -economic growth based on the ICTs
• national strategies for information society

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Three waves of information society

• 3rd wave the early 2000, globalization based on
  information economy and technology
• nation states and economies are challenged
• development of national innovation systems
• the emphasis on local economy

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Information society today

• quick global economic changes
• unpredictable and quick IT-technology development
• growth of dependency global economic changes

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Information society today

• limits to economic growth how IT can be used to
  reduce pollution of environment and save
  resources
• the nation state is challenged what is the role
  of the state
• growth of civil society
• what are the effects of networks for individuals?

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information society today

• problems universal service and access to
  communication and information who provides the
  services
• what is the price of information for user who
  pays?
• who owns the networks ?

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information society today

• the role of the state regulator or provider of
  environment for competititon
• provider of services
• competition versus equality?

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information society today

• the individual who is connected to what
• new ways of communication
• what are individuals seeking from the media and
  communication networks?
• change of values
• solidarity
• risks/security

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information society today

• effects of new technology to individuals
• work
• networking
• social relations
• participation in decision-making democracy