1996 - European Telework Week

Telework 96
has been observed that local channels often fail to promote a specific vision, and that
they tend to imitate the programs of the mass-broadcasters, and their socio-political
schedule.
Since 1993-94 the signs of a major evolution can be observed in the diffusion in the
home and in small offices of new technological platforms, allowing individuals to
communicate and interact with other individuals and/or organisations, and to access
information and interactive services with new multimedia features including video and
data. A number of issues such as various legal aspects, regulation and deregulation of the
markets involved play important roles in the emergence of new socio-economic trends.
In 1994, the number of fully equipped home-offices in Western Europe was estimated at
13.2 million, but only 3% of those run business tasks on a PC, and less than 1% have a
modem for data transmission. Teleworking still occupies a very small percentage of
home-workers but current growth is fast. For example, in Italy, it is estimated that 23%
of the households with PCs will use Internet by the year 2000, 60% of those for business
goals, (around 1 million households). According to forecasts, 15% of small Italian
companies (under 10 employees) will adopt Internet; at least 40% of home-workers
would adopt a form of teleworking by the year 2004.
According to the quoted forecasts 2 , self-employed teleworkers in Europe will be in the
medium term still a relatively small percentage of the total work force, but very
significant because of their role of pioneers and demonstrators of the innovative potential
of new media. The virtual community of teleworkers represents a new emerging social
group characterised by flexibility, greater autonomy in controlling working life, ability to
connect with others beyond local and national boundaries, awareness of one’s worth in
the labour market based on know how and developed skills and cultivated through a life
long process of self education, acquisition of knowledge and information. The price to
be paid is clearly a lower security and the need to be adaptable to the changing
environment. Due to these characteristics, teleworking also represents an innovative way
for the young with marketable skills to enter the labour market instead of having to
accept lower offers of stable jobs by organisations and for women appreciating flexibility
as a way to match the need to work with family obligations.
Teleshopping is often cited as an application that will help pay for the massive
investments needed to build interactive video networks, upgrade the Internet and expand
the bandwidth of wireless communications systems. Barriers are screen resolution
(compared to glossy printed catalogues) and the need for arrangements for convenient
customer delivery. A new breed of “on-line middleman” might be necessary.
Home culture is now the dominant model of leisure in Europe. A significant share of the
European population experiences only home culture, which is characterised by:
• the presence of equipment in more than 90% of the households, the frequent individual
use (a daily one for more than 75% of the users) and the time spent accounting for 25-
40% of total leisure time;
• the reduction in book reading especially by younger people;
2 ITU, Teknibank
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