The Network Society - University of Massachusetts Amherst

380 The Network Society
is vulnerable to increased international competition. To take advantage
of the next technological wave, Europe has to invest much more
than it does today. Of course, more research alone is not enough. Its
efficiency and effectiveness must be improved. Third, there is the
need to promote effective adoption of ICT in firms of all sizes. To
achieve the critical mass requires that the Commission works intensively
with industrial stakeholders.
The third ‘i’ is for inclusion and a better quality of life
Commissioner Reding has said that her vision of a European
Information Society in 2010 consists of an open, transparent and accessible
knowledge society. The information society should be accessible
everywhere and to everyone in Europe. I could not agree more.
Europe needs growth to maintain and improve the European social
model in the face of demographic ageing and increased international
competition. Information Society policies contribute on both sides of
this equation. The use of ICT to deliver better and more efficient
public services will reduce the costs of delivery and thus make our
social systems more sustainable.
To conclude: in the long term, productivity is almost everything,
said Paul Krugman, Only through productivity growth can we improve
the standard of living. And today we know that here the adoption of
ICT, the reorganisation of enterprises and administrations and investment
in skills are key factors behind the productivity growth.