Title: E-Skills: Who Made That Big Dent in My Flat World?
Authors:
Pages: 4 pp.
ISSN: 1544-7529
Source: Information Technologies & International Development, Volume 5, Number 2, Summer 2009, 81–84
Publisher: USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism
Date (published): 10/07/2009
Date (accessed): 13/11/2009
Type of information: research paper
Language: English
On-line access: yes (pdf)
Abstract:
In a large measure, e-skills remain a missing link in the emerging socioeconomic fabric of knowledge societies. In most advanced countries, as well as in large emerging economies such as India and China, the ICT sector, many service and manufacturing industries, and governments are already feeling the lack of sufficient “e-skilled” labor. On the other hand,
this misbalance presents an opportunity for involving a greater share of the world population in creating, and benefiting from, a truly inclusive information society.

To seize this opportunity, a qualitatively new level of leadership will be required from industry and government. Rather than a thorough knowledge of technology, the critical quality of “e-leaders” in the knowledge economy will be a deep understanding of the organizational, political, and social impact of global information networks.

In mature economies, fresh efforts are required to generate and attract more e-skills, and to direct interest toward IT careers. Such efforts, however, will not be successful unless they involve all major stakeholders (business, academia, government, and civil society).