First International Conference on the Economic
and Social Implications of Information Technology

January 27-28, 2003

Main Auditorium
U.S. Department of Commerce
14th St. and Constitution Ave. Washington, DC

Enterprise transformation is not limited to the businesses processes of the firm. It affects the broad fabric of economic and social enterprise in a world where information, knowledge, and value are easily reproduced and transported. What happens when business and social processes span traditional boundaries of place, ownership, and jurisdiction? How do individuals, teams, and entities work together -- or else find new ways of asserting identity and distinctiveness?

Despite the bursting of the “dot.com” bubble and the troubles in the telecom sector, the Internet continues its dramatic growth, transforming the way the world communicates, works, and learns. During the Internet boom, many firms and organizations developed strongly expressed visions of what information technology would do to transform the way they did business. A few unique Internet business models have succeeded, some spectacularly, but much of the continuing change is at finer level in internal processes and in transactions within the firms and markets of the old economy. The changes are ubiquitous, manifold, and subtle with a focus on successful implementation and sustained profitability rather than pursuit of market share.

Although the speculative frenzy is past, research shows that fundamental elements of economic and social activity – markets, value chains, firms, business models, transactions, capital, institutions, collaboration, innovation, community, relationships, standards, trust, infrastructure, consumption – are changing in important ways. Every sector of the economy has been affected to varying degrees. Some sectors, such as government and health care, are more constrained than others; in others, such as scientific research, the change is dramatic despite the conservative nature of the surrounding institution.

In the decade that has passed since the initial commercialization of the Internet, a vast amount of experience has accumulated. Empirical research always lags rapid change, but eventually lessons can be drawn and documented. The evidentiary history now includes insights from the shakeout, offering hope for perspective and insight into phenomena such as overinvestment and overcapacity that were unrecognized three years ago.

Transforming Enterprise is a two-day international conference on the economic and social implications of information technology that will bring together prominent researchers, industry leaders, and policymakers. It will examine what makes the digital economy different in terms of the changing nature and relationship of information, knowledge, and value – and the implications for work, learning, and society. It will look at what we have learned and ask what we need to know. Do we have the right tools and metrics? How can research contribute to sensible policies?

Please mark your calendar and bookmark this page at http://transformingenterprise.com