Part D

Pathways to
Prosperity

The knowledge economy is significantly different to that for which most managers and policy-makers were educated and trained. Around the world various institutions and organizations are trying to get to grips with new ways of working that will create frameworks for future prosperity. This is not easy as the new economy and its activities rubs shoulders with the old. There are tensions between established businesses and institutions and the ‘new kids on the block’. A concern of many commentators is the gap between the haves and the have nots – those individuals and societies that participate in the new economy and prosper, and those that do not. This problem is potentially caused in part by unequal access to necessary support services and infrastructures, such as education, Internet access and business finance. For everyone to share in the prosperity brought about by the knowledge revolution new agendas are needed.

The developments described in Part B of this book create an unrivalled opportunity for creating this prosperity. However, the very interdependence that these developments create, call for a greater degree of coherence between businesses, governments and a wide range of other agencies. All are part of an evolving interdependent knowledge ecosystem.

This part of the book looks at the wider ecosystem and how it might develop. Chapter 9 reviews the contribution of public policy and programmes at several levels – community, national, and supranational including groupings such as the European Union and G7 nations. It calls for more cross sector collaboration and initiatives that stimulate entre-preneurship and innovation. Chapter 10 ponders the future. While it does make some forecasts, it suggests that more emphasis should be put on developing alternative scenarios, five of which are postulated. Whatever the scenario, it is likely to be ‘all change’ from the way we do things today. We need more extensive knowledge networking and global collaboration to develop our own prosperous futures.