European Telework Development
ETD Interest Groups
During 1997 ETD's work will be extended through a network of Interest Groups
for organisations and individuals who have registered an interest in the
programme. This page introduces the ETD programme rationale, lists the initial
interest groups and explains how to subscribe to a particular group.
ETD Programme Rationale
ETD's objective is to increase awareness of telework, teletrade
and telecooperation (TTT) and to stimulate and assist wider
understanding and take up of these methods. Our rationale is that:
- Telecooperation (connecting with other people and organisations across
electronic networks) is the core personal and organisational application
of the Information Society. It brings immense benefits to those
who develop the skills to do it effectively. It can be used within organisations
to improve organisational effectiveness and reduce costs. It can be used
by organisations to enhance relationships with customers, suppliers and
the market. It can be used by individuals to build personal networks of
"good connections" for profit or for pleasure. Not having the
relevant skills will exclude people and organisations from effective participation
in the Information Society and its economic and societal opportunities.
- Teletrade (doing business across networks) is a core economic
application of the Information Society. Early uses of teletrade
(for example the switch from High Street selling to "direct marketing
methods" using the ordinary telephone) have already started to transform
markets and industry sectors. Newer uses such as the establishment of an
"online presence" using the World Wide Web are creating new markets
and new industry sectors, as well as enhancing competitiveness in existing
industries and public services. Failure to understand and use teletrade
methods will cripple success across a wide spectrum of economic and societal
activities.
- Telework (using electronic networking to change the geography of work)
is the third core application of the Information Society.
For organisations (including public services as well as commercial and industrial
enterprises) it is central to both human resource and locational strategies.
For individuals it offers new choices and opportunities in employment, self-employment
and business innovation.
- Telework, teletrade and telecooperation are the baseline applications
for an emerging "global networked economy", in
which technology-based innovation coupled with political changes (including
the development of China as the world's fastest-growing and potentially
largest economy) suggest a sustained period of economic growth in
the world economy.
- Individuals, enterprises and economies that respond effectively will
share the benefits of economic growth, prosperity and positive social
development. Countries and regions that are slow to adapt will
suffer economic decline. Companies that fail to respond will go to the wall.
- The opportunities presented by the global networked economy are open
to all. A bright and self-reliant person living anywhere with access
to a reliable and reasonably priced telephone service can participate directly
regardless of local economic and social circumstances. But the new opportunities
are more obvious and easier to grasp for people in countries, towns and
regions that have an excellent telecommunications infrastructure
at world class prices coupled with effective local programmes
to develop participation in the Information Society. An inadequate
networked economy infrastructure or in appropriate local responses don't
necessarily entail economic and social collapse but will certainly inhibit
successful participation.
ETD's approach
ETD therefore works in four main ways:
- We connect directly with individuals world wide (but
with a particular focus in Europe) to develop "good connections",
collate and share know how and information, surface and support good ideas,
projects and initiatives.
- We connect with public institutions and services
at International, European, national and local levels to assist with understanding
and developing appropriate policies and programmes and to spread awareness
of good exemplars.
- We connect with commercial enterprises and representative
organisations that have a marketing interest in telework, teletrade
and telecooperation and who share a common interest in developing the market,
understanding user requirements, and addressing problems and barriers to
successful take up and use of information society technologies.
- We connect with the media (newspapers, TV, radio
and online) to improve public access to accurate and useful information
about telework, teletrade and telecooperation and their impact.
Interest Groups
Interest Groups are being formed to enable people and organisations that
share ETD's perception of the rationale to participate more closely
in shaping the programme, enhance its effectiveness
and use ETD's mechanisms to further their own success in the networked
economy.
ETD has no predetermined agenda for these Interest Groups, and how they
develop will depend very much on the participants. We will share with participants
early information about ETD's plans and intentions, bring forward ideas
from within the existing ETD internal network of European partners and national
coordinators, and do what we can to facilitate projects or initiatives that
emerge from discussion among Interest Group members. Our intention is that
ETD Interest Groups will be action oriented not just discussion
points. Where appropriate ETD will seek to engage the attention
of relevant public institutions, for example European Commission directorates-general.
Where relevant Interest Groups already exist in the market ETD will seek
to identify and connect with these rather than fragmenting the available
talents and energies by establishing new ones.
The ETD Interest Groups will focus at European and International level but
will be open to discussion and action on local needs - supporting a philosophy
of "think Global, act Local". If there is interest
in developing equivalent activities at national or community level in EU
Member States, ETD support may be requested through the relevant ETD National
Coordinator. ETD also welcomes links with equivalent initiatives in other
countries world wide, and in some cases may be able to provide support where
there is a relevant European Union assistance programme. Existing initiatives
outside the EU and people proposing such initiatives are invited to make
themselves known to us.
Participation in Interest Groups
Each Interest Group will be open to any person having a bona fide
interest in the topic or community of interest concerned and prepared
to make a contribution to developing understanding and action in
activities associated with the Interest Group. We anticipate that persons
who join each Interest Group will be willing to "declare their interest"
to the other participants.
Public officials are welcome to join an Interest Group and may do so either
in their public capacity or as private individuals.
Each intending participant must first complete the general
ETD Registration of Interest form.
The primary means of communication within Interest Groups will be by email-based
discussion lists, which will work to the same general rules as the ETO open
discussion lists. If requested by a Group ETD will provide additional online
facilities, for example open or private web pages, file space for working
papers, presentations etc. Other than the online facilities participants
are expected to bear their own costs of participation, for example if a
Group wishes to hold a face to face meeting, ETD may agree to cover meeting
room and associated costs but participants will be expected to bear their
own travel and accommodation costs etc.
Members of each Group will have access to a list showing the name of other
participants in the same Group, with their email address, geographical location
and relevant affiliations. By joining a Group each participant signifies
agreement to this information being made available to other participants.
Members may provide additional information about their interests should
they wish to do so.
There will be no charge for participation in an Interest Group.
Chatham House rules
Discussion within Interest Groups will be under "Chatham House rules":
- Discussion in the context of Interest Groups will be regarded as private
not public;
- Anything said or written in the context of an Interest Group may not
be reported outside the group except for the private purposes of the participant
or his/her organisation;
- If the Interest Group agrees to publish or circulate any papers, reports
or proposals, no statements or views may be attributed to any participating
person or organisation without their prior written agreement.
These rules have proved effective in enabling open discussion in which individuals
don't have to worry about whether what they say in the Group may be misinterpreted
if quoted out of context elsewhere, or where personal views may differ from
current institutional positions.
Before joining any of the Interest Groups please read the
Rules of the Game.
The Interest Groups and how to join one
Initially we have identified a need for the following Interest Groups:
The Interest Group on Telework and Disability has developed
into the Information Society disAbilities Challenge (ISdAC) - please visit their web pages and send a message of support.
We welcome suggestions for additional Groups, which will be supported subject
to gaining sufficient participation and being within the ETD general programme
objectives.
Its suggested that an individuals should initially join no more
than three different Groups. ETD will monitor the activities of
Groups to ensure appropriate cross fertilisation.
Before joining any of the Interest Groups please read the
Rules of the Game.
To join a Group click on its name in the list above and
complete the participation form - the form allows for the joining or leaving
of that particular Group.
If you know of other existing Interest Groups using online discussion facilities
to address relevant topics and working at European and International level
please let us know about them;
we will compile and publish a list.
Any Questions?
Questions of a general nature about the Interest Groups programme should
please be addressed to the European Telework Online (ETO) information point
eto-info@eto.org.uk.
As groups are formed, we will surface and address questions relating to
their specific topics with a view to developing a set of Frequently Asked
Questions and answers.
European Telework Development (ETD) Pages
GOALS | BENEFITS
| PARTICIPATION | PRESENTATIONS
European Telework Online
| European Teletrade Online
ETD is supported by the European Commission (DGXIII)
as part of the Advanced Communications Technologies and Services (ACTS)
programme. ETD's central web pages are hosted at the European
Telework Online website.
Page address http://www.eto.org.uk/etd/indiv/int01.htm
This page last updated 21 July 1997
Please send your comments and suggestions about the ETO site and pages to
eto-info@eto.org.uk