Program deliverables include an analytic framework complemented by illustrative case studies from around the world. The results will be communicated through a series of online reports and white papers, workshops, and a World Congress on Governance to be held in the spring of 2000. There is much to be optimistic about as we count down the days to the new millennium. That would be a welcome development in a world where in many countries participation in the democratic process is in decline and people increasingly question the relevance of public institutions. But we should not ignore the perils as well.
Serious issues remain unresolved.
Around the globe, people are rightfully wary of the power of the new technologies to erode their privacy. Even in countries with the highest levels of technology penetration, unacceptable gaps between digital haves and have-nots are growing, challenging both governments and businesses to address the international and domestic digital divide with substantive and meaningful solutions. These issues are not beyond our creativity to resolve, but they need to be addressed urgently. A reinvigorated, digital-era government is at hand. He is the author of Growing Up Digital and The Digital Economy, coauthor of Paradigm Shift, coeditor of Blueprint to the Digital Economy, and editor of Creating Value in the Digital Economy.