Transforming the society through e-connectivity

The rapid development and increasing global distribution of modern information and communication technologies such as PCs, the internet, email and mobile phones have transformed the way economies operate and the way individuals, societies and States interact with each other. ICT is an essential instrument when it comes to reducing poverty, driving social and economic development and supporting democracy and good governance, education and health care. It enables better access to knowledge for sustainable development and opens up new ways of involving large swathes of the population in political decision-making process. The main prerequisite for sustainable economic development are accessing knowledge into innovative products, processes and services. Information and communication technologies particularly the internet, can play an important role in this context. In addition to the aspect of the availability of knowledge, ICT like electricity, is considered to be a general purpose technology that permeates all sectors of the economy. This means that the very use of ICT offers great potential for advancing technology, increasing productivity and reducing costs as well as stimulating product and process innovation. It is against this background that the paper examines how societies have transformed through e- connectivity.