AT THE CUTTING EDGE OF THE NEW FRONTIER OF CYBERSPACE

"The next information revolution is well under way...It is not a revolution in technology, machinery, techniques, software, or speed. It is a revolution in CONCEPTS."
(Drucker, 1998) "

"Money is what fueled the industrial society. But in the informational society, the fuel, the power, is knowledge. One has now come to see a new class structure divided by those who have information and those who must function out of ignorance. This new class has its power not from money, not from land, but from knowledge."

- John Kenneth Galbraith

Bill Gates once described the "Information Age as the "Wild West of Cyberspace." A few years ago, he also said there would be two kinds of businesses in the year 2001:
1.those online
and
2. those out of business!

What is knowledge?

"He who receives an idea from me receives instruction himself,without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine receives light without darkening me."
- Thomas Jefferson

We are becoming ever-more a "knowledge society" - with the rapid diffusion (big word!) and exchanging of huge amounts of information daily. This makes the sheer volume of knowledge difficult to absorb.

We are seeing "little" New Zealand's rapid transition from a pastoral to a knowledge economy, as we are fast "catching and riding the knowledge wave". I believe it's more "an age of wisdom" in sharing information world-wide through the amazing power of the internet.

Here in far-off New Zealand (near the bottom of the world), I believe we have an excellent foundation to be extremely successful in the global economy. However, we must move speedily ahead to be a far more "knowledge-driven" economy; otherwise we could become "also rans" in the ultra-competitive global market place.

I truly believe that many New Zealanders have not yet recognised that the Internet is the modern equivalent of the 'freezer ships of yonder', that revolutionised our economy last century. As we enter the twenty-first century, the Internet will be our 'key vessel' for reaching global markets from these far-off "sleepy shores".

I think that we should be finding new paths for social and economic development. Knowledge is replacing the old sources of wealth and power, as the driving source in the world's most successful societies. We must become a "knowledge export" platform...and that is the vision for my little business, Eagle Productions based in provincial NZ.

In effect, we are creating wealth through the comercialisation of ideas. We are utilizing to the fullest, the amazing creative potential of the human IMAGINATION to reach the world.

"The "digital divide": In the future there will be a widening gap between those with the skills in the new technological age and the "not so well off", those "poor souls", who have not put in the effort to update their computer and technological skills. It is a matter of using our resources wisely in this "digital age."

Here in NZ I believe, we need to be driven far more by knowledge, technology, innovation and renovation. The first step is transforming the innovative spirit that allows we "Kiwis" (New Zealanders) to turn no.8 wire into innumerable useful tools around the farm, into a commercial operation. It's simply a matter of "sharpening the pencil" of New Zealand's focus on e-commerce. Refocussing existing economies and enhancing existing products (traditional, such as agriculture and horticulture) through adding value via the world wide web.

USE Information Technology with all the amazing powers of the world wide web .With the web and e-mail, we must always keep technology in perspective - by using it for 'ease of communication at the click of a mouse', to make our lives easier and market products and services around the globe efficiently and cheaply in the early days of this "New Age of Wisdom"!

Businesses MUST "get with the times" and respond by embracing the enormous international opportunities offered by the Internet. It's either ADAPT or DIE ("a slow lingering death"). Make technology WORK FOR YOU -: for your (and your family's good, your business and especially your country.

Craig Lock


"The spiritual is stronger than any material force, thoughts rule the world."
- the great and inspirational American philosopher, Ralph Waldo Emerson -

About the Author

Craig Lock has been involved in the personal finance field for too many years. He is now an author of five published books with another twelve being published and marketed on the Internet. Craig has studied and written extensively on money matters: articles, brochures for financial institutions and books.

C.Lock@xtra.co.nz
http://www.elkpublications.com/godzone.htm