The Increasing Influence of the Internet

DESCRIPTION

According to Jupiter research (2007) there will be 1.5 billion people with Internet access in 2011, with the biggest growth in the online population occurring in Brazil, Russia, India and China. Russia has the fastest growing adoption of Internet users in Europe; although the Internet penetration rate among the BRIC economies is lowest for Russia. The future of any country, Russia included, will depend heavily on how the potential of this revolutionary medium is realized.

ENABLERS

- Reduced costs and faster connections owing to investments in technology infrastructure

- the rise of social media technologies enabling connectivity and engagement

- Adoption of the Internet in mobile telephony (smartphones)

- Venture capital interest in digital businesses

INHIBITORS

- Privacy concerns (access to private information by companies)

- Political sensitivity to freedom of speech (eg. China, Iran)

PARADIGMS

- Increased Connectivity - flat world

- Increasing influence of the “individual”: the advent of web 2.0 technologies has meant that individuals across the world are more connected, more informed, more visible and in control than ever before.

- Business: Disruptive technologies and methodologies are bringing about a paradigm shift in how the business world operates as well. Entertainment, media, commerce, social interaction are all evolving in a manner where traditional business models need to constantly adapt to the changing landscape.

- Political: The use of emerging media in the 2008 US presidential elections demonstrates the impact and reach of this powerful medium from a political front. The ban on Internet sites like Twitter and Facebook in China demonstrates the uncertainty of how governments may react to the freedom of speech that their people are increasingly becoming accustomed to.

TIMING

1995 – Rise of the Internet at Home

2000-2001 – Dotcom bubble bursts

2006-2008 – Youtube, Facebook, Twitter become household terms

Web Resources

BRIC Economies to Lead Internet Growth through 2011
World Economic Forum
Techcrunch