The Next Wave: Using Digital Technology to Further Social and Political Innovation (Brookings FOCUS Book)

The digital revolution is in full force but many public and private sector leaders are stymied: How can they maximize the full potential of digital technology? This hesitancy puts a brake on the transformational power of digital technology and means private companies and governmental bodies fall well behind other digital pioneers. Darrell West focuses on the next wave of technologies and how they can further enhance U.S. social and political innovation. West champions exploiting technological advances to help organizations become faster, smarter, and more efficient. Consumers can deploy new digital technology to improve health care, gain access to education, learn from the news media, and check public sector performance. New storage platforms such as high-speed broadband, mobile communications, and cloud computing enable and improve both social and economic development. However, to gain these benefits, policymakers must recognize the legitimacy of public fears about technology and the privacy and security dangers posed by the Internet. Their goal must be to further innovation and investment while also protecting basic social and individual values. West argues that digital technology innovation is consistent in many ways with personal and social values; people can deploy digital technology to improve participation and collaboration, and political leaders can work with the private sector to stimulate a flowering of innovation in a variety of policy areas. " The digital revolution is in full force but many public and private sector leaders are How can they maximize the full potential of digital technology? This hesitancy puts a brake on the transformational power of digital technology and means private companies and governmental bodies fall well behind other digital pioneers. Darrell West focuses on the next wave of technologies and how they can further enhance U.S. social and political innovation. West champions exploiting technological advances to help organizations become faster, smarter, and more efficient. Consumers can deploy new digital technology to improve health care, gain access to education, learn from the news media, and check public sector performance. New storage platforms such as high-speed broadband, mobile communications, and cloud computing enable and improve both social and economic development. However, to gain these benefits, policymakers must recognize the legitimacy of public fears about technology and the privacy and security dangers posed by the Internet. Their goal must be to further innovation and investment while also protecting basic social and individual values. West argues that digital technology innovation is consistent in many ways with personal and social values; people can deploy digital technology to improve participation and collaboration, and political leaders can work with the private sector to stimulate a flowering of innovation in a variety of policy areas. " Maintains That The Digital Revolution Is Well Under Way And Will Continue To Lead To Important Changes In The Way People, The For-profit And Nonprofit Sectors, And Government Will Function And Interact, With Emphasis On The Importance Of Innovation And The Need To Balance Innovation, Privacy, And Security--provided By Publisher. A Framework For Analysis -- Technology Innovation -- Improving Government Performance -- Transforming Health Care -- Platform -- Cloud Computing -- High-speed Broadband -- Policy Considerations -- Innovating In The Public And Private Sectors -- Mobile Communications -- Normative Concerns -- Personalized Medicine And Health Information Technology -- New Digital Media -- Safeguarding Privacy And Security -- Conclusion -- Facilitating Innovation. Darrell M. West. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.