The Information Age

The Information Age is well under way, fueled by the development of the personal computer and more massive computer systems utilized by business and government. The Internet and the World Wide Web have opened a world of information to the individual user and the corporation alike. This has altered the way management designs the company and manages every aspect of business. In the new era, there are haves and have-nots on all levels, and individuals or companies that cannot make good use of the Internet will be at a competitive disadvantage in the marketplace. At the same time, a small company that can take full advantage of the Internet can compete successfully with such larger companies. The balance of power is thus changed by the new technologies.

The Internet and World Wide Web have transformed the way local cultures produce and maintain solidarity regarding what should be accepted as facts. These technologies provide a level playing fieldit is no longer the case that those with the most massive resources will have the biggest audience. Indeed, many small sites command huge followings. The Internet and the Web allow for the quick dissemination of information, both false and true; unlike newspapers and other media outlets, there are often no quality control mechanisms on Web sites that would permit users to know what information is generally recognized fact and what is spurious. On the Internet and the Web, fac

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o channels), and what is needed is a way to connect a lot of little networks to each other to form a larger network that can bring the promise of the information superhighway to reality. CURRENT SYSTEM Much of this is in place now and is being utilized by many organizations and companies, altering the way information is accessed, used, and disseminated. Business today can acquire massive amounts of information through the Internet and the World Wide Web. The degree of importance given to this change is evident in a recent speech by John Chambers, president of Cisco Systems, who stated, "CEOs now realize the Internet will be their chief productivity tool over the next 10 years" (Blinch 30). However, as businesses make greater use of the Internet and other technologies, they must also realize that while there are great opportunities, there are also potential dangers. In June 1997, Webrelated failures shut down stock market trading on the E-Trade Web site for about an hour, and a week later, a software problem in Charles Schwab & Company's electronic brokerage service left customers unable to get information about the status of trades or account balances. After that, a combination of computer error and operator careless

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