Developing IT: new possibilities for business, organizations and users

The roundtable discussion provided an opportunity to explore the new possibilities for further applications and the potential economic, social and organizational impact of information technology. The digitalization of information, banking, government, transport and tourist services is proceeding at a faster pace than anticipated. The convergence of all forms of expression in digital formats, namely, text, voice, video and music, is driving a series of new consumer and business applications which include: the production and dissemination of digital content, real-time communications, online entertainment, interactive distance learning, the automation of information interaction processes, paper reduction, long-distance work collaborations and the breaking down of the barriers of space and time.
The discussion touched on highly topical problems and issues such as: the opportunity for Italy to exploit information technology to upgrade and expand strategic sectors including tourism, the arts, crafts, fashion and trade aimed at maintaining a high level of international competitiveness; initiatives that need to be implemented to maximize the spread of IT culture among young people and build a more competitive society; and human resources strategies that pave the way for the next revolution of the workplace.