3.0 National
ICT Policies Summary
In 2000, Norway formally
decided to institute a national ICT policy (called eNorway)
will let it proactively participate in the “knowledge economy”. Although a little
late to the knowledge economy race, Norway has established a comprehensive plan
and committed substantial resources in the pursuit of establishing ICT
leadership. Norway’s ICT efforts can be divided into five basic sectors:
·
Individual,
culture, and the environment
·
Norwegian
Industries
·
Norway’s
Workforce
·
The government
·
Education
Theoretically, by pursing ICT
across all five sectors, they should be able to establish a national momentum toward
its goal of infusing ICT in all aspects of Norwegian society, as well as
minimizing its negative affects. Although early indicators show that the
process is working effectively, only time will tell if this trend will continue
and Norway meet its goal of establishing ICT leadership.
3.1 Norway’s
Information Technology Vision
Norway has a realistic vision
of how information and communications technology serves as a powerful agent of
change. These changes can have a
wide-range of social implications, which will have both positive and negative
impacts on the Norwegian way of life. Like any other nation on earth, Norway is
primarily concerned with participating in the knowledge economy as a means of
protecting its national identity, economy, and empowering its citizenry.
Although their national policy was formally announced in 2000, much of the work
began in the 1990s. Norway has a very high standard of living; however their
economy is highly dependent upon petroleum and other natural resources. Norway has
recognized this dependency and is attempting to diversify their economy to
include information technology and other industries in the event that the
demand for natural resources changes.
As mentioned above, the
Norwegian government has identified information technology as a priority in an
attempt to become player in the knowledge economy. In 2000, the Norwegian
government established a national policy that concentrates on three basic
principles: Access, Knowledge, and Confidence. These three principles align
quite well with Norway’s national commitment to education which boasts a
remarkable 100%[1] literacy
rate. The first principle, network access, is meant to convey that citizens of
Norway will have access to information and technology. The second principle,
knowledge, refers to a commitment to empowering its citizenry with the
understanding of technology for the purpose of controlling its impact on each
and every Norwegian. The last principle, confidence, is meant to convey that
information and communications technology should be positive facilitator,
rather than a social hindrance or threat. These three principles are clearly
indicative of Norway’s persona, which is a mixture of welfare and capitalism.
3.2 Government
Plans
The Norwegian government formally
stated its national ICT policy through a program called eNorway. This policy is divided on five basic sectors[2] in
which to concentrate its efforts. They are the following:
·
Individual,
culture, and the environment
·
Education
·
Norwegian
Industries
·
Norway’s
Workforce
·
Government
Initiatives
3.2.1 Individual,
Culture, and the Environment
The Norwegian government
outlined the following initiatives in which to promote ICT among individuals,
culture, and the environment:
·
For Individuals:
Increase technology access and internet usage via publicly owned computers via
schools, cyber-cafes, and libraries. Promote ICT projects at all levels of the
private sector, thus increasing overall acceptance. Institute control
mechanisms to prevent harmful content. Utilize more technology in government
initiatives.
·
For Culture:
Prepare an updated language policy that accounts for the influences of ICT.
Digitize Norwegian cultural work into a national archive. Study the effect of
ICT on Norwegian culture. Promote public broadcasting to create, utilize, and
provide new services.
·
For the
Environment: Develop and promote internet-based environment information.
Develop Norwegian cultural databases. Promote the use of electronic interaction
to reduce waste in government.
3.2.2 Education
Norway has also laid out the
following education plan with the intent of promoting information technology
across all industry sectors:
·
Establish
national learning network among educational institutions in
·
Promote network-based
educational programs at all levels.
·
Implement reward
system for ICT educational institutions
·
Expand
environmental awareness via internet among Norwegians
·
Develop/Promote
ICT skill-sets among educators
·
Develop
public-private partnerships in the uses of ICT
3.2.3 Norwegian
Industries
The eNorway
national ICT program is design to promote technology across all industries, not
just in the ICT industry. However, by establishing leadership in ICT,
Norwegians can greatly control their own destinies. To facilitate ICT
leadership, the Norwegian government has decided to do the following:
·
Establish a ICT
friendly legal environment to promote competition
·
Improve security
of data and networks
·
Position Norway
as a test-bed ICT innovation and foreign direct investment
Again, with these end-goals
in mind, Norway has implemented an action plan to promote the ICT
industry. The following action plan is
scheduled to be completed by end of 2002:
·
Infrastructure:
Develop a terrestrial based, high speed infrastructure for new services.
Develop a broadband action plan. Investigate the linkage of Norway’s diplomatic
services.
·
Telecommunications:
Award 3G licenses.
·
Data Security:
Develop strategy for data integrity, reliability, and security.
·
E-commerce &
Communication: Establish self-regulating ICT organizations. Develop national
portal to interface with government services. Promote electronic based
commerce.
·
Research: Promote
the national ICT policy as an objective. Promote commercial application among
Norwegian ICT researchers.
·
Internationalization:
Develop policy for export ICT products and services.
3.2.4 Norway’s
Workforce
Fostering Norwegian
information and communications technology skill-sets are essential developing
an effective ICT workforce. Norway has designated the following three areas as
ways to promote ICT:
·
Develop highly
skilled domestic ICT workforce
·
Importing Labor
·
Promote ICT
throughout all industries and positions
3.2.5 Government
Initiatives
Norway sees it national ICT
strategy as having a tremendous impact on the public sector as well. The
accessibility of public services, whether it be information or transaction
processing, can have a positive impact upon the Norwegian quality of life. With this potential in mind, Norway
instituted the following plan:
·
Public
Administration: Develop electronic services (information and transaction
processing). Promote e-commerce as primary method for interfacing with public
services.
·
Health Sector:
Interconnect hospitals via broadband connections. Establish “telemedical services”. Establish rules for electronic
medical records. Promote the quality of clinical data to improve patient care.
Establish public portal for social and health information.
·
Transport Sector
(Shipping): Create nation policy for shipping industry. Work with EU
initiatives to improve/support transport sector