This document consist of the abstracts for two papers which considered the impact of information technologies on political and economic systems. The first paper, "The Political Repercussions of Transnational Corporate Information Systems" (Terry Curtis), argued that information technologies are the most recent in a series of…

Economic growth will be constrained by supplies of energy and raw materials. Natural resource ownership is shifting toward nationalization rather than foreign ownership. Energy prices and environmental awareness are forcing reevaluation of extracting and processing techniques. These developments will affect the industrial and social character of…

Education must address two critical needs of New York State's economic growth: the need to enhance the quality of the labor force and the need to promote technological innovation. The economy of New York has been shifting since the 1970's away from manufacturing and toward services and jobs involving advanced technology. Schools need to upgrade…

Discusses the relationship and contributions of research and development (R&D) to productivity growth in the United States. Focuses on the impacts of industrial R&D and presents study results on trends in productivity. (ML)

It has become necessary to understand the expected trends and forces-of-change behind the global realities of technological advancement and the information age. The emergence of a new information age societal framework is rapidly altering the way in which social, business, economic, educational, and political exchanges are conducted. Motivating…

There exists a question as to whether United States society and its agricultural system will continue to follow the long-term trend of Western civilization or move in a new direction. The "modernization trend" of Western civilization has 4 components: scientification of knowledge, secularization of human values, industrialization of…

Traces the decline in United States productivity growth since the late 1960's. Suggests that the failure to innovate, changing demographics, and disruptions to the economy (including oil price increases and inflation) are major contributors to the decline. Argues that American living standards will stagnate unless this trend is reversed. (TW)

Elements of the "American dream" are adequate housing, education for one's children, and a secure retirement. Economic growth has long been seen as a way to realize the dream. Recent data indicate that achieving the dream and succeeding in the labor market have become more difficult due to sluggish productivity growth, increased competition from…