ABSTRACT
In recent years the emergence of the so-called information society has been high on the political agenda of Western countries. Their governments are convinced that the information society will result in economic and social benefits. Information infrastructures are expected to stimulate economic growth, increase productivity, create jobs, and improve the quality of life (OECD, 1996). Even when the need for structural adjustment are forecast in the face of the diffusion of information and communication technologies (ICT), it is assumed that a full-fledged equitable Information Society is only a matter of increased investment and continuous innovation (Mansell and Silverstone, 1996).
