ABSTRACT
One of the defining characteristics of the late twentieth century phase of economic and social development is the emergence in many countries of a strong interplay between globalisation and localisation forces. The emergence of new information processing and exchange technologies, new corporate organisational models, and a shift towards a less interventionist role for the state has tended to accelerate the transformation of economies and societies in a way that leads to sharp divisions between those who are and those who are not equipped to adapt to the new circumstances. As state-level bureaucracies seek to adapt to the global forces by becoming more centralised in policy formulation and implementation, there are large numbers of people who are unable to participate, and end up becoming socially excluded.
