As individuals and business owners we experience incessant reminders from the media that we are in a new information age spawned by rapid advances in telecommunications technology and, of course, the Internet. Paradoxically, this new ability to generate and disseminate information exponentially at the speed of light along with the associated hype has overwhelmed a great majority of the public. We can now generate information on an order of magnitude but haven’t increased our reading speed to keep pace.

Unfortunately, this information overload, the swarm of options and services, and the equally difficult jargon make it a daunting task to plot a course. Although adjusting to new information technology may appear to be a challenges (we all adjusted to the facsimile machine didn’t we?) it is important that we move in that direction with whichever means available. A recent survey of business users by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Telecommunications Infrastructure Task Force (100 member companies) surveyed 6,500 chamber members nationwide and assessed that the "demand" or business user side of the reform of our information infrastructure has been woefully misrepresented while the supply side has dictated the tempo and direction.. This is a fundamental deficit for any strategic initiatives to create a national information infrastructure, let alone leaving anything for the small businesses (<100) which comprise the majority of chamber memberships. A resounding 95% of the survey’s respondents felt that a national information network was important to compete globally ("The Business Users’ Perspective On the National Information Infrastructure," Ernst & Young report for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 1995)

A business community that has a strong information technology consciousness enhances its economic well-being in a couple of ways. Competition in the national and global marketplace runs along supporting communications networks in order to close distances between buyer and seller. Significant cost savings can be realized from the speed of these networks.

Secondly, if we want to establish our community as a desirable place to locate a business, we must have the appearances and substance to support it in order to compete with other areas. And many other communities are advancing in this area. So it is imperative that we modernize if we want to stay competitive.

Thirdly, a strong information infrastructure that is accessible by the business community as well as the general public supports communications, partnering opportunities, job sourcing, knowledge of business assistance programs, and can minimize administrative overhead (especially with electronic mail).

Lastly, but related to the other three is the impact of information technology on economic development The rules for success in economic development are changing because the rules are changing in business. In the past, keys factors for attracting businesses were size, location, transportation, and access to capital. These are being replaced under the new rules for success by knowledge, networks, communications, and strategic alliances (Dean F. Whittaker, "Economic Development In The New Information Economy" Economic Development Review). These new rules emphasize empowering businesses and the workforce with the ability to link with other businesses in networked collaborative efforts.

The National Information Infrastructure Task Force established programs to help local communities elevate their information infrastructures. One program, the Telecommunications Information Infrastructure Assistance Program, awarded $36 million dollars in matching grants for 1996 to help communities in this process. Additionally, the task force will soon issue a community program called Kickstart which is an outline of steps that communities can take to help themselves. Toward this end an Information Technology task force was created in the Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce to support growth in the information age for the members.

By drawing upon the experience of the knowledgeable business base as core committee members and pursuing state and federal support programs we will hopefully be able to take a significant step towards modernizing the way we do business and serve as a model for community development. This year should be an exciting one for "plugging in the Land of AHHHZ".

This article was published in the February 1996 issue of Coastlines, a publication for the Fort Walton Beach (FL) Chamber of Commerce courtesy of the Daily News.

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