The Information Society and the Welfare State
The Finnish Model

25/09/06

This book takes an international approach by discussing the information society and overall business environment of Finland. Known throughout the world for its successful companies and its exceptional rates of innovation, this volume discusses the country's total transformation in technology, corporate business and education. It creates a complete model of comparison to other economies. Finally, it discusses Finland's future challenges as well as what can be learned to enhance an existing society.

Access the first chapter in .pdf

Reviews

• '... this is an important piece of work that contains an impressive range of imformation about present-day Finland and it information society.' - Enterprise & Society
• '... discusses the lessons from both Nokia, and the Finnish Innovation model, for business and national technology policies. Essential reading for anyone with responsibilities in those areas - as well as being of interest to many general readers.' - Long Range Planning

Description

• First accessible study of the Finnish information society
• Analyses the factors that have produced world-leading IT companies
• Discusses Finland's 'virtuous cycle' between the information society and the welfare state
• An alternative to the Silicon Valley model of innovation and growth
• High-profile authors with international reputations

Silicon Valley has been considered as the model that societies must imitate to succeed in the information age. However, recently another alternative has attracted strong international interest: the Finnish model. This is equally dynamic in technological and economic terms, but combines the information society with the welfare state. The Information Society and the Welfare State is the first accessible academic study of what the Finnish model really is. The authors analyse the factors that have enabled Nokia to become the world's leading telecommunications company, for example, and Linux to become the biggest challenger to Microsoft in the operating systems market. They discuss the development of Nokia and the Finnish innovation model, with important lesssons for businesses and national technology policies.

However, the Finnish model's most radical and interesting feature is its attempt to combine technological and economic success with social justice and equality. The book shows how Finland has uniquely created a 'virtuous cycle' out of the information society and the welfare state: the successful information society makes the continued financing of the welfare state possible and the welfare state generates well-educated people in good shape for the information society's continued success.

This model has significant implications for all societies where policy debates about the information society and/or public policy are on the agenda. Ultimately, the Finnish model proves that there is no one model for the information age, but that there is room for different policies and values.

Readership: Academics and students at advanced undergraduate level and above across the social sciences, but in particular those studying business and management, information and communication technology (ICT), sociology, and politics; Professional: policy makers and planners, ICT professionals

Contents

Authors, editors, and contributors

Manuel Castells, Professor of Sociology and Professor of City and Regional Planning, University of California at Berkeley and
Pekka Himanen, Director, Berkeley Information Society Research Center