I don't doubt that these things are happening at least marginally, but does this constitute a "revolution" similar in importance as the industrial revolution in the 19th century or the corporate revolution in the 20th century. If information is of economic value and the new technology allows firms to control that information and thus alter the structure of the firm and the subsequent social relations, it is still not clear where that is going. Shifting the risk on to the workers is not new. Sometimes it is easier to do that others. The problem is that if information is decentralised and readily accessable with the new technology what then is the basis of the firm. A monopoly on capital? a monopoly on information? Will Bill Gates and this peers succeed in controling the new technology or will it slip their grasps. Evidence can be marshalled for either tendency. Perhaps the development of Linux will prove to be a revolutionary act of significance. Perhaps not. Peter Dorman wrote: >I have a theory about the info-rev and the changing structure of firms. >I won't go into the reasons (too long), but the main points are: > >1. Firms exist primarily to internalize and utilize nonprice >information. Jim Devine wrote: They also internalize other external benefits -- and they profit by find ways of externalizing internal costs, as shown by recent shifts to management techniques relying more and more on worker turnover (as opposed to job security, tenure, etc.), so that workers bear more and more of the risk. Rod Hay [EMAIL PROTECTED] The History of Economic Thought Archives http://socserv2.mcmaster.ca/~econ/ugcm/3ll3/index.html Batoche Books http://www.abebooks.com/home/BATOCHEBOOKS/ ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
