| In the information industry, as in any | | | | technologies and some support that Iraq and |
| commercial industry, the one that sets the | | | | Afghanistan will be soon able to export |
| price has the ultimate responsibility of | | | | minds, not products. The interesting part is |
| directing attention, while focusing on | | | | that these new markets, have already found |
| minimizing costs and maximizing returns. | | | | willing buyers whose interests are directed |
| Traditionally this role and the control it | | | | by the same controlling power from which |
| entailed belonged to the corporation. In | | | | private corporations have benefited in the |
| recent years, the customer has realized the | | | | past. The United States offers the training |
| purchase power entailed to the individual's | | | | to the gifted elite of these underdeveloped |
| role and has evolved from the ultimate firm's | | | | countries, whose minds will work later as |
| target to a valuable mechanism of the overall | | | | inside agents for U.S. national interests. |
| distribution channel. | | | | These brighter people will in turn educate |
| | | | others so as to continue to produce for the |
| Today people exchange goods and information | | | | huge target markets of the developed world. |
| via alternative markets like the Internet, | | | | This is an interesting outcome of a series of |
| over special host-sites like e-Bay, or even | | | | events. The country that sets this new |
| through spam. This newly adopted reality | | | | network will be the one that will benefit the |
| regarding the emerging role of customer's | | | | most, like in the case of the first-comer |
| control over the distribution process even | | | | benefits of the Venice commercial era. New |
| for otherwise meaningless commodities, has | | | | networks, outsourcing and national economic |
| added value to the process itself while | | | | outcomes will foster this change and create a |
| eliminating cost related issues from the | | | | fertile ground upon which new emergences will |
| sender to the receiver. This challenging new | | | | take place. |
| category of exchange has created a new demand | | | | |
| of capable consumer networks in order to host | | | | These blurred boundaries between production, |
| new needs and take over control from the | | | | distribution and consumption have released a |
| otherwise powerful corporations. At the same | | | | new dynamic principle that genuinely |
| time, the vast market of everyday Internet | | | | challenges present generations and |
| users has shifted the information | | | | contemporary markets. Since the issue remains |
| distribution channel further, to the point | | | | maximization of profits and control, |
| where open systems are becoming a new trend | | | | international relations are in the viewfinder |
| and information is valued separately and over | | | | of national attempts to decrease trade |
| the actual product or service offered. | | | | barriers and increase interconnection. The |
| | | | emerging network interdependencies, fostered |
| In the new agenda of the Department of State, | | | | by the major positive externalities that have |
| another market shift has already created a | | | | been recognized by the industry's |
| new segment for the U.S. corporations, where | | | | professionals, have created new systems of |
| the service in quest is that of cheap | | | | distribution where the seller is at the same |
| computer programming. Countries like China | | | | time the buyer and the processor of the |
| and India, of great economic importance for | | | | requested information. Consequently, the |
| the U.S. national interests, have already | | | | issue now remains which are the key market |
| assigned themselves as the new users and at | | | | objectives of this emerging networked |
| the same time future developers of innovative | | | | environment. |