The rapid growth of electronic commerce, along with changes in information, computing, and communications, is having a profound effect on the United States economy. President Clinton recently directed the National Economic Council, in consultation with executive branch agencies, to analyze the economic implications of the Internet and electronic commerce domestically and internationally, and to consider new types of data collection and research that could be undertaken by public and private organizations.This book contains work presented at a conference held by executive branch agencies in May 1999 at the Department of Commerce. The goals of the conference were to assess current research on the digital economy, to engage the private sector in developing the research that informs investment and policy decisions, and to promote better understanding of the growth and socioeconomic implications of information technology and electronic commerce. Aspects of the digital economy addressed include macroeconomic assessment, organizational change, small business, access, market structure and competition, and employment and the workforce.

National Information Infrastructure Initiatives includes adozen case studies analyzing how national-level policy initiatives address the challenge of information technology, interactive content, and new applications, as well as the "information superhighway." Despite the global nature of the Information Revolution, most policies for information infrastructure are developed at the national level. These national policies reflect local economic, social, historical, and political circumstances and exhibit remarkable differences in vision, policy design, and implementation strategy. In general, they reflect the reality that private sector will play the leading role in developing the new infrastructure. National Information Infrastructure Initiatives includes a dozen case studies analyzing how national-level policy initiatives address the challenge of information technology, interactive content, and new applications, as well as the "information superhighway." These contributions examine the interplay of issues in different sectors, including telecommunications, broadcasting, publishing, and information technology. The national cases are supplemented with studies of regional and international initiatives that push and pull on national policies.