Map Middle East Conference
Dubai, U.A.E., April 2005
Geospatial Information and
the Knowledge Economy
Dr. David Coleman
Dean, Faculty of Engineering
University of New Brunswick
CANADA
Map Middle East Conference
Dubai, U.A.E., April 2005
The Knowledge Economy
Using knowledge to produce economic
benefits
Map Middle East Conference
Dubai, U.A.E., April 2005
Measuring the Knowledge
Economy
Map Middle East Conference
Dubai, U.A.E., April 2005
Characteristics & Indicators
•IT Employment
•Education Levels
Knowledge Jobs
Globalization
Economic Dynamism and Competition
Transformation to a Digital Economy
Technological Innovation Capacity
•Export Orientation
•Foreign Investment
•No. of Fast-Growing Firms
•Start-ups & Turnovers•% of Population On-line
•Technology in Schools
•# “.com” companies, etc.
•Scientists/Engineers
in Workforce
•Patents issued
•Industry Investment
•Venture Capital
Map Middle East Conference
Dubai, U.A.E., April 2005
Spatial Data Infrastructure
-- Generations
Stage 1 (1960-1980)
Stage 2 (1975-1995)
Stage 3 (1985-2000)
Stage 4 (circa 1998 onwards)
•First uses of computers in surveying,
mapping and land administration
•Emphasis on Information Society
•Strong interest in integration and
cooperation
•First commercial digital mapping
& GIS software packages
•Emphasis on data collection
•Interest in loading databases
temporarily reduces interest in
integration and cooperation
•GIS applications development
•First land information networking projects
•Internet Explosion
•Renewed interest in data sharing and
institutional issues
•Early SDI initiatives
TODAY…
•Data-rich environment in more
developed nations, with focus on next
generation of data discovery an locationbased
services
•Interoperability and standardized products
•E-commerce, E-government and
E-governance
•Growing concerns over “Digital Divide”
between Rich vs.Poor ; Urban vs. Rural
Map Middle East Conference
Dubai, U.A.E., April 2005
Contributions
Geospatial
Information
The
Knowledge
Economy
Map Middle East Conference
Dubai, U.A.E., April 2005
Contributions of GI to the
Knowledge Economy
Criteria Contribution
Knowledge Jobs High tech employment in remote sensing, mapping
and surveying hardware; software development; IT
consulting; application development; geospatial
data collection; and project/program management.
Globalization Companies in Europe, North America and Australia
are partnering with IT and mapping firms in India,
China and elsewhere to take advantage of a highly
qualified workforce prepared to work at very
competitive rates of pay.
Map Middle East Conference
Dubai, U.A.E., April 2005
Contributions of GI to the
Knowledge Economy
Criteria Contribution
Economic
Dynamism and
Competition
SDI evolution encourages creation and growth of new
high-technology companies:
Stage 1 and Stage 2 -- New hardware, software and
data collection firms to support government mapping
and data collection projects.
Stage 3 -- Focus shifts to IT consulting firms as interest
increases in data maintenance, enterprise GIS; data
distribution and interoperable systems.
Stage 4 -- Emphasis on applications development,
specialized data collection, and location based services.
Map Middle East Conference
Dubai, U.A.E., April 2005
Contributions of GI to the
Knowledge Economy
Criteria Contribution
Transformation
to a Digital
Economy
Real property information component now driving
applications in E-Government.
Data related to address-matched road networks driving
applications in Location-Based Services and
E-Commerce.
Technological
Innovation
Capacity
New capital investments and returns from intellectual
property tend to be focused on geospatial firms
involved in hardware / software development, locationbased
services, and situations where the firm has a
monopoly on management and distribution of key
datasets.
Map Middle East Conference
Dubai, U.A.E., April 2005
Contributions
Geospatial
Information
The
Knowledge
Economy
Map Middle East Conference
Dubai, U.A.E., April 2005
“It is people who will shape the
future, not machines or capital.”
- His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Map Middle East Conference
Dubai, U.A.E., April 2005
Optimistic, success-oriented,
conservative
Civic1981 - 2000?Millennials
Spiritual awakening; Beginnings of
global awareness; Aiming to ‘carry
things forward’
Idealistic1943 - 1960Baby-Boomers
Flexible; sensitive to diversity (told
by parents during WW2 ‘Stay out of
the way, we’re busy’).
Adaptive1925 - 1942Silent
Generation
Responded to social crisis (WW2);
Focussed on common good,
community, and “rebuilding the
world”.
Civic1901 - 1924GI Generation
CommentsCharacteristicBorn
between…
Generation
Title
- from work by Neil Howe and William Strauss
Cynical, pragmatic, questioningReactive1961 - 1981Generation X
Map Middle East Conference
Dubai, U.A.E., April 2005
The “Millennial Students” now
moving into the Workplace
 Based on the research of Neil Howe and William Strauss.
 Newest books –Millennials Rising – the Next Great
Generation and Millennials Go to College:
Strategies for a New Generation on Campus
 “The Millennials say they want to use technology. They
want to use the web as a means to access information
and one another.They want to work on solving problems
that matter and they want to do this in collaborative
teams.”
Map Middle East Conference
Dubai, U.A.E., April 2005
The Millennial Generation
Sociable, optimistic, talented, well-educated,
collaborative, open-minded, influential, and
achievement-oriented.
Have always felt sought after, needed,
indispensable.
Arriving in the workplace with higher
expectations than any generation before them.
Well-connected -- if an employer doesn’t match
their expectations, they can tell thousands of
their colleagues with one click of the mouse.
[Raines, 2002]
Map Middle East Conference
Dubai, U.A.E., April 2005
Unlike any other youth
generation in living memory….
Most “structured” -- involved in organized
activities since the age of 3
More affluent and better educated
More ethnically diverse
Accompanied by “Parent Advocates”
Manifesting a new array of positive social habits:
teamwork, achievement, modesty, good conduct
Map Middle East Conference
Dubai, U.A.E., April 2005
The Millennials…
Challenge our perceptions re self-sufficiency
and self-direction
Have difficulty managing time, making good
choices
Highly competitive yet cooperative
More confident and optimistic about their
future
Have high expectations re: service & quality
Map Middle East Conference
Dubai, U.A.E., April 2005
The Millennials…
Are trusting and accept authority
Follow rules -- juvenile crime rates down.
Want independence, yet display dependence
Looking for a “quick fix” to every problem.
“Drive-through mentality” – Things must be
quick, easy to access, and “anonymous”.
Map Middle East Conference
Dubai, U.A.E., April 2005
Implications to Future
Geospatial Services?
Must be…
Quick
Anonymous
Authoritative
Delivered “Just-in-Time” (“Use it and lose it”)
Easy to share on-line with friends and
colleagues.
Map Middle East Conference
Dubai, U.A.E., April 2005
Changes in On-Line Usage
Behaviour
Transaction based approaches
to discovery, access and online
usage of geospatial and
associated attribute data
Data
Usage
Data Access
Off-line On-line
Off -
line
On-
line
Type I Behavior
Data ordering by mail, fax
or telephone for use on
customer’s computer
Type II Behavior
Data files accessed online
downloaded and used on
customer’s computer
Type III Behavior
Transaction based
approaches to discovery,
access and on-line usage
of geospatial and
associated attribute data
Map Middle East Conference
Dubai, U.A.E., April 2005
QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (LZW) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Expecting Authoritative Data
Map Middle East Conference
Dubai, U.A.E., April 2005
QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (LZW) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Geocoding and Sharing
Experiences
Map Middle East Conference
Dubai, U.A.E., April 2005
Geospatial Information &
the Knowledge Economy
Are current SDI services oriented to continue
affecting Knowledge Economy Indicators?
Will the “look and feel” of SDI services change as
expectations of Millennial Generation begin to
dominate the market?
What indicators will determine the success or
failure of SDI over the next 10 years?
Roles of Government as SDI evolves?
Map Middle East Conference
Dubai, U.A.E., April 2005