Preface to the Focus Theme Section: 'Inclusive ICT Business'

Inclusive ICT business can be defined as doing business with ICT-enabled products and services that are aimed at or take into account the market of persons at risk of social or economic exclusion. These persons include many elderly people, persons with disabilities, groups with a low income or education among whom a growing number of marginalized youngsters, persons living in remote locations or in disadvantaged parts of the world, and also many immigrants and cultural minorities. These groups comprise an important part of the population in the world in general. Even if we limit ourselves to developed economies it is estimated that about 30–40% of the population is at risk of social or economic exclusion combined with digital exclusion. Even though per capita income for many of these persons is less than that of the average of the population, aggregate spending power is significant. For example, elderly people represent in terms of income and accumulated wealth in Europe alone some J3tn ($4.5tn). ICT is increasingly important or even essential for the daily life of these persons: to receive education; to find work; to run a small business; for entertainment; to continue living independently in old age; and for social contact. Indeed, many of the ‘excluded’ are avid ICT users in particular of mobile phones. Generally, however, they tend to lag behind in access to and use of the Internet and in the depth of usage of ICT for personal advancement, i.e. there is a considerable digital divide. A 2007 report by the European Commission found that social/economic exclusion tends to reinforce digital exclusion and viceversa. Breaking that vicious cycle is an important public policy objective. Despite the apparent potential the question is whether there really is a ‘market’ for inclusive ICT business? Are companies interested and actively addressing this market? And are products and services technologically feasible? Tentatively the answers to these questions are positive, though with caveats. As regards the demand side there are conceptual challenges to define, classify, understand and segment the ‘market’. As regards the supply side there are technological, design and marketing challenges to provide fitfor-use, marketable products and services. There is the challenge to establish viable business models involving the many parties that may make up the value chain. This can be additionally complicated by social or health rules and regulations. And C op yr ig h t 2 0 0 8 El ec tr on ic M ar ke ts