“Electronic information—public or private good?”

✍ Scribed by Deborah H. Streeter

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1988
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 567 KB
• Volume: 4
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0742-4477
• DOI: 10.1002/1520-6297(198801)4:1<39::aid-agr2720040106>3.0.co;2-s

✦ Synopsis

Private and public sector participants in the information systems business are struggling to define their appropriate roles. Two qualities of information goods can affect whether or not public goods characteristics dominate; the life span of the information and the analytic content of the material. Moreover, technological change can alter both qualities. Those goods with a short life span and high analytic content are more likely to be allocated efficiently by the private sector. However, the longer the life span of the information and the lower the analytic content, the more likely that public participation is appropriate. The case of AGNET, an on-line information system for farmers, is used to illustrate how technological change can facilitate the transition from public to private sector.