Cover: Europe, Competing
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Europe, Competing

Market Prospects, Business Needs and Technological Trends for Virtual, Smart Organisations in Europe

by Caroline S. Wagner, Maarten Botterman, Erik Feijen, Lars Schmidt, Steve Simmons, Christian van't Hof, Jonas Svava Iverson, Leander van Laerhoven

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The information and communication revolution has shifted the landscape on which business operates. With the current speed of change uncertainties multiply and the competitive landscape becomes increasingly complex. Out of the marriage of global markets, ICT, and competitiveness, the so-called virtual, smart organisation (VSO) has emerged. The VSO builds a network based on the best use of information technologies. This includes the use of the Internet for bidding, ordering, and tracking product, for monitoring service delivery, and checking on consumer satisfaction. It also includes the application of software and data management for internal corporate operations that free up human capital to focus on creative, innovation solutions to business problems. In order to better understand business-to-business VSO operations in Europe, this report presents the results of expert interviews and case studies to explore why and how organisations “go smart” and/or “virtual,” and what role government could play in creating a more favourable environment to enable competitiveness.

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The research described in this report was conducted by RAND Europe in collaboration with the Danish Technology Institute and Addico Cornix, UK.

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