The Information Technology Revolution is probably the most important force shaping communities today. While some of the key forces behind the IT revolution are universal, the impacts on any given community will be unique, depending on its individual make up, economic structure, attributes and responses. Technology proves us with the ability to create, process and store information. (Martin 1995, p 33)

It can also be said that the world is experiencing a 'third industrial revolution'. This revolution is total, effecting all aspects of our lives. It is a move from collective to individual. (Castells 2000, p 28-35)

According to Castells, we are currently experiencing an IT Revolution just as there was an Agricultural Revolution and an Industrial Revolution. He compares the two and then contrasts it by saying that the industrial revolution was slower and localised where as the IT revolution was faster and global. (Castells 2000, p30 )

There is a shift from industrialism (mass production) to informationalism (flexible production). Rather than companies producing in huge volumes, they are beginning to adopt techniq

A growing number of companies and agencies are setting up remote satellite offices or neighbourhood Tele-centres, providing computing and telecommunications connections from a location close to where workers live. Tele-centres enable employees to reduce their commute-to-work distance, while avoiding the isolation of home-based work. Some Tele-centres are set up to serve a number of different companies. (Freeman, 1994)

The network society introduces new connections between the net as a whole and the individual self where there are continuous global flows of wealth, power and media images, the search for identity becomes acute and difficult. People look for identity and meaning in forms of collective association, which run counter to the diffuse and mobile communications of the network society. Often these tend to be archaic- a sort of refuge from the swirling chaos of the new order. People look for identity in the older forms of communal life, such as religion or ethnic community. (Castells 2000, p2-5)

Another important change enabled by information technology is "just-in-time delivery," an inventory management technique. Just-in-time delivery requires reliable, on-time delivery of inputs on an as-needed basis. With reduced inventory, companies can reduce their storage space requirements. Just-in-time is spreading from manufacturing to distribution to retail, even to hospitals and other institutions, suggesting a reduced need for bricks and mortar in carrying out these activities. (Castells 2000, p169-184)

These tensions express themselves in diverse social movements that aim to defend particular local identities against abstract politico-economic forces of globalisation.

Most of the major social institutions are becoming reorganised in network form. For instance, the economy now has become globalised and its substance consists of endlessly complex financial flows. The industrial corporation increasingly takes on the form of s network rather than a hierarchy of established offices. (Castells 2000, p45)

As technology is advancing Castells states that technology is neither good, bad nor is it neutral. Its good in terms of that we have more technology, which is more advanced and better for us. Its bad in terms of, environmental groups such as Green Peace may see technology as the source of problem. Reclaiming the streets will see cars/motor vehicles/refrigerators as a problem due to global warming, etc. And it is neutral in-terms that it has consequences on the way it is used. (Castells 2000, p 76)

ues, which customise products for individual need. In the westernised industrial world, Castells believes that producers have moved away from mass production to smaller volumes of individual needs. With the flexible forms of production in the west, mass production shifts to the less developed world. (Castells 2000, p166 & lec 3)

Castells argues that even though this form of capitalism is global, it is not planetary, many parts of the world are not connected. And it is not homogenous, as those who are connected don't have it the same way.

With the new communications technology it is possible to sustain close friendships across many thousands of miles.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

A new kind of organisation, the 'network enterprise', has arisen to operate in the global economy. The network enterprise is a virtual organisation composed of many different types of businesses and networks of firms, supported by information technology, doing business with each other. Each part o the network enterprise may have autonomous set of goals; the performance of the given enterprise will depend on how well it is connected, and how well the goals of the network components are consisted with the goals of the network enterprise itself. (Castells 2000, p187-188)

Some common words found in the essay are:
Revolution Castells, America Japan, Ernst IBM, Western Europe, Wallerstein World, Howard Rheingold, According Castells, Silicon Valley, Green Peace, Industrial Revolution, castells 2000, information technology, network society, martin 1995, freeman 1994, castells argues, global economy, information technology revolution, according castells, space flows, flows space, scale castells 2000, believes information technology, space flows space, martin 1995 p65-66,
Approximate Word count = 3744
Approximate Pages = 15 (250 words per page double spaced)