Global Positioning System Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 3
Whereness in the Future Digital
Networked Economy
This chapter concerns the motivation that leads to the provision and use of all the
elements that are involved in the business of Whereness. Later chapters consider
the technology in more depth, but here the perspective is customer and user wants
and needs and the businesses that might evolve to fulfill them. There are a number
of business models involved currently and there is reason to suppose there may be
many more, since most involve ideas that are evolving with some still in the
research phase.
In this chapter, the various business frameworks are discussed. The potential
is considered for Whereness to create a major impact and perhaps be a disruptive
technology, particularly as some business models may follow a more open and
less obviouse commercial framework. The digital networked economy (DNE), the
wider environment within which Whereness will exist, is described. More
specifically, related businesses and systems are also listed, all of which will have a
part to play. Whereness is fundamentally about convergence and integration.
The importance of the fundamental contexts of time, space, and identity is
discussed together with the need for personal profiles to manage trust issues.
Value-added services are often based on machine intelligence so four key
intelligent functions are presented, which are routing information geographically,
accounting values, route guidance, and controlling systems. The important issues
of autonomy, quality of service, privacy, and trust are discussed because these are
all part of successful service provision.
3.1
Convergence and Disruption
Technological convergence is now bringing together a number of domains that
have been largely separate until now. These include fixed and mobile
communications, geographical information systems (GIS), positioning, and
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