Dear member of the Open Economies community,

We would appreciate your help.  As you know, with your input and that of others, we are developing a framework for policy, regulatory and legal ways to help bridge the digital divide.  Many of these ways involve promoting "digital entrepreneurship."  Our evolving framework is reflected in a report that we are just now circulating, in draft form.  A copy of this Open Economies draft report, "Entrepreneurship and Innovation: Moving Forward from the Genoa Plan of Action" is available here for your consideration and comment.  The report focuses specifically on how to use government policy action to support digital entrepreneurship and "smart business" as a way to promote economic, social and environmental development.

We would value your comments on the report.  Comments can be sent by automatic reply to this message, and will be posted to other members of the community.  Alternatively, feel free to contact me directly at jmoore@cyber.law.harvard.edu.

Thanks very much!

 Jim Moore

The report is viewable in PDF format or in low-bandwidth html format.  We would appreciate your comments on the report, especially addressing the following questions:

1. Overall, does this report seem to capture the most important government policy, regulatory and legal enablers of digital entrepreneurship in the developing world?

2. Do the recommendations appear actionable and likely to be effective?

3.  In the developing countries you know, which specific recommendations could be most helpful?  How might these be best implemented?

The background of the report is as follows:

The Digital Opportunity Task (DOT) Force sponsored by the G8 Group of nations has over the past year become an important place for dialogue about closing the digital divide among leaders from business, non-profit and non-governmental organizations, and governments from around the world. The action recommendations of the DOT Force are outlined in the "Genoa Plan of Action" introduced in its Summit report of May 2001.

The DOT Force met most recently on October 8-10, 2001 in Montreal, Canada to plan to move actively ahead. Representatives traveled from all over the world for the meeting, and expressed great good will and excitement about moving forward together. As part of the DOT Force process, the business sector of the United States submitted a draft series of policy and regulatory recommendations prepared by a team led by Open Economies, and reflecting a large range of input from our friends and colleagues.  This is the report enclosed, "Entrepreneurship and Innovation: Moving Forward from the Genoa Plan of Action".

The table of contents for the report is as follows:

Executive Summary.. 1

I. Introduction.. 3

II. A Framework for Action.. 4

III. The Open Economies Approach.. 5

IV. From Strategy to Action.. 7

Actions to support Smart Development. 7

A. Balance ICT Investment with Non-ICT Spending for Basic Needs. 8

B. Build Political & Administrative Capacity to Lead  an Innovation Economy. 10

C. Support New Local Business Formation. 13

D. Enable Trans-National Involvement in Local Industry. 15

E. Strengthen Developing Countries International Negotiation Capacity. 16

F. Develop Local Production Capacity for Digital Goods & Services. 18

G. Reduce the Costs of Being a Global Digital Business. 20

H. Pilot Programs & Technologies for Entrepreneurship & Trade. 22

I. Encourage Education for Entrepreneurship. 23

Appendix One - The DOT Force Action Plan (Summary) 24