Mobile E-Work to Support Regional and Rural Communities

Abstract

Telework, or e-work as it is now more frequently called in Europe, means working outside one’s regular workplace, utilising sophisticated ICT. E-work is an alternative form of organising work, a “love child” of the information society. E-work manifests itself in numerous forms and modes. These various solutions emerge as an evolutionary process along with the technological developments, economic pressures, and changes in socio-cultural patterns such as new information- age lifestyles (e.g., Castells, 1996; Heinonen, 2000). E-work can be carried out at home, in a telework centre or at any other facility. It can also be done as a mobile mode on a train, bus or some other vehicle, as well as at airports, railways and bus stations-in other words on the move from one place to another. Such mobile e-work is primarily increasing, owing to technological and social developments. ICT has become smaller in size, more portable and more efficient.