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Telearbeit in der postindustriellen Gesellschaft Wüstenrot Stiftung (Editor) Ifo Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung Kurt Vogler-Ludwig (Director) With contributions by: Karin Behring, Nicola Düll, Angela Franke, Herbert Hofmann, Klaus Kiemer, Wolfgang Meyerle, Jörg Schneider ISBN 3-17-016087-7 © Kohlhammer Verlag Stuttgart 2000 DM 44,-

Computer networks are growing at an extraordinary rate and are going to change the world of labour. The location of a business is less important than its access to ICT networks and its presentation in the internet. The attractiveness of the cities as information exchange is vanishing.

A comprehensive study for the Stiftung Wüstenrot analysed the consequence of computer networking from different viewpoints:

• the impact on the organisation of work
• the effects on traffic and environment
• the consequences for housing construction
• the changes of spatial relocation of business activities

The study came to the conclusion that the conditions for a take-off of teleworking are very favourable. Teleworking will not only grow at high rates, it will also relocate activities from the congested and expensive cities to the rural areas where rents and housing prices are much lower and living is cheaper. This trend will exert its impact rather slowly due to the long depreciation periods of housing investments.

Teleworking will certainly contribute to the erosion of the standard working contracts for full-time dependent employees. Contract work and virtual firms will be fostered by this type of work organisation.

(Summary in German for Download)