From the abstract: "Over the past several
years, Google has partnered with a number of thought leaders to evaluate and
quantify the Internet’s impact on the broader macro-economy. Our work has
demonstrated that the Internet has a truly phenomenal impact on economic
activity and opportunity, contributing to 21% of GDP growth across the G-20
from 2005-2010. However, since 2008 the global economy has fallen into a state
of malaise. GDP growth is slowing worldwide and employment is stagnating as we
enter a period some are calling “muddling through.” There is widespread
recognition that neither a fiscal stimulus nor a prolonged period of austerity
will truly remedy the situation. We believe there remain untapped opportunities
to innovate across a range of critical macroeconomic activities by applying
core characteristics of the Internet, which has been a source of such
astounding innovation in the past decade. What we propose here will not be a
panacea for our current economic ills, but by embracing the Innovation Stimulus
Agenda we outline, we believe policymakers can move the economic needle in
meaningful, positive and sustainable ways." Read more
