The apropriation of information and communication technologies in the Portuguese society

Abstract

Nowadays telecommunications are gradually becoming the central infrastructure tying together our society, but in what concrete ways are the progressive digitalization of services/information transforming and readjusting institutions practices and citizens behaviors and attitudes? To answer this question, this paper intends to discuss about the evolving way of the use and appropriation of information and communication technologies (ICT’s) in Portuguese society. With reference to the use and appropriation of ICT’s by public administration (central and local institutions) and firms, we will try to present how these technologies have been promoting organizational changes, as well as a qualitative evaluation about the contents and online services provided by their websites. Concerning families and citizens, our evaluation will be focusing in discovering the profile of ICT users, frequency, places and main motives to use internet and email.