Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/63913
DIGITAL DIVIDE One of the most important missions of corporations, and all organizations with technological capacity, is to address the "digital divide"â that great gulf between those who have access to technology and those who do not. Bess Stephens, the director of philanthropy and education for Hewlett-Packard, headquartered in Palo Alto, California, believes that both businesses and communities can benefit if corporations invest in technological philanthropy, pro- viding computer equipment to those who have yet to benefit from the computer revolution. HP's pioneering work in philan- thropy and education is closely aligned with the company's vision to make technology and its benefits available to all. "Historically, education has been the centerpiece of our work in philanthropy," notes Stephens. "We're using a two-pronged approach, working to ensure that Kâ12 education is world-class and contributing to the development of a pipeline of diverse stu- dents who will be competitively eligible for higher education." For any corporation, taking steps to bridge the divide is not a wholly selfless act: Technology has become so ingrained in the operation of business that tomorrow's employees must be "dig- itally literate," Stephens says. Ignoring the large percentage of people without access to technological innovation threatens everyone's progress. Moreover, in the future, occupations that do not require computer education will be rare. Even jobs that focus on outside information services, such as those in the retail and food service industries, will require employees to be familiar with computers and other appliances, she stresses. "These devices and tools are products of the information age. Technology has become all-pervasive, and I don't anticipate a ILLUSTRATION: JAMES ENDICOTT BizEd NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2001 41