Little by little Web 2.0 movement is being approached by theory and empirical data. As an example of empirical data approachs, OECD has launched Participative Web and User-Created Content. Web 2.0, wikis and social networking

The concept of the “participative web” is based on an Internet increasingly influenced by intelligent web services that empower users to contribute to developing, rating, collaborating and distributing Internet content and customising Internet applications. As the Internet is more embedded in people’s lives users draw on new Internet applications to express themselves through “user-created content” (UCC).

This study describes the rapid growth of UCC, its increasing role in worldwide communication and draws out implications for policy. Questions addressed include: What is user-created content? What are its key drivers, its scope and different forms? What are new value chains and business models? What are the extent and form of social, cultural and economic opportunities and impacts? What are associated challenges? Is there a government role and what form could it take?

These kind of initiatives help us to a better understanding of Web 2.0 phenomenon and to analyse in what way and in what measure the ICT’s, especially the Internet, are appropriated by the current social structure, the Network Society.

Juan Freire has saved one bookmark in his delicious an application called Maplecroft Maps

Maplecroft maps is a highly visual, web-based resource which contains detailed country information for over 200 states and maps key social, economic, environmental and political issues and their significance to business and society.

This innovative tool is designed to raise awareness amongst corporations, government and non-governmental organisations, academics, students and the general public of how an organisation’s operations interact with wider society, and how the risks and opportunities generated can be responsibly managed through stakeholder engagement and partnership.

For each specific issue, the map features:

• A unique index – designed by Maplecroft, measuring the global distribution of risk and opportunity;

• Country shading – illustrating the pervasiveness and risk ranking of the issue being mapped;

• In-depth analysis – emphasising the importance of each issue and its impacts and significance to business and society in general;

• Traffic light system – indicating whether the indicators relevant to the issue have increased, decreased or remained the same as in previous years;

• Hotspots – highlighting endemic risk within a country in respect of specific issues;

• Flashpoints – highlighting particular incidences of risk in respect of specific issues;

• Spotlights on business engagement – highlighting engagement by business in respect of managing specific issues;

• Case studies – positive and negative examples of how companies have managed the challenges that they have faced.

The interactive map tool itself is regularly updated with new features to make it easier and more enjoyable to use – learning must be a pleasure. New issues are added to the tool at regular intervals, as well as enhancements and updates to existing issues, adding depth by incorporating new research, data, case studies and policy developments as they become available.

This application includes maps with relevant information - index related to many issues (including Health & Safety and Education) but as a private profit initiative you have to pay for the resources. Would it be possible to construct those kinds of applications in a collaborative and open content project? Is open collaboration possible at such a scale? Should international organizations lead or fund those kinds of initiatives and make them open?

Improving health is a key concern of OECD societies, as it can contribute to higher economic growth and improved welfare.

OCDE Observer

The OECD Observer magazine presents concise, up-to-date and authoritative analysis of crucial world economic, social and environmental issues. Since 1962 it has been keeping policymakers, business people, NGOs, researchers and journalists ahead of the policy debate. It is a catalyst for new discussion and ideas, and a source of key data.

has published “Health care: Towards quality performance” remind us the importance of quality performance in health care taking into account:

Two prospects seem certain to influence health care policy in the years ahead: costs, which are set to rise due to technology and ageing populations; and public demand, as older populations expect ever better outcomes from their health care services.

and:

Right now, such are the gaps in national reporting on data that meaningful, constructive answers to these questions are hard to give. That is why quality measurement is finding greater prominence on national agendas for monitoring and reporting, and is even mandated by some legislatures. Some countries have to improve health care for specific subpopulations, but lack the tools of measurement and analysis to assure delivery of quality care across regions or groups.

So the author remarks:

As data is gathered and updated, more lessons will be learned, more gaps plugged and new telling patterns revealed.

The OCDE has developed Health Working Papers, to make available to a wider readership health studies prepared for use within the OECD, and Health Technical Papers, to make available to a wider readership methodological studies and statistical analysis presenting and interpreting new data sources, and empirical results and developments in methodology on measuring and assessing health care and health expenditure.

OCDE Health Working Papers No.22 and No.23 address quality indicators project. As ICT and its consequences on health information systems seem key topics to gather and share information among agents. May we pay attention to develop indicators related with those topics? I have identified the e-Business W@tch Iniciative (but isn’t it too market-oriented?) and SIBIS (Statistical Indicators Benchmarking the Information Society)

We can also learn from the ancient China:

In ancient China wealthy emperors paid their doctors only when they were well, and penalised them when they fell ill. Being sick simply meant the medicine was not working, being well meant that the doctor was doing his job. A healthy outcome was the goal.

The World Health Organization (WHO) created in 2005 the Global Observatory for eHealth (GOe)

As its initial task it carried out the first global survey on eHealth. The survey covered seven key themes in the eHealth domain and one of these is the subject of this report which summarizes the needs for eHealth tools and services of the WHO Member States and their expectations from the WHO Secretariat as expressed in the survey. It is targeted at policy makers, eHealth practitioners, researchers, and academics.

Recently, the GOe has published Connecting for Health: Global Vision, Local Insight

This report brings together statistics from United Nations agencies measuring demographics, health and information and communication technologies(ICT), providing a profile of each WHO Member State’s health and ICT diffusion and a reference for policy and research.

This report could be considered as the first step taken by WHO to develop a framework of indicators to mesure the Network Society in Health.