Technology is the operative word in the above phase. MTAG uses the word "technology" to represent the process by which governments convert tax dollars into citizen benefits. MTAG uses the word "technology" in its most fundamental meaning that includes today's "digital technology." The following is the fundamental meaning of the word "technology" which MTAG uses as it intends to communicate how it intends to deepen its analysis of government:

Technology is about solving problems and meeting needs in the real world. Technology broadly includes all products, processes, and systems as well as considering the environment required to develop, use and provide solutions to meet people's needs. Technology has five major characteristics:

• It is a form of human activity.

• It is essentially for practical ends and purposes.

• It involves exercising human freedom and responsibility, particularly in choosing problems and in design approaches; that is, it involves making choices in response to normative values.

• It ultimately involves forming and transforming the material world and not primarily the sphere of ideas, thought, or symbols.

• It is typically done with the aide of tools and procedures.

MTAG considers today's "digital technology" as one of the tools that will aide governments in delivering greater benefits to its residents per tax dollar.

© 2007 Midwest Technology Access Group, Inc. All rights reserved.