Coordination between government and industry in the establishment
of information policies and technical standards is necessary if the US is to
be an international leader in information trade. Several key areas that influence
US international competitiveness in information services trade are discussed,
along with options for enhancing US trade competitiveness. These include: 1.
federal research and development (R&D) policies for high technology, 2.
tariff and nontariff barriers to US information trade, 3. US economic assistance
programs for developing nations, 4. federal regulatory and legislative actions,
5. technology transfer policies, and 6. the development of standards for information
technology compatibility. US R&D support must be coordinated with trade
support through: 1. appropriate regulatory and legislative actions, 2. trade
and technology transfer policies that protect and strengthen US firms' competitive
advantages, 3. active participation in information standards-setting processes,
and 4. the development of foreign markets for US information products.