A provocative set of essays exploring how we can best take advantage of digital technology to help solve some of the UK's biggest social and economic challenges.

Key findings

• The essays in this collection were commissioned as ‘provocations’, in the hope of provoking readers into action. The areas covered include education, entrepreneurship, healthcare, climate change, democracy and public policy.
• Taken as a whole, they create a strong sense that Britain is at a fork in the road. In each case the author conveys a sense of urgency about the need to re-imagine, re-invest and re-invigorate our economy and society.
• However, the underlying message is optimistic - while the UK is facing huge challenges, there are also huge opportunities to do things differently and create positive change.

It is no secret that we live in a time of great challenge – the economic downturn, heavily constrained public finances and trust in our political classes at an all-time low. In the UK right now we need radical innovation like never before.

Digital technologies – and the networks that they power – provide us with opportunities that we did not have even five years ago. Introduced and edited by Diane Coyle, Reboot Britain is a provocative set of essays that explores how we can best take advantage of

the growing culture of online participation and exciting new digital tools.

Nesta’s Attacking the Recession report published earlier this year outlined measures to support a more dynamic and resilient economy. Inspired by this work, Reboot Britain asks an important question of all of us in this digital age: given the unprecedented challenges we face, how can we best overcome them by harnessing the unique tools now at our disposal?

Authors

Various, introduction and overview by Diane Coyle