scholarly journals Technological Innovation and the Power of Leapfrogging

2021 ◽  
pp. 221-247
Author(s):  
Jakkie Cilliers

AbstractTechnological innovation and the notion of leapfrogging are imperative to Africa’s future and will shape development on the continent in ways that are difficult to anticipate. However, the impact of the shale and tight oil revolution in the USA demonstrates the potential of new technologies to leapfrog aspects of traditional development. This is most likely in the renewable energy space provided the challenges associated with energy storage can be overcome. Already the uptake of mobile phones and the internet have brought financial services to millions and mobile telephony is at the forefront of social change in Africa. Building on the example of what is happening in Ghana that was explored in Chapter 10.1007/978-3-030-46590-2_9, this chapter models the impact of a Leapfrogging scenario.

2001 ◽  
Vol 33 (8) ◽  
pp. 1371-1384 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Willis ◽  
J Neill Marshall ◽  
Ranald Richardson

The authors examine the impact of the remote delivery of financial services on the branch network of British building societies. The current phase of branch-network rationalisation in the financial sector in Europe and North America is argued in the academic literature to be the inevitable consequence of the growth of electronic and telemediated forms of delivery of financial services. In the British building society sector, despite some evidence of branch closure as the use of the Internet and telephone call centres in the delivery of financial services has grown, the picture that emerges is of a dynamic branch network that is responding to changing customer demands and new technological possibilities. Face-to-face advice and discussions between customers and trained ‘experts’ remain an important part of the mortgage transaction. In the savings market, where products have become more commodified, telephone call centres and, more recently, the Internet have become more prominent, but institutions still rely heavily on the branch network to deliver services. The authors suggest that, although there have been changes in the relative importance of different distribution channels as sources of business in the financial sector, it is wrong to view these changes in terms of a simple branch-versus-direct dichotomy. A more complex picture is presented, with most institutions adopting a multichannel approach to the delivery of financial services, and electronic forms of delivery of financial services being developed as an additional delivery channel alongside the branch.


2016 ◽  
Vol 26 (5) ◽  
pp. 1072-1092 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonia Estrella-Ramon ◽  
Manuel Sánchez-Pérez ◽  
Gilbert Swinnen

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of customers’ offline transaction behaviour in the form of loyalty and cross-buying on the adoption of self-service technology innovations by non-business customers in the context of online banking. Design/methodology/approach This study extends the Diffusion of Innovation Theory, as well as the Technology Acceptance Model adapted to describe and model individual customer observed behaviours in the pre-adoption stage of the adoption process. The Log-logistic parametric survival model is applied using panel data for 1,357 randomly selected new customers from a bank. Findings Significant differences arise among customers’ behaviours related to periodicity of interactions with the bank and quantity of products involved in the interactions, as well as convenience and risk of the interactions. The results corroborate that those customers who are more likely to adopt the online banking faster show an offline behavioural pattern more related to higher periodicity of interactions and convenience, rather than a high number of products involved in their interactions, the use of high-risk products or the maintenance of a higher average monthly liabilities. Originality/value While previous research explaining the process of adoption of the online channel has mainly focused on the analysis of customers’ attitudes (i.e. customers’ perceptions) and demographics, in this research an additional explanation is proposed using customers’ offline transaction behaviours. In addition, there is a considerable amount of research about the adoption of new technologies, but there is a scarcity of studies looking specifically at the financial services and banking industry.


2015 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-39
Author(s):  
Jack Murphy ◽  
Stephen Cohen ◽  
Brenden Carroll ◽  
Aline A. Smith ◽  
Matthew Virag ◽  
...  

Purpose – To explain the background and details and to discuss the implications of the USA Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC’s) July 23, 2014 amendments to Rule 2a-7 and other rules that govern money market funds under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Design/methodology/approach – Explains the background, including problems during the financial crisis, the USA Treasury’s temporary guarantee program in 2008, earlier SEC proposals, and the USA Financial Stability Oversight Council’s recommendations. Details the amendments to Rule 2a-7, including the authorization to impose liquidity fees and redemption gates, the floating net asset value (NAV) requirement, the impact of the amendments on unregistered money funds operating under Rule 12d1-1, guidance on fund valuation methods, disclosure requirements, requirements for money fund portfolios to be diversified as to issuers of securities and guarantors, stress testing requirements, and compliance dates. Findings – The Amendments set forth sweeping changes to money fund regulation and will have a profound effect on the money fund industry. Although the most significant provisions of the Amendments – the floating NAV requirement and the imposition of liquidity fees and redemption gates – will not go into effect for two years, the changes to the industry will be apparent almost immediately. Practical implications – Money fund managers and boards of directors should begin assessing the potential impact of the Amendments and develop a schedule to come into compliance. Originality/value – Practical guidance from experienced financial services lawyers.


Author(s):  
Vanessa P. Dennen ◽  
Jonathan Michael Spector

New technologies are changing how best to support and facilitate learning in primary and secondary education. Many of these new technologies are available through the Internet, which is an important resource for learning and instruction at all levels and in nearly all contexts. Among the changes that are occurring is the possibility of integrating Internet resources into curricula, which are often linked to mandated standards in schools in the USA and other countries. Among the many possibilities of leveraging these classrooms is the concept of flipping the classroom so that primary presentations of content take place outside the classroom, with classroom activities focused on practice, interaction and feedback. To make a flipped classroom successful requires training teachers about technology integration, providing ongoing professional development, and developing supportive school and home environments with strong educational leadership. The focus of this chapter is on the needs and requirements involved in making flipped classrooms successful learning experiences for students.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajeesh Kumar N.V. ◽  
Arun M. ◽  
Baraneetharan E. ◽  
Stanly Jaya Prakash J. ◽  
Kanchana A. ◽  
...  

Purpose Many investigations are going on in monitoring, contact tracing, predicting and diagnosing the COVID-19 disease and many virologists are urgently seeking to create a vaccine as early as possible. Even though there is no specific treatment for the pandemic disease, the world is now struggling to control the spread by implementing the lockdown worldwide and giving awareness to the people to wear masks and use sanitizers. The new technologies, including the Internet of things (IoT), are gaining global attention towards the increasing technical support in health-care systems, particularly in predicting, detecting, preventing and monitoring of most of the infectious diseases. Similarly, it also helps in fighting against COVID-19 by monitoring, contract tracing and detecting the COVID-19 pandemic by connection with the IoT-based smart solutions. IoT is the interconnected Web of smart devices, sensors, actuators and data, which are collected in the raw form and transmitted through the internet. The purpose of this paper is to propose the concept to detect and monitor the asymptotic patients using IoT-based sensors. Design/methodology/approach In recent days, the surge of the COVID-19 contagion has infected all over the world and it has ruined our day-to-day life. The extraordinary eruption of this pandemic virus placed the World Health Organization (WHO) in a hazardous position. The impact of this contagious virus and scarcity among the people has forced the world to get into complete lockdown, as the number of laboratory-confirmed cases is increasing in millions all over the world as per the records of the government. Findings COVID-19 patients are either symptomatic or asymptotic. Symptomatic patients have symptoms such as fever, cough and difficulty in breathing. But patients are also asymptotic, which is very difficult to detect and monitor by isolating them. Originality/value Asymptotic patients are very hazardous because without knowing that they are infected, they might spread the infection to others, also asymptotic patients might be having very serious lung damage. So, earlier prediction and monitoring of asymptotic patients are mandatory to save their life and prevent them from spreading.


2016 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mirjam Jessica Curno

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to lay out some of the more complex issues arising in the area of publication ethics. The impact of electronic publishing and electronic information is a main focus of the paper. Design/methodology/approach – The paper draws in particular upon the work of the Committee on Publication Ethics including illustrative cases discussed at the forum, guidelines and discussion documents. Findings – Three areas are highlighted to stimulate discussion around challenges of publication ethics in the digital era. These are the role of the internet in facilitating misconduct, the issue of confidentiality in publishing and how incentives in research assessments drive author behavior. Originality/value – The paper brings together a variety of issues discussed under the broader umbrella of electronic information and new technologies in publishing.


2002 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian W.H. Parry

This paper draws on a number of recent studies to shed light on several policy issues raised by the impact of environmental policies on technological innovation. First, to what extent does induced innovation raise the overall net benefits to society from environmental policies? Second, how does induced innovation affect the appropriate choice among alternative environmental policy instruments? Third, how does it affect the optimal stringency of environmental regulations? Fourth, should environmental policies be supplemented with additional policies to promote innovation, such as research contracts or prizes for new technologies?


2010 ◽  
Vol 37 (8) ◽  
pp. 688 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Peter Simmonds ◽  
Vicki C. Brown

There is currently an unprecedented expansion of marine renewable-energy developments, particularly in UK waters. Marine renewable-energy plants are also being developed in many other countries across Europe and in the wider world, including in the USA, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. Large-scale developments, in UK waters, covering thousands of square kilometres are now planned; however, data on the likely impact of this expansion on the 28 cetacean species found in UK waters are lacking, or at best limited. However, the available information, including inferences drawn from the impact of other human activities in the marine environment, indicates a significant risk of negative consequences, with the noise from pile driving highlighted as a major concern. The marine renewable-energy industry will also deploy some novel technologies, such as large submerged turbines, with unknown consequences for marine wildlife. Further research is urgently required, including distributional and behavioural studies, to establish baselines against which any changes may be measured. Precautionary actions, particularly with respect to pile driving, are advocated to minimise impacts on cetaceans.


2020 ◽  
pp. 54-59
Author(s):  
Yu. A. Plakitkin ◽  
◽  
L. S. Plakitkina ◽  
K. I. Dyachenko ◽  
◽  
...  

The growth prospects for coal production in Russia are not so clearly evident as it may seem. Today there is a wide range of alternative avenues of advancement for the coal sector, which can be explained by the external and internal challenges critical to the development of the coal industry in Russia. The basic risks potentially capable to cause the most adverse effect on the coal industry performance in the years to come include: the coal market slump in the world; ecological risks; risks due to sanctions imposed by the USA and European Union to restrict import of new technologies and attraction of financial assets; social risks. Aiming to evaluate the impact of these risks on the coal industry performance in the coming years, four look-ahead scenarios are developed: baseline, hazardous (baseline), moderate, and hazardous (moderate). The moderate scenario is found to be more innovative than the baseline scenario. The highest rate of introduction of technological innovations is representative of the technologies with lower level of the predicted output of coal. This study has been partly supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research in the framework of R&D Project No. 18-010-00467 Development of Economic Indicators and Production Data for the Coal Industry Development in Russia up to 2035 with the Changing Vector of Global Technological Innovation due to Implementation of Industry 4.0 Program.


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