Exploring the Notion of ‘Technology as a Public Good’

Future Research ◽

Asian Context ◽

Active Policy ◽

Research Recommendations

This chapter aims to explore the historical, sociological, and economic factors that engender inequities related to digital technologies in the East Asian educational context. By employing critical social theory perspectives, the chapter discusses and argues for the notion of “Technology as a Public Good” by examining the Chinese, Japanese and Korean societies’ digital divide. This chapter examines how East Asian societies are exhibiting similar yet different problems in providing equitable access to information communication technologies to the less advantaged due to previously existing social structures, and discusses the urgency of addressing these issues. Based on the analysis of the digital divide in the East Asian context, this chapter also proposes and argues for the notion of “technology as a public good” in public and educational policies for information communication technologies. Finally, the chapter invites policymakers, researchers and educators to explore a more active policy approach regarding the digital divide solution, and provides specific future research recommendations for ICT policies and policy implementation in digital divide solutions.

International Exploration of Technology Equity and the Digital Divide - Advances in Electronic Government, Digital Divide, and Regional Development ◽

Exploring the Notion of ‘Technology as a Public Good’

10.4018/978-1-61520-793-0.ch003 ◽

2011 ◽

pp. 40-57

Author(s):

Sunnie Lee Watson ◽

Thalia Mulvihill

Keyword(s):

Public Good ◽

Digital Divide ◽

East Asian ◽

Future Research ◽

Asian Context ◽

Active Policy ◽

Research Recommendations

Impact of ICT usage on indigenous peoples’ quality of life: Evidence from an Asian developing country

Australasian Journal of Information Systems ◽

10.3127/ajis.v19i0.1076 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 19 ◽

Author(s):

Md Mahfuz Ashraf ◽

Helena Grunfeld ◽

Ali Quazi

Keyword(s):

Conceptual Framework ◽

Indigenous Communities ◽

Policy Formulation ◽

Future Research ◽

Community Members ◽

Cultural Aspects ◽

Five Freedoms

Indigenous communities across the world have been suffering disadvantages in several domains, e.g. erosion of land rights, language and other cultural aspects, while at the same time being discriminated against when prepared to integrate into the dominant cultures. It has been argued in the literature that information communication technologies (ICTs) have the potential of contributing to addressing some of these disadvantages – both in terms of rebuilding what has been eroded and facilitating integration into non-Indigenous societies. In trying to understand how ICTs can be useful for these processes, it is important to do so from a conceptual framework that encompasses the multi-dimensionality of the issues faced by Indigenous communities. The conceptual frameworks frequently used in the ICT literature tend to focus on adoption, use and diffusion of technologies rather than how the use of ICTs affects the livelihoods of the users, which is the focus of this paper. The conceptual framework is informed by the capability approach (CA), in particular by the five freedoms identified in the seminal work of Amartya Sen (2001), “Development as Freedom” (DaF). Data were collected from a purposive sample in an Indigenous community in Bangladesh, using a qualitative method to map how ICTs had affected the lives of these community members The findings suggest that the participants perceived that ICTs had made positive contributions, particularly the benefits they gained from learning how to use computers in the domains that are relevant from the perspective of the five freedoms espoused in DaF. The findings reported in this paper are useful for policy formulation in Bangladesh. As the study is contextualised in a transitional economy setting and can therefore not be generalised, but we believe that the conceptual framework has much to offer future research designed to understand how ICTs can improve the livelihoods of Indigenous individuals and communities.

Factors Affecting E-Business Adoption by SMEs in Sub-Saharan Africa

Global Electronic Business Research ◽

10.4018/978-1-59140-642-6.ch014 ◽

2011 ◽

pp. 319-347 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Princely Ifinedo

Keyword(s):

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Future Research ◽

Factors Affecting ◽

The World ◽

Future Research Directions ◽

Research Gap ◽

Sub Saharan

The use of information communication technologies (ICT) especially the Internet by small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is on the increase in many regions of the world, including Africa. Nevertheless, empirical evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) regarding the factors that affect the adoption of e-business is scarce. In that regard, the main objective of this chapter is to fill the research gap with an exploratory study that is aimed at eliciting views from SMEs in Nigeria. This article made use of a theoretical framework encompassing organizational, external and technological contexts to deliberate the issue. A survey is conducted in three Nigerian cities and the findings of the study are presented. The implication of the study is discussed and future research directions also given.

Bytes not waves: information communication technologies, global jihadism and counterterrorism

International Affairs ◽

10.1093/ia/iiaa048 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 96 (5) ◽

pp. 1305-1325 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Michael Chertoff ◽

Patrick Bury ◽

Daniela Richterova

Keyword(s):

Information And Communication Technologies ◽

Future Research ◽

Turn Of The Millennium ◽

Terrorist Organizations ◽

Global Impact ◽

Information And Communication ◽

Central Argument

Abstract Rapoport's conceptualization of the last, religious wave of four global waves remains highly influential. But it, and other typologies, have placed too little emphasis on the influence of information and communication technologies (ICTs) on the evolution of global jihadist activities. This article makes two new contributions by developing both a new ICT-based typology for understanding jihadist evolutions, and by focusing on successful attacks. Our central argument is that ICTs’ impact on global jihadism has facilitated dramatic transformations of its strategy, organization and tactics since the 1990s, and that these can be understood as four overlapping iterations. ‘Jihadism 1.0’ describes the hierarchical, top-down directed and overseas financed and trained terrorist organizations that conducted iconic attacks at the turn of the millennium. Jihadism has since evolved into ‘Jihadism 2.0’ and then ‘Jihadism 3.0’. Jihadism 2.0 recognizes that a number of smaller, coordinated attacks can have a global impact. Jihadism 3.0 is inspired terrorism that has no links to the central terror organization, utilizing individuals and crude tactics. Finally, jihadism is evolving toward ‘Jihadism 4.0’, or cyberterrorism. We argue this typology provides a useful basis for scholars and practitioners to conceptualize the ICT dynamics influencing global jihadism, and these may be applicable to other global terrorists. The conclusion analyses how counter-terrorism services can respond to these evolutions and charts areas for future research.

Digital Community Planning

International Journal of E-Planning Research ◽

10.4018/ijepr.2016040101 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 5 (2) ◽

pp. 1-22 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Enzo Falco

Keyword(s):

Citizen Participation ◽

Urban Setting ◽

Future Research ◽

Grass Roots ◽

Digital Community ◽

Planning Approach ◽

Oriented Activity

Citizen participation in planning as a decision-making and future-oriented activity is still in the hands of government. New advances in Information Communication Technologies and community informatics have allowed new forms of e-participation and e-planning to emerge. The article refers to theories of social psychology and digital rationality to support the use of ICTs and Web 2.0 in planning as means to deliver more meaningful and independent participatory processes. Moreover, it looks into different planning approaches to and theories of participation to argue and conclude that a digital community and plural planning approach may provide communities with a better setting to move up Arnstein's ladder of citizen participation. The article presents three different open source software and one proprietary software which can be used in practice by citizen groups to produce planning documents. Based on these findings, future research will explore the application of the approach and tools in an urban setting in close collaboration with grass-roots and citizens organizations.

Possible, Probable and Preferable Futures of the Digital Divide

10.28945/2651 ◽

2003 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Matthew Mitchell

Keyword(s):

Data Collection ◽

Digital Divide ◽

Contemporary Problem ◽

Review Of Literature ◽

Technology Strategies ◽

The Relationship ◽

Quantitative Assessments

The digital divide is widely recognized as a contemporary problem between society and technology. Strategies for bridging the digital divide are often informed and guided by quantitative assessments of the deployment of information communication technologies. There are few rigorous qualitative attempts to assess the digital divide from either an ethnographic or a futures-oriented perspective. This paper reports findings from a study that examined the possible, probable and preferable futures of the digital divide from an ethnographic perspective. The contents of this report include background to the problem of the digital divide, a review of literature describing the relationship between society and technology, findings from the data collection, and implications for future strategies to bridge the digital divide.

Agriculture 4.0 and improving competitiveness of the domestic agro-food sector

Ekonomika poljoprivrede ◽

10.5937/ekopolj2102531b ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 68 (2) ◽

pp. 531-545

Author(s):

Cariša Bešić ◽

Mihalj Bakator ◽

Dejan Đorđević ◽

Dragan Ćoćkalo

Keyword(s):

Economic Development ◽

Future Research ◽

Gdp Growth ◽

Food Sector ◽

Strong Basis ◽

Iso Standards ◽

Agriculture Sector

The domestic agro-food sector has an important role in economic development and in overall GDP growth. The concept of Agriculture 4.0 that integrates the use of information-communication technologies presents a direction in which the domestic agriculture sector should focus. Additionally, besides conducting business within the frameworks of Agriculture 4.0, the standardization of processes in the agro-food sector can also contribute to achieving competitiveness on the globalized market. In this paper the importance and number of ISO standards are investigated. In addition, factors and indicators that characterize Agriculture 4.0 are analysed. Based on the collected and analysed data, a unified competitiveness factor (UCF) is calculated for the period from 2017 to 2020. The UCF provides and overview on the potential competitiveness of the domestic agro-food sector. The paper contributes to the existing body of literature as it managed to provide a strong basis for future research in this domain.

Strategic Management in City Government

Information Communication Technologies and City Marketing ◽

10.4018/978-1-60566-134-6.ch006 ◽

2011 ◽

pp. 108-128

Author(s):

Laura L. Matherly ◽

Maureen Jouett

Keyword(s):

Strategic Management ◽

City Government ◽

Future Research ◽

City Management ◽

Stakeholder Satisfaction ◽

Internal Stakeholders

Integrating information communication technologies (ICTs) and marketing in strategic management of city government is critical to achieving stakeholder satisfaction and economic development. As a result of the rapid growth in computer networks and access to online services, the use of ICTs, for example, Internet and Intranet, as a communication and marketing platform can provide a city with a global advantage. City marketing focuses on promoting the attributes of a location to prospective stakeholders so that these individuals, businesses, and investors are attracted to visit, locate, or invest in the city. A causal model is presented where ICT is used to not only to deliver services to internal stakeholders, but also to market a city to external stakeholders. To be successful, managers need to be skilled in current technologies and marketing practices. Case study applications are discussed as well as the questions to address in future research to most effectively integrate ICTs and marketing in city management.

Digital Divide and Social Cleavage: Case Studies of ICT Usage among Peasants in Contemporary China

The China Quarterly ◽

10.1017/s030574101100066x ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 207 ◽

pp. 580-599 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Yuhua Guo ◽

Peng Chen

Keyword(s):

Digital Divide ◽

Structural Transformation ◽

Social Transformation ◽

Rural China ◽

Contemporary China ◽

Ict Adoption ◽

Social Cleavage

AbstractDuring its structural transformation, rural China witnessed the emergence of four types of village: traditional, industrialized, commercial and villages in cities. Information Communication Technologies (ICTs), including fixed phones, cell phones, television sets and the internet (with personal computers), are now commonly used in Chinese villages but in ways that differentiate villagers according to variables such as occupation, villager membership and social status. The adoption of ICTs by peasants not only represents but also accelerates growing peasant differentiation; in other words, the function of ICTs could not penetrate the barrier of social structure. Meanwhile, structural transformation in China has been an activator to shaping peasants' diversified ideas about information, and the demand for and usage of ICTs. An analysis of peasants' ICT adoption thus enables us to identify the basic trends and characteristics of social transformation in contemporary China.

Promoting Transparency and Strengthening Public Trust in Government through Information Communication Technologies?

International Journal of Public Administration in the Digital Age ◽

10.4018/ijpada.2014040102 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 1 (2) ◽

pp. 25-42 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Frank L. K. Ohemeng ◽

Kwaku Ofosu-Adarkwa

Keyword(s):

Public Sector ◽

Digital Divide ◽

Public Trust ◽

Infrastructure Development ◽

Trust In Government ◽

The Public ◽

Remarkable Progress

This paper attempts to examine Ghana's quest to use ICT as a tool to enhance transparency and build public trust in government. The questions the paper attempts to answer are: what are the main challenges confronting the government's e-governance initiative as a tool to ensure transparency and citizens' trust in the public sector? What steps are being taken to address these challenges? We argue that while Ghana seems to have made remarkable progress in this endeavour, it still faces a number of significant obstacles, which must be addressed if the objectives of its e-governance project are to be fully realized. Key challenges include infrastructure development for the growth of ICT, the huge gap in access to ICT (or what may be described as the digital divide), and the change in organizational culture to enhance easy accessibility to public documents.