eParticipation in Europe

Author(s):  
Efthimios Tambouris ◽  
Ann Macintosh ◽  
Efpraxia Dalakiouridou ◽  
Simon Smith ◽  
Eleni Panopoulou ◽  
...  

During the past few years, information and communication technologies and especially the internet are increasingly used in a vast range of human activities, including citizens’ interaction with government. In this context, advanced technologies are also being used to more actively engage citizens in democratic processes, which are termed as electronic participation (eParticipation). eParticipation has attracted considerable attention worldwide. In Europe, a large number of initiatives have been funded providing valuable lessons. The aim of this chapter is to map the current state of eParticipation in Europe and provide practical recommendations. More specifically, the authors first present the results of a review of policy documents in the European Union in order to understand how eParticipation fits into European policies. They then present an analytical framework to aid theoretical understanding of eParticipation, followed by the results of a European study on eParticipation initiatives. Based on all these, the authors propose a number of recommendations on eParticipation for policy makers, practitioners, evaluators and research funders.

Author(s):  
Efthimios Tambouris ◽  
Ann Macintosh ◽  
Efpraxia Dalakiouridou ◽  
Simon Smith ◽  
Eleni Panopoulou ◽  
...  

During the past few years, information and communication technologies and especially the internet are increasingly used in a vast range of human activities, including citizens' interaction with government. In this context, advanced technologies are also being used to more actively engage citizens in democratic processes, which are termed as electronic participation (eParticipation). eParticipation has attracted considerable attention worldwide. In Europe, a large number of initiatives have been funded providing valuable lessons. The aim of this chapter is to map the current state of eParticipation in Europe and provide practical recommendations. More specifically, the authors first present the results of a review of policy documents in the European Union in order to understand how eParticipation fits into European policies. They then present an analytical framework to aid theoretical understanding of eParticipation, followed by the results of a European study on eParticipation initiatives. Based on all these, the authors propose a number of recommendations on eParticipation for policy makers, practitioners, evaluators and research funders.


Author(s):  
Reza Hosseini ◽  
Nicholas Chileshe ◽  
Jian Zou ◽  
Bassam Baroudi

Industry in general has seen many technological developments in recent decades. However, the construction industry has not kept pace particularly within the area of information and communication technologies (ICTs). This could be for many reasons notably including the fragmented structure of the industry. Many studies regard the construction industry’s failure to keep pace with ICTs as a major problem affecting its performance. Hence, they have tried to diagnose the problem in this regard. Many drivers have seen the successful adoption of new ICTs within other industries with this trend now emerging within the construction industry. Because of the increasing awareness among practitioners of the benefits of utilising ICTs within construction, the recent decade has seen many construction projects harnessing ICTs methods and strategies in construction. This paper has an exploratory approach with the aim of reviewing the existing research publications on the subject, describing the current state of ICTs in construction industry, and introducing some successful methods. The presented discussions will provide guidelines for practitioners and policy makers in the construction industry regarding the advantages of adopting ICTs for enhancing the efficiency of the construction industry. The methods introduced could be beneficial for key construction stakeholders in developing countries by presenting the advantages gained from merging ICTs into construction projects processes based on methods previously tested in developed economies.


2022 ◽  
pp. 001573252110579
Author(s):  
Phan Thanh Hoan ◽  
Duong Thi Dieu My

Vietnam is one of the top information and communication technologies (ICT) exporters globally, and the ICT products constitute nearly one-fifth of Vietnam’s total exports to the European Union (EU). This study empirically investigates the determinants of Vietnam’s ICT exports to the EU by applying the gravity model for trade with panel data from 2000 to 2019. Besides the traditional variables of the gravity model, we added gross capital formation, patent application and exchange rates as explanatory variables. The results show that among factors affecting Vietnam’s ICT export to the EU, market size, patent applications, and exchange rate are the most significant determinants. The article also suggests some policy implications for the development of ICT exports between the two parties. JEL Codes: F14, C2


Author(s):  
Arjun Neupane ◽  
Jeffrey Soar ◽  
Kishor Vaidya ◽  
Sunil Aryal

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have been seen as pioneering tools for the promotion of the better delivery of government programmes and services, enabling the empowerment of citizens through greater access to information, delivery of more efficient government management processes, better transparency and accountability, and the mitigation of corruption risks. Based on a literature survey of previous research conducted on ICT systems implemented in various countries, this chapter discusses the potential of different ICT tools that have the capacity to help to promote public participation for the purpose of reducing corruption. The chapter specifically reviews the different ICT tools and platforms and their roles as potential weapons in fighting corruption. This chapter also evaluates different ICT tools, including e-government and public e-procurement. Finally, the authors develop a theoretical research model that depicts the anti-corruption capabilities of ICT tools, which in turn, has implications for academics, policy makers, and politicians.


2008 ◽  
pp. 1431-1439
Author(s):  
Anastasia Papazafeiropoulou ◽  
Anastasia Pouloudi

Following an initial euphoria about the power of the information superhighway to provide better access to information and wealth for all, what we have experienced in reality instead is that information and communication technologies have created further inequalities at individual, business, national and international level. To ease the effects of this “digital divide,” policy makers have taken up the role of change agencies, influencing the public in using innovative information technologies. This chapter focuses on the role of these change agencies for technology diffusion and the elimination of the digital divide. It is argued that examining the interest of change agencies and the other stakeholders involved in the diffusion process from a normative perspective can help in the preparation of effective information technology diffusion policies.


Author(s):  
Meltem Mutluturk ◽  
Burcu Kor ◽  
Bilgin Metin

The development of information and communication technologies (ICT) has led to many innovative technologies. The integration of technologies such as the internet of things (IoT), cloud computing, and machine learning concepts have given rise to Industry 4.0. Fog and edge computing have stepped in to fill the areas where cloud computing is inadequate to ensure these systems work quickly and efficiently. The number of connected devices has brought about cybersecurity issues. This study reviewed the current literature regarding edge/fog-based cybersecurity in IoT to display the current state.


Author(s):  
Zdeněk Dvořák ◽  
Nikola Chovančíková ◽  
Bohuš Leitner

Academic science, research and technology companies are currently working intensively on the possibilities of using cutting-edge information and communication technologies in practice. An example of the much-needed deployment of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is energy. This sector of the national economy requires the monitoring of large line and area objects at regular intervals in order to analyse the state of wear and damage of energy equipment. The Slovak Republic, as a modern European country, is working very intensively on the implementation of all available modern technologies in the energy sector. The text of the chapter aims to present and describe the current state of practical use of drones in the energy infrastructure in Slovakia.


Author(s):  
Surender Kumar ◽  
Durgansh Sharma

The hasty development of information and communication technologies (ICTs) has overwhelmingly altered many aspects of life and societies all around the globe. High-quality information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure is essential for developing countries to match the pace of economic growth. This can be achieved only with sophisticated infrastructure. Enormous competitive pressure on businesses across the world has made Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) one of the main drivers of economic growth. This paper studies a select set of economic factors and their respective impacts on ICT development in five leading emerging economies known as BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa). The authors' findings demonstrate that in addition to deregulation, existing conditions (socioeconomic factors) must also be considered. They conclude by avowing that policy makers can more easily realize economic development via ICTs if they consider these conditions while cultivating their technology strategies.


Land ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Łukasz Komorowski ◽  
Monika Stanny

The European Union is actively promoting the idea of “smart villages”. The increased uptake of new technology and in particular, the use of the internet, is seen as a vital part of strategies to combat rural decline. It is evident that those areas most poorly connected to the internet are those confronted by the greatest decline. The analysis in this paper is based on Poland, which at the time of EU accession had many deeply disadvantaged rural areas. Using fine-grained socio-economic data, an association can be found between weak internet access and rural decline in Poland. The preliminary conclusions about the utility of the smart village concept as a revitalisation tool for rural Poland point to theoretical and methodological dilemmas. Barriers to the concept’s implementation are also observed, although there is a chance they may be overcome with the continued spread of information and communication technologies in rural areas.


Author(s):  
Boumediene Ramdani ◽  
Peter Kawalek

This chapter explores the factors impacting small to medium-sized enterprises’ (SMEs) adoption of broadband. It argues that information and communication technologies (ICTs) are highly differentiated technologies for which there is not necessarily a single adoption model. While most large European companies are connected to broadband, SMEs’ connectivity is lagging behind. The question of why one SME adopts broadband while the other does not is still understudied. Therefore, the purpose of this chapter is to fill this gap by investigating the technological, organizational, and environmental factors impacting SMEs’ adoption of broadband. This chapter starts by highlighting the importance of ICT innovations adoption in general and broadband in particular. Based on the ICT innovations adoption literature, SMEs’ broadband adoption framework will be developed and empirically validated involving nine SMEs’ key decision makers in the northwest of England. Finally, implications for researchers, practitioners, ICTs’ vendors, and policy makers will be discussed.


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