ICT in Direct Democracy

Author(s):  
Stavros Amanatidis ◽  
Olga Eirini Palla

This chapter presents and analyzes the use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in public participation and more specificly in e-referenda as an aspect of direct democratic participation. It aims to explain the correlation between ICT and e-referenda. Referendum, used as an instrument to accept or deny a proposed political decision, has a strong function of controlling political power and securing the openness of political power structures. It serves as an instrument of division of powers and opens roads to opposition outside parliament. In general, it provides the people with veto positions (Schiller, 2003, p. 12). By presenting the evolvement of the ICT and the technological developments that resulted an impact on the way democracy is being exercised in the modern societies, there is an attempt to provide ideas and solutions on the use of e-referenda in modern democracies. The dangers, the advantages, and the disadvantages of the use of ICT in democracy are presented and analysed as well. All these issues are being discussed, as this chapter tries to give a clear and objective perspective regarding the role of e-democracy and the problems that come along with its implementation.

2015 ◽  
pp. 129-137
Author(s):  
Stavros Amanatidis ◽  
Olga Eirini Palla

This chapter presents and analyzes the use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in public participation and more specificly in e-referenda as an aspect of direct democratic participation. It aims to explain the correlation between ICT and e-referenda. Referendum, used as an instrument to accept or deny a proposed political decision, has a strong function of controlling political power and securing the openness of political power structures. It serves as an instrument of division of powers and opens roads to opposition outside parliament. In general, it provides the people with veto positions (Schiller, 2003, p. 12). By presenting the evolvement of the ICT and the technological developments that resulted an impact on the way democracy is being exercised in the modern societies, there is an attempt to provide ideas and solutions on the use of e-referenda in modern democracies. The dangers, the advantages, and the disadvantages of the use of ICT in democracy are presented and analysed as well. All these issues are being discussed, as this chapter tries to give a clear and objective perspective regarding the role of e-democracy and the problems that come along with its implementation.


Author(s):  
Neeta Baporikar

Competitiveness of a firm is its capacity to achieve its targets. These targets are likely to be expressed in a variety of terms depending on the context (Barney 2002). Within a macroeconomic perspective, a competitive firm develops and sustains a level of performance that contributes to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), employment opportunities, and the wealth of the people. From an entrepreneurial perspective, a competitive firm needs to survive in the market and to achieve market share and profitability. This paper deliberates regarding the theory of competitive advantage and discusses the role of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) for augmenting SMEs' competitiveness.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1006-1022
Author(s):  
Neeta Baporikar

Competitiveness of a firm is its capacity to achieve its targets. These targets are likely to be expressed in a variety of terms depending on the context (Barney 2002). Within a macroeconomic perspective, a competitive firm develops and sustains a level of performance that contributes to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), employment opportunities, and the wealth of the people. From an entrepreneurial perspective, a competitive firm needs to survive in the market and to achieve market share and profitability. This paper deliberates regarding the theory of competitive advantage and discusses the role of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) for augmenting SMEs' competitiveness.


2003 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 165-189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Johnstone

The present review refers to studies published in 2002 in leading research journals. It focuses in particular on learning, teaching and policy in respect of second, modern foreign or additional languages. The comments offered about particular studies are not intended to summarise them (for that, it is best to refer to the actual abstracts which the present journal publishes). What is on offer is a personal selection made because some aspect of a particular article seemed to be of particular interest or to reflect an important trend, and I have attempted to link such elements together to form a narrative. Compared with previous years, two important themes seemed to gather particular momentum in 2002: first, the role of ‘frequency’ in acquisition; and second, the impact of complex and contradictory global factors on everyday pedagogical practice, thinking and attitudes. As in previous years reference is made to the abstracts. Thus, Tarone (2002: 03-158) refers to an article by Tarone published in 2002 and reflected in the 2003 series of this journal as abstract 158. In previous years I have discussed ICT (information and communications technology) in a separate section of its own but this has now been integrated into other sections, reflecting a process of ‘normalisation’.


Author(s):  
Yuriy Kyrychenko ◽  
Hanna Davlyetova

The article examines the role of political parties in modern state-building processes in Ukraine. The place of political parties in the political and legal system of society is determined. The general directions of overcoming problematic situations of activity of political parties in Ukraine are offered. It is noted that political parties play an important role in the organization and exercise of political power, act as a kind of mediator between civil society and public authorities, influence the formation of public opinion and the position of citizens directly involved in elections to public authorities and local governments. It is determined that in a modern democratic society, political parties carry out their activities in the following areas: the work of representatives of political parties in public authorities and local governments; participation in elections of state authorities and local self-government bodies; promoting the formation and expression of political will of citizens, which involves promoting the formation and development of their political legal consciousness. These areas of political parties determine their role and importance in a modern democratic society, which determines the practical need to improve their activities and improve the national legislation of Ukraine in the field of political parties. Political parties are one of the basic institutions of modern society, they actively influence the ac-tivities of public authorities, economic and social processes taking place in the state and so on. It is through political parties that the people participate in the management of public affairs. Expressing the interest of different social communities, they become a link between the state and civil society. The people have the opportunity to delegate their powers to political parties, which achieves the ability of the people to control political power in several ways, which at the same time through competition of state political institutions and political parties contributes to increasing their responsibility to the people. It is noted that the political science literature has more than 200 definitions of political parties. And approaches to the definition of this term significantly depend on the general context in which this issue was studied by the researcher. It was emphasized that today in Ukraine there are important issues related to the activities of political parties. First of all, it is a significant number of registered political parties that are incapable, ie their political activity is conducted formally or not at all. According to official data from the Department of State Registration and Notary of the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, 352 political parties are registered, of which 48 political parties do not actually function. The reason for the liquidation of such parties is not to nominate their candidates for the election of the President of Ukraine and People's Deputies of Ukraine for 10 years. According to this indicator, Ukraine ranks first among other European countries. Thus, 73 political parties are officially registered in Latvia, 38 in Lithuania, 45 in Moldova, 124 in Romania, and 56 in Slovakia. However, despite the large number of officially registered political parties in Ukraine, public confidence in their activities is low. It is concluded that political parties occupy a special place in the political and legal system of society and play an important role in the organization and exercise of political power, as well as a kind of mediator between civil society and public authorities. The general directions of overcoming problematic situations of activity of political parties in Ukraine are offered, namely: introduction of effective and impartial control over activity of political parties; creating conditions for reducing the number of political parties, encouraging their unification; establishment of effective and efficient sanctions for violation of the requirements of the current legislation of Ukraine by political parties.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 97-102
Author(s):  
Chetlal Prasad ◽  
Pushpa Gupta

ICTs in Education refers to the development of information and communications technology specifically for teaching/learning purposes, while the ICTs in education involves the adoption of general components of information and communication technologies in the teaching learning process. The National Mission on Education through Information and Communication Technology (NME-ICT), launched in 2009 by the Central Government. Let’s see how Information and Communication Technology (ICT) evolved the Higher Education system: The role of ICT in higher education, what students learn, The role of ICT in Higher Education, how Students Learn, The role of ICT in Higher Education, when students learn, The role of ICT in higher education, where students learn. Online courses, development of e-content, e-learning, digital libraries, online encyclopaedias, journals, and books would promote learning and make knowledge available to all irrespective of the distance or location or financial resources. Government intervention is necessary so that ICT can be made successful in higher education. Information and Communications Technology (ICT) has the proven power to change the world. This acronym refers to the merging of audiovisual and telephone networks with the computer single unified system of cabling.


Author(s):  
David Spielman ◽  
Els Lecoutere ◽  
Simrin Makhija ◽  
Bjorn Van Campenhout

With new possibilities offered by information and communications technology (ICT), an abundance of products, services, and projects has emerged with the promise of revitalizing agricultural extension in developing countries. However, a growing body of evidence suggests that not all ICT-enabled extension approaches are equally effective in improving adoption, productivity, income, or welfare outcomes. In this review, we explore various conceptual and methodological threads in the literature on ICT-enabled extension in developing countries. We examine the role of multiple impact pathways, highlighting how ICTs influence behaviors and preferences, gender and intrahousehold dynamics, spillovers, and public worker incentives. We also explore the opportunities presented by ICT-enabled extension for increasing the methodological rigor with which extension outcomes are identified. These conceptual and methodological insights—coupled with empirical evidence from prior studies—offer direction for several lines of policy-relevant research on ICT-enabled extension. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Resource Economics, Volume 13 is October 2021. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.


2011 ◽  
pp. 1639-1666 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan J. Winter ◽  
Connie Marie Gaglio ◽  
Hari K. Rajagopalan

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face more serious challenges to their survival than do larger firms. To succeed, SMEs must establish and maintain credibility in the marketplace to attract the resources required for survival. Most co-opt legitimacy by mimicking the cues that signal credibility to convince potential stakeholders that something stands behind their promises. This research examines the role of information and communications technology (ICT) in legitimacy-building from the perspective of both SME founders and customers. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted in a variety of industries to determine whether the ICT-related legitimacy schema from the customers’ perspective differs substantially from that of firm founders. Results indicate that customers compare the ICT information provided in SME’s sales pitches to pre-existing ICT expectations about the nature of desirable sales transactions. We describe the relationship between violations of ICT expectations, legitimacy, and purchase decisions. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document