Global Information And Communication Technology Research Articles

Unlocking Trade Potential: A Stochastic Frontier Gravity Model Analysis of India-Africa Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Goods Trade

This study examines the relatively unexplored domain of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) trade between India and the African Union (AU), applying the Stochastic Frontier Gravity Model (SFGM) to measure the untapped potential and discern factors that impede trade. It points out India’s burgeoning role in global ICT trade, with the AU being an increasingly valuable market due to its digital growth and young population. The research identifies India’s significant comparative advantage in exporting telecommunication equipment, with a Revealed Comparative Advantage of 3.54, strategically enhancing its position in the global marketplace. The research notes the high trade complementarity index of 0.984 in 2021, indicating a strong synergy between India’s export capabilities and the AU’s demand, suggesting a beneficial trade relationship. It acknowledges the shift in Africa’s ICT import partners, highlighting China’s rising influence and the need for India to solidify its market share in Africa strategically. The SFGM’s application to evaluate trade efficiency, considering factors such as GDP, exchange rate, distance, tariff rate, and language, provides insightful conclusions. Positive impacts of GDP, exchange rate, and shared language on bilateral ICT trade are found to be significant. The findings emphasise the importance of strengthening trade ties for economic development and digital transformation in Africa.

The role of digitalization, infrastructure, and economic stability in tourism growth: A pathway towards smart tourism destinations

AbstractThis study shows the impact of information and communication technology (ICT), inflation, economic growth, foreign direct investment (FDI), infrastructural development, and financial development on the global tourism index across all income groups. We use a generalized method of moments technique, novel index of tourism, and ICT in 130 countries from 1995 to 2019. The empirical results infer an increase in tourism due to sustained growth in ICT (all panels), economic growth (all panels), FDI (all panels), financial development (all panels), and infrastructure development (all panels). This study highlights the importance of increasing 4G networking in remote areas and introducing reliable mobile applications to promote smart tourism, which involves setting up a Tourist Information Centre to guide tourists in terms of traveling, accommodation, food, shopping, parking, history of specific places, healthcare services, weather forecasting, and emergencies. The central bank could ensure price stability by using different tools of monetary and fiscal policy while encouraging FDI and ICT infrastructure in the tourism industry, especially in developing countries. Tourism is directly associated with foreign exchange earnings, which in turn increases the financial strength of an economy. Besides, prioritizing investment in infrastructure, particularly in sanitation and waste management, drinking water supply, clean fuel management, and generation of electricity, could bolster tourism. The contribution of this study employs multiple indicators in the form of a composite index (i.e., global tourism index, ICT index, and infrastructure index). In addition, we have developed a global ICT index using several related indicators.

Africa’s roads to digital development: paving the way for Chinese structural power in the ICT sector?

Over the past few decades, China emerged as Africa’s main partner in digital development. Sino-African cooperation in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector meets African demand for advanced technologies and know-how while helping China to position itself in the global ICT sector. Albeit crucial for Africa’s digital development in the short term, this paper argues that the breadth of Sino-African cooperation carries important long-term consequences that could afford China latent control over Africa’s digital development. Drawing on Susan Strange’s pillars of structural power, this paper considers how the rollout of fiber-optic network cables underpins Chinese control over production, how the construction of data centers might impinge on security, and how research partnerships enhance norms and standards in future innovation—the knowledge pillar. The paper argues that the enabling force of Sino-African cooperation in these three realms is Chinese finance. To test this claim, I conduct a Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) of 42 states in Sub-Saharan Africa, showing that Chinese aid and, to a lesser extent, Chinese loans are the main drivers of Sino-African ties in the ICT sector. The paper concludes that Chinese financial support not only promotes Africa’s digital development but also paves the way to Chinese structural power in the ICT sector.

Developing information and communication technology with the belt and road initiative and the digital silk road

This paper examines the impacts of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) on the information and communication technology (ICT) development of participating economies. ICT development is measured with internet penetration, mobile penetration, broadband subscription, and telephone subscription. The causal effect of the BRI on ICT development is estimated using a propensity score reweighting difference-in-differences (DiD) model. We find that the participating economies experience a significant rise in ICT development. A country's participation in the Digital Silk Road (DSR) in addition to the BRI further increases its ICT development and increases its participation in global ICT value chains relative to their BRI-only counterparts. Overall, the benefit of participating in the BRI on ICT development is enhanced by participating in the DSR. However, there are unequal trade creation effects between China and the rest of the world. The participating economies increase their imports of computer and information services more from and increase their imports of communication services less from China than from the rest of the world after the participation. These results are robust to a parallel trend test, alternative ICT measures and alternative estimation methods. Finally, we highlight the implications of our results for policy makers in developing countries who want to improve their ICT development and to engage in global ICT value chains, and for academics in developing future research to evaluate these initiatives at the macro- and micro-levels.

Huawei smartphone business competition – fighting, surrendering, winning or losing?

Learning outcomes This case study is focused on strategic management of Huawei in sustaining the competitive position in the smartphone market. The discussions in the case study begins with the big picture of “Made in China 2025” policy and China’s 14th Five-Year Plan 2021–2025 attempting to change the country’s image from imitation to innovation. The case study then focuses on Huawei, the major provider of network equipment and smartphones, with the alignment of the national policy. The case demonstrates the difficulties faced by Huawei as a result of US ban. The students are challenged to perform in-depth discussions on various issues guided by the instructor using this Teaching Note. The teaching objectives are as follows: students should be able to analyse Huawei business environment and its strategic capabilities in the smartphone market; students should be able to evaluate the extent to which the effects of US sanction would have on Huawei smartphone operation; and students should be able to evaluate the strategies for Huawei to regain a leading position and achieve competitive advantage in the global smartphone market. Case overview/synopsis Huawei is the leading company in the information and communications technology (ICT) sector. Ren Zhengfei, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Huawei, has set the vision of building a global company that could rival the best in the world. Huawei’s heavy investments in research and development (R&D) have brought the company to be a leading brand in the international market. Huawei was charged as a security threat by the Donald Trump administration in 2019. The USA and its allies banned Huawei products, causing the smartphone shipments plummeted dramatically. The case presents a protagonist, Ren Zhengfei, CEO of Huawei, who built the business from a small company to a leading global ICT company. The growth of Huawei was struck by the US sanction with the supply chain being disrupted by a shortage of advanced chip technology to run the smartphone business. The dilemma addressed in this case study is concerned with how Ren Zhengfei could steer the company out of the crisis. Complexity academic level This case study was written for use in the courses of Innovation Management and Technology Strategy. The case is designed to support learning at various levels including the graduate, postgraduate and executive classes. Apart from the guided questions (assignment questions provided in the next section), the instructors should consider which specific areas of Huawei should be further explored to support the class discussions to benefit the students at different levels. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Subject code CCS 11: Strategy.

Carbon-economic inequality in global ICT trade.

The expansion of information and communications technology (ICT) trade has contributed to rising trade imbalances and international tensions. A detailed assessment of the potential carbon and economic impacts of ICT trade is pertinent. We assess to what extent and how the carbon costs and economic benefits embodied in ICT trade were unevenly distributed among global regions in the period 2000-2018 using multiregional input-output models. We show that in 2018, emerging economies received 82% of the CO2 emissions while developed economies gained 42% of the value-added in ICT exports. This carbon-economic inequality (CEI) decreased (i.e., improved) by 16% from 2000 to 2018, arising from global production fragmentation, with developed economies retaining downstream high value-added ICT marketing but outsourcing upper- and middle-stream carbon-intensive material extraction and manufacturing to emerging economies. This study provides insights for enhancing negotiations and cooperation among global regions to light a path toward sustainable ICT trade.

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) on Economic Growth in Asia: A Panel Data Analysis

Information and communication technology (ICT) plays an increasingly important role in driving economic growth and sustainability. Asia, being the most heterogenous region in terms of ICT development, consist of both most connected and least connected countries based on the global ICT Development Index 2017. Therefore, this study investigates the impact of ICT on economic growth for 20 Asian countries from year 2000 to 2020. Using the robust panel Fixed Effect model and Panel Feasible Generalized Least Squares method, findings revealed that fixed telephone subscriptions, mobile cellular subscriptions and Internet users are the ICT variables that have significant and positive effects on economic growth in Asia. Fixed telephone subscriptions however, emerged insignificant which could be due to its high cost and low practicality relative to other forms of ICT. Findings from this study benefit related parties such as firms and policymakers by encouraging adoption and usage of mobile phones and the Internet through provision of adequate infrastructure and affordable ICT services.

English

Unions are prominent stakeholders in employment relations (ER), representing and protecting the rights of their members and other employees on labour-related issues that the workforce is overwhelmed with within the workplace. The purpose of this article was to examine global unionism to advise South African (SA) Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector labour unionism. It focuses on the recent trends of global literature review to answer five research questions. The rationale is to gain a more theoretical understanding of union roles, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions, global unionism, SA unionism, SA ICT unionism, union challenges and strategies. Globally, unionism drives advancements in socio-economic policies, calling for social dialogue between the tripartite alliances partners in ER: Unions, employers, and the government. However, SA ICT union leaders are weak when negotiating for equity, socio-economic justice, and the advancement of employees in their careers. This research study revealed that union challenges include poor social dialogue, ineffective strategies to sustain membership, inefficient partnerships, and non-collaboration between management and unions. By the results of this study, a strategic framework was proposed for union effectiveness to provide Human Resources (HR), ER and union leaders with a practical management tool. Thus, this study contributes by expanding the body of knowledge on global and SA ICT unionism.   Key words: Employees; employers; human resources; employment relations; information and communications technology; socio-economic advancement; social dialogue; South African; unionism.

Amazon's initiative transforming a non-contact society - Digital disruptionleads the way to stakeholder capitalization

Contrary to the decisive role of R&D centered on information and communication technology (ICT) in the digital economy, its excessive expansion has resulted in declining productivity due to the two-faced nature of ICT.Consequently, the novel concept emerges of innovation that maintains sustainable growth by harnessing the vigor of soft innovation resources (SIRs).Pioneering endeavors can be observed at the forefront of the global ICT leaders. World R&D leader Amazon has been harnessing the power of users that seek SIRs. This functions as a virtuous cycle, leading to the transformation of R&D by fusing a unique R&D system with a sophisticated financing system. With this orchestration, Amazon leverages the expectations of a wide range of stakeholders, and takes the initiative of stakeholder capitalism in which stakeholders bet on Amazon's prospecting future.This paper attempts to elucidate the driving force of this notable accomplishment, taking Amazon's recent challenge in developing advanced digital fashions (ADFs) successively as prospecting SIRs. Since fashion reflects the change in socio-economic and cultural life, the fashion industry is in the midst of dynamic global change in the digital economy, which necessitates a digital solution.Based on a co-evolution analysis of the development trajectories of Amazon and the fashion industry, it was demonstrated that Amazon has secured a digital solution by developing ADFs successively, and that this success can be attributed to learning orchestration externality. Thus, broad stakeholders’ involvement betting on its challenge, expecting the future prospects of Amazon and the fashion industry, can be expected. Non-contact society accelerates this expectation toward on-demand ADFs manufacturing.These findings give rise to suggestions regarding a new concept of R&D and subsequent neo -open innovation in the digital economy.

Standard essential patents and global ICT value chains with a focus on the catching-up of China

Patents, standards and their combination, standard-essential patents (SEPs), are important in the information and communication technology (ICT) sector, in particular in mobile communication. We argue that SEPs are relevant in macroeconomic development and estimate the effect of a country's SEP portfolio on its value-added trade in global ICT value chains (GVC). We find that SEPs retain a higher share of value-adding domestically and that absorptive capacity is needed to join GVCs. China entered the SEP market late and is catching up rapidly. The trade effect of SEPs on China is different from that on matured economies because of the initially low value of its SEPs.

What do Firms Gain from Patenting? The Case of the Global ICT Industry.

This study investigates the relationship between patenting activity, productivity, and market competition at the firm level. We focus on the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry as a particular case of an innovative sector whose contribution to modern economies is pivotal. For our purpose, we exploit financial accounts and patenting activity in 2009-2017 by 179,660 companies operating in 39 countries. Our identification strategy relies on the most recent approaches for a difference-in-difference setup in the presence of multiple periods and with variation in treatment time. We find that companies being granted patents increase on average market shares by 11%, firm size by 12%, and capital intensity by 10%. Notably, we do not register a significant impact of patenting on firms' productivity after challenging results for reverse causality and robustness checks. Findings are robust after we consider ownership structures separating patents owned by parent companies and their subsidiaries. We complement our investigation with an analysis of market allocation dynamics. Eventually, we argue that policymakers should reconsider the trade-off between IPR protection and market competition, especially when the benefits to firms' competitiveness are not immediately evident.

Convergence patterns in global ICT: Fresh insights from a club clustering algorithm

Digital provide consists of electronic media, telecommunications, and computer technologies – information and communication technologies (ICTs) availability, accessibility, and utilisation, which simplifies process. The convergence of ICTs ensures efficiency in resources allocation and promotes system growth. This study examines the convergence in global information and communication technologies (ICT) development for 205 countries spanning 2000–2018. We employ the Phillips and Sul econometric methodology, which tests for the existence of convergence clubs and the modelling of different transition paths to convergence. We further disaggregated our panel data into nine regions. We constructed an ICT development index (comprising of mobile line, fixed line, and internet access penetration) via principal component analysis. Our findings suggest the presence of panel convergence at the global and regional levels (except for Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, which exhibited divergence). However, we identified convergence clubs using an iterative testing procedure. The key findings from the club convergence algorithm results suggest that: (i) at the global level, club 1 converges; (ii) at regional levels, Sub-Saharan Africa forms 7 clubs; (iii) clubs 1 in the remaining 8 regions converged. Contrary to previous findings, this study finds that the process of convergence in ICT development reflects the desirable emanations of telecommunication policies sharing similar characteristics, at least to some extent, in terms of the ICT sharing across the globe.

Re/coding Global Citizenship: How Information and Communication Technologies have Altered Humanity… and Created New Questions for Global Citizenship Education

In the broadest sense, the concept of global citizenship education (GCE) includes many facets of a rapidly changing world and concepts in education. The information and communication technology (ICT) advances of the last few decades have created opportunities for educational connection and interaction through digital spaces at all levels, local and global. In linking technology with global citizenship, neither GCE nor ICTs can be assumed to be mutually progressive and/or mutually beneficial. In recent years, governments have moved to centralize ICT technologies exacting more control over their use for surveillance, including the weaponization of ICTs for strategic gains. This complicates the work of GCE scholars and practitioners in unforeseen ways as centralized control limits decentralized interactions. ICT concepts and philosophical stances are explored and defined to address how GCE scholars and practitioners can reimagine and reframe the tenets of the field within this informational world. Key topics discussed include complications of GCE in the infosphere, digital citizenship & GCE, and teaching GCE in the age of “inforgs” & digital identities.

‘Smart’ Is Not Free: Energy Consumption of Consumer Home Automation Systems

The proliferation of consumer Home Automation Systems (HAS), which is increasingly based on the Internet of Things (IoT) architecture, comes with added costs for the additional electrical energy required to power the automation interfaces and the standby energy consumption required to maintain connectivity and/or “smartness”. In this article, we use a bottom-up approach to develop novel system-level energy consumption models for consumer HAS devices and quantify the energy consumption for a typical HAS. We then assess the potential impact on global Information and Communications Technology (ICT) energy use. We show that, on average, HAS may consume over one-third of the annual energy used in a mid-sized home, with non-trivial impact on the global ICT energy footprint.

ОСОБЛИВОСТІ РОЗВИТКУ ПРОЦЕСІВ ДИФУЗІЇ ІННОВАЦІЙ У СЕКТОРІ ІКТ В УКРАЇНІ

The article considers the structural features of the information and communication technology (ICT) sector in Ukraine as a basis for the digital economy emergence, as well as the processes of diffusion of innovations that provide its formation. The indicators of global ICT costs and the global software development market of services are considered; their dynamics is shown. The indicators that characterize the activation of the processes of diffusion of innovations in the ICT field in the world are analyzed. An integrated scientific and methodological approach is proposed that combines structural and institutional analysis, parametric estimates of statistical data, and it should be an improvement of the methodology of national digital ecosystem research. The step-by-step analysis of parameters of diffusion of innovations in the ICT sector is characterized. The main problems and limitations of the development of diffusion of innovations in the ICT sector are identified. An analysis of the experience of Ukrainian startups that have succeeded in the global market, as well as promising startups that are close to it was conducted in order to develop solutions to ensure the development of diffusion of innovations in the ICT sector in Ukraine. The projects and companies of the Noosphere group are considered in order to present the experience of providing of diffusion of innovations. The methods used by Noosphere companies and projects to obtain and promote technologies are studied in detail. New scientific factors for the diffusion of innovations based on the study of this experience have been identified. The cluster-classification analysis of branches of economy and regions of Ukraine was conducted. The key indicators in determining the positions of industries and regions in the overall gradation are highlighted. A parametric analysis of the obtained results was conducted; a large digital divide between industries and regions of Ukraine was substantiated. It was shown that the obtained results form a parametric map of the digital economy management by industries and regions, as well as a map of diffusion of innovations. It is analyzed that the digital divide reduction due to the interregional diffusion of innovations requires mechanisms of interregional cooperation, collaboration between science and industry (business), technological platforms; demonstration events conducting (at the special agencies level), national projects. A scheme of state support for technology transfer has been developed based on foreign experience; it covers the entire cycle of innovation creation within the framework of imitation.

Work engagement and task performance within a global Dutch ICT-consulting firm: The mediating role of innovative work behaviors

The information and communication technology (ICT) sector within the Netherlands is a major driver of globalization, the country’s economic growth and innovation. The Dutch ICT sector’s performance is increasingly becoming dependent upon employee driven innovations in order to address the needs of the sectors they service. In other words, the ICT sector within the Netherlands is largely dependent upon the performance and innovative capacity of its employees; both of which are functions of employee engagement. Given the high demand, and low supply of talent within this sector, ICT organizations need to develop innovative ways to enhance the performance capacities of its people. Developing an engaged and highly innovative workforce seems to be an efficient way to activate employees’ performance. As such, the aim of this paper was to investigate the mediating function of employee driven innovative work behaviors in the relationship between work engagement and task performance within the a Dutch ICT consulting firm. A cross-sectional survey-based research design, employing a census-based sampling method, was employed to obtain data from a global ICT consulting firm within the Netherlands (n = 232). The Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, the Innovative Work Behavior Scale and the Task Performance Scale was used to assess the associative subjective experiences of ICT employees. The results showed that work engagement is a significant driver for innovative work behaviors, which in turn affects the task performance of employees. Further, innovative work behaviors are therefore important to translate the engaging energies of employees into performance. This paper discusses the theoretical and practical implications of these findings.

CO-EVOLUTIONARY COUPLING BETWEEN CAPTURED AND UNCAPTURED GDP CYCLES:CROSS LEARNING FROM AMAZON AND FINLAND MODELS FOR SUSTAINABILITY

A solution to the critical problem of a dilemma between R&D expansion and productivity decline that a majority of information and communication technology (ICT) leaders have been confronting in the digital economy is expected. It can be expected by a spinoff from economic functionality-seeking GDP-based coevolution cycle to supra-functionality beyond an economic value-seeking uncaptured GDP-driven coevolution cycle. However, the transformation dynamism remains a black box. By means of numerical simulations based on empirical analyses of the development trajectories of global ICT leaders, focusing on Amazon and Finland, together with an intensive review of preceding analyses, this paper attempted to elucidate the inside the black box of the above dynamism. By developing a practically applicable numerical approach, inspired attempts to explore a new elucidation frontier were conducted, thereby enabling a new concept of co-evolutionary coupling between two cycles to be postulated. An insightful suggestion regarding possible consequences in the future stemming from the trajectory option was thus provided

Co-Evolutionary Coupling via a Digital-bio Ecosystem – A Suggestion for a New R&D Model in the Digital Economy

A solution to the critical problem of a dilemma between R&D expansion and productivity decline that a majority of information and communication technology (ICT) leaders have been confronting in the digital economy is expected. It can be expected by a spinoff from economic functionality-seeking GDP-based coevolution cycle to supra-functionality beyond an economic value-seeking uncaptured GDP-driven coevolution cycle. However, the transformation dynamism remains a black box. By means of numerical simulations based on empirical analyses of the development trajectories of global ICT leaders, focusing on Amazon and Finland, together with an intensive review of preceding analyses, this paper attempted to elucidate the inside the black box of the above dynamism. By developing a practically applicable numerical approach, inspired attempts to explore a new elucidation frontier were conducted, thereby enabling a new concept of co-evolutionary coupling between two cycles to be postulated. An insightful suggestion regarding possible consequences in the future stemming from the trajectory option was thus provided.

Neo Open Innovation in the Digital Economy : Harnessing Soft Innovation Resources

Successive increases in R&D that creates new functionality are essential for global competitiveness. However, unexpectedly, as a consequence of the two-faced nature of information and communication technology (ICT), excessive R&D results in a marginal productivity decline leading to a decrease in digital value creation. In order to overcome such a dilemma, global ICT firms have been endeavoring to transform themselves into disruptive business model. Neo open innovation that harnesses soft innovation resources may be a solution to this critical question. On the basis of an empirical analysis focusing on forefront endeavors to this dilemma by global ICT firms, this paper attempted to demonstrate the above hypothetical view. Noteworthy findings suggestive to transforming the traditional business model into disruptive innovation that satisfies people’s demand corresponding to their shift in preferences in the digital economy is thus provided. In addition, a new concept for R&D resources in the digital economy is postulated.

The Energy and Carbon Footprint of the Global ICT and E&M Sectors 2010–2015

This article presents estimations of the energy and carbon footprint of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Entertainment & Media (E&M) sectors globally for 2010–2015 including a forecast to 2020. It builds on three previous global studies (2007, 2011, and 2018) and a Swedish study (2015) by the same authors. The study is based on an extensive dataset which combines primary and secondary data for operational (use stage) energy consumption and life cycle greenhouse gas emissions (CO2e) for the included sub-sectors, including energy and carbon footprint data from about 100 of the major global manufacturers, operators, and ICT and E&M service providers. The data set also includes sales statistics and forecasts for equipment to estimate product volumes in addition to published LCA studies and primary manufacturing data to estimate the embodied carbon footprint of products. The result shows that the ICT and E&M sectors have turned their previously growing footprints into shrinking ones despite a continuous increase in subscriptions and data traffic. Furthermore, the results of this study are also indicating that these footprints are significantly smaller than previously forecasted.