ICT Ecosystem Research Articles

The influence of giant platform on content diversity

Scholars have studied how giant platforms influence on the innovation ecosystem as platform providers (PPs) has grown in large size because of their unique and necessary position in the ICT ecosystem. To find the influence of giant PPs' market power on diversity of CPs and the role of content diversity in the innovation ecosystem, we modeled the platform ecosystem and examined the effect of a PP's expansion on various outcomes by using a simulation model based on genetic algorithm. Results show that, firstly, a PP's expansion do reduce the internal content diversity, secondly, high content diversity influences on increasing in innovation capacity of the platform ecosystem, thirdly, the ratio of CPs that retain their uniqueness of content is positively correlated with content diversity, and lastly, the users' will to find alternative sources of content aids in the recovery of decreased content diversity. This might contribute for policy makers and stakeholders in the platform ecosystem to understand the overall picture of the industry dynamics and the innovation strategy in ecological perspective.

An in-depth study of the ICT ecosystem in a South African rural community: unveiling expenditure and communication patterns

There is no doubt of the contributions made by mobile phones and mobile network operators in increasing access to communications in rural areas of developing countries. Yet how affordable is this ubiquitous access in such an ICT ecosystem? Using data from two stratified random surveys conducted in a South African rural community, this paper provides a unique in-depth picture of the expenditure and communication patterns of its dwellers. Results show a high access ratio of people using mobile phone services weekly and a high proportion of disposable income dedicated to a very constrained set of mobile phone services. Factors such as mobile phone charging and the extra charges added by airtime resellers contribute to increase the communication costs. This data and its analysis can be used by the following: regulators and government agencies to better design their policy implementations to provide universal service and access; competing industry players to understand the dynamics within rural communities to better target their products; civil society organizations to use it as a case in their efforts to make affordable communications a constitutional right.

The Paradox of Mobility in the Kenyan ICT Ecosystem: An Ethnographic Case of How the Youth in Kibera Slum Use and Appropriate the Mobile Phone and the Mobile Internet

The Kenyan ICT ecosystem has attracted vast global media and policy attention because of notable mobile phone adoption in the country. However, empirical research of how Kenyans use and appropriate new media and ICTs in the diverse contexts within the country remains limited. In order to contribute to the emerging literature on Sub-Saharan Africa ICT ecosystems as well as the Mobility discussions within Mobiles for Development M4D and Information and Communication Technologies for Development ICT4D, this paper discusses an empirical case of how the youth of Kibera use and appropriate the mobile phone and the mobile Internet. The purpose of this critical realist ethnographic research article is to explicate the events in the historical development of the Kenyan ICT ecosystem as well as the components of social and physical structure in Kibera slum along with the relationships between them. This paper argues that the mobile phone eases communication and strengthens existent social ties for the youth of Kibera. However, it cannot bypass the hierarchical nature of Kenya where “class and place of residence are distinctive social markers in the process of social networking” [Wallis, C. (2011). Mobile phones without guarantees: The promises of technology and the contingencies of culture. New Media & Society, 13(3), 471–485. Wallis, C. (2013). Technomobility in China: Young migrant women and mobile phones. New York, NY: New York University Press]. Therefore, the young Kiberans predominantly use and appropriate the mobile phone to network with those in the same lower income strata. This is because they are widely perceived in Kenyan society as the “other and what does not belong” because they are slum residents [Hall, S. (2013). The spectacle of the other. In S. Hall, J. Evans, & S. Nixon (Eds.), Representation: Cultural representations and signifying practices (2nd ed., pp. 223–283). Sage. p. 257].

Designing and Testing HealthTracker for Activity Recognition and Energy Expenditure Estimation within the DAPHNE Platform

This paper describes the design and evaluation of a mobile software library, HealthTracker, which aims to produce activity and energy expenditure estimations in real-time from accelerometer and gyroscope data provided by wearable sensors. Using feature extraction together with a classifier trained using machine learning, the system will automatically and periodically send all the produced estimations to a cloud-based platform that will allow later evaluation by both the user and a physician or caretaker. The system is presented within the DAPHNE platform, an ICT ecosystem designed to provide a means for remote health and lifestyle monitoring and guidance between physicians and their patients.

한국 ICT서비스산업의 개방형 혁신에 영향을 미치는 요소 분석 : 네트워크 서비스를 중심으로

Abstract Due to the emergence of open innovation driven by development o f network service technologies and convergence in ICT service industry, It is necessary for ICT service firms to examine their capabilities for open innovation. The purpose of this paper is to empirically examine determinants affecting open innovation in Korean ICT service industry. In order to analyze, this paper uses logistic and multiple regression mo dels based on survey data of Korean ICT service firms. Estimation results show that external network for collaboration is positive on the technological innovation activity regard-less of the innovation type. Specifically, user networks are si gnificant in all types of technology innovation, revealing that it is important to innovation activities of the ICT servic e firms. Keywords：Network Service Industry, Open Innovation, Service Quality Impr ovement, ICT Ecosystem 논문접수일：2015년 10월 21일 논문게재확정일：2015년 11월 17일논문수정일：2015년 11월 17일* 본 논문은 2015년도 미래창조과학부의 재원으로 과학벨트기능지구지원사업의 지원(2015K000272) 및 정보통신기술진흥센터의 ICT R&D 기획 연구의 지원을 받아 수행된 연구임.†교신저자, ksbae@cbnu.ac.kr

The Leadership Competition of Smart Platforms in the ICT Ecosystem: Comparative Analysis of Samsung Electronics and SK Telecom in the Appcessory Market

The Leadership Competition of Smart Platforms in the ICT Ecosystem: Comparative Analysis of Samsung Electronics and SK Telecom in the Appcessory Market

Softwarization of telecommunications

Abstract This paper argues that SDN and NFV principles are going to impact not only the evolution of current networks, but also the services and applications platforms. In fact, SDN and NFV, together with Cloud and Edge Computing, can be seen as facets of a broader systemic innovation wave (called softwarization) which is transforming the overall telecommunications and ICT ecosystems. Specifically, the paper proposes the vision of Software Defined Infrastructures (SDI) as highly dynamic and pervasive telecommunications and ICT frameworks of logical resources capable of executing (with a trade-off of centralisation and distribution) any network and service functions. Eventually, it is argued that, in this evolution towards SDI, the border between the networks and the Cloud-Edge Computing platforms will gradually disappear. On the other side, also the distinction between the networks and the future “terminals” (e. g., including machines, smart things, drones, robot) will blur. This transformation will have profound techno-economic implications for the telecommunications and ICT ecosystems, paving the way to the Digital Society and the Digital Economy.

Social platform innovation of open source hardware in South Korea

This paper proposes the use of OSHW to successfully penetrate the Internet of Things (IoT) market by using a social platform with a new interdisciplinary perspective rather than through the use of existing technical approaches. Snowball sampling was used in this study to survey 300 people who work and have had experiences with online brand communities for open source hardware (OSHW) at Fab Lab Seoul. The findings of this study indicate that content, consumer support, user interface, and reward are among the five factors that trigger an online brand community to develop a social OSHW platform. However, this study also found that brand reputation was insignificant relative to activating a social media platform for open-source software. In addition, activating a social platform for OSHW can positively affect to the brand community’s loyalty for OSHW, which means that social platform innovation for OSHW can help form the positive attitude necessary to develop and diffuse an OSHW culture in a rapidly changing ICT ecosystem. This can be an important strategy for OSHW business and can contribute to the growth of the IoT market in South Korea.

Platforms and incentives for consensus building on complex ICT systems: The development of WiFi

This paper studies the organizational hiccups that can occur during the development of technological platforms for complex ICT systems and focuses on an important part of the ICT ecosystem; committees that develop common ICT platforms. Given the diverging interests of the parties involved, it is surprising that consensus is usually reached in these committees. A case study of the development of IEEE 802.11 is conducted which is presented as an emergent phenomenon. IEEE 802.11 is a typical example of a highly successful technological platform that encountered several organizational glitches during its development, but eventually achieved widespread market dominance. This study examines these glitches and proposes strategies to overcome them by using concepts from the governance literature.

Mobile Phone Ecosystems and the Informal Sector in Developing Countries – Cases from Jamaica

AbstractThis study investigates the role of the ICT ecosystem within the informal business sectors of rural and urban Jamaica, relying on an exploratory collective case study methodology to highlight the differences in how the use of mobile phones have facilitated and enhanced entrepreneurial opportunities for business operators existing in the informal economy. The findings of the study confirm existing research about the socio‐economic benefits of ICTs but also highlight specific characteristics related to informal ICT ecosystems. For example, we found that there was a close‐knit set of entrepreneurs who were motivated by competition between one another but who would still engage in mutual learning and information sharing. These ecosystems also entail a system of social hierarchy among the actors, although there is potential for mobility. Finally, we note that our findings suggest a potential reconsideration of definitions of the informal sector that emphasize low‐skilled labour.

Levelling the Playing Field: Last-mile Internet Connectivity & Community-driven Models of Connectedness

This paper was originally written as a term paper for a master’s-level course on information technologies and socio-economic development at the London School of Economics. It seeks to serve as a very brief and broad introduction to two primary topics – 1) ICTD (ICT for development) theory and 2) grassroots technologies used to expand and improve ICT ecosystems – regarding the rural digital divide. It was presented at the IFIP 9.4 IT4D/STS Workshop: South-North-South Dialogues on Science, Technology, and Development at the Federal University of Minas Gerais in Belo Horizonte, Brazil on August 19, 2014.

Coopetition and convergence in the ICT ecosystem

This study focuses on quantifying and visualizing the competitive dynamics shaping the ICT ecosystem. We ground our study in theories of complex systems, strategy dynamics, and industry life cycle. Using a unique longitudinal dataset, we define and develop graph and information theoretic measures of coopetition, convergence, complexity, and velocity of the ICT ecosystem. We frame the “transformation path” of the ICT ecosystem using these proposed metrics and map the trajectory using complex network visualizations. Our results show that while segments in the ICT ecosystem have converged, the rate of convergence is decreasing. This suggests a growing maturity of the ecosystem and decreasing importance on formal interfirm relationships. At the same time, we find that coopetition is increasing at a decreasing rate. We also find evidence of a declining engagement in interfirm R&D and a growing number of technology transfer relationships, indicating a possible shift from value exploration to value capturing. Our novel data-based metrics provide a foundation for strategic analysis of new business opportunities that is not possible using traditional market analysis tools. We conclude with a discussion of policy implications and future research opportunities.

The uneasy transition from supply chains to ecosystems

Purpose– This paper uses the multidimensional definition of value – ecosystemic value – and employs lifecycle theory to identify the different stages of evolution of value-creation and -capture processes in an ecosystem. Specifically, the aim of this paper is to show the uneasy transition from supply chains to ecosystems.Design/methodology/approach– Based on a field study of a Canadian ICT ecosystem, this paper adopts a multilevel perspective on value-creation and value-capture processes and illustrates how these processes need to move from a dyadic economic focus to a network socioeconomic one.Findings– The findings pinpoint the uneasy transition from supply-chains management to ecosystems management and provide a framework for understanding how value creation and value capture should be coupled throughout the ecosystem lifecycle. Finally, five theoretical and managerial propositions are suggested to better leverage ecosystemic capabilities and better manage value creation and value capture in ecosystems.Practical implications– Five theoretical and managerial propositions are suggested to better leverage ecosystemic capabilities and better manage value creation and value capture in ecosystems.Originality/value– Many marketing and management scholars discuss the limitations of unbalanced perspectives (customer- or seller-centric) in building a comprehensive view of how value is created and captured. This multi-actors case study highlights how ecosystemic value creation may be obstructed by a firm's focus on value capture.

스마트 전자정부 구현을 위한 보안 알고리즘 응용 제안

ICT 생태계의 동인으로 전자정부는 그 형태의 변화를 가져온다. 이에 따라 스마트 전자정부 구현을 위해서 정부는 m-Gov 서비스를 활성화 하고, 이를 위해 기술정책을 수립할 필요가 있다. 따라서 본 논문에서 스마트 전자정부 구현 모형을 제시하고, 안전한 m-Gov의 인프라 구성을 위해 양자암호 시스템을 서버보안에 응용할 수 있는 정보보안 기술정책으로서 보안 알고리즘을 제안한다. 이것은 결국 보안성, 안전성, 경제성이 확보된 대국민 및 기업에 대한 스마트 전자정부 서비스를 제공하는 행정이념을 추구하는 것이다. As ICT Ecosystem does, electronic government changes in its form. Accordingly, in order to realize Smarter m-Gov, the governments need to vitalize m-Gov services and enact technology policy. Therefor, this manuscript suggests possible model of m-Gov realization and security algorithm as a technology policy which applies quantum cryptography system to server security for the construction of secured m-Gov's infrastructure. What the manuscript suggests seeks administrative ideas of Smarter m-Gov's services which contain security, stability, and economic feasibility for the benefits of nation and enterprises.

Metaphor as Policy: The Case of the 'Broadband Ecosystem'

From the early days of the Internet, metaphors have been important in shaping how we think about it. The “Information Superhighway”; the “Web”; the “cloud”; “Tubes”, “Cyberspace”, among others. Such appellations may seem trivial, even jokey, but metaphors actually can pow-erfully influence how we think about something. Metaphors imply regulatory policies. If we say the Internet is like the electrical grid, that’s one thing; if we say it’s like a public bazaar that may have very different results in the way we think about its regulation. A currently popular, perhaps even dominant, metaphor is that of the “ecosystem”, appearing var-iously as the ICT ecosystem, the Internet ecosystem and the broadband ecosystem. They all convey the image of things that are interconnected and interdependent. The embrace a world where multiple formerly independent industrial sectors are overlapping, at least at the margins, creating new “platforms” of good and services to be provided to consumers. What are often un-der-recognized are the long-term implications of adopting this metaphor. It is now 18 years since the passage of the ’96 Telecommunications Act. It was a step in the long process of competition and consolidation, but hardly an endpoint. The “Internet” is mentioned only in two areas (e-rate and child protection). It could be argued its drafters were shortsighted, but it would have required a bold imagination to foresee how things have evolved since then. So what sort of policy/regulatory regime will be appropriate for 18 years into the future, 2032? Or even for 2025? We need to be prepared for substantial – but foreseeable – major changes. The paper will build on the “broadband ecosystem” metaphor, looking forward to a time when the “Intercloud” and inter-cloud networks step into the dominant role; when there is no need to “log in” as the network increasingly becomes the environment in which we move; in which the dominant part of the broadband network is not the public Internet but private and public clouds; and in which artificial intelligence and big data combine to create an overall shared data envi-ronment for which we do not yet even have a common name. Noting that the broadband network is much more than just the “Internet”, the paper will identify the key, forward looking policy issues: ecosystem/platforms vs. terminating access; scope of the broadband ecosystem; focus on innovation or competition; social interventions; and jurisdictional basis, scope and locus of regulatory authority. It will then review three primary forward-looking policy models (the platform model, the protocol layers model, and the policy space model) and evaluate how well they address these policy issues and lay the groundwork for the information environment of the future.

Dissonance in the Global ICT Ecosystem: A Longitudinal Comparative Analysis of ICT Policy and Corporate Strategy Semantic Networks

Dissonance in the Global ICT Ecosystem: A Longitudinal Comparative Analysis of ICT Policy and Corporate Strategy Semantic Networks

Expendable ‘Written’ ICT Policies in a Digital Era, No Broken Promise

In Turkey, whether distinguishing software as Free Open Source Software (FOSS) or Proprietary Close Source Software (PCSS), there is no precise ‘National ICT Policy in Public Institutions’. It is crucial to evaluate ICT Policy, particularly how and why it is incomprehensive , as a case study, to conceptualise ICT Policy from a national psyche. The study focuses on the reasons for not ‘governing’ ICT Policy and identifies the conditions behind this omission. I argue how FOSS is deliberately ignored due to; obvious, institutional inertia, path dependence and ungovernable ICT changes and arguably, corruption in new public management. The study concludes that Turkey has failed to produce written ICT Policies and to establish p ervasive and trustworthy ( flexible) ICT ecosystems, which recognise either a balanced development between FOSS & PCSS or a FOSS favourable system. Turkey has taken a de-facto ICT Policy, by which Microsoft dominant markets control public institutions. Whilst techno-institutional lock-ins politically exist and are irreversible, the future is mistakenly defined as a Procrustean ICT Bed Strategy. Globally, ICT Policy is understood to be an ‘experimental strategy’ (not definitive), perhaps for the purpose of ongoing negotiations and positioning of a national state within global networks because of evident nationally prioritised values and interests. The dynamic and failing nature of ICT ecosystems leads to ‘no broken promise’.

ICT 생태계 변화에 따른 m-Gov의 전략수립과 정책과제

ICT 생태계의 동인으로 전자정부는 기존의 PC 기반 e-Gov를 무선 기반 m-Gov로의 스마트 전자정부 형태 변화를 가져온다. 이에 따라 스마트 정부 구현을 위해서 m-Gov 서비스를 활성화 하고, 이를 위해 전략을 수립하여야 한다. 또한 전략수립에 따른 대응책과 전자정부가 나아가야 하는 정책적 과제를 제시할 필요가 있다. 이것이 정부의 혁신과 대국민 삶의 질을 향상시키는 것으로써 행정이념 추구의 궁극적인 목적이다. 따라서 본 논문에서 스마트 정부의 구현을 위해서 m-Gov의 전망으로 전자정부 서비스 활성화를 위한 전략수립과 대응책, 그리고 m-Gov의 정책 방향의 과제를 제시하였다. In its change in ICT Ecosystem, electronic government changes to its wireless m-Gov from existing PC-based e-Gov. Thus, in order to realize the smart government, m-Gov needs to be vitalized and the strategies for this realization are required. Also, some countermeasures for those strategies and political instructions which the electric government should follows are needed. Above two are the ultimate purpose in pursuing administrative ideals because the realization of m-Gov innovates the government and betters quality of national life off. Therefore, this paper, to realize the smart government, provides some strategies for vitalization of m-Gov's electric government services, their countermeasures, and political instructions for Smart m-Gov.

ICT 생태계 구축을 위한 기업 전략 분석 및 정책 제안

This paper proposes policies for developing ICT ecosystems so that Korean ICT companies can have a competitive power under the changing ICT industry environment. It analyzes the changes of user characteristics, their consumption trends and ICT industry environment. It also examines problems of domestic ICT industry and overseas ICT policies. In addition, it investigates the ICT ecosystem strategies of Google and Apple based on the theory of business ecosystem. This study suggests government policies for establishing a smart ecosystem, incubating a strategic ecosystem, and maintaining a sustainable ecosystem. The findings of this study provide additional insights and guidelines for policy makers to develop effective ICT ecosystems.

The Fallacy of OSS Discrimination by FRAND Licensing: An Empirical Analysis

This article attempts to explain the interplay between open source software licensing and licensing in both the development of standards and with respect to firms seeking to use both and proprietary software. Tension has risen in particular in the standards context, where those who create and distribute code under Open Source Software licenses claim that they are disadvantaged by standards where patent owners are allowed to seek royalties on patents that apply to the standard. The charge that FRAND discriminates against OSS is a popular belief among the community. Many believe that is fundamentally incompatible with viewing the complete absence of royalties as the only compatible option.An empirical examination of all licenses approved by the OSI reveals that there is no inherent conflict between and FRAND. Of the eight most popular licenses, only the GPL and the Lesser GPL license conflict with the model. And only a small fraction of the remaining 59 OSI-approved licenses have any conflict with FRAND. Indeed, the vast majority of licenses are fully compatible with FRAND, with regard to both monetary and non-monetary terms.Additionally, as a policy matter, it is in the best interests of consumers and the ICT ecosystem for different methods of software production to be allowed to compete and flourish in the marketplace through the creation of technology standards and products.