The future of Cybersecurity in Italy: Strategic focus area

This volume has been created as a continuation of the previous one, with the aim of outlining a set of focus areas and actions that the Italian Nation research community considers essential. The book touches many aspects of cyber security, ranging from the definition of the infrastructure and controls needed to organize cyberdefence to the actions and technologies to be developed to be better protected, from the identification of the main technologies to be defended to the proposal of a set of horizontal actions for training, awareness raising, and risk management

Electronic participation in a comparative perspective: institutional determinants of performance

Electronic participation can play a crucial role in building broader public involvement in decision-making and public policy to bring about more inclusive societies. Prior empirical analyses have neglected the fact that political institutions are not only affecting the expansion of digital government, but also often interact with more structural conditions to constrain or incentivize the adoption and expansion of e-participation. This research analyses the role of institutional factors in encouraging or constraining e-participation across countries. Fractional regression models are employed to analyze panel data (2008-2018) from the United Nations Member States scores in the E-Participation Index (EPI) developed by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA). The results indicate that the quality of democratic institutions, freedom of the press, and government effectiveness are all relevant predictors of a higher performance in e-participation. Policy implications are drawn in line with the 2030 UN Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals

Futures Studies in the Interactive Society

This book consists of papers which were prepared within the framework of the research project (No. T 048539) entitled Futures Studies in the Interactive Society (project leader: Éva Hideg) and funded by the Hungarian Scientific Research Fund (OTKA) between 2005 and 2009. Some discuss the theoretical and methodological questions of futures studies and foresight; others present new approaches to or procedures of certain questions which are very important and topical from the perspective of forecast and foresight practice. Each study was conducted in pursuit of improvement in futures fields

INNOVATION, CORRUPTION, AND ECONOMIC GROWTH IN EMERGING ASIA

In this paper, we investigate the impact of innovation and corruption on economic growth for 13 emerging Asian economies over the period of 2009 to 2018. Using global innovation and corruption indices, we show that innovation has no significant impact on growth. In contrast, corruption slows down growth in the region. Our results indicate that innovation in the region is not robust enough to attract growth and that corruption is the major hindrance to growth.In this paper, we investigate the impact of innovation and corruption on economic growth for 13 emerging Asian economies over the period of 2009 to 2018. Using global innovation and corruption indices, we show that innovation has no significant impact on growth. In contrast, corruption slows down growth in the region. Our results indicate that innovation in the region is not robust enough to attract growth and that corruption is the major hindrance to growth

How to Achieve Inclusive Growth

Rising inequality and widespread poverty, social unrest and polarization, gender and ethnic disparities, declining social mobility, economic fragility, unbalanced growth due to technology and globalization, and existential danger from climate change are urgent global concerns of our day. These issues are intertwined. They therefore require a holistic framework to examine their interplay and bring the various strands together. This book brings together leading academic economists and experts from several international institutions to explain the sources and scale of these challenges. The book summarizes a wide array of empirical evidence and country experiences, lays out practical policy solutions, and devises a comprehensive and unified plan of action for combatting these economic and social disparities. This authoritative book is accessible to policy makers, students, and the general public interested in how to craft a brighter future by building a sustainable, green, and inclusive society in the years ahead

Platform://Democracy: Perspectives on Platform Power, Public Values and the Potential of Social Media Councils

Social media platforms have created private communication orders which they rule through terms of service and algorithmic moderation practices. As their impact on public communication and human rights has grown, different models to increase the role of public interests and values in the design of their rules and their practices has, too. But who should speak for both the users and the public at large? Bodies of experts and/or selected user representatives, usually called Platform Councils of Social Media Councils (SMCs) have gained attention as a potential solution. Examples of Social Media Councils include Meta’s Oversight Board but most platforms companies have so far shied away from installing one. This survey of approaches to increasing the quality of platform decision-making and content governance involving more than 35 researchers from four continents brough to together in regional "research clinics" makes clear that trade-offs have to be carefully balanced. The larger the council, the less effective is its decision-making, even if its legitimacy might be increased. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach, the projects demonstrates that procedures matter, that multistakeholderism is a key concept for effective Social Media Councils, and that incorporating technical expertise and promoting inclusivity are important considerations in their design. As the Digital Services Act becomes effective in 2024, a Social Media Council for Germany’s Digital Services Coordinator (overseeing platforms) can serve as test case and should be closely monitored. Beyond national councils, there is strong case for a commission focused on ensuring human rights online can be modeled after the Venice Commission and can provide expertise and guidelines on policy questions related to platform governance, particularly those that affect public interests like special treatment for public figures, for mass media and algorithmic diversity. The commission can be staffed by a diverse set of experts from selected organizations and institutions established in the platform governance field

An analysis of ICT policy development and practice in teacher education in Kenya between 1997-2007

This study, entitled 'An analysis of ICT policy development and practice in teacher education in Kenya between 1997 and 2007', is a qualitative study that uses a historical interpretive approach involving documentary analysis, interviews and case 'studies, to document the evolution of ICT policies relevant to teacher education in post independence Kenya, and explore the practices among teachers and teacher educators with ICT between 1997 and 2007. It examines the policy- practice relationship in the context of teacher education. The thesis draws from the work of Elmore and also Fullan to understand the change process with educational ICT policies. Not much research has been done in this area in Kenya and this study is therefore a useful contribution to the body of knowledge on leT policy development and practice in teacher education in developing country contexts. The ICT policy process for teacher education in Kenya takes place in a 4-Tier framework that involves international organisations at Tier 1, the Ministry of Education, other ministries and associated bodies at Tier 2, private or public sector organisations at Tier 3, and pre-service and in-service teacher education programmes at Tier 4. There is lack of co-ordination within and between these Tiers, which results in varied practices that portray differential understandings and interpretations of policy in regard to the place of ICT in teacher education.Despite the exposure to ICT training programmes, availability of computers in various institutions and in some instances, a national ICT curriculum, teacher educators' and teachers' practices in subject teaching do not reflect the policy provisions on ICT pedagogic practice. The national ICT policy, therefore, is hyperationalised and not necessarily policy in action as seen in the Case programmes. The policy discourse disjunction and stratification in the 4-Tier ICT policy development and implementation framework is responsible for the slow pace of change in training and teaching practices in Kenya. This thesis proposes that teacher needs and competencies with ICT should be identified in a backward mapping approach. This will ensure transformative practices in teaching and teacher education, reduce the occurrence of hyperationalisation and allow for consensus building regarding the place of ICT in teacher education programmes and teaching in Kenya