3,567 research outputs found

    Comprehending the Digital Disparities in Africa

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    The digital divide has a significant impact on the ways in which information across Africa is developed, shared, and perceived. This opening chapter seeks to analyse the problems and opportunities associated with the ubiquitous digital revolution, providing a cross-disciplinary examination of digital disparities inhibiting social, political, and economic progress across Africa. It also attempts to conceptualise the digital divide in an African setting. It will introduce some of the main concepts associated with the digital divide and analyse them from an African perspective. The chapter also provides specific examples of how various countries in Africa are dealing with problems associated with the digital exclusion of their citizens. This contribution also provides the justification, aims, and objectives of the book before ending with chapter summaries of the collection

    ‘I Don’t Trust the Phone; It Always Lies’:Trust and Information and Communication Technologies in Tanzanian Micro- and Small Enterprises

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    Despite its importance in African enterprise, the issue of ÂżtrustÂż is absent in information and communication technology for development scholarship. This article examines three case study subsectors of the Tanzanian economy to shed light on some of the complexities surrounding the sudden interface between traditional, established communication, and the increasing use of new information and communication technologies (ICTs). It seems from the case studies that, whereas mobile phones are indeed creating new forms of network in the twenty-first century, they are still far from being Africa's dominant form of network as StĂžvring (2004, 22) contends. The case studies reveal the overlap between social interaction and business in an African economy. Trust emerges as a common theme, and I discuss how important an issue it is in relation to the new form of communication that ICT provides for entrepreneurs in Africa. I suggest that, in relation to ICT in developing countries, trust might at this stage be separated from the more slippery concept of social capital that it is frequently associated with elsewhere. I then reflect on the implications of this for future research into ICT and its business and nonbusiness applications in developing countries. I conclude by suggesting that the need for direct, personal interaction through face-to-face contactÂża traditional pre-ICT aspect of African business cultureÂżis unlikely to change for some tim

    Service-Oriented Foreign Direct Investment: Legal and Policy Frameworks Protecting Digital Assets in Offshoring Information Technology (IT) - Enabled Services

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    This thesis examines challenges caused by global cyberspace, which continues to undermine the ability of regulatory instruments aimed at cyber security and deterring cybercrime so that digital assets including those associated with Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) are protected. Progress in information and communication technology (ICT) has brought about both challenges and opportunities for mankind. While ICT has enabled seamless communication on cyberspace, it has also made every phenomenon, positive or negative on cyberspace possible. The good side of ICT is the endless opportunities provided to harness multiple features and capabilities of associated technologies while its side effect being the enormous security challenge on cyberspace. Legal and policy frameworks are needed to help mitigate cyber security threats and safeguard digital assets against such threats while promoting the benefits of ICT. To this end nations attempt to regulate cyberspace within their territories, but may quickly find out that issues on cyberspace are both global and national at the same time, and as such not fully controllable at national levels only. If nations cannot fully regulate ICT and cyberspace, this will have negative implications for digital investor’s assets in their territories as well. That is investor’s information assets may not be adequately safeguarded by means of national legal instruments. This dissertation seeks to analyze the question as to whether it is entirely possible for nation-states to address the multifaceted challenges introduced by cyberspace with appropriate national legal and policy frameworks alone to protect digital investments. This dissertation argues that, on the one hand, nations are behind in providing proper regulatory coverage for cyberspace, while, on the other hand, existing regulations have largely been unsuccessful in containing cyber security threats primarily due to complications caused by the ubiquitous global presence of cyberspace per se. Consequently, investor’s digital assets are more susceptible to unauthorized access and use, or destruction, all of which cannot be fully accounted for with currently available legal or technical means. There is a strong indication that digital investor assets demand more protection efforts from both investors and forum nations alike compared to what is needed to protect and promote traditional FDI

    Economic barriers to development : cost of access to internet infrastructure

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    The Internet is increasingly viewed as an "indispensable" resource for general development and economic growth (UNDP 1999). Its adoption by governments, organizations and individuals has resulted in the shrinking of spatial and temporal distances between different regions of the world, and has greatly facilitated the "free" and quick exchange of information. Such constrictions of time and space impact upon social and economic interactions at all levels of society. Furthermore, ramifications of this impact are felt by a society, group or individual irrespective of whether or not they use the Internet. The ability to access the Internet, and in particular the costs associated with such access, are therefore important points of consideration. Not only do these costs contribute to the disproportional spread of the Internet across the world's population; they also potentially contribute to uneven patterns of development within, and between countries

    Cyberspace Knowledge Gaps and Boundaries in Sustainability Science: Topics, Regions, Editorial Teams and Journals

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    The scholarly world of sustainability science is one that is international and interdisciplinary, but is one, on close reading of research contributions, editoral teams, journal citations, and geographic coverage, that has much unevenness. The focus of this paper is on the cyberspace boundaries between and within fields and disciplines studying sustainability; these boundaries separate knowledge gaps or uneven patterns in sustainability scholarship. I use the volume of hyperlinks on Google Search Engine and Google Scholar to illustrate the nature and extent of the boundaries in cyberspace that exist and also the subject and geographic gaps in the home countries of sustainability journal editors and editorial board members of 69 journals, many which have appeared since 2000. The results reveal that knowledge boundaries are part of the current nature of sustainability scholarship and that, while there is global coverage in our knowledge of sustainability, as well as sustainability maps and photographs, we know much less about sustainability in countries of the Global South than the Global North. This unevenness extends to the dominance of North America, Europe, and China as leaders in what we know. English-speaking countries also tend to dominate both journal editors and editorial board members, even though countries in the Global South have representation. The volumes of hyperlinks for the sustainability journals associated with both databases are similar with major interdisciplinary journals having the largest numbers. As the field of international sustainability science continues to evolve, it bears observing whether the cyberspace knowledge or boundary gaps will narrow in what is recognized by most science and policy scientists as one of the most important transdisciplinary fields of study in the Global South and North

    The experience of Internet freedom among African users

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    This article examines African Internet users’ experience of online freedom to assess levels of trust and mistrust of the Internet in Africa. Internet users’ perception of the protection or denial of their rights online—such as freedom of expression, privacy, and safety and security—in selected African countries is examined here as an outcome of constraining or enabling Internet policy and regulatory frameworks. Demand-side survey data collected via nationally representative ICT access and use surveys in 2017 is analyzed within the context of the Internet ecosystem as it plays out at the national level in three sub-Saharan African countries: Nigeria, Rwanda, and South Africa. Findings are contextualized within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals, emphasizing the role that the Internet plays in contributing to the growth of a country when relevant policies are formulated in a way that addresses users’ needs while safeguarding their rights

    Globalisation of Concern III : Essays on Climate Justice, Education, Sustainability and Technology

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    In this third collection of essays under the title of Globalisation of Concern, Aidan G. Msafiri addresses the pressing topical subjects of our time providing ethical orientations on the ethics of land justice and sustainability, the role and relevance of education and the developments of technology and cyberspace in societies. The Christian, African and global perspective of this book makes it an important source for students and decision-makers in all sectors of society. A book of reflection and hope

    Outside sources of terrorist threats in West Africa

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    Fighting terrorism is a complex task, not limited to military options. It also concerns State-building, nationalism and inclusive sustainable development. The roots of underlying conflicts were already laid during colonialism, the slave trade, plundering of resources and arbitrary border establishment. The battle cannot be won by occupation nor by internal efforts of the countries affected alone, particularly not when terrorist enjoy secret support from parts of the army and the country's political elite. There are outside sources fomenting violent conflict by close cooperation between transnational crime and terrorist networks. Money laundering and financing of terrorism in global financial systems are part and parcel of the problem. Also many activists and combatants are not just driven by religious fanaticism and ideological zeal. Revenge, mere survival and local strives between conflicting groups often play a decisive role too. Ill- and ungoverned spaces favour warlordism, both of radical jihadist and non-religious terrorist movements, driven by localism and informal networks. The military response of some governments and security services degenerated into inadequate state counterterrorism with no regard for local populations. It resulted in challenges for the rule of law and human rights in these countries. Although trans-national military counterinsurgency among ECOWAS governments improved, it remained hampered by the divide between Anglophone and Francophone countries and the vested interest of former colonial rulers France and Great Britain. By now, terrorists also effectively use cyberspace and social media to create fear and spread their violent ideologies. The interactions between crime and terror in West Africa will continue in the foreseeable future. It may even increase, considering the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and famines caused by failing cereal imports as result of the Russian war in Ukraine. The effects on the social structure are considerable, including the population's dwindling trust in the state administration and the villagers' willingness to side with the terrorists. The fight of terrorism demands viable long-term solutions that take into account the linkages between counterterrorism, the rule of law and human rights and socio-economic development.Der Kampf gegen den Terrorismus ist eine komplexe Aufgabe, die nicht auf militĂ€rische Optionen beschrĂ€nkt ist. Er betrifft auch den Staatsaufbau, Nationalismus und inklusive nachhaltige Entwicklung. Die Wurzeln der zugrunde liegenden Konflikte wurden bereits wĂ€hrend des Kolonialismus, des Sklavenhandels, der PlĂŒnderung von Ressourcen und der willkĂŒrlichen Grenzziehung in Afrika gelegt. Der Kampf kann weder durch Besatzung noch durch interne BemĂŒhungen der betroffenen LĂ€nder allein gewonnen werden, insbesondere dann nicht, wenn Terroristen heimliche UnterstĂŒtzung von Teilen der Armee und der politischen Elite des Landes genießen. Es gibt externe Quellen, die durch eine enge Zusammenarbeit zwischen transnationaler KriminalitĂ€t und terroristischen Netzwerken gewalttĂ€tige Konflikte schĂŒren. GeldwĂ€sche und Terrorismusfinanzierung in globalen Finanzsystemen sind Teil des Problems. Auch viele Aktivisten und KĂ€mpfer werden nicht nur von religiösem Fanatismus und ideologischem Eifer getrieben. Auch Rache, bloßes Überleben und lokale KĂ€mpfe zwischen verfeindeten Gruppen spielen oft eine entscheidende Rolle. Schlecht verwaltete und unregierbare RĂ€ume begĂŒnstigen Warlords, sowohl in radikalen dschihadistischen als auch in nicht-religiösen terroristischen Bewegungen, die von lokalen Konflikten und informellen Netzwerken angetrieben werden. Die militĂ€rische Reaktion einiger Regierungen und Sicherheitsdienste degenerierte zu unangemessener staatlicher TerrorismusbekĂ€mpfung ohne RĂŒcksicht auf die lokale Bevölkerung. Dies fĂŒhrte zu Herausforderungen fĂŒr die Rechtsstaatlichkeit und die Menschenrechte in diesen LĂ€ndern. Obwohl sich die transnationale militĂ€rische AufstandsbekĂ€mpfung unter den ECOWAS-Regierungen verbesserte, wurde sie immer noch durch die Kluft zwischen anglophonen und frankophonen LĂ€ndern und eigennĂŒtzigen Interessen der ehemaligen Kolonialherren Frankreich und Großbritannien behindert. Inzwischen nutzen Terroristen auch effektiv den Cyberspace und soziale Medien, um Angst zu erzeugen und ihre gewalttĂ€tigen Ideologien zu verbreiten. Die Wechselwirkungen zwischen KriminalitĂ€t und Terror in Westafrika werden in absehbarer Zeit fortbestehen. Angesichts der verheerenden Auswirkungen der COVID-19-Pandemie und der Hungersnöte, die durch fehlende Getreideimporte infolge des russischen Krieges in der Ukraine verursacht wurden, könnten sie sogar noch zunehmen. Die Auswirkungen auf die Sozialstruktur sind erheblich, darunter das schwindende Vertrauen der Bevölkerung in die staatliche Verwaltung und die Bereitschaft der Dorfbewohner, sich auf die Seite der Terroristen zu stellen. Der Kampf gegen den Terrorismus erfordert tragfĂ€hige langfristige Lösungen, die die Verbindungen zwischen TerrorismusbekĂ€mpfung, Rechtsstaatlichkeit und Menschenrechten sowie sozioökonomischer Entwicklung berĂŒcksichtigen

    Innovation-ICT-cybersecurity: The triad relationship and its impact on growth competitiveness

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    This study examines the global growth competitiveness of countries using the dynamics of growth, ICT, and innovation. It also introduces a new dynamic, cybersecurity, and argues that within a growth competitiveness framework, ICT, innovation, and cybersecurity mechanisms allow some countries to achieve higher ranks on the competitiveness ladder than others. Based on a theoretical framework that encompasses the economic growth model, the complementarity theory, and the international law theory, a model that integrates ICT, innovation, and cybersecurity, depicts the relationships amongst them and with growth competitiveness, and incorporates complementary factors with possible moderating effect is presented. The model proposed relationships are then tested using PLS-PM. The model proves to have adequate goodness-of-fit as well as predictive validity. Results support most hypotheses showing: (1) a positive relationship between ICT and innovation; (2) a positive relationship between each of innovation and ICT with growth competitiveness; (3) a mediating effect of innovation has in the ICT – growth competitiveness relationship; (4) a positive relationship between ICT and innovation on one hand and cybersecurity on the other; (5) a mediating role of cybersecurity in the ICT – growth as well as the innovation – growth relationships; and the (6) moderating effect that human capital has in the above relationships. Cyber threats, however, do not have a moderator role in these relationships. These findings are interpreted in relation to the extant body of knowledge related to ICT, innovation, and cybersecurity. Moreover, the theoretical and the practical implications are discussed and the practical significance is shown. Finally, the study limitations are listed, the recommendations are presented, and the direction for future work is discussed
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