An interpretive approach to digital divide policy-making: a comparative study of China and Taiwan

An interpretive approach to digital divide Policy-making: A comparative study of China and TaiwanThis thesis investigates how problems for policy become defined as well as how policy responses are subsequently designed to address these problems. It was motivated by the substantive concern that existing literature on digital divide policy is derived from Western countries, and embedded within Western rationales. In contrast, the way in which digital divide policy is made in developing countries had received relatively little attention. In light of this gap in the literature, empirical research was carried out on the development of digital divide policy-making, highlighting policies from two developing countries as examples: Cun Cun Tong (providing every village with a telephone and internet connection) Policy in China and Digital Opportuniry Centre/APEC Digital Opportunity Centre in Taiwan.Theoretically, this research adopts an interdisciplinary rationale, combining an interpretative approach from the field of policy research and key concepts from Science and Technology Studies. It aims to overcome a shortcoming of much traditional research on the digital divide which, in its commitment to its substantive concerns has been un-reflexive in its approach. This thesis demonstrates how an interpretative approach can produce new insights into digital divide policy from a more critical perspective. It elucidates how understandings of the digital divide are articulated (initially in discussions in the USA and the European Union) and become promulgated through international organizations during the early 1990s to the year 2005, and how they are then ultimately 'domesticated', becoming embedded within particular national contexts and policy discourses.Methodologically, this research adopts a strategy of triangulation. It combines various modes and methods of enquiry: discourse analysis of policy documents is supplemented with interviewing policy-makers. Interviews are used to obtain first-hand materials which throw light on the orientation and context of the various actors who participate in policy-making and their concerns/discourses during policy-making. Finally, there is an analysis of policy outcomes. This research also contributes to opening the black box of policy-making, particularly in China, a context which presents particular challenges for the researcher.Empirically, the findings provide an in-depth understanding of digital divide policy-making in developing countries. Firstly, it is demonstrated that international and national contexts matter in digital divide policy-making. Policy similarities can be explained by both the international context and local context. International policy discourses provide commonly available intellectual resources, whereas similarities in local contexts, for example a shared technocratic tradition. These international and national contexts also impact on the participants who are involved in digital divide policy-making, for example, the technocratic tradition of China and Taiwan is a factor underpinning the choice of policy participants with science and technology backgrounds. These participants then learn and exchange experiences from international organisations and other countries through international conferences, official policy websites, and personal contacts. Secondly, the study found that the relationship between discourses and policy-making is by no means as straightforward and linear as some interpretations of discursive shaping might imply. Discourses may have influences on policy development; however some inclusion strategies arose within domestic departments in advance of alignment with international digital divide discourses, as a result of pre-existing concerns within the national policy settings. A third, and related finding is that there is a gap between policy formation and policy implementation, the exploration of which reveals the complexity of policy discourses. For example, some policy texts were found to emphasise social development, whereas the implementation predominantly centres on the equipment of infrastructures. Finally, the most crucial contribution of this thesis is its development of an interdisciplinary interpretive approach to scrutinise digital divide policy. This provides a basis for future research in this area, as well as a means to address the limitations of existing approaches

Impact of Business-to-Consumer Electronic Commerce Factors on Firm Performance in Taiwan\u27s E-Brokerage Sector

The new economy influences the entire economy, from corporations and governments to society. Business-to-consumer (B2C) electronic commerce (EC) continues to grow despite the burst of the 2000 e-bubble. Dramatic changes in EC and the significance of EC\u27s impact on firm performance are important practical issues. Variations in firm performance (outcome variable) are attributed to organization effect and to industry effect. Thus, a theoretical framework that combines a strategic typology with a resource-based view of the dynamic capabilities perspective can explain the industry and organization effect on firm performance. This non-experimental, correlational (explanatory) and causal-comparative (exploratory) survey and secondary data research design is the first to investigate the relationships among organizational characteristics (firm size and web age), CEO commitment to EC, strategy types, website design, and IT system integration capabilities on the performance of Taiwan\u27s e-brokerage firms. In this study, integrating factors of strategic types as an industry effect, CEO commitment to EC as a firm resource and website design and IT system integration as EC capabilities provided a better explanation of the performance of Taiwan\u27s e-brokerage firms. Findings indicated that strategy types showed no significant differences on the level of firm performance (online sales and market share). Another finding suggested that website design of catalog application and web age were significant contributors the to the online annual sales growth rate. In addition, CEO commitment to EC, website design of catalog application, IT system integration capabilities, and web age were significant explanatory factors of the online annual market share growth rate. Top managers of e-brokers in Taiwan must have the ability to do all things well in order to succeed in the rapidly-changing EC environment. EC firms can no longer benefit from first-mover advantage which contributes negatively to firm performance. At the same time, they need to emphasize and invest firm resources into EC and bundle and leverage EC (website design capabilities) as a way to create value for customers, build a sustainable competitive advantage, and gain superior performance over competitors

East Asian Economies\u27 Cooperation in Cross-border Direct Investment Arrangements

While economic globalization continues to develop, the global economy keeps integrating through increasing trade and foreign direct investment (FDI). The establishment of close and comprehensive industrial production and distribution networks in the East Asian region is mainly driven by FDI cooperation between multinational enterprises (MNEs) and local firms. MNEs have played a key role in promoting vertical intra-industry trade in East Asia by setting up regional and international production networks through FDI

Is East Asia Industrializing Too Quickly? Environmental Regulation in its Special Economic Zones

East Asia is undergoing its own Industrial Revolution. Special economic zones (SEZs) are playing a key role in its economic transformation. However, industrialization has brought great environmental concern. Over recent decades, China, the Philippines, South Korea, and other newly industrializing economies in East Asia have designated special areas for foreign investment and export production to which have been conceded favourable investment and trade conditions, and often exemption from certain kinds of regulation. Race to the bottom and related theories of the effects of inter-jurisdictional competition for investment predict that environmental regulation would be compromised in SEZs. Contrary to such hypotheses, there is some evidence that environmental regulation in East Asia\u27s industrializing zones is stricter than in other parts of their economies, and that foreign investors are sometimes more strictly regulated than local businesses. The experience of East Asia\u27s SEZs - particularly in China - suggests we need to re-think how we conceptualise the relationships between environmental law and foreign investment in the context of rapidly industrializing developing countries. This experience also reveals persistent weaknesses in the legal systems of East Asia and the fragility of the rule of (environmental) law. To address this, further reform to the environmental regulation of SEZs should be grounded in more wide-ranging and basic improvements to administrative regimes, policy instruments and access to justice

Against the grain: the battle for public service broadcasting in Taiwan

Over the last two decades public service broadcasting (PSB) around the world has faced increasing pressures from accelerating commercialisation and the fragmentation of the broadcasting landscape. This has led a number of media commentators in the system’s traditional heartlands to ask whether the idea has now outlived its usefulness. Against the grain of this international trend, Taiwan has moved in the opposite direction, democratising its state-owned television system and introducing a form of public broadcasting for the first time. Against the grain of growing enthusiasm for a privatised solution supporters presented PSB as a necessary counter to the perceived deficiencies of the existing system, in serving a society moving from authoritarian to competitive party rule. This study sets out to explore how the expansion of PSB in Taiwan has been socially defined and constructed, and by whom. The various constructions in play were mapped through in-depth interviews with a range of claim-makers involved in the process. A systematic content analysis of the mainstream Taiwanese press was then conducted to explore the ways contending positions and issues were presented in the public domain and to identify the key voices given a public platform. This analysis demonstrated that the opinions and concerns of the general public were largely missing from a debate dominated by political and academic elites. Against the grain of their own claims to be representing the public key actors constructed public debate as a series of monologues, advancing their own sectional and paternalistic interpretations of the public interest. These findings point to the supremely ironic conclusion that a process ostensibly dedicated to reconstructing broadcasting as key element in a new, democratic, public sphere, excluded the public from active participation and relegated them to the role of spectators

The case of Foxconn in Turkey: benefiting from free labour and anti-union policy

Starting from the 2000s Foxconn invested in Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Russia and Turkey, implementing a territorial diversification strategy aimed at getting nearer to its end markets. This chapter investigates the development of Foxconn in Turkey where the multinational owns a plant with about 400 workers. A few kilometres from the city of \uc7orlu and close to highways, ports and international airports, the plant enables Foxconn to implement an efficient global supply chain. We illustrate this process by examining the company\u2019s localisation within a special economic zone, underlining the economic advantages derived from such a tax regime, bringing labour costs down to the Chinese level and obtaining proximity to European, North African and Middle East customers, thus lowering logistic costs. We also analyse the roles of labour flexibility and trade unions. In order to impose far-reaching flexibility on its workers Foxconn put in place a range of strategies, including an hours bank system, multitask operators and the recruitment of apprentices thanks a special programme funded by the state. We show how these have been crucial for Foxconn\u2019s just-in-time production contrasting its labour turnover problem. Finally, we highlight how the company has been able to implement a flexible working pattern, weaken the trade unions and undercut workers\u2019 opposition, thanks to favourable labour laws approved by successive governments in the past thirty years

Flexible workforces and low profit margins: electronics assembly between Europe and China

This book investigates restructuring in the electronics industry and in particular the impact of a \u2018Chinese\u2019 labour regime on work and employ - ment practices in electronics assembly in Europe.1 Electronics is an extremely dynamic sector, characterized by an ever-changing organi - zational structure, as well as cut-throat competition, particularly in manufacturing. Located primarily in East Asia, electronics assembly has become notorious for poor working conditions, low unionisation and authoritarian labour relations. However, hostile labour relations and topdown HR policies are not unique to East Asia. They have become associated with the way the sector is governed more broadly, with a number of Western companies also coming to rely on such practices

Introduction

This book investigates restructuring in the electronics industry and in particular the impact of a \u2018Chinese\u2019 labour regime on work and employ - ment practices in electronics assembly in Europe.1 Electronics is an extremely dynamic sector, characterized by an ever-changing organi - zational structure, as well as cut-throat competition, particularly in manufacturing. Located primarily in East Asia, electronics assembly has become notorious for poor working conditions, low unionisation and authoritarian labour relations. However, hostile labour relations and topdown HR policies are not unique to East Asia. They have become associated with the way the sector is governed more broadly, with a number of Western companies also coming to rely on such practices

The economic security of Taiwan : a case study of cross-strait relations between Taiwan and China, 2000-2004

This thesis aims to demonstrate that economic security is also a significant pillar of safeguarding national security. Aside from military security measures, adopting peaceful economic engagement and economic measures can be an alternative security policy choice through which a state may achieve its national security agenda. To facilitate an understanding of economic security, this thesis submits a working definition of economic security, which has been delineated as 'the protection of a core value from all forms of potential or actualised threat by using economic measures and policies'. The core value refers to national interests and security Objectives. With this framework, the current thesis takes Taiwan as a case study to assess Taiwan's effort of implementing economic security strategy to accomplish its national security agenda within the context of the complex and hostile cross-Strait relations yet growing economic integration. This research intends to answer three categories of questions. Firstly, how large is the cost to Taiwan of pursuing economic security vis-a-vis China, and what is Taiwan's capability to afford such cost? Secondly, what factors would contribute to or undermine Taiwan's efforts in practising economic security, and to what extent? Thirdly, do cross-Strait economic ties strengthen or weaken Taiwan's economic security with respect to its economic performance, and to what extent? From three perspectives, this study analyses the above questions. Firstly, it analyses how Taiwan has employed economic power to construct its national security within the international system. Secondly, it examines how Taiwan has utilised economic measures to resist China's political and economic influence. Thirdly, from an economic perspective, it examines whether Taiwan's economic security objectives, in the context of its capability of sustaining economic prosperity, have been enhanced when it has engaged in economic exchange with China

Reforming Copyright Law in the Digital Age: a Comparative Study of the Legal Resolutions on P2P Transmission Between Taiwan and the United States

Adjusting legal system of copyright is vigorously in need in the twenty-first century. The abuse of technology has severely damaged the copyright-related industries not only in Taiwan, but also in the United States. Indeed, the lawsuits filed against modern P2P transmission are fairly unprecedented to courts when facing the tension between copyright holders and technology innovators. Therefore, the technological changes provide an enlightened motivation to develop the analysis on whether the approach that legislators and courts take would harmonize private property rights and public interests. Through the arguments, there are meaningful goals the study attempts to achieve. It is essential for the study to make clear the historical contexts of copyright which provides a broad view on how the new technology impact copyright law. The study would also propose a deliberate suggestion for Taiwanese government by virtue of analyzing and weighting the pros and cons of amendments for digital technology. Particularly, Taiwan is the first country embodying opinions of Grokster case in domestic copyright law; therefore, the comments on the appropriateness of the legislation would be highlighted hereby. The subjects cover the elements, policies and effects of the enactment. It is certainly meaningful to make such comparison in depth to identify the potential result of the future Taiwanese court\u27s decisions relating to its recently adopted articles. Therefore, all we discuss will benefit the Taiwanese legislative in the future