The evolution of P2P networks for file exchange: the interaction between social controversy and technical change

Since the irruption of Napster in 1999, Peer-to-Peer computer networks for file exchange have been at the heart of a heated debate that has eventually evolved into a wide social controversy across the world, involving legal, economical, and even political issues. This essay analyzes the effects of this controversy on the technical innovations that have shaped the evolution of those systems. It argues that the usual image of a single two-sided conflict does not account for most of the technical changes involved. P2P entrepreneurs and creators show a wide range of motivations and business strategies -if any- and users are not a monolithic group with a common set of goals and values. As a result, the actual historical evolution of those networks does not follow a simple linear path but a more complex and multidirectional development

Towards a network government? A critical analysis of current assessment methods for e-government

Contemporary public administrations have become increasingly more complex, having to cordinate actions with emerging actors in the public and the private spheres. In this scenario the modern ICTs have begun to be seen as an ideal vehicle to resolve some of the problems of public administration. We argue that there is a clear need to explore the extent to which public administrations are undergoing a process of transformation towards a netowork government linked to the systematic incorporation of ICTs in their basic activities. Through critically analysing a selection of e-government evaluation reports, we conclude that research should be carried out if we are to build a solid government assessment framework based on network-like organisation characteristics

U.S. Covert Actions: The Explosure Effect and the President`s popularity

Does the revelation of covert actions affect a leader’s popularity? The primary purpose of this study is to investigate whether such effect exists and, if yes, to determine the extent to which it has an influence on the U.S. President’s popularity. This thesis consists of preliminary case classification part, from which I proceed to my qualitative studies of the matter. The case classification part consists of 16 cases of U.S. covert actions during the Cold War period. I classify my cases based on whether they have been exposed or not, as well as I look whether their exposure had an effect on the U.S. President’s popularity. If there was an effect, I further differentiate them depending on their regime type. This procedure helped me to select my two in-depth case studies. I have conducted two in-depth case studies of U.S. covert actions in Chile (1970-73) and Nicaragua (1980s). Throughout the case studies, I have examined the effect of exposure on popularity in the following dimensions: media coverage, congressional investigations, presidential approval ratings, and election results. Based on the results of case studies, it is concluded that the disclosure of covert actions had a less significant effect that lasted on a temporary basis and did not have a major impact in a longer perspective. Overall, this study advances our understanding of causal mechanisms that shape the effect of covert actions’ exposure in influencing a U.S. President’s popularity

Design and optimization of radio-over-fiber links

En los últimos el uso de enlaces ópticos han sido altamente incrementado debido a las ventajas que supone este sobre los enlaces eléctricos, junto con esto, también han aumentado los programas dedicados a la simulación de estos enlaces ópticos. El objetivo principal de este proyecto es crear programas lo cuales puedan servir para el estudio de este tipo de enlaces y sus componentes además del diferente comportamiento de estos. Para ello se han convertido en funciones de Matlab diferentes bloques del programa VPIphotonics para poder hacer varias simulaciones simples.In recent years, the use of optical links for data transmission has highly increased due their advantages as compared to electrical links, and with it, the number of software tools dedicated to simulate these optical links. The main focus of this project is to create a software tool which can help in the study of this type of links, their components and their different behaviour. For that some blocks from VPIphotonics software tool have been converted into Matlab's functions to be able to create simple simulations.En els últims anys l'ús d'enllaços òptics han sigut altament incrementats degut als avantatges que aquests suposen sobre els enllaços elèctrics, junt a això, també han incrementat els programes dedicats a la simulació d'aquests enllaços òptics. L'objectiu principal d'aquest projecte és crear programes els quals puguin server per l'estudi d'aquest tipus d'enllaços i el seus components a més del diferents comportaments d'aquest. Per això s'han convertit en funcions de Matlab diversos blocs del programa VPIphotonics per fer diverses simulacions simples

The 2030 Agenda in local entities: Does gender matter in reporting on the Sustainable Development Goals?

This study analyses the influence of the gender of elected officials on the level of disclosure of information about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by Spanish local governments, using a binary gender classification (man/woman). The results obtained from the websites of 102 municipalities from 2016 to 2021 reveal that the fact that the mayor is a woman has a positive and significant effect on the disclosure of SDG information, while the effect of the gender diversity of the councillors is positive, but not significant. Furthermore, the tendency to disclose SDG information is higher in those municipalities led by a woman with a higher percentage of women councillorsXunta de Galicia [Grant/Award Number: 2020 GPC GI-2016]S

The Evolution of P2P networks for file exchange: the interaction between social controversy and technical change

Since the irruption of Napster in 1999, Peer-to-Peer computer networks for file exchange have been at the heart of a heated debate that has eventually evolved into a wide social controversy across the world, involving legal, economical, and even political issues. This essay analyzes the effects of this controversy on the technical innovations that have shaped the evolution of those systems. It argues that the usual image of a single two-sided conflict does not account for most of the technical changes involved. P2P entrepreneurs and creators show a wide range of motivations and business strategies —if any—and users are not a monolithic group with a common set of goals and values. As a result, the actual historical evolution of those networks does not follow a simple linear path but a more complex and multidirectional development

The tension between academic knowledge production and online peer production

Peer-reviewedOnline mass collaboration projects, such as Wikipedia and those designed for developing open source software programs, are remarkable examples of hybrid spaces where knowledge and information are co-produced by a wide variety of social actors. They share many features with traditional scientific practices: peer review mechanisms, a commitment for open publication of results, a meritocratic culture, etc. Nevertheless, there are also important differences: in online peer production peer review is often open and post-publication; the distinction between experts and lay people does not play a priori a crucial role ¿ amateur contributions are welcome; not only results are published but the process of production ¿ and thus intermediate results and procedures - is also open, etc. Though the present movement towards open science and open research pleads for importing some of these features to the realm of science and academia, it is not clear whether both cultures and ways of knowledge production are fully compatible. We try to address this issue through an empirical study on university lecturers¿ uses and perceptions of Wikipedia. The ¿free collaborative encyclopedia¿ is known to be one of the widest used resources by university students, but there are no systematic studies on how lectures and researchers use and perceive this source of information - though they seem to share a more skeptical view. We will present the preliminary results of a set on interviews to professors in different departments of our own university, as a first qualitative stage of a longer on-going research project.Projectes de col·laboració en línia de comunicació, com la Viquipèdia, i els dissenyats pel desenvolupament de programari de programes de codi obert, són exemples notables d'espais híbrids on el coneixement i la informació són co-produïdes per una àmplia varietat d'actors socials.Proyectos de colaboración en línea de comunicación, como Wikipedia y los diseñados para el desarrollo de software de programas de código abierto, son ejemplos notables de espacios híbridos donde el conocimiento y la información son co-producidas por una amplia variedad de actores sociales

Assurance of corporate social responsibility reports:Does it reduce decoupling practices?

Recent research shows the existence of a selective corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosure strategy that creates a gap between CSR disclosure and actual performance. These CSR decoupling practices compromise the credibility of CSR reports and have triggered a demand for the adoption of credibility enhancement mechanisms, such as adherence to the global reporting initiative (GRI) reporting guidelines, and the external assurance of CSR reports. The effectiveness of such mechanisms is not clear, however. This paper draws on legitimacy theory and addresses the issue of symbolic versus substantive use of assurance, and compliance with GRI reporting standards, by analysing their effect on CSR decoupling using an international sample of 1,939 companies (15,219 observations from 2002 to 2017). Analysis of a sub-sample of 708 firms (3,730 observations from 2011 to 2017) also shows that the application of GRI guidelines and the specific characteristics of the assurance provider—accountant, experience and specialisation—reduce CSR decoupling practices. The results provide researchers, managers, assurance providers, investors, stakeholders and regulators with additional insight into the value of the external assurance of sustainability reports and have important managerial and policy implications