The geography of .pt top level domain. The internet diffusion in Portugal and its implications for the decrease of spatial disparities.

The radical role of information and communication technology (ICT) is one of the most visible topic in the media today and seems to grow from day to day, as well as telecommunications are gradually becoming the central infrastructure tying together our society. The advent of these technologies during the past decades, and their widespread use, is radically transforming the dynamics of communication and our understanding of spatial relationships (by the reduce of distances and the increase of accessibility to information and new services). If there are many studies, attempting to show how city management and regional development policies can creatively address the complex linkages between ICT and urban and regional prosperity (influencing the objective of increasing urban living conditions, combating inwardness, promoting employment and economic competitiveness and supporting social integration policies), there are also many authors arguing that electronic communications reinforce existing patterns of physical communication rather than create new patterns. These suppositions are usually theoretical discussions, that needs to be rigorously tested with empirical analysis and comparative perspectives. The main objective of this paper is precisely to present a detailed study about Portugal, with the purpose of questioning the decrease of spatial disparities due to the potential influence of ICT’s. This research is mostly based on new spatial statistics, collected, mapped and analysed in order to understand the diffusion process of the most sophisticated, diverse and capable telecommunication infrastructures, and consequently verify the plasticity of space throughout Portugal, and the ways it has been stretched or compressed. We will be focusing the globally-interconnected set of computer networks, known as ‘The Internet’, which is widely used by millions of individuals, firms and institutions every day, as a way to get into an invisible domain, popularly known as cyberspace, in order to seek information, marketing new services and products, and as means of communication within and between organizations. We believe that this invisible territories of the cyberspace do have a geography and, in an attempt to reveal its topography, we should analyse the spatial patterns of the ownership of Internet space. Despite the rapid growth of Internet in recent years, and the gradually recognition of its implications, there is a lack of knowledge about its geographic diffusion and its attendant implication for regional urban development. Specially in what concerns to its effective role to generate substantial adjustments on traditional portuguese regional dichotomies, or instead, if it is an unexpected contribute to reinforce territorial disintegration tendencies. For the empirical research will try to find links between cyberspace and the portuguese physical geography. In our opinion a good way to achieve this goal is discovering which and where are located the portuguese entities that recognize the importance to distribute globally information, about their activities and services, through the use of the Internet. For that we will explore the compulsory registration of all .pt domain names on one single institution –Foundation for National Scientific Computing- (FNSC), which performs all the registration services for the geographical .pt domain.

Most relevant enablers and constraints influencing the spread of telework in Portugal

This paper reports the empirical findings of several surveys conducted among enterprises in Portugal in order to identify and summarise relevant enablers and constraints that may influence the implementation of telework in the Portuguese business environment. It also provided some common characteristics that will help us draw the profile of a Portuguese potential teleworker.I thank Eng. Miguel Reynolds Brandão and Dr. Isabel Rodrigues for the excellent working conditions during the large period I have spent filling in my databases at APDT – the main Portuguese Association for the Development of Telework. I also thank all the suggestions made by Prof. Iva Pires, as well as all the participants in the ETHICOMP 2004 conference (Syros, Greece), where I presented a preliminary version of this paper, for the valuable discussions

The Portuguese urban system: An opposition between its hierarchical organization in cyberspace vs. physical space

The advent of computer and information technologies during the past decades, and their widespread use, is radically transforming the dynamics of communication and our understanding of spatial relationships. This empirical analysis intends to question how this kind of technological changes affect past trends in urban and regional development, specifically if they have enough potential to generate substantial adjustments on traditional Portuguese urban hierarchy, or instead, if it is an unexpected contribute to reinforce territorial disintegration tendencies. We analyse some geographic measurements of internet ownership, especially the density of .pt domains and the presence of each Portuguese city in the most used web search engines, in order to verify the plasticity of space throughout Portugal by the growing use of ICT’s, and the ways it has been stretched or compressed. The findings of this study suggest that the role of ICTs in the struggle against spatial inequalities in Portugal is less relevant than expected.(undefined

Institutional and business cross-border cooperation in the textile and clothing industry

In the European context two cross-border regions, the North (Portugal) and Galicia (Spain), play a major role in the textile and clothing industry, although with significant differences in the business strategies they follow. These differences are essentially related to the specialization of North Portugal in small and medium-sized production activities, in opposition to the specialization of large Galician companies in more valueadded activities, particularly in the retailing and marketing of their own brands. The goal of this study is to evaluate the results of both institutional and business cooperation efforts to bolster cross-border competitiveness in this sector of activity. Methodologically, a quantitative approach is employed, based on the statistical analysis of databases that characterize this business sector, as well as a qualitative approach, based on in-depth interviews, not only with business managers involved in crossborder production networks, but also with the sector’s most representative institutional actors. The results suggest there is an ongoing cross-border clustering process, derived particularly from more intense institutional cooperation. This process requires greater maturity in terms of business relations, as they still seem to be restricted by some cultural barriers associated to the border effect

Aveiro, Portugal: making a digital city

The radical role of information and communication technologies (ICT) is one of the most visible topic in the media today and seems to grow from day to day, as well as telecommunications are gradually becoming the central infrastructure tying together our society. In this new reality it is more and more consensual that cities and their relationships will inevitably be redefined in the so called ‘information age’, but in what concrete ways are cities and communities responding to this challenge and preparing for the future? This paper attempts to show how city management and community development policies can creatively address the complex linkages between ICT and urban prosperity, from the perspective of a small and peripheral european country - Portugal. This paper examines the way in which reforms brought on by the Portuguese Government, specifically in what concerns to the development of the Portuguese Digital Cities, have been arranged and conducted in order to influence the objectives of increasing urban living conditions, combating inwardness, promoting employment and economic competitiveness and support social integration policies. If ICT are an important source of renewal in society, and in many ways ICT innovation have been a key source to human, political, as well as economic progress, in consequence the issue is not whether cities and citizens will be affected by these changes but how they will be affected, and how political leaders will address the challenges that emerge. Under this point of view, there is a general agreement that positive action, on the basis of a strong political commitment, is needed to ensure that urban managers use the full potential offered by the Information Society. For this reason, to understand better and evaluate the main trends related to the Portuguese dissemination of ICT during the past years, it is important to analyse the evolution of government policies in this field, in order to identify some of the main success factors, but also what kind of constraints appeared during the process and should be avoid in other digital cities.I gratefully acknowledge the support of Eng. Lusitana Fonseca and Dr. António Leandro, from the Executive Commission of the Aveiro Digital Program, particularly for providing the available information related to the projects developed in the context of this initiative. I also thank all the suggestions made by Prof. Iva Pires as well as the comments I received during the presentation of an earlier version of this paper, at the City Futures Conference (Chicago, July 2004)

Obstacles do West Bank Industrial Development caused by the palestinian lack of control over its external and internal borders

It is not possible to understand and analyze economic performance of Palestinian firms independently of its geopolitical context. Israel control over the West Bank still exists nowadays as it does not recognize the State of Palestine and the sovereignty of the Palestinian Authority to fully administrate its territory. Consequently, some obstacles to the industrial development are related with this external influence of Israel, and the Palestinian Authority lack of control over its external and internal borders. The main objective of this study, that crosses qualitative and quantitative methodological approaches (in-depth interviews and a questionnaire to a statistically representative sample of the West Bank manufacturing activities), is to disclose and discuss the major obstacles that came from this external influence. Namely, obstacles in the raw materials importation, as well as obstacles to sell West Bank goods in local and foreign markets

Labour mobility in the Euroregion Galicia-Norte de Portugal: constraints faced by cross-border commuters

Removing barriers to labour mobility is expected to contribute to processes of spatial integration in cross-border regions, by an efficient allocation of labour and consequently a convergence between territories separated by a common border. Nevertheless, despite the de-bordering process within the European Union, administrative, legal and language barriers still hamper cross-border labour mobility preventing the process of labour market integration. The aim of this paper is to identify obstacles to the mobility of cross-border workers commuting within the Euroregion Galicia-Norte de Portugal. Methodology combines the analysis of official data on labour mobility, with qualitative data gathered from interviews with cross-border commuters aiming to contribute to explain the different attitudes towards cross-border mobility inside this Euroregion. While traditional push and pull factors remain relevant to explain cross-border labour flows, the qualitative information adds new insights into different levels of indifference of cross-border workers. The result is a fragmented labour market were Norte de Portugal is providing low qualified-low wage labour while Galicia is contributing with well-paid and qualified labour.This work was supported by European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the COMPETE 2020 - Operational Programe Competitiveness and Internationalization (POCI) and national funds by FCT under the POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006891 project [grant number FCT Ref: UID/GEO04084/2013]

Internal obstacles to West Bank Industrial Development: governental and private management decisions.

Obstacles to industrial growth and development on the West Bank are various and are of different magnitudes, causes and nature, and not all are the result of the Israeli occupation. There are also constraints to West Bank industrial development that stem from the influence of internal options. The main objective of this study, that crosses qualitative and quantitative methodological approaches (in-depth interviews and a questionnaire to a statistically representative sample of the West Bank manufacturing activities), is to disclose and discuss two major internal obstacles that should receive more attention and effort from the Palestinian National Authority in order to overcome their negative impacts on local industrial competitiveness. On the one hand, hindrances caused by governmental decisions related to reduced incentives to assist local firms dealing with fund-raising issues; as well as a policy of high taxation that limits firms’ capability to face difficulties and grow by embracing new projects and investments; and the absence of a broader economic strategic policy to promote West Bank industrial development. On the other, obstacles that stem from outdated production processes associated with low technological investment in local firms, as well as from the low priority given to the quality of local production and to advertising and promotion investments.This work was co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the COMPETE 2020 - Operational Programe Competitiveness and Internationalization (POCI) and national funds by FCT under the POC-01-0145-FEDER-006891 project (FCT Ref: UID / GEO 04084/2013). The authors would like also to thank Prof. Wael Ennab, from An-Najah National University, for all useful comments and suggestions

Industrial policies in the context of disputed or occupied territories

Over the past centuries industrialization has played a relevant role in the development of nations, especially through its contribution to economic growth and, thus, to raising the standards of living. However, industrial development and how it can be influenced by government decisions has been largely ignored in the context of disputed or occupied territories with a problem of sovereignty recognition. This paper aims to contribute to overcoming this gap, through a methodological approach based on a comparative analysis of the industrial policies conducted in four case studies, namely, the experiences of Northern Cyprus, Taiwan, Tibet, and the West Bank (Palestine). This comparative approach intends to explore the lessons we can take from these diverse experiences. On the one hand, from territories that have achieved a significant degree of success in terms of industrial policies, despite suffering on-going disputes, contributing to their evolution from developing to developed territories. On the other hand, from territories where the disputes are more severe, raising several obstacles to their industrial development, and whose effects it is important to debate and discuss. Our study finds that, in disputed or occupied territories, there are some specificities and similarities among the factors that play a significant role in the success/failure of their industrial policies to achieve broader development goals. These seem to be: the level of political stability and autonomy of the local government in defining and pursuing their development goals; the influence of past and current occupations and their strategic orientation (more segregationist or more integrated ones); the protectionist orientation especially during the first stages of industrialization; the ability to attract foreign investment as a means to transfer innovation and technology to the local economy; and the level of openness of the local economy, conjugated with the ability to increase local industrial productivity and competitiveness and thus to increase exports.This work was co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the COMPETE 2020 - Operational Programe Competitiveness and Internationalization (POCI) and national funds by FCT under the POC-01-0145-FEDER-006891 project (FCT Ref: UID / GEO 04084/2013). The authors would like also to thank Prof. Wael Ennab, from An-Najah National University, for all useful comments and suggestions

Reduction and construction of Poisson quasi-Nijenhuis manifolds with background

We extend the Falceto-Zambon version of Marsden-Ratiu Poisson reduction to Poisson quasi-Nijenhuis structures with background on manifolds. We define gauge transformations of Poisson quasi-Nijenhuis structures with background, study some of their properties and show that they are compatible with reduction procedure. We use gauge transformations to construct Poisson quasi-Nijenhuis structures with background.Comment: to appear in IJGMM